Commentary for Berakhot 5:18

because we cant say that the time of the day becoming holy and the time in witch the priests come in to eat the tithings is the same because if this were the case then the opinion of r Eliezer would be the same opinion of r yehoshua

Tosafos D''H "L'man D'gani." "and if you say, doesn't Rebbi Eliezer hold (later on Daf 9b) "until one recognizes between [the color] of techeilet and karti (a dark green)" [is what is required in order to recite] the Kriyat Shema of the morning? In any case, since one knows when Amud HaShachar occurs, [by the time] one arises and prepares himself [for the morning prayers,] the time will have already arrived." It is clarified from Tosafos that he reasons that Kriyat Shema of the morning is dependent of the time of "m'sh'yakir," and "m'sh'yakir"prevents, even after the fact, that if one recites it before "m'sh'yakir"

In the first Baraita quoted, R. Meir's view is that the Shema' may be read from the time people go home for their meal on the Sabbath-eve (i.e. after twilight) ; but in the second Baraita his view is from the time the priest bathes (i.e. before twilight).

R. Meir's teaching is reported by two later Rabbis ; hence the discrepancy.

In the Mishnah, R. Eliezer's time-standard is when the priests enter to eat the Terumah (i.e. the appearance of the stars) ; in the Baraita, it is when the Sabbath is hallowed (i.e. sunset).

According to this explanation, only "until the end of the first watch" in the Mishnah are the words of R. Eliezer.

The division of the day was reckoned as follows : From sunrise to sunset consisted of twelve "hours," which would be longer in Summer and shorter in Winter. The sixth hour ended at noon ; hence it is convenient to speak of the day as commencing at 6 a.m., and the night (which was similarly divided into twelve hours) at 6 p.m. "Until the end of the fourth hour" would accordingly be 10 p.m.

The Romans divided the night into four vigiliae. So also Matt. xiv. 25, Mark vi. 48.

The ministering angels are formed into three bands, each doing duty a part of the night.

See Glossary, s.v. Baraita.

"Mightily roar" is literally in the Hebrew "roaring He doth roar." Hence the word "roar" occurs three times in the verse, and is referred to the three night-watches.

Windows were rare in houses, especially of the poor. Cf. T. A. I. p. 42, and p. 347 n. 539.

M. : Rab Isaac b. R. Samuel b. Marta.

It will be noted that the Talmud is careful to trace a teaching to its source; hence the frequent occurrence of the phrase "in the name of." Cf. Abot vi. 6 : "Whoever reports a thing in the name of him that said it brings deliverance into the world; as it is said, 'And Esther told the king in the name of Mordecai' (Esth. ii. 22)" (Singer, p. 207).

The Greeks divided the night into three ***

Elijah is frequently represented in Rabbinic Literature as appearing on earth. See A. T. II. p. 163 n. 1, and the article in J. E. v. pp. 122 ff.

By "prayer" is usually, as here, meant the Eighteen Benedictions (see Glossary, s.v. Tefillah). This prayer must be said with the feet in a fixed position (see fol. 10 b, p. 65 n. 6) and without interruption.

I.e. the prayer "Give us understanding" (Singer, p. 55); see below fol. 29 a, p. 192.

For the bearing of this passage on Matt. iii. 16, see Abrahams, Studies in Pharisaism (First Series), p. 47.

The original reading was probably, "Woe to Me that I have destroyed," etc. See D. S. ad loc. The alteration was made for the purpose of euphemism.

This is the response in the important feature of the Synagogue Service, known as the Kaddish. Cf., e.g., Singer, p. 37, and p. 86 for the form used in the House of Study. On the Kaddish, see J. E. VII. pp. 401 ff.

To denote regret or meditation; cf. T. A. III. p. 245 n. 65.

Reading אוי ; see D. S. ad loc. The text has מה which means "What is there for the Father?"

Of immoral intent.

The Evil Spirits of Jewish Folklore correspond to the Jinn of the Arabs. Among the places they are supposed to frequent are "ruined houses" (Lane, p. 229). On Jewish Demonology, see J. E. IV. pp. 514 ff.

And if you'll ask, we know that Rabbi Eliezer holds that in order to read Krias Shema it must be light enough to recognize between blue and green? We can answer that since he knows when the rising of the sun is, by the time he gets up and gets ready it will be the right time.

from he we can go against what the machzor vitrey says, wich is that the phrase of "let his name be blessed" is a prayer that gods name should be filled up,