פירוש על ברכות 18:25

vv. 7 f. of the Psalm refer to the release from Egypt; accordingly "she that tarrieth at home "means the Egyptians, and "spoil" implies that it was taken from them by force.

The Israelites were reluctant to load themselves with burdens for the journey.

Rasbi translates, "Like a trap [for birds] in which was no corn [where-with to catch them]." The text is uncertain ; see D. S. ad loc. and A. P. A. II. p. 170, n. 4. M. reads: "Like husks without grain (cf. Jastrow, p. 824 b) ...like a net without fish."

Added by M. correctly. See D. S. ad loc.

This is the interpretation of the two "I am." The second foretells the captivity of Assyria and Babylon.

Cf . Matt. vi. 34, "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Why should Moses have to tell the Israelites of the trials that were in store for their descendants?

Not "I am that I am" ; thus the reference to the Captivity was to be omitted.

The explanation of I Kings xviii. 37 occurs also on fol. 6 b, p. 88.

Similarly the Koran ii. 183 regards the day as commencing for the purpose of a fast when one "can plainly distinguish a white thread from a black thread by the daybreak."

He will earn merit by reading it after the prescribed time, bat not as much.

I.e. the wool is partly dyed blue, and one can distinguish the undyed parts. J. T. explains it as referring to the "Fringes" which are used when reading the Shema' and contain "a thread of blue" (Num. xv. 38).

A little over two yards.

The Bomberg edition reads : Tefillin.

Lit. pious. They were a sect who paid scrupulous care to the fulfilment of the religious ordinances. They are sometimes identified with the Essenes ; cf. J. E. v. p. 226. Blau in R. E. J. xxxi. pp. 184 f. regards them as a community of priests who held a service in common, and identifies them with "the Holy Congregation of Jerusalem" mentioned below.

See Singer, p. 44. The prayer "O Rock of Israel" is part of the benediction connected with the Shema'. But the Eighteen Benedictions which follow may not be said until sunrise; so as to be able to unite the two, the Wetikin took care to conclude the reading of the Shema' at that time.

I.e. they will pay their devotions at sunrise.

Probably a survival of an Essene Community ; see J. E. loc. cit., and p. 55, n. 6.

This refers to the incident mentioned in J. T. On the day that R. Zera was careful to unite the two prayers, he was pressed into the king's service to carry myrtle into the palace.

In the Messianic Era.

M. : Eleazar.

See fol. 4b, p. 17.

Therefore R. Johanan's teaching cannot apply to the evening Tefilluh, because "O Lord, open Thou my lips" would constitute an interruption. The importance which this Rabbi attached to uniting the two prayers in the evening is accounted for by Elbogen (J. Q. R. xix. pp. 711 ff.) on the theory that it was intended to abolish the custom of introducing prayers of a personal nature after the Shema' which was likely to destroy the congregational character of the Service. Cf. fol. 31a, p. 206.

M. : Assi ; but the reading of edd. is to be preferred. See D. S. ad loc.

The introductory sentence, "O Lord, open Thou my lips."

See p. 17.

The verse concludes the 19th Psalm.

In Acts xiii. 33 where Ps. ii. 7 is quoted, Codex Bezae and other authorities read "In the first Psalm."

So M. which is to be preferred to edd. : Johanan, since R. Jonathan was his teacher.