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Berakhot 25 for kids: A Clean Place for Holy Words

ברכות כ״ה

🧼 This daf teaches that we say Shema and pray only in a clean, respectful place, while properly dressed. The sages discuss how clean, how covered, and how far away is enough before holy words may be said.

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Stories from Berakhot 25

Words to know

Rashi and Tosafot on Berakhot 25 in simple English

Rashi on Berakhot 25a, in English Tab translation (35)
  1. However, for prayer — he must present himself as one standing before the King and stand in awe; but Shema is not speaking before the King.
  2. Dropsy — a disease that swells the belly.
  3. Stream — of urine.
  4. Jaundice — a disease called 'galanitza' (in the vernacular).
  5. His hands were in the bathroom — there is a partition between him and the bathroom, and he extended his hands beyond the partition.
  6. Every soul — the mouth and nose are included in the praise, but not the other limbs.
  7. That which has a source — that the feces lies there and rots; and that which has no source is flatulence.
  8. He distances four cubits — from the source, even though the smell still reaches him, such as when it is behind him so that he does not see it.
  9. From the place where the smell ceased — meaning where the smell ends there. [Regarding] 'not opposite a person's excrement, etc.' — even though there is no smell.
  10. Not opposite a person's excrement, etc. — even though there is no smell.
  11. The halakha is not in accordance with this baraita — the one cited above that forbids [reciting Shema near] dog and pig excrement when they contain no hides.
  12. When there are hides in it — this refers to dog and pig excrement, since it is customary to place them [in a pit] for tanning hides; but human excrement, even without hides, since it is not customary to place it there, is forbidden regardless — therefore the baraita must mean 'without hides' [regarding dog and pig excrement].
  13. That which has no source — flatulence.
  14. Mats — the mats of the study hall.
  15. These sleep and these study — even though it is the way of sleepers to pass gas.
  16. And this applies to Torah study — because there is no alternative.
  17. But for Shema — he should go outside and recite it.
  18. But as for himself — if he himself passed the gas, he waits until the smell dissipates.
  19. Feces passing — a person carrying a chamber pot of excrement past him to remove it.
  20. It is permitted to recite — and he need not pause.
  21. The impure person standing under the tree — this is not referring to one carrying a corpse, for with a corpse it makes no difference whether he is standing, sitting, or walking — it is all considered a tent. But regarding a leper, it is taught in the Torat Kohanim that the Torah revealed the law of sitting concerning him, as it is written: 'He shall dwell alone, outside the camp shall his dwelling be' — his dwelling is impure. From this they derived that standing is also considered like sitting, since it is a fixed position, but walking is not fixed.
  22. A stone afflicted with tzaraat — it is like a leper, for the verse juxtaposed it: 'This is the law for every plague of leprosy, and for a scall, and for the leprosy of a garment, and of a house' (Leviticus 14:54-55).
  23. Obvious — for a pig's mouth is never without excrement.
  24. In a house it is permitted — since it is not customary to place excrement in a house.
  25. The Torah did not forbid — reciting [Shema] near urine except directly opposite the stream itself.
  26. ויצאת שמה חוץ — This verse ('and you shall go out there, outside') did not require covering [the excrement]; yet elsewhere it is written 'and you shall cover' — these are two separate requirements.
  27. עד כמה — For how long must [the urine] remain on the ground for it to be forbidden [to recite Shema near it]?
  28. שרא ליה מריה — 'May his Master forgive him' — meaning his Master should pardon him, for he certainly testified falsely in Rav's name.
  29. היבשה נפרכת היא יותר מן הלחה — The dry [substance] crumbles more readily than the moist one.
  30. קרמו — [This means] they formed a crust, from the term for a film [Old French: teile], that is, it formed a slight skin.
  31. איכא דאמרי — Some say this is a stringency: even though if one throws it, it crumbles, since it does not crumble merely from rolling, it is considered moist.
  32. אי מפלאי אפלויי — If it has cracks here and there, it is dry and permitted.
  33. מאי הוי עלה — What was the halachic conclusion regarding urine?
  34. נבלעו — They were absorbed into the ground.
  35. יבשו — They dried on top of stones in the sun.
Tosafot on Berakhot 25a, in English Tab translation (4)
  1. Rabbeinu Chananel ruled — in accordance with Rav Ḥisda, that it is forbidden to recite Shema even if excrement is under one's garment against the skin, and that he holds like the verse 'All my bones shall say' (Psalms 35:10). Even though Rav Ḥisda was a disciple of Rav Huna, we follow the stringent view. But Rav Alfas ruled in accordance with Rav Huna, since the Gemara raises a difficulty against Rav Ḥisda's position from Yoma, chapter HaMemuneh (30a).
  2. 'The halakha is not in accordance with this baraita, but rather in accordance with that which was taught...' — Rashi explains: The halakha is not in accordance with the baraita cited above, which forbade the excrement of dogs and pigs even when no hides were placed in it. But regarding human excrement, this distinction does not apply — it seems that it is forbidden under all circumstances. However, Rava does not address chicken excrement, and the other baraita does not mention chicken excrement at all, so it does not disagree with the earlier mishna on this point. Accordingly, chicken excrement should be forbidden. Rabbeinu Yehuda says that this applies specifically when the chickens are in their coop, where there is a great stench, but chickens walking about the house are not a concern. In the Jerusalem Talmud it is suggested that only red chickens are a concern, though we do not know how to explain this. It also states: One distances four cubits from animal droppings; Rabbi Shmuel bar Yitzḥak says this applies only to donkey droppings.
  3. 'A foul odor that has no visible source' — some explain that our outhouses, which are deep, if they have a dividing partition, are considered like a foul odor with no visible source, similar to the Persian outhouses mentioned later (Berakhot 26a).
  4. 'The halakha is not in accordance with this baraita, but rather in accordance with that which was taught...' — Rashi explains: The halakha is not in accordance with the baraita cited above, which forbade the excrement of dogs and pigs even when no hides were placed in it. But regarding human excrement, this distinction does not apply — it seems that it is forbidden under all circumstances. However, Rava does not address chicken excrement, and the other baraita does not mention chicken excrement at all, so it does not disagree with the earlier mishna on this point. Accordingly, chicken excrement should be forbidden. Rabbeinu Yehuda says that this applies specifically when the chickens are in their coop, where there is a great stench, but chickens walking about the house are not a concern. In the Jerusalem Talmud it is suggested that only red chickens are a concern, though we do not know how to explain this. It also states: One distances four cubits from animal droppings; Rabbi Shmuel bar Yitzḥak says this applies only to donkey droppings.
Rashi on Berakhot 25b, in English Tab translation (31)
  1. Betofei'ach al menat lehatpiach ika beinaihu — moist enough to moisten others is the point of difference between them: the first tanna requires that it be moist enough to moisten other things, while Rabbi Yosei is stricter [and requires only that it itself be moist].
  2. Let us say the unattributed mishna follows Rabbi Eliezer — and the halakha follows him.
  3. Perhaps the mishna was directed to the vatikin — [who conclude Shema] with sunrise, but according to everyone else the time extends until the third hour.
  4. His heart sees his nakedness — the Gemara's initial assumption was: any limb that does not normally see the nakedness, and sees it while one is reciting words of Torah, is included in the verse "and no indecent thing shall be seen in you."
  5. The Torah was not given to the ministering angels — for they have no nakedness [genitals]; we, by necessity, have nakedness and cannot avoid all of this.
  6. Lantern-like covering — called "lantirna" in old French, meaning a partition of glass or thin parchment that separates in between, through which the nakedness remains visible.
  7. The matter depends on covering — as it is written, "and cover your excrement."
  8. Any amount — a small amount.
  9. With spittle — he spits on it and covers it with the spittle.
  10. Foul water — putrid water.
  11. How much water does he continue pouring in — how much must he pour in to nullify it? [The difficulty is that] it is plentiful [requiring a great deal to nullify].
  12. Urine — [this refers to a case where] it is a small amount and is in a vessel, and he comes to recite Shema near it.
  13. At the end — [meaning] the urine is already in the vessel and he then pours water into it; it is regarding this case that Rabbi Zakkai said [one needs] a quarter-log.
  14. But initially — where the water preceded the urine, all agree that any amount of water suffices, because as he urinates into the vessel afterward, each portion is nullified immediately upon falling into the water, and even though the urine continues and accumulates, it has already been nullified.
  15. "Bring me a quarter-log" — this applies even when [the water is] poured in first.
  16. Chamber pot and urinal vessel — both are earthenware vessels, but the one used for excrement is called a "graf" and the one used for urine is called an "avit."
  17. It is forbidden to recite Shema opposite them — since they are designated for this purpose, even though there is currently nothing in them.
  18. But the urine itself — [this refers to a case where it is] in a vessel not designated for it.
  19. Whether in front of the bed — where the bed does not separate between him and them.
  20. Or behind the bed — where the bed separates between them, it is forbidden.
  21. The reading is "or he places them under the bed" — and we do not read "a vessel inside a vessel."
  22. Under the bed — as if it were buried in the ground.
  23. How does he say it — [referring to] Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel.
  24. Our dilemma has been resolved — our question has been answered through the distinction between in front of the bed and behind the bed.
  25. The baraitot, however, remain difficult — since their respective positions [attributions] have been switched/reversed.
  26. Who did you hear this from, etc. — I do not know where this [teaching] is found.
  27. It is obvious to me — This refers to placing them under the bed, where the bed's legs are short, so that there are not three handbreadths between it and the ground; this is considered as connected [lavud], and they are regarded as hidden.
  28. Ten [handbreadths] I certainly did not ask about — for it appears as though it is not beneath it at all, since there is such a great gap, this is not considered a covering.
  29. He brought her into the wedding canopy but the matter did not succeed — meaning the marriage, that he was unable to consummate it.
  30. You have endangered my son — You nearly caused my son's death as punishment for the sin.
  31. Even ten vessels — and all of them together are considered like one vessel.
Tosafot on Berakhot 25b, in English Tab translation (4)
  1. Lemma: 'And behold his heart sees his nakedness' — Rabbi Yitzchak explains that since the Gemara raises this question so straightforwardly, it implies that reciting Shema when 'his heart sees his nakedness' is forbidden. However, Rabbeinu Shemaya, the disciple of Rashi, ruled in accordance with the first tanna that when 'his heart sees his nakedness' it is permitted. Nevertheless, shortly afterward the Gemara implies that it is forbidden, for these amoraim only disagree about the case where 'his heel sees his nakedness'; but where 'his heart sees his nakedness,' everyone agrees it is forbidden.
  2. Lemma: 'And the halakha is that if his heel touches his nakedness it is forbidden' — The reason is that we issue a decree against touching with the heel, lest one come to touch with his hands instead.
  3. Lemma: 'A chamber pot of feces' — Rashi explains that this refers to an earthenware vessel, which absorbs [odor/impurity]. According to his explanation, however, a vessel that does not absorb, such as one made of glass, may possibly be permitted.
  4. Lemma: 'Provided he pours in a quarter-log of water' — But regarding a chamber pot [of feces], it is possible that water does not help to permit it.

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 25.