## Berakhot Daf 3a

###### Berakhot 3a:1
[Berakhot 3a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Berakhot/r/3a:1)

קַשְׁיָא דְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר אַדְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר! תְּרֵי תַּנָּאֵי אַלִּיבָּא דְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר.

**Tractate Berakot by A. Cohen, Cambridge University Press, 1921:**
The previous baraita cited Rabbi Meir’s opinion that the time for the recitation of *Shema* begins when the priests immerse before partaking of their *teruma*. In the *Tosefta*, it was taught that Rabbi Meir holds that one begins to recite *Shema* from when people enter to eat their meal on Shabbat eve. One opinion of **Rabbi Meir** seems to **contradict** another opinion of **Rabbi Meir**. The Gemara responds: **Two *tanna’im*,** students of Rabbi Meir, expressed different opinions **in accordance with Rabbi Meir’s** opinion.


###### Berakhot 3a:2
[Berakhot 3a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Berakhot/r/3a:2)

קַשְׁיָא דְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אַדְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר!

**Tractate Berakot by A. Cohen, Cambridge University Press, 1921:**
So too, the opinion **of Rabbi Eliezer** cited in the mishna **contradicts** the opinion **of Rabbi Eliezer** cited in the *baraita*. In the mishna, Rabbi Eliezer holds that the time for the recitation of *Shema* begins with the emergence of the stars: From the time when the priests enter to partake of their *teruma*, while in the *baraita*, he states that the time for the recitation of *Shema* begins when the day becomes sanctified on the eve of Shabbat.


###### Berakhot 3a:3
[Berakhot 3a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Berakhot/r/3a:3)

תְּרֵי תַּנָּאֵי אַלִּיבָּא דְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא: רֵישָׁא לָאו רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הִיא.

**Tractate Berakot by A. Cohen, Cambridge University Press, 1921:**
The Gemara responds: There are two possible resolutions to the apparent contradiction in Rabbi Eliezer’s opinion. Either **two** *tanna’im* expressed different opinions **in accordance with Rabbi Eliezer’s** opinion, **or if you wish, say** instead that **the first clause** of the mishna, according to which we begin to recite *Shema* when the priests enter to partake of their *teruma*, **is not** actually **Rabbi Eliezer’s** opinion. Only the second half of the statement: Until the end of the first watch, was stated by Rabbi Eliezer.


###### Berakhot 3a:4
[Berakhot 3a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Berakhot/r/3a:4)

עַד סוֹף הָאַשְׁמוּרָה.

**Tractate Berakot by A. Cohen, Cambridge University Press, 1921:**
In the mishna, we learned that Rabbi Eliezer establishes that one may recite the evening *Shema* **until the end of the first watch.** These watches are mentioned in the Bible as segments of the night, but it must be established: Into precisely how many segments is the night divided, three or four? Moreover, why does Rabbi Eliezer employ such inexact parameters rather than a more precise definition of time (*Tosefot HaRosh*)?


###### Berakhot 3a:5
[Berakhot 3a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Berakhot/r/3a:5)

מַאי קָסָבַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר? אִי קָסָבַר שָׁלֹשׁ מִשְׁמָרוֹת הָוֵי הַלַּיְלָה, לֵימָא ״עַד אַרְבַּע שָׁעוֹת״. וְאִי קָסָבַר אַרְבַּע מִשְׁמָרוֹת הָוֵי הַלַּיְלָה, לֵימָא ״עַד שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁעוֹת״!

**Tractate Berakot by A. Cohen, Cambridge University Press, 1921:**
**What does Rabbi Eliezer** actually **hold? If he holds that the night consists of three watches, let him say** explicitly that one recites the evening *Shema* **until the fourth hour. If he holds that the night consists of four watches, let him say** explicitly **until the third hour.**


###### Berakhot 3a:6
[Berakhot 3a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Berakhot/r/3a:6)

לְעוֹלָם קָסָבַר שָׁלֹשׁ מִשְׁמָרוֹת הָוֵי הַלַּיְלָה, וְהָא קָמַשְׁמַע לָן: דְּאִיכָּא מִשְׁמָרוֹת בָּרָקִיעַ וְאִיכָּא מִשְׁמָרוֹת בְּאַרְעָא. דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: שָׁלֹשׁ מִשְׁמָרוֹת הָוֵי הַלַּיְלָה, וְעַל כָּל מִשְׁמָר וּמִשְׁמָר יוֹשֵׁב הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְשׁוֹאֵג כָּאֲרִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״ה׳ מִמָּרוֹם יִשְׁאָג, וּמִמְּעוֹן קָדְשׁוֹ יִתֵּן קוֹלוֹ שָׁאֹג יִשְׁאַג עַל נָוֵהוּ״.

**Tractate Berakot by A. Cohen, Cambridge University Press, 1921:**
The Gemara responds: **Actually,** Rabbi Eliezer **holds that the night consists of three watches,** and he employs this particular language of watches **in order to teach us: There are watches in heaven and there are watches on earth;** just as our night is divided into watches, so too is the night in the upper worlds. **As it was taught** in a *baraita*: **Rabbi Eliezer says: The night consists of three watches, and over each and every watch, the Holy One, Blessed be He, sits and roars like a lion** in pain over the destruction of the Temple. This imagery is derived from a reference in the Bible, **as it is stated: “The Lord roars [*yishag*] from on high, from His holy dwelling He makes His voice heard. He roars mightily** [***shaog yishag***] **over His dwelling place,** He cries out like those who tread grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth” (Jeremiah 25:30). The three instances of the root *shin-alef-gimmel* in this verse correspond to the three watches of the night.


###### Berakhot 3a:7
[Berakhot 3a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Berakhot/r/3a:7)

וְסִימָן לַדָּבָר: מִשְׁמָרָה רִאשׁוֹנָה חֲמוֹר נוֹעֵר, שְׁנִיָּה כְּלָבִים צוֹעֲקִים, שְׁלִישִׁית, תִּינוֹק יוֹנֵק מִשְּׁדֵי אִמּוֹ, וְאִשָּׁה מְסַפֶּרֶת עִם בַּעֲלָהּ.

**Tractate Berakot by A. Cohen, Cambridge University Press, 1921:**
**And signs of** the transition between each of **these** watches in the upper world can be sensed in this world: In **the first watch, the donkey brays;** in **the second, dogs bark;** and in **the third** people begin to rise, **a baby nurses from its mother’s breast and a wife converses with her husband.**


###### Berakhot 3a:8
[Berakhot 3a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Berakhot/r/3a:8)

מַאי קָא חָשֵׁיב רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, אִי תְּחִלַּת מִשְׁמָרוֹת קָא חָשֵׁיב — תְּחִלַּת מִשְׁמָרָה רִאשׁוֹנָה סִימָנָא לְמָה לִי? אוּרְתָּא הוּא! אִי סוֹף מִשְׁמָרוֹת קָא חָשֵׁיב, סוֹף מִשְׁמָרָה אַחֲרוֹנָה לְמָה לִי סִימָנָא? יְמָמָא הוּא!

**Tractate Berakot by A. Cohen, Cambridge University Press, 1921:**
With regard to these earthly manifestations of the three heavenly watches as established in the *baraita*, the Gemara asks: **What did Rabbi Eliezer enumerate? If** he **enumerated the beginning of the watch, why do I need a sign for the beginning of the first watch? It is** when **evening** begins; an additional sign is superfluous. **If he enumerated the end of the watches, why do I need a sign for the end of the last watch? It is** when **day** begins; an additional sign is similarly superfluous.


###### Berakhot 3a:9
[Berakhot 3a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Berakhot/r/3a:9)

אֶלָּא: חָשֵׁיב סוֹף מִשְׁמָרָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, וּתְחִלַּת מִשְׁמָרָה אַחֲרוֹנָה, וְאֶמְצָעִית דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא. וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא: כּוּלְּהוּ סוֹף מִשְׁמָרוֹת קָא חָשֵׁיב, וְכִי תֵּימָא אַחֲרוֹנָה לָא צְרִיךְ.

**Tractate Berakot by A. Cohen, Cambridge University Press, 1921:**
The Gemara answers: **Rather, he enumerated** the signs for **the end of the first watch and the beginning of the last watch,** both of which require a sign, as well as **the middle of the middle** watch. **And if you wish, say** instead: **He enumerated the ends of all** of the watches. **And if you say** that a sign indicating the end of the **final** watch **is unnecessary** because it is day, nevertheless, that sign is useful.


###### Berakhot 3a:10
[Berakhot 3a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Berakhot/r/3a:10)

לְמַאי נָפְקָא מִינַּהּ — לְמִיקְרֵי קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע לְמַאן דְּגָנֵי בְּבַיִת אָפֵל וְלָא יָדַע זְמַן קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע אֵימַת. כֵּיוָן דְּאִשָּׁה מְסַפֶּרֶת עִם בַּעֲלָהּ וְתִינוֹק יוֹנֵק מִשְּׁדֵי אִמּוֹ, לִיקוּם וְלִיקְרֵי.

**Tractate Berakot by A. Cohen, Cambridge University Press, 1921:**
**What is the practical ramification** of this sign? It is relevant **to one who recites** *Shema* **while lying in a dark house,** who cannot see the dawn and **who does not know when the time for reciting *Shema*** arrives. That person is provided with a sign that **when a woman speaks with her husband and a baby nurses from its mother’s breast,** the final watch of the night has ended and **he must rise and recite** *Shema*.


###### Berakhot 3a:11
[Berakhot 3a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Berakhot/r/3a:11)

אָמַר רַב יִצְחָק בַּר שְׁמוּאֵל מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב: שָׁלֹשׁ מִשְׁמָרוֹת הָוֵי הַלַּיְלָה, וְעַל כָּל מִשְׁמָר וּמִשְׁמָר יוֹשֵׁב הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְשׁוֹאֵג כַּאֲרִי, וְאוֹמֵר: ״אוֹי שֶׁהֶחֱרַבְתִּי אֶת בֵּיתִי וְשָׂרַפְתִּי אֶת הֵיכָלִי וְהִגְלֵיתִי אֶת בָּנַי לְבֵין אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם״.

**Tractate Berakot by A. Cohen, Cambridge University Press, 1921:**
**Rav Yitzḥak bar Shmuel said in the name of Rav: The night consists of three watches, and over each and every watch the Holy One, Blessed be He sits and roars like a lion,** because the Temple service was connected to the changing of these watches (*Tosefot HaRosh*), **and says: “Woe to Me, that due to their sins I destroyed My house, burned My Temple and exiled them among the nations of the world.”**


###### Berakhot 3a:12
[Berakhot 3a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Berakhot/r/3a:12)

תַּנְיָא, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: פַּעַם אַחַת הָיִיתִי מְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְנִכְנַסְתִּי לְחוּרְבָּה אַחַת מֵחוּרְבוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם לְהִתְפַּלֵּל. בָּא אֵלִיָּהוּ זָכוּר לַטּוֹב וְשָׁמַר לִי עַל הַפֶּתַח, (וְהִמְתִּין לִי) עַד שֶׁסִּייַּמְתִּי תְּפִלָּתִי. לְאַחַר שֶׁסִּייַּמְתִּי תְּפִלָּתִי אָמַר לִי: ״שָׁלוֹם עָלֶיךָ, רַבִּי״. וְאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: ״שָׁלוֹם עָלֶיךָ, רַבִּי וּמוֹרִי״. וְאָמַר לִי: בְּנִי, מִפְּנֵי מָה נִכְנַסְתָּ לְחוּרְבָּה זוֹ? אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: לְהִתְפַּלֵּל. וְאָמַר לִי: הָיָה לְךָ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בַּדֶּרֶךְ. וְאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: מִתְיָרֵא הָיִיתִי שֶׁמָּא יַפְסִיקוּ בִּי עוֹבְרֵי דְּרָכִים, וְאָמַר לִי הָיָה לְךָ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל תְּפִלָּה קְצָרָה.

**Tractate Berakot by A. Cohen, Cambridge University Press, 1921:**
Incidental to the mention of the elevated significance of the night watches, the Gemara cites a related story: **It was taught** in a *baraita* that **Rabbi Yosei said: I was once walking along the road when I entered** the **ruins** of an old, abandoned building **among the ruins of Jerusalem** in order **to pray.** I noticed that **Elijah, of blessed memory, came and guarded the entrance for me and waited at the entrance until I finished my prayer. When I finished praying** and exited the ruin, Elijah **said to me,** deferentially as one would address a rabbi: **Greetings to you, my rabbi. I answered him: Greetings to you, my rabbi, my teacher. And** Elijah **said to me: My son, why did you enter this ruin? I said to him:** In order **to pray. And** Elijah **said to me: You should have prayed on the road. And I said to him:** I was unable to pray along the road, because **I was afraid that I might be interrupted by travelers** and would be unable to focus. Elijah **said to me: You should have recited the abbreviated prayer** instituted for just such circumstances.


###### Berakhot 3a:13
[Berakhot 3a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Berakhot/r/3a:13)

בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה לָמַדְתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים: לָמַדְתִּי שֶׁאֵין נִכְנָסִין לְחוּרְבָּה, וְלָמַדְתִּי שֶׁמִּתְפַּלְּלִין בַּדֶּרֶךְ, וְלָמַדְתִּי שֶׁהַמִּתְפַּלֵּל בְּדֶרֶךְ מִתְפַּלֵּל תְּפִלָּה קְצָרָה.

**Tractate Berakot by A. Cohen, Cambridge University Press, 1921:**
Rabbi Yosei concluded: **At that time,** from that brief exchange, **I learned from him three things: I learned that one may not enter a ruin; and I learned** that one need not enter a building to pray, but **he may pray along the road; and I learned that one who prays along the road recites an abbreviated prayer,** so that he may maintain his focus.


###### Berakhot 3a:14
[Berakhot 3a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Berakhot/r/3a:14)

וְאָמַר לִי: בְּנִי, מָה קוֹל שָׁמַעְתָּ בְּחוּרְבָּה זוֹ? וְאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: שָׁמַעְתִּי בַּת קוֹל שֶׁמְּנַהֶמֶת כְּיוֹנָה וְאוֹמֶרֶת: ״אוֹי שֶׁהֶחֱרַבְתִּי אֶת בֵּיתִי וְשָׂרַפְתִּי אֶת הֵיכָלִי וְהִגְלֵיתִי אֶת בָּנַי לְבֵין אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם״. וְאָמַר לִי: חַיֶּיךָ וְחַיֵּי רֹאשְׁךָ, לֹא שָׁעָה זוֹ בִּלְבַד אוֹמֶרֶת כָּךְ, אֶלָּא בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם, שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים אוֹמֶרֶת כָּךְ. וְלֹא זוֹ בִּלְבַד אֶלָּא, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל נִכְנָסִין לְבָתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת וּלְבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת וְעוֹנִין ״יְהֵא שְׁמֵיהּ הַגָּדוֹל מְבֹורָךְ״, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְנַעְנֵעַ רֹאשׁוֹ, וְאוֹמֵר: אַשְׁרֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ שֶׁמְּקַלְּסִין אוֹתוֹ בְּבֵיתוֹ כָּךְ, מַה לּוֹ לָאָב שֶׁהִגְלָה אֶת בָּנָיו, וְאוֹי לָהֶם לַבָּנִים שֶׁגָּלוּ מֵעַל שׁוּלְחַן אֲבִיהֶם.

**Tractate Berakot by A. Cohen, Cambridge University Press, 1921:**
**And** after this introduction, Elijah **said to me: What voice did you hear in that ruin?** 
**I responded: I heard a Heavenly voice,** like an echo of that roar of the Holy One, Blessed be He (Maharsha), **cooing like a dove and saying: Woe to the children, due to whose sins I destroyed My house, burned My Temple, and exiled them among the nations of the world.**
**And** Elijah **said to me:** By **your life and by your head, not only** did that voice **cry out in that moment, but it cries out three times each and every day. Moreover,** any time that God’s greatness is evoked, such as **when Israel enters synagogues and study halls and answers** in the *kaddish* prayer, **May His great name be blessed, the Holy One, Blessed be He, shakes His head and says: Happy is the king who is thus praised in his house.** When the Temple stood, this praise was recited there, but now: **How** great is the pain of **the father who exiled his children, and woe to the children who were exiled from their father’s table,** as their pain only adds to that of their father (Rabbi Shem Tov ibn Shaprut).


###### Berakhot 3a:15
[Berakhot 3a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Berakhot/r/3a:15)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנָן, מִפְּנֵי שְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים אֵין נִכְנָסִין לְחוּרְבָּה: מִפְּנֵי חֲשָׁד, מִפְּנֵי הַמַּפּוֹלֶת, וּמִפְּנֵי הַמַּזִּיקִין. ״מִפְּנֵי חֲשָׁד״, וְתִיפּוֹק לֵיהּ ״מִשּׁוּם מַפּוֹלֶת״?

**Tractate Berakot by A. Cohen, Cambridge University Press, 1921:**
**The Sages taught, for three reasons one may not enter a ruin: Because of suspicion** of prostitution, **because** the ruin is liable to **collapse,** and **because of demons.** Three separate reasons seem extraneous, so the Gemara asks: Why was the reason **because of suspicion** necessary? **Let this** *halakha* **be derived because of collapse.**