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Berakhot 26 for kids: Prayer Times & Partitions

ברכות כ״ו

🙏 This daf teaches how to keep a Torah scroll respectfully separated in a bedroom, and how far to stay from unclean things when praying. Then a new mishnah begins: it sets the exact times for morning, afternoon, evening, and additional prayers.

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Stories from Berakhot 26

Words to know

Rashi and Tosafot on Berakhot 26 in simple English

Rashi on Berakhot 26a, in English Tab translation (24)
  1. Atop a chest — a box for books. In Megillah (26b) it says 'kamtrei defarei' (boxes of books), and so Targum Yonatan renders it. Regarding 'treasuries of blue cloth' (Ezekiel 27:24) it renders: those who are careful place them in boxes (kamtrin). Likewise, 'and to him who was in charge of the wardrobe' (II Kings 10:22) is rendered: 'to him who was in charge of the box (kamtra).'
  2. Is like a vessel within a vessel — for the cloak is not [itself] considered their vessel.
  3. A partition ten [handbreadths high] — and if he does not erect one, he may not engage in marital relations.
  4. To its place — to the place of his bed.
  5. It did not occur to me — I did not pay attention to it.
  6. Opposite the bathroom — at a distance of four cubits.
  7. That has no feces — that it had been cleaned out.
  8. The bathhouse — it is forbidden to contemplate [sacred matters] in it.
  9. Persian [bathrooms] — they were built over a pit, with the opening positioned away from the hole, on an incline, so that the excrement rolls and falls into the pit.
  10. MISHNA: A zav who experienced a seminal emission — even though he is impure with seven-day impurity due to his zivah, and this immersion does not purify him of that, he must nevertheless immerse for the sake of Torah study, in accordance with Ezra's enactment, because of the seminal emission. The same applies to a menstruating woman, if she wishes to recite the Amidah prayer.
  11. Who discharged semen — she is considered like one who experienced a seminal emission, as we find regarding Sinai: 'for three days do not approach a woman' (Exodus 19:15), since semen renders impure through its emission for all three days afterward, and beyond that point it has already become foul within her and is no longer fit to engender a fetus. The meaning is: a menstruating woman who now discharged the semen from relations she had yesterday, before she saw her menstrual blood.
  12. And Rabbi Yehuda exempts — one might now think: since the impurity of zivah came first, and she is already impure with a severe impurity that does not forbid her from matters of Torah, as we say in our chapter that zavim and metzora'im are permitted [to engage in Torah study], therefore the lesser impurity of the seminal emission that came afterward should not forbid her.
  13. GEMARA: He is not fit for immersion — for the sake of Torah study, even though his impurity is severe, and no additional seminal emission occurs to require him [to immerse].
  14. We will return to you, Mi SheMeto [the closing formula marking the end of the chapter, named for its opening words].
  15. The morning prayer —
  16. Until the evening — until it becomes dark.
  17. Until the midpoint of the afternoon prayer time — the Gemara explains this below.
  18. Has no fixed time — its time is the entire night; and the Gemara explains what is meant by the expression 'has no fixed time.'
  19. GEMARA: Its mitzvah — [referring to] the mitzvah of the recitation of Shema.
  20. For the early risers — those who hasten to perform mitzvot and are careful to do things at their proper time; their practice is to advance and recite the morning prayer right after sunrise. And when we learned in the mishna [that it may be said until noon], this referred to those who delay, meaning that they should not delay beyond noon, for from that point on the time has passed.
  21. And everyone else — the rest of those who pray, who may delay, can delay until noon and no further.
  22. In the afternoon prayer — this means after noon.
  23. If you can say — meaning, if you answer me based on what we said, [in the case of] one who erred and did not recite the evening prayer, etc.
  24. And since its day has passed, its offering is void — and he does not offer it on another day, if its time is fixed, such as the daily additional offerings of each day.
Tosafot on Berakhot 26a, in English Tab translation (5)
  1. A Torah scroll requires a partition — This applies specifically to a Torah scroll, and also with Chumashim (volumes of the Five Books) one should be stringent like with a Torah scroll; but for other sacred books, a mere covering suffices.
  2. We will return to you — This is the traditional formula recited at the end of a chapter (here, the chapter 'One Whose Dead Relative'), expressing the intention to return to and continue studying it.
  3. The morning prayer until noon... the afternoon prayer until evening — One might ask: why didn't it teach, regarding the afternoon prayer, 'the whole day,' as it does regarding the additional (Mussaf) prayer? The answer is that the time for the Mussaf prayer is the whole day, even starting from the morning, since the offerings can be sacrificed immediately after the daily (Tamid) offering; therefore the Mussaf prayer can also be recited immediately in the morning. This is not so with the afternoon prayer, which can only be recited from six and a half hours after sunrise onward. Similarly, in the first chapter of Avodah Zarah (4b) it states: 'One should not recite the Mussaf prayer in the first three hours on Rosh Hashanah when praying alone,' etc., implying that on other days of the year one may recite it then. Therefore the afternoon prayer is mentioned before the Mussaf prayer in this mishnah's order, because it is recited daily (tadir), even though the Mussaf prayer actually precedes it in time of obligation.
  4. If one erred and did not pray the evening prayer, he prays the morning prayer twice — One might ask: doesn't Rav say below (Berakhot 27b) that the evening prayer is optional, and we rule accordingly regarding prohibitions? It is also difficult, for it says below (Berakhot 30b) that if one erred and did not say 'Ya'aleh VeYavo' at night, he need not repeat the prayer, because the new month is not sanctified at night — why give this reason? Let it be derived simply from the fact that the evening prayer is optional! The answer is: when we say the evening prayer is optional, this means only in relation to another commandment that would otherwise be lost — in such a case we say the evening prayer is set aside for it — but one should not forgo it for no reason. However, if one delayed until the afternoon prayer, it seems that since he waited so long, its time has passed and the opportunity is lost. And we do not find that the Sages instituted making up more than two prayers if one forgot; and even a single prayer, if deliberately omitted, cannot be rectified — as is stated shortly afterward: 'What is crooked cannot be made straight.'
  5. A dilemma was raised: if one erred and did not pray the afternoon prayer, etc. — The Gemara does not raise the same question regarding one who erred and failed to pray the Mussaf (additional) prayer, for he certainly cannot make it up in the evening prayer — how could he then recite the verses about the offerings, since the time for Mussaf has already passed? Also, the seven blessings of Mussaf were instituted only because of 'Let our lips substitute for the bulls (of the offerings),' and in this case, once its time passes, the opportunity is certainly lost. But the other prayers are prayers of supplication, and indeed, would that a person could pray the entire day! Therefore there is no concept here of one prayer's lost time being compensated by another prayer.
Rashi on Berakhot 26b, in English Tab translation (13)
  1. Mavdil barishona — He recites havdala in the first prayer: The first prayer is recited for the current evening prayer, therefore he says havdala in it, in the blessing of Who graciously grants knowledge. The second prayer is to make up for the Shabbat afternoon prayer, so he does not recite havdala in it.
  2. Sheniya alta lo — The second fulfilled his obligation: It fulfilled his obligation for the evening prayer of the conclusion of Shabbat, while the first did not fulfill his obligation, since it is worthless — one may not bring forward a prayer whose time has passed ahead of a prayer whose time is now. The second also did not fulfill the obligation for the Shabbat prayer, since by reciting havdala in it he revealed that he did not intend it as the Shabbat prayer, and it is therefore considered the evening prayer instead.
  3. Avot tikkenum — The Patriarchs instituted them: As is taught in the baraita cited below.
  4. Keneged tamidim tikkenum — They instituted them corresponding to the daily offerings: The Men of the Great Assembly instituted them.
  5. Rabbi Yehuda — He holds that the morning daily offering may be sacrificed only until four hours into the day.
  6. Evarim — Limbs: Of burnt offerings.
  7. U'fadarim — And fats: Of other offerings whose blood was sprinkled before sunset; these may be burned the entire night, and the evening prayer was instituted to correspond to them.
  8. Mincha gedola — The greater afternoon time: If one wishes to bring the afternoon daily offering earlier, he cannot do so before six and a half hours into the day, since regarding the afternoon offering it is written 'when the shadows of evening lengthen' — meaning from when the sun begins to decline westward, which is from six and a half hours onward, as the Master said: at half past the sixth hour and half past the seventh hour the sun stands directly overhead, in the middle of the sky (Pesachim 94a).
  9. Mincha ketana — The lesser afternoon time: The time of the afternoon daily offering every day is from nine and a half hours onward, as taught in the chapter 'Nishchat HaTamid' (58a): it was slaughtered at eight and a half hours and offered at nine and a half hours; the reason is explained there.
  10. Pelag mincha acharona — Half of the last afternoon time: Divide the two and a half hours remaining in the day, and you will find that the half-point of the last afternoon time is from eleven hours less a quarter onward.
  11. De'i lo teima hachi — For if you do not say so: That Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Chanina, agrees that the Rabbis based the prayers on the offerings as a mere support (not as the actual reason).
  12. Tefillat hamusafin man tikkena — Who instituted the additional prayer?: Rather, it must be that the Rabbis based the prayers on the offerings merely as a support; and when they examined the matter of the additional offerings and found no prayer corresponding to it, they themselves arose and instituted it.
  13. Ad ve'ad bichlal — Until and including: This is according to Rabbi Yehuda's view, that he means inclusively; whereas according to the Rabbis, it is 'until' but not inclusive.
Tosafot on Berakhot 26b, in English Tab translation (7)
  1. One who erred and did not pray the afternoon prayer on Friday, etc.; one who erred and did not pray the afternoon prayer on Shabbat prays the evening prayer twice — meaning the evening prayer of the conclusion of Shabbat, and he recites havdala in the first one, etc. — Rabbeinu Yehuda writes that if one erred and did not mention Rosh Chodesh in the afternoon prayer, he should not pray again at night, for why should he pray again? He has already prayed the entire afternoon prayer while it was still day, except for the mention of Rosh Chodesh. If so, he gains nothing by repeating the prayer at the end of Rosh Chodesh, since he will still not mention the Rosh Chodesh prayer, and he has already prayed the eighteen blessings. This is not comparable to the case stated here, where one erred and did not pray the afternoon prayer on Shabbat, where he prays the weekday evening prayer twice — meaning the weekday version — because he did not pray at all. In that case he gains the eighteen blessings when he prays at the end of Shabbat, even though he will not mention the Shabbat prayer. And if you ask: but then he is praying more than he is obligated to pray, since on Shabbat he should pray only seven blessings, yet here he prays eighteen — the answer is that there is no concern, because even on Shabbat the law would be to pray all eighteen blessings; it is only that they did not require it of him because of the burden. Thus he gains his entire prayer. But when he erred and did not mention Rosh Chodesh, he has already prayed the eighteen blessings, so he gains nothing by praying again at the end of Rosh Chodesh. The same would apply if one prayed the complete eighteen blessings on Shabbat afternoon but did not mention Shabbat — it would seem that, according to what we have written, he should not pray twice, since he has already prayed the eighteen blessings. However, from the Rif it does not appear so, for even where he gains nothing, he is required to pray again. These are his words, commenting on the statement that he recites havdala in the first prayer and not in the second, and that if he did not recite havdala in the first but did in the second, the second fulfilled his obligation and the first did not: for he should have put the second prayer first, since that is the obligatory one; and since he did not recite havdala in the first but did in the second, he shows that he considers the second prayer the obligatory one, and therefore he must go back and pray again in order to first fulfill his obligation for that time. But if he recited havdala in both, even though he should not have done so, he is not obligated to repeat the prayer; and if he recited havdala in neither of them, we do not require him to repeat, as it is taught: one who erred and did not mention havdala in the blessing 'Who graciously grants knowledge' is not required to go back, because he can recite it over the cup. This shows that he is required to pray again [in the other case] even though he will not pray a second time more than he already prayed the first time. This is how it appeared to Rabbi Moshe of Malav, based on the language of the Rif.
  2. This remains difficult — It is surprising that the Gemara does not answer that this is referring to the time before they became wealthy, since we say later in the chapter 'Ein Omdin' (Berakhot 33a) that once they became wealthy, they established havdala over the cup. The answer is that we do not find a baraita that was taught between these two enactments.
  3. Isaac instituted the afternoon prayer — Although we say (Yoma 28b) that Abraham's prayer time began when the walls began to cast shade [i.e., morning], one can answer that this refers to the time after Isaac had already instituted the afternoon prayer.
  4. 'And conversation means nothing other than prayer, as it is stated: A prayer of the afflicted when he is faint and pours out his complaint' — It is surprising that in the first chapter of Avodah Zarah (7b, see there) it is proven that 'sicha' refers to prayer specifically from the verse 'And Isaac went out to converse in the field.' The answer is that we find a similar phenomenon in Megillah (13a): 'And he was raising Hadassah,' [from which it is derived] that 'hadassim' means nothing other than the righteous, as it is written 'and he was standing among the myrtles [hadassim]'; yet in the chapter 'Chelek' (Sanhedrin 93a) the Gemara states the opposite [deriving the meaning in the reverse direction].
  5. Jacob instituted the evening prayer — It is surprising that it is stated in the chapter 'Gid HaNasheh' (Chullin 91b): 'And he went to Charan; when he reached Charan he wanted to go back, he said, is it possible that I passed through the place etc.' — which shows there that he prayed the evening prayer during the day, since he had already prayed and intended to go back. This poses a difficulty for the Mishnah in the first chapter, which states that the time for the evening prayer does not begin until the stars come out. But according to what we have explained, that the halakha follows Rabbi Yehuda, who says the time is until plag hamincha, this is resolved, and our custom is proper — indeed it is better to pray somewhat before dark.
  6. Until plag hamincha — It is surprising: from where is this derived? It would be understandable regarding the time until nine and a half hours, which is the time for the small afternoon prayer, but where is the source for this [plag hamincha] time? The answer is that Rabbi Yehuda holds that prayer was instituted corresponding to the incense offering, as it is written: 'Let my prayer be set forth before You as incense' (Psalms 141:2).
  7. They raised a dilemma: until and including, or not — It is surprising, for it is stated in Niddah, chapter 'HaRo'eh Ketem' (58b): 'All measures of the Sages are stringent, except for the size of a bean regarding bloodstains' — implying that 'until' does not include the stated point. The answer is: if we say that 'until' includes the point itself, there is also a stringency involved, namely that he should pray, and we do not say that once the time has passed, the obligation is void — even if he missed it intentionally.

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 26.