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Berakhot 3 for kids: Three Watches of Night

ברכות ג׳

🌙 This daf talks about how the night is divided into watches, and how God roars like a lion over each one, mourning the Temple. It also tells a story about Rabbi Yosei praying in a ruin, and how King David woke up at midnight to study Torah and sing to God.

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Stories from Berakhot 3

Words to know

Rashi and Tosafot on Berakhot 3 in simple English

Rashi on Berakhot 3a, in English Tab translation (17)
  1. Kashya derabbi Meir adrabbi Meir (Rabbi Meir's statement contradicts Rabbi Meir's statement) — Above he said: from the time people enter to eat their bread on Shabbat eve, which is a later time than that of the priest. And here he says: from the time of immersion, which is before twilight.
  2. Kashya derabbi Eliezer (Rabbi Eliezer's statement contradicts Rabbi Eliezer's statement) — The version in the baraita contradicts the version of Rabbi Eliezer in the mishnah.
  3. Ve'ibaei eima reisha (And if you wish, say instead: the first clause) — of the mishnah.
  4. Lav Rabbi Eliezer hi (It is not Rabbi Eliezer's) — The fact that it states 'these are the words of Rabbi Eliezer' refers to the end-time, namely his statement 'until the end of the first watch,' and the Sages disagree with him and say 'until midnight.' Rabbi Eliezer interprets 'when you lie down' as referring to the time people begin to lie down, which varies from person to person — some earlier, some later. The Sages interpret it as the entire duration of lying down, meaning the whole night, but they made a protective measure and said 'until midnight.' Rabban Gamliel does not hold by that protective measure.
  5. Mai kasavar, etc. (What does he hold) — He should have stated a clearly recognizable time.
  6. Ee kasavar (If he holds) — For the tanna'im disagree below about this matter: there is one opinion that the night consists of three watches, corresponding to the angels' service and song, which is divided into three parts — the first watch for one group of angels, the second for another, the third for a third group. And there is another opinion that the night consists of four watches.
  7. Veha ka mashma lan (This teaches us) — By giving you a sign for the time of reciting Shema at the end of the watch without specifying the sign explicitly, he taught you that there is a recognizable indication for every person in this matter, just as there is in the heavens.
  8. Yishag sha'og yishag (He roars, He surely roars) — this gives three instances of the root.
  9. Ve'isha mesaperet im ba'alah (And a wife speaks with her husband) — Day has already drawn near, people are waking from sleep, and those lying together converse with one another.
  10. Mai ka chashiv (What did he enumerate) — These signs that he gave for the earthly watches — where are they placed? At the beginning of the watches or at their end?
  11. Orta hu (It is evening) — the time of the emergence of the stars.
  12. Veshamar (And he waited) — meaning he waited, similar to the phrase 'a person should not say to his friend, wait for me beside such-and-such idol' (Sanhedrin 63b), and in Bava Kamma, chapter HaChovel (Bava Kamma 90b): 'she stood waiting at the entrance to the courtyard.' Likewise, 'and his father waited regarding the matter' (Genesis 37:11); 'He guards the faithful' (Isaiah 26).
  13. Tefilla ketzara (A short prayer) — [Havineinu], which will be explained below in the chapter 'Tefillat HaShachar' (Berakhot 29a).
  14. Ashrei hamelech shemekalsin oto beveito kach (Fortunate is the king who is praised in his house like this) — Fortunate was the time when this praise took place within the Temple.
  15. Mipnei chashad (Due to suspicion) — lest people say a prostitute was waiting for him there.
  16. Umipnei hamapolet (And due to danger of collapse) — because the wall of the ruin is unstable, and there is a danger that the wall might fall on him.
  17. Teipuk leih (Let it be derived from this) — meaning, why do we need three reasons for the same matter? One of them should suffice — unless it comes to teach you that there are times when one reason does not apply, and the other reason is needed for that case.
Tosafot on Berakhot 3a, in English Tab translation (5)
  1. Kasheh deRabbi Meir aRabbi Meir — Rabbi Meir's opinion contradicts Rabbi Meir's opinion: One cannot say that 'when people enter [to eat]' and 'when the kohanim immerse' refer to the same time-measure, for if so, Rabbi Meir would be identical to Rabbi Achai according to Rashi's explanation that this means when most people enter to recline [for the meal], which is on Friday evening. Also, it is not reasonable to say that people hurry so much on Friday evenings as to match the time when the kohanim immerse, which is while it is still day, before sunset.
  2. Kasheh deRabbi Eliezer aRabbi Eliezer — Rabbi Eliezer's opinion contradicts Rabbi Eliezer's opinion: One cannot say that 'from when the day becomes sanctified' and 'when the kohanim enter to eat their teruma' are the same time-measure, for if so, Rabbi Eliezer would be identical to Rabbi Yehoshua.
  3. LeMan deGani BeVayit Afel — For one who lies in a dark house: But one might ask, doesn't Rabbi Eliezer require (later, Berakhot 9b) for the morning Shema that one be able to distinguish between blue and white threads? The answer is that nevertheless, since he knows when dawn will rise, that time has already arrived even before he gets up and prepares himself.
  4. Hayah Lecha Lehitpalel Tefillah Ketzarah — 'You should have prayed a short prayer': At first glance this implies that this is not the 'Havinenu' prayer, since later (Berakhot 30a) the Gemara asks what the difference is between Havinenu and the short prayer—if so, according to Rashi's explanation here that this means Havinenu, there is a difficulty. Rather, it must be a different prayer, as explained later: 'the needs of Your people are many,' etc. But this too is difficult, since later we say that one may only recite the prayer of 'the needs of Your people are many' in a place of danger, and Rabbi Yosei was not in a place of danger—meaning a place of robbers—since he answered 'lest travelers interrupt me' and did not answer 'lest robbers kill me.' It seems to me, in accordance with Rashi's explanation, that the 'short prayer' mentioned here is indeed Havinenu. Although Abaye cursed one who prays Havinenu, that was specifically in the city, but in the field it is permitted. And when we ask later what the difference is between Havinenu and the short prayer, it means this: the difference between Havinenu and the short prayer mentioned in the chapter 'Tefillat HaShachar' (Berakhot 29b), such as 'the needs of Your people are many.' But the short prayer mentioned here must certainly be understood as Havinenu.
  5. Ve'Onin Yehei Shemei HaGadol Mevorach — And they answer, 'May His great name be blessed': From here one can refute what is explained in Machzor Vitry regarding 'Yehei shemei rabba'—that this is a prayer we recite that His name be made complete, as it is written (Exodus 17:16), 'For the hand is on the throne of the Lord,' meaning that His name is not complete and His throne is not complete until the seed of Amalek is wiped out. And the explanation would be: 'Yehei shem-Yah rabba'—the name Yah is great—meaning we pray that His name be great and complete, and 'blessed forever' is a separate petition referring to the World to Come. But this does not seem correct, since here it says 'Yehei shemei hagadol mevorach,' implying it is a single phrase, not meaning 'may His name be great and complete,' but rather 'may His great name be blessed.' Also, what people say—that Kaddish is recited in Aramaic because it is such a beautiful prayer and great praise that it was instituted in that language so that the angels would not understand it and become jealous of us—this does not seem correct either, since there are many beautiful prayers recited in Hebrew. Rather, it appears to be as stated at the end of Tractate Sotah (49a): the world endures only for the sake of the Kedusha recited in the (Torah-reading) order and the 'Yehei shemei rabba' recited after the Aggadah, for it was customary to recite Kaddish after the sermon, where ordinary unlearned people were present who did not all understand the holy tongue (Hebrew); therefore it was instituted in Aramaic, the translation, which everyone understood, since that was their spoken language.
Rashi on Berakhot 3b, in English Tab translation (27)
  1. In a new [ruin] — this refers to one that collapsed recently; its wall fell but it is still presumed structurally sound.
  2. There is also no suspicion — for we learned (Kiddushin 80b): But a woman may be secluded with two men [without concern].
  3. With two who are promiscuous — for we say there that this leniency [about two men] was taught only regarding upright individuals.
  4. We are concerned in their [usual] place — in a place where they [demons] are commonly found, we are concerned even with two people.
  5. In the field — meaning, in open country.
  6. 'My eyes forestall the watches' — this shows that midnight, when David would arise, falls two watches [before dawn].
  7. And Rabbi Natan [would say] — he would respond that David's statement 'my eyes forestall the watches' means he arose before other kings, who were accustomed to rise during the daytime hours, at the start of the third hour of the day.
  8. Six [hours] of the night — midnight falls six hours into the night.
  9. And two [hours] of the day — since the other kings were still asleep [until the third hour], these hours count for David as two watches, each watch being eight hours [long].
  10. Only concerning a matter of halakha — it is forbidden to speak of Torah matters in front of him, since everyone is obligated to engage in them, yet the dead is silent [and cannot]; this would be like 'one who mocks the poor blasphemes his Maker' (Proverbs 17:5).
  11. But mundane matters — since there is no disgrace in refraining from discussing them, there is no problem with it.
  12. 'From the evening' — meaning from the start of the night.
  13. 'At the dusk (nesheph) of the evening of the day' — when the day darkens it is called 'nesheph.'
  14. This is what it means — the verse is referring to midnight.
  15. 'Midnight never passed over me in sleep' — because I would always arise before it.
  16. 'Dozing like a horse' — he engaged in Torah study even while dozing, like a horse, which never falls into a deep sleep but dozes while remaining alert.
  17. With songs and praises — as is explained in that verse: 'to give thanks to You,' etc.
  18. 'On the day after them' — on the day following their encampment there.
  19. This is the reading: If so, let it have written 'from dusk to dusk' or 'from evening to evening.' Rather, Rav Ashi said: there are two [different] dusks.
  20. 'Nesheph' can mean daybreak — [the root] means to spring or leap up, as in 'to spring from its place' (Megillah 3a), similar to 'this hip-bone that slipped from its socket renders [the animal] non-kosher' (Chullin 42b).
  21. And he came and said 'about midnight' — because he [Moses] could not determine the precise hour and state it exactly as it would occur.
  22. A harp hung above his bed — with its holes facing north. When midnight arrived, a north wind would blow through it, as the Master said (Bava Batra 25a): Four winds blow each day — during the first six hours of the day an east wind blows, due to the sun's course; during the last six hours a south wind; at the start of the night a west wind; and at midnight a north wind.
  23. 'The pit is not filled from its own clod' — one who removes a clod of earth from a dug pit and throws it back in does not thereby fill the pit. So too here: if You do not provide sustenance for the poor from elsewhere, we cannot support them from our own resources.
  24. They would take counsel with Ahithophel — regarding which route to take, how to set up positions, and strategies for ambush in battle.
  25. And they would consult the Sanhedrin — they would seek their consent, so that the Sanhedrin would pray on their behalf.
  26. Ve'sho'alin ba'urim ve'tummim — [They would inquire] whether they would succeed.
  27. This is the correct version of the text: What is the verse? 'And after Ahithophel was Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Abiathar; and the commander of the king's army was Joab' (I Chronicles 27:34) — Ahithophel, this is 'the counselor.'
Tosafot on Berakhot 3b, in English Tab translation (7)
  1. Before the dead, one may only speak of matters pertaining to the dead — Rav Alfasi ruled in the name of Rav Hai Gaon that this applies specifically to words of Torah, but ordinary conversation is not included in this restriction. And this applies specifically within his four cubits.
  2. We are concerned about demons in their place — meaning a place known to be frequented by demons. The earlier statement, that with two people—even two disreputable ones—there is no concern about demons, refers to an ordinary place where demons are not commonly found.
  3. Before the dead, one may only speak of matters pertaining to the dead — Rav Alfasi ruled in the name of Rav Hai Gaon that this applies specifically to words of Torah, but ordinary conversation is not included in this restriction. And this applies specifically within his four cubits.
  4. There, midnight never passed over me while I was asleep — It appears that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi means that it never happened that he would be asleep at midnight; sometimes he would even rise earlier, before the first light before dawn.
  5. And he came and said 'around midnight' — One might ask: why didn't he simply say 'at midnight,' just as they told him from Heaven, since what they told him was true? The answer is that he did not want to state to them something he would be unable to demonstrate or prove if they questioned him.
  6. The northern wind blows — meaning it blows alone, for we say in the chapter 'One May Not Dig' (Bava Batra 25a) that it blows together with every other wind.
  7. And the pit is not filled from its mound of removed earth — Rashi explains: if one digs and returns the removed earth into the pit, it will not become full. This is difficult, since the case is not comparable to the proof, for he would only instruct them to take from the rich and give to the poor; had he instructed them to take from the poor and give it back to them, it would then be comparable to the parable. Rabbeinu Tam therefore explains 'mechulyato' as referring to its own spring-water, meaning the pit is not filled by water welling up within it. In the Tosefta the text reads: 'the pit is not filled from its spring-water unless water is drawn to it from elsewhere.' And the Ri explains that if you dig from one side and deposit the earth on another side, it will not fill up, because what is placed here is missing there—similarly, what is taken from the rich is a loss to the rich.

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 3.