Commentary for Berakhot 6:14
מאי טעמיה דרבי אמר רב זריקא אמר רבי אמי אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי כתוב אחד אומר (תהלים קיט)חצות לילה אקום להודות לך על משפטי צדקך וכתוב אחד אומר (שם)קדמו עיני אשמורות הא כיצד ארבע משמרות הוי הלילה
What is Rabbi's reason [for declaring there are four watches] ? R. Zerika stated that R. Ammi said in the name of R. Joshua b. Levi : One verse states, "At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto Thee because of Thy righteous ordinances" (Ps. cxix. 62) and another verse states, "Mine eyes forestalled the night-watches" (ibid. 5:148). How is this? There must be four watches in the night.
Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
M. : R. Simeon b. Lakish. Bacher adopts this as correct ; see A. P. A. I. p. 131 n. 5.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
If by rising "at midnight" David forestalled "night-watches" (the plural signifying two), there must be four watches in the night.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy