Commentary for Berakhot 109:19

See fol. 32 b, p. 215.

Because it is tempting Providence.

Thereby sbowing over-confidence in his innocence.

When he has the poor as his guests. Cf. "Let the poor be the members of thy household"; Abot i. 5, Singer, p. 185. Although this is the interpretation required by the context, Bacher (following Epstein) thinks that the dictum originally referred to the ritualistic purity of the daily meals; cf. A. P. A. I. p. 225 n. 2.

Wunsche renders: Zehn Dinge bringen den Menschen zu den Unteren (d.i. unter die Erde); but this is improbable.

Lit. threshing sledge. According to Rashi : all parts of the animal which are rough and indented.

M. adds: without salt.

In the parallel passage (Nedarim 49 b) it is not a matron but a Min. To refer to indelicate matters like this in conversation between the sexes is common in the East. Cf. Lane, p. 473.

I.e. fresh and healthy-looking.

M. adds : in the name of Rab.

The last phrase might also mean, to occupy a position of authority.

And the one who says Grace blesses his host.

M.: R. Hiyya said.

This is deduced from Exod. i. 6, "And Joseph died and (sc. then) all his brethren."

Sic. R.V. "Recover Thou me." The root of the word is identical with the letters in the word for "dream."

That is the order in Exod. xxxi. 7 f.

Thus in Exod. xxv. 10 the Ark is mentioned; ibid. vv. 23 and 31 we have the table and candlestick, i.e. "the vessels"; and in xxvi. 1 the tabernacle.

Besel el, hence Besalel.

Knowledge derived from the mystic art. See Abelson, Jewish Mysticism, pp. 100 f. and Ginsburg, The Kabbalah, pp. 153 ff.

Lit. son of the West.

It was always considered preferable to find authority for an opinion in the Pentateuch than in other parts of the Bible.

The original is obscure, and the reading of M. בלא should be adopted instead of ולא. The 'Aruk gives it a reverse meaning : Every dream has some reality, except that which one dreams while fasting. Against this interpretation is the commonly held idea that a full stomach prevents dreams (cf. p. 90 n. 8), and that a morning-dream (when the stomach is empty) has great significance. See next folio, p. 363.

Has no effect for good or evil, because it depends upon the interpretation, as will be explained later.

Because it leads to searching of heart and contrition.

He was blind, and consequently his joy would be less than that of one possessed of sight.

Most of the statements in this paragraph seem to have the purpose of belittling the importance of dreams.