Commentary for Berakhot 53:4
אלא מאי עד ועד בכלל קשיא רישא מאי איכא בין רבי יהודה לרבנן מי סברת דהאי פלג מנחה פלג אחרונה קאמר פלג ראשונה קאמר והכי קאמר אימת נפיק פלג ראשונה ועייל פלג אחרונה מכי נפקי י"א שעות חסר רביע
What, then, does it signify? "Until" and including. Then the difficulty in the first clause remains, viz. : What is the point of variance between R. Judah and the Rabbis? Dost thou hold the opinion that when R. Judah mentioned "The middle of the afternoon" he meant the second half? He meant the first half, and he must be understood to say : When does the first half conclude and the latter half commence? At the expiration of the eleventh hour less a quarter.
Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
This conclusion contradicts that arrived at in the preceding paragraph.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
See p. 175 n. 10.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
I.e. when R. Judah declares the afternoon Tefillah maybe read until the middle of the afternoon, be gives "until" the inclusive meaning; but be refers to the first half, which is 4.45. Up to that time he permits it, whereas the Rabbis allow it to be read the whole afternoon. Hence it is shown that although "until" means including, the opinions of R. Judah and the Rabbis differ.
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