Commentary for Berakhot 11:5
אמר רבא האי דוחקא דהוי בכלה מנייהו הוי הני ברכי דשלהי מנייהו הני מאני דרבנן דבלו מחופיא דידהו הני כרעי דמנקפן מנייהו
Raba said : The crush at the public discourses is due to them ; the knees grow fatigued because of them ; the wearing out of the clothes of the Rabbis is the consequence of their rubbing against them ; the feet are bruised by them.
Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
M.: Abbai.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
On the Sabbath, expositions of Torah were given in the Synagogues and Houses of Study. The name given to such an assembly is Kallah "the bride," because "court was paid to the Torah, and fresh declarations of love and devotion and loyalty were made to her" (Schechter, Seminary Addresses, p. 54). Wunsche (p. 12 n. 2) considers that the name is connected with the Sabbath, the day on which the gathering was held, the Sabbath being frequently referred to as a bride (cf. Singer, p. Ill bot.). The word has also been connected with σχολη (Page:27), schola, with elision of the first letter. Other suggested explanations are given by Abrahams, p. clix. For a description of the Kallah, see J. E. I. pp. 146 f. Although the hall was not overcrowded, yet the audience would feel crushed. This was due to the evil spirits who wished to make them uncomfortable and induce people to stay away.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy