Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Commentary for Berakhot 55:8

אמר לו ר' יהושע והלא כבר נאמר (עמוס ט, יד) ושבתי את שבות עמי ישראל ועדיין לא שבו מיד התירוהו לבא בקהל

R. Joshua retorted, "And has it not been said, 'I will turn the captivity of My people Israel' (Amos ix. 14)? but they have not yet returned !" They immediately permitted him to enter the Community.

Tosafot on Berakhot

AND THE ADDITIONAL PRAYER [MAY BE RECITED] ALL DAY. Our Gemara clearly states that the time for musaf is the entire day. Tosfos has other Gemaros that seem to be in conflict with our Gemara. Rabainu Shimshon ל"ז asked: How can we say here that the time for musaf is the entire day, the Gemara in Tomid Nishchat (P’sochim 58a) says that musafim are offered in the sixth hour of the day and the cups of frankincense that were on the table with the showbread all week long, were offered on the altar in the seventh hour. This of course is a contradiction to our Gemara that says the musafim can be offered all day long.
There seems to be an easy solution to this problem. The Gemara in P’sochim may be saying that the sixth hour is the optimum trime for offering musafim and our Mishna is saying that in the event the musafim were not offered at the sixth hour they can be offered all day long. Tosfos rejects this solution.
And if you say that these words, of the Gemara in P’sochim are teaching us that it is a preferred mitzvoh to offer the musafim at the sixth hour but de facto, when one did not offer them during the sixth hour, the entire day is their time and that is what our Gemara is discussing, But we have a Gemara in Yomo (70a)1 it appears that the musafim were slaughtered together with the daily sacrifices and offered on the altar together with the tomid. Since we have a contradiction between the Gemara in P’sochim that says the musafim were offered at the sixth hour and the Gemara in Yomo that says they were offered together with the Tomid, which was not later than the fourth hour and usually much earlier, we must reconcile those two Gemaros. We can say that the Gemara in Yomo is discussing when they actually offered the musafim and the Gemara in Psochim is speaking about a de facto situation and is giving the time limit if one missed the preferred time. If so, our Gemara that says that musafim could have been offered all day long is a contradiction with the Gemara in P’sochim. The Gemara in P’sochim says that the upper limit is the sixth hour and our Gemara is saying that the upper limit is all day long.
And he, Rabainu Shishon of Senz answered: that there in P’sochim the Gemara is speaking about Shabos. The Gemara is saying that on Shabos the preferred mitzvoh is to offer the musafim in the sixth hour. The Gemara in Yomo is speaking of other days that there is a musaf offering such as Yom Tov or Rosh Chodesh. On those days it is preferred that the musaf be offered together with the Tomid, which is much earlier than the sixth hour. Our Gemara is speaking of all days that there is a musaf and is teaching us that if we missed the preferred time on Shabos which is the sixth hour or the preferred time of Yom Tov which is together with the Tomid, we may offer the musaf at any time during the day.
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Tosafot on Berakhot

THE HALAKHA [IS THAT] HE RECITES THE AFTERNOON PRAYER [FIRST] AND THE ADDITIONAL PRAYER THEREAFTER. The Gemara cited a Braiso that teaches that when one has the two prayers, minchoh and musaf; he should say minchoh first because minchoh is constant as opposed to musaf which is said only from time to time. There is a general rule that when has to perform two mitzvos one does the constant one first. Tosfos gives us a practical application of this ruling. From here we learn that on Yom Kipur we should be careful to complete praying the shacharis prayer before six and a half hours of the day have gone by, which is before the time to pray minchoh, for if one is not careful to start musaf before six and a half hours we would be required to pray minchoh before musaf as is evident from the ruling of the Braiso.
This explanation of Tosfos assumes that when the Gemara speaks one who has two prayers before him, he must choose the more constant one; it refers to all situations where one has two prayers to recite. Tosfos will now show us that R’I has a different opinion on this issue. And R’I says that it is not necessary to pray the mincha prayers a six and a half hours on Yom Kipur before the musaf prayer. For that which was said in the Braiso that one must pray the minchoh prayer earlier, that is when one has to take care of his needs and he will not be able to pray the minchoh prayer at its time, usually after nine and a half hours, and he must therefore pray both prayers now. For example, he needs to attend a major banquet such as a wedding and he is concerned that he may extend his meal beyond the regular time to pray minchoh or that he might become intoxicated and be unable to pray even if he finishes the meal on time. However, if there is sufficient time to pray the minchoh prayer at its regular time after the musaf prayer, he need not precede the minchoh prayer before the musaf prayer; rather, he should pray in order musaf and then minchoh.
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Tosafot on Berakhot

AS RAV YOSEF TRANSLATED: FOR THEY HAVE DELAYED THE TIMES OF THE FESTIVALS. The literal translation of the targum that the Gemara quoted is that they postponed the times for the holidays. This seems unrelated to the purpose that the Gemara quoted this verse. The Gemara is discussing one who prays musaf after the seventh hour, what does this have to do with the Targum of this verse.
Tosfos explains: And if the verse is truly speaking about the holidays, it is not possible to use the term postponed. Postponed implies that the holiday was not observed at the proper time and is going to be observed at some later time. But that is impossible, for there is no way of making up for non-observed holidays, if one misses a holiday there is no make up for it. The word postponed the holiday makes no sense. Rather, the verse must be discussing prayer, where we do find that there is a concept of making up for a missed prayer. The verse is saying that those who miss praying at the correct time will be saddened.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

M. and some edd. here insert : "We have the tradition, 'We may raise to a higher degree of sanctity but not degrade to a lower degree'." "But perhaps Rabban Gamaliel will plague thee !" He answered.... Rashi rejects this reading; and the quotation "We may raise to a higher degree" etc. seems out of place, inasmuch as the Rabbis had just degraded Rabban Gamaliel. The passage occurs further on, whence it probably was wrongly copied here.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

Or "precious cup." Rashi gives it the meaning "crystal goblet."
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

One occupying so exalted a position as President should possess the dignity which grey hair brings. The same idea seems to underlie the wearing of a wig by judge and counsel.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

J. T. reads sixteen.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

Referring to his beard.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

See fol. 12 b, p. 79.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

I.e. sincere and of a high moral standard.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

To accommodate the crowds that sought admission.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

This is the correct form of the name. Edd. : Joseph.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

I.e. the new disciples were beautiful outwardly but not inwardly, and he had not prevented any worthy students from studying.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

The new disciples were in reality worthy men.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

It is doubtful whether this is to be identified with the Tractate 'Eduyyot in the fourth Order of the Mishnah. It more probably refers to a collection of legal decisions which has not been preserved.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

Some edd. add : for a single hour.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

I.e. the real Ammonites form only a minority of the inhabitants of the land of Ammon ; it is consequently presumed that the would-be proselyte belonged to the majority who were not Ammonites.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

According to J. T. he went to conciliate all the members of the Sanhedrin.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

Or, a smith. In the version of J. T. he was making needles.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

Lit. "I am humbled to thee." The words ooold also mean, "I agree with thee," i.e. "Thou art quite right" ; of. A. T. i. p. 161 n. 2.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

Or, a washer ; followers of this occupation are often mentioned in the Talmud and seem to have been rather despised.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

He meant that Rabban Gamaliel had a hereditary claim to the Office of President which should be respected.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

He was evidently against re-installing Rabban Gamaliel. J. T. mentions that he was grieved at not being appointed to the Office.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

To R. Eleazar b. 'Azariah and induce him to stand aside in favour of Rabban Gamaliel.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

By "sprinkler" is meant the priest who had the duty of purifying one defiled by contact with the dead, by sprinkling him with the ashes of the "red heifer" mingled with running water; cf. Num. xix. For the sense of the enigmatic message, see note 3 above.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

I.e. ordinary well-water and common ashes, not the running water and ashes of the red heifer, as required by the Torah.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

To convey to him the invitation to resume Office.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

In Hagigah 3 a this question is asked by R. Joshua.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

Who asked, "Is the evening Tefillah voluntary or obligatory?" and caused the scene. The tradition is faulty ; R. Simeon b. Jobai could not chronologically have taken part in this affair. Cf. A. T. ii. p. 70.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

See above, fol. 27 a, p. 176.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

See p. 176 n. 1.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

M. : Ze'ira,
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

Of honouring the Sages.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

What follows is uncertain, and there are many variants. D. S. prefers the reading of the Soncino edition : "Who stated the Halakah in the House of Study?" He replied, "R. Johanan." He asked him, "What was it?" He replied, "One says the afternoon Tefillah and afterwards the additional." R. Zera asked him.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

I.e. that R. Johanan was the authority for this teaching.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

R.V. "Them that sorrow for." R.V. marg. "Them that are removed from."
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot

Euphemism for Israel.
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