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Berakhot 2 for kids: From When Do We Read Shema?

ברכות ב׳

🌙 This daf opens the Talmud by asking: when does the evening Shema begin and end? Rabbi Eliezer, the Rabbis, and Rabban Gamliel each give a different answer, and the Gemara digs into word clues from the Torah to understand exactly when night begins.

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Rashi and Tosafot on Berakhot 2 in simple English

Rashi on Berakhot 2a, in English Tab translation (17)
  1. From when does one recite Shema in the evening? From the time the priests enter to partake of their teruma — This refers to priests who had become ritually impure and immersed, and the sun had set, and their time to eat teruma had arrived.
  2. Until the end of the first watch — This is one-third of the night, as is explained in the Gemara (3a). From that point onward, the time has passed, for it is no longer called the time of lying down, and the phrase 'when you lie down' no longer applies to it; and before that point too it is not yet the time of lying down. Therefore, one who recites Shema before the proper time has not fulfilled his obligation. If so, why do we recite it then in the synagogue? In order to stand in prayer right after engaging in words of Torah, as is taught in a baraita in the Jerusalem Talmud, tractate Berakhot. Therefore it is obligatory upon us to recite it from nightfall. And by reciting the first paragraph, which one recites upon his bed, he has fulfilled his obligation.
  3. Until dawn — for the entire night is called the time of lying down.
  4. The burning of the fats and limbs — of offerings whose blood was sprinkled during the day.
  5. Their mitzva — is to be burned the entire night, and they are not disqualified by remaining unburned until dawn; and they must remain upon the altar, as it is written: 'it shall not remain until morning' (Exodus 34:25).
  6. Fats — of all offerings.
  7. Limbs — of the burnt offering.
  8. And all that are eaten for one day — such as the sin-offering, the guilt-offering, the lambs of Shavuot, the meal-offerings, and the thanksgiving-offering.
  9. Their mitzva — is the time allotted for eating them.
  10. Until dawn — and this delay causes them to become notar (disqualified leftover), as it is written regarding the thanksgiving-offering: 'He shall not leave any of it until morning' (Leviticus 7:15); and all the others derive this law from the thanksgiving-offering.
  11. If so, why did the Sages say until midnight — this refers both to the recitation of Shema and to the eating of sacrificial foods.
  12. In order to distance a person from transgression — they prohibited eating the sacrificial foods before their actual time limit, so that one should not come to eat them after dawn and become liable for karet; and likewise with the recitation of Shema, to hasten the person so that he should not say, 'I still have time,' and in the meantime dawn arrives and the time passes. As for the burning of the fats mentioned here, the Sages did not say 'until midnight' regarding it at all; it is mentioned here only to teach that anything that applies at night remains valid the whole night. And so too we learned in the second chapter of tractate Megillah (20b): The whole night is valid for the reaping of the omer and for the burning of the fats and limbs.
  13. Where does it stand — from where does the Mishna proceed, that it already assumes the obligation to recite Shema, beginning here only to ask about the time of recitation?
  14. It stands on the verse — and there, in the Torah, the obligation of recitation is derived.
  15. And if you wish, say — that the reason the tanna taught the evening Shema first is derived from the order of the world's creation.
  16. And then he taught concerning the morning — namely, 'From when does one recite Shema in the morning?'
  17. From the time the stars come out — which marks the completion of the sun's setting, as will be derived later (2b).
Tosafot on Berakhot 2a, in English Tab translation (5)
  1. From when does one recite Shema, etc. — Rashi explains: but we recite Shema while it is still day, and we do not wait for the stars to come out, as is explained in the Gemara. Therefore Rashi explains that the primary recitation of Shema is the one recited upon lying down in bed, which is after the stars emerge. And so it is stated in the Jerusalem Talmud: if one recited it earlier, he has not fulfilled his obligation. If so, why do we recite Shema in the synagogue? In order to stand in prayer following words of Torah. This is difficult according to Rashi's explanation: for people are not accustomed to recite, close to lying down, anything but the first paragraph (below, Berakhot 60b), whereas according to this they should recite all three paragraphs. Furthermore, it is difficult, for one must recite two blessings before Shema and two after it in the evening [which is not done then]. Furthermore, that recitation of Shema near one's bed is only on account of harmful spirits, as stated shortly (5a), and a Torah scholar does not need it. Furthermore, it is difficult, for if so we would rule like Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, who says that prayers were instituted to be in the middle, between the two recitations of Shema, both the morning Shema and the evening Shema — whereas we rule like Rabbi Yochanan, who says below (4b): Who is destined for the World to Come? One who juxtaposes the evening redemption blessing to the evening prayer. Therefore Rabbenu Tam explains that, on the contrary, the Shema recited in the synagogue is the primary one. And if you ask: how then do we recite it so early, while it is still day? One may answer that we rule like Rabbi Yehuda, who says in the chapter 'Tefillat HaShachar' (Berakhot 26a) that the time for the afternoon prayer is until plag hamincha, that is, eleven and a quarter hours into the day, and as soon as the time for the afternoon prayer ends, the time for the evening prayer begins. And if you ask: how then do we pray the afternoon prayer close to nightfall, even after plag hamincha? One may answer that we rule like the Rabbis, who say that the time for the afternoon prayer extends until evening, and we say below (27a): since the halakha was not stated explicitly either like this authority or like that authority, one who acted like this opinion acted properly, and one who acted like that opinion also acted properly. Still, this is difficult, for it is like two lenient rulings that contradict one another: for the reason we pray the evening prayer immediately after plag hamincha is that we hold that the time for the afternoon prayer ends then, in accordance with Rabbi Yehuda, so immediately it becomes the time for the evening prayer — yet regarding the time of the afternoon prayer itself, we do not rule like Rabbi Yehuda but like the Rabbis. Therefore Rabbi Yitzchak [the Ri] says that certainly the Shema recited in the synagogue is the primary one, and the reason we pray the evening prayer while it is still day is that we follow the opinion of those Tannaim in the Gemara who say the time begins 'from when the day becomes sanctified' and also 'from when people recline [for the meal]', meaning the Shabbat eve meal, which took place while it was still day, and from that time the time for prayer begins. There is also proof (below, 27a) that Rav used to pray the Shabbat prayer on Friday [while it was still day], and presumably he also recited Shema then. From all these proofs it emerges that the Shema recited in the synagogue is the primary one. As for the statement in the Jerusalem Talmud, 'why did they recite Shema in the synagogue,' Rabbenu Tam says that they were accustomed to recite Shema before their prayer, just as we are accustomed to say Ashrei first, and that recitation of Shema was only in order to stand in prayer following words of Torah. From this it appears that one who recites Shema upon his bed need not recite a blessing over it, and need only recite the first paragraph.
  2. Let the mishna teach the morning Shema first — Just as we find regarding the daily offering, where it is written 'of the morning' first.
  3. If so, in the latter clause, which teaches the morning first — Granted if you say the tanna relies on the verse 'when you lie down,' then the verse is particular only about Shema [regarding the order]. But if you say he relies on the verse about the order of creation of the world, then he would be particular about everything [i.e., all matters, including blessings], and if so, why does the latter clause teach the morning first, etc.?
  4. One recites two blessings before it, etc. — (Jerusalem Talmud) And the seven blessings [of the evening Shema sequence] correspond to the verse 'Seven times a day I praise You' (Psalms 119:164). This does not include the blessing 'May our eyes see,' for that blessing was instituted by the Rabbis in order to wait for their fellow congregants in the synagogue — and this applies specifically to their synagogues, which stood out in the fields where people were endangered by harmful spirits; but in our synagogues there is no need to wait for one's fellows, except at night.
  5. And this teaches us that atonement [through the sacrificial blood] is not indispensable — And if you ask: but we already learned this once, in tractate Nega'im (chapter 14), and it is cited in tractate [Yevamot], 'HaArel' (74b): 'If the sun set [on his purification], he may eat teruma.' One may answer that it is the practice of the Mishna to teach briefly even matters that have already been explained elsewhere.
Rashi on Berakhot 2b, in English Tab translation (21)
  1. Perhaps the beginning of its light — [meaning] the shining of the sun on the eighth day, and the person purifies himself by bringing his offerings, and only afterward does he eat.
  2. If so — that this verse, 'and it is purified,' is an imperative form, let the verse state clearly 'and he shall purify himself'; what then does 'and it is purified' mean?
  3. Adchi (purified) — this is a past-tense form, meaning the sun has departed from the world.
  4. From a baraita — which teaches later in this discussion: 'from the time when the priests enter to eat their teruma,' with a sign being the emergence of the stars. Learn from this that their atonement offering does not hold them back from eating teruma.
  5. From when the poor person [enters to eat] — because he has no lamp to light for his meal.
  6. The latter clause certainly disagrees with our mishnah — for it teaches here, 'until the time he rises to leave his meal,' which matches neither Rabbi Eliezer, nor the Rabbis, nor Rabban Gamliel, who derives from 'and when you lie down' the beginning of the time of lying down, while our mishnah states 'until the end of the first watch.'
  7. The poor person and the priest — 'the poor person' refers to his situation every night, and 'the priest' refers to one who had been impure and may now eat teruma.
  8. It is one and the same time — the emergence of the stars.
  9. On Shabbat evenings — people hurry to the meal, since everything is already prepared.
  10. There is no [explicit] proof of the matter — that the day ends with the emergence of the stars; but there is an allusion to it.
  11. That they stayed late — they performed labor at night, from sunset until the emergence of the stars.
  12. And came early — they began before daybreak, for one might think day does not begin until sunrise, yet they began at dawn (alot hashachar), which is the time it takes to walk five mil (Pesachim 93b).
  13. Come and hear: 'that in the night they would be a guard for us' — since it then says 'and in the day, labor,' this shows that the period from dawn until the emergence of the stars is called 'day.' And there is an allusion to this, that the verse calls any time of labor 'day.'
  14. It might enter your mind [to say] — that most people are like the poor; that is, the time for ordinary people on Shabbat evenings and for the poor on weekdays is one and the same.
  15. From the time the day became sanctified on Shabbat evenings — this refers to twilight (bein hashemashot), when it is uncertain whether it is day or night; and since it is uncertain, the day becomes sanctified due to the doubt.
  16. From the time the priests immerse — this is before twilight, so that by the time twilight comes they will already have had sunset [needed for purification]. So too it is stated in 'Bameh Madlikin' (Shabbat 35a), that the time of immersion is somewhat before twilight.
  17. But don't the priests immerse while it is still day? — Rabbi Yehuda follows his own view, stated in 'Bameh Madlikin,' that twilight is the time it takes to walk half a mil before the emergence of the stars, and this is called twilight and considered doubtful; therefore immersion before that point is still daytime and not the time of lying down. Below it will explain how Rabbi Meir answered him.
  18. [The time] people enter to recline [for a meal] — some say this refers to weekdays, and some say to Shabbat; in any case, for everyone, it is the later time.
  19. And which of them is later — (for everyone) — the poor person's meal or the priest's purification?
  20. This is the correct reading: If it enters your mind that the poor person's time is earlier, then Rabbi Chanina['s view] is the same as Rabbi Eliezer's.
  21. Twilight according to Rabbi Yehuda is the time it takes to walk half a mil before the emergence of the stars, while according to Rabbi Yosei it is like the blink of an eye before the emergence of the stars; and Rabbi Meir holds like Rabbi Yosei. Therefore, when one immerses before that point, it is close to nightfall, and it is called the time of lying down.
Tosafot on Berakhot 2b, in English Tab translation (6)
  1. Perhaps it refers to the coming of its light — Rashi explains: until the light of the eighth day shines, and what does 'and it is purified' mean? It means the man will become purified through bringing his offerings. This is difficult according to Rashi's explanation, for it would contradict the passage in tractate Orlah (74b), which states that once 'his sun has set' he may eat teruma — from where do we know there that 'the setting of his sun' means actual sunset? Furthermore, how can Rashi say it refers to sunrise? For if it meant sunrise, the verse would have written 'and the sun rises and it is purified,' as in 'from the rising of the sun' (Numbers 21:11), or a term of 'going out' as in 'the sun rose over the land' (Genesis 19:23). But the verse writes 'and the sun comes [sets],' showing that it means sunset. Moreover, shortly afterward the Gemara itself asks whether 'and the sun sets' means the setting of its light, and resolves it from the baraita: 'a sign for which is the emergence of the stars' — so one could resolve it from the mishna (Nega'im ch. 14): 'if his sun has set, he may eat teruma,' proving it means actual sunset. The answer is: the question is really whether 'and the sun sets, and it is purified' means actual sunset, and 'it is purified' means the day is purified, namely the emergence of the stars — or perhaps it means the setting of the sun's light, i.e., the very beginning of sunset, the start of its descent into the sky, while five mil of daylight still remain until the emergence of the stars, in which case 'it is purified' means the person becomes purified. According to this, the mishna in Orlah poses no difficulty, since 'his sun set' there can mean the beginning of sunset, and even from there one cannot prove it means the emergence of the stars. That is why the baraita about the emergence of the stars had to be cited here.
  2. If so, let the verse say 'and he shall be purified' — Even though in several places the form 'and it is purified' is written without creating confusion, here, where confusion is possible, the verse should have written 'and he shall be purified' [to remove ambiguity].
  3. From the time when the poor person enters to eat his bread with salt — Question: when does the poor person himself pray? For you said that his mealtime is the same as the time for reciting Shema, and once the time for Shema arrives one may not begin a meal until first praying, as taught later (Berakhot 4b): 'he recites Shema, then prays, then eats his bread and recites a blessing; and whoever transgresses the words of the Sages is liable to death.' The answer is that the time for prayer precedes the time for the meal — it is not that the poor person literally begins eating the moment the time arrives, but rather a short while before, meaning that while his meal is being prepared, he recites Shema and prays.
  4. Even though there is no proof for the matter — It is not a conclusive proof, since that verse does not actually deal with the law of reciting Shema.
  5. And if you think that the poor person's time comes first, then Rabbi Chanina would be the same as Rabbi Eliezer — One cannot say that the poor person's mealtime precedes Kiddush of the day, or that Kiddush of the day precedes the poor person's mealtime, for it is not reasonable to make such fine distinctions within the time of lying down [for sleep], since all these times fall within it.
  6. Rabbi Yehuda said to him: But do not the priests immerse while it is still day? — Question: this should also be difficult for Rabbi Yehuda himself, since plag hamincha (the midpoint before sunset) is also while it is still day, yet he says (later, Berakhot 27a) that immediately after plag hamincha passes, it becomes the time for the evening prayer. The answer is that this is not a difficulty for him, since he does not derive the law from 'when you lie down and when you rise'; but for the Rabbis, who do derive it from that phrase, it is a difficulty, since that time is not truly 'the time of lying down.'

Sources

Kid summary and story cards written by Tab from the William Davidson Edition English (Sefaria, CC BY-NC 4.0).

Tab translation (machine-assisted) of Rashi and Tosafot, from the Vilna Edition Hebrew (public domain) on Sefaria. May contain mistakes.

In the app, the Gemara text comes from Sefaria (William Davidson Edition, CC BY-NC 4.0; Hebrew/Aramaic Vilna Edition). Rashi and Tosafot Hebrew: Vilna Edition (public domain) via Sefaria.

Also spelled: Berachot, Brachos, Berachos, Brachot 2.