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Berakhot 31 for kids: Hannah's Powerful Prayer

ברכות ל״א

🙏 This daf teaches how to prepare your heart before praying, with examples from the Sages about joy, sorrow, and focus. It also explores Hannah's prayer for a son, teaching many laws about how to pray from her words.

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Stories from Berakhot 31

Words to know

Rashi and Tosafot on Berakhot 31 in simple English

Rashi on Berakhot 31a, in English Tab translation (24)
  1. Kasa demukra (an expensive cup) — a cup of white glass.
  2. Let the Master sing for us — [they were asking] for a song.
  3. Where is the Torah and where is the mitzva that protect us — Where is the Torah we studied and where are the mitzvot we performed, that they should protect us from the judgment of Gehinnom?
  4. A conclusive halakha — one that requires no further analysis, so that one will not be preoccupied with it during prayer.
  5. She sits seven clean days for it — in addition to the day she stops bleeding. The Torah required seven clean days only for a zava, as it is stated, 'And if she is cleansed of her discharge' (Leviticus 15:28), and a zava is defined only as one who sees blood on three consecutive days during the eleven days between one menstrual period and the next.
  6. And he brings it in — into the house.
  7. In its chaff — before he winnows it, for one is not obligated by Torah law to tithe grain until it reaches the stage of 'seeing the house' and has been smoothed/leveled in a pile. Before it is smoothed, mere arrival at the house does not obligate it, since Scripture, regarding teruma and tithes, says 'the grain, the first of your grain' (Deuteronomy 18:4), which refers to the stage after smoothing. Therefore, bringing it into the house before smoothing does not obligate it in tithes by Torah law; it is only by rabbinic law that eating it as a fixed meal is forbidden before its processing is complete, but casual eating is not forbidden. Feeding it to animals counts as casual eating, as we learned in tractate Pe'ah (1:6): one may feed animals, beasts, and fowl until the grain is smoothed. Thus his animal may eat it and is exempt, but he himself may not eat it as a fixed meal.
  8. Forbidden to benefit from it and liable for misuse of sacred property — Even though we hold that there is no liability for misuse regarding mere monetary value, this case is derived from verses in tractate Yoma (59b) and in Chullin (117a): that principle applies when the animals were slaughtered in the Temple courtyard, where one can say 'I have given it to you upon the altar to atone' (Leviticus 17:11) — meaning it was given for atonement, not subject to the law of misuse. But concerning blood drawn by bloodletting [from a living consecrated animal], the law of misuse does apply — meaning that if one derives benefit from it, he must bring a guilt-offering for misuse. These are all conclusive halakhot, free of further questions and answers that would require deliberation.
  9. Like the mishna — [praying] out of an atmosphere of gravity.
  10. Like the baraita — [praying] out of engagement with a conclusive halakha.
  11. Conversation — meaning frivolous jesting.
  12. From an atmosphere of frivolity — the opposite of gravity, stemming from haughtiness of heart and arrogance.
  13. Rather, from an atmosphere of joy — such as words of consolation from the Torah, for example the passage adjacent to the account of the redemption from Egypt, or adjacent to 'A Psalm of Praise of David,' which contains praise and consolation, such as 'He fulfills the will of those who fear Him... the Lord preserves all who love Him' (Psalms 145:19–20), and the verses arranged in the evening prayer such as 'For the Lord will not forsake His people' (Psalms 94:14), and the like.
  14. Accompanied him — walked with him along the way.
  15. Tzinita — palm trees.
  16. You have reminded me of something, etc. — and this is what they say goes back to the days of Adam, who decreed that this place be settled with palm trees.
  17. If You will direct their heart — then [as the verse continues] 'You will incline Your ear' (Psalms 10:17).
  18. Three times — morning, afternoon, and evening.
  19. One might think this prayer began once he came into exile — meaning this practice of prayer was instituted then, but before that he was not accustomed to it.
  20. One might think he should combine them — these three prayers into a single session.
  21. One might think he should [first] ask for his own needs — such as the blessings from 'Ata Chonen' through 'Shema Koleinu,' and only afterward recite the first three blessings, which are blessings of praise.
  22. 'Rinah' (joyous song) — this refers to the prayer of praise.
  23. Request — asking for one's own needs.
  24. After 'Emet VeYatziv' — meaning [this order comes] before the first three blessings [of the Amidah].
Tosafot on Berakhot 31a, in English Tab translation (7)
  1. He brought a cup of white glass — From here the custom developed to break glass at weddings.
  2. One who lets blood from a consecrated animal, etc. — This is difficult, for it is stated in the third chapter of Avodah Zarah (44a) regarding the outer blood and inner blood of offerings that both are sold to gardeners as fertilizer, implying that the prohibition against misuse of consecrated property does not apply to them. One can answer that that case refers to after the sprinkling of the blood, when the owners have already achieved atonement, which is not the case here.
  3. The Sages acted in accordance with our mishna — and the halakha follows their view; therefore one does not pray from an atmosphere of frivolity and laughter, but rather from gravity and the joy of a mitzva, such as being engaged in words of Torah. For this reason the custom developed to recite Pesukei DeZimra and Ashrei before prayer.
  4. Rav Ashi acted in accordance with the baraita — In the Jerusalem Talmud: One should not stand to pray except from involvement in a matter of halakha. Rabbi Yirmeya said: One who is engaged in communal needs is considered like one engaged in matters of Torah.
  5. For so we find regarding the early prophets, that they concluded their words with words of praise and consolation — The Jerusalem Talmud raises a difficulty: except for Jeremiah, etc.—is it not written, 'For You have utterly rejected us' (Lamentations 5:22)? However, no difficulty arises from those verses at the end of the Twelve Minor Prophets and Ecclesiastes, since they are considered as good, words of consolation, and do not deal with the calamity of Israel.
  6. And finds him in another corner — This is difficult, for it is stated later (Berachot 34a) that one who comes to bow should be taught not to bow at the end of every blessing. Rabbi Yosef answered that this passage refers to the supplications recited after the eighteen blessings, but this is not compelling, since the text speaks of the eighteen blessings themselves. Rather, it seems to the Ri that certainly at the end of each blessing it is forbidden to bow, but in the middle of a blessing it is permitted to bow, and that is what is meant here—when reaching the end of the blessing, he would straighten up. This is why the custom developed on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur that when people pray 'Zochreinu' and 'Uvechein ten,' they bow when reaching those verses, but straighten up at the end of the blessing, since one should not bow at the end of blessings except where it was instituted.
  7. From here [we learn] that a drunk person is forbidden to pray — In the Jerusalem Talmud, tractate Terumot, first chapter: Rabbi Zeira asked before Rabbi Ami, may a drunk person recite a blessing? He answered him: 'And you shall eat and be satisfied and bless' — even if he is confused [from drink]. This means even if he is so intoxicated and drunk that he cannot speak properly, as is implied by 'and you shall be satisfied and bless.'
Rashi on Berakhot 31b, in English Tab translation (19)
  1. That he must inform him — One who is suspected of wrongdoing must clear himself and inform the one who suspects him that he does not have that unseemly trait.
  2. Do not take your maidservant as a wicked woman — Do not regard me as a wicked woman by suspecting me of drunkenness.
  3. And I will seclude myself — I will seclude myself with other men, and my husband will then suspect me of adultery.
  4. Pelaster — Falsehood.
  5. Three 'amitot' — He interprets these [repeated expressions] as an expression of death.
  6. Tests of death — For a woman is examined through these [observances] at a time of danger; if she is found lacking in one of them, she dies.
  7. Niddah, challah, and the kindling of the [Shabbat] lamp — For these three transgressions women die [in childbirth]; the reason is derived in tractate Shabbat (31b).
  8. Blended among people — Rav Dimi explains this to mean: neither too tall nor too short, and so on.
  9. Alem — Meaning thick/stout.
  10. Tzachor — 'Rouge' in Old French, i.e., reddish.
  11. Gichor — Meaning excessively white.
  12. Nor overly wise — So that people would not marvel at him; for when people gossip about someone, the evil eye gains power over him.
  13. Standing with you — Implying that he [Eli] too was standing [with her in prayer].
  14. Concerning this lad — Specifically this one and not another; this teaches that he [Samuel] had sinned against Eli, and Eli wished to punish him and pray that she be given a different son instead.
  15. And the priests shall offer — It was stated in the first chapter of Chagigah (11a) that 'and he shall offer' refers to the receiving of the blood.
  16. Of seventy years — Meaning even if it had been decreed upon him from his youth; for fasting on Shabbat is harder, since everyone else enjoys delight on it, while he fasts.
  17. A fast for the fast — He must fast again the next day [to atone for having fasted on Shabbat].
  18. And she prayed concerning the Lord — Thus it is written in the verse, and here we do not read it as an 'al tikrei' [textual reinterpretation].
  19. That he later agreed with Eliyahu — He agreed with his words after some time, regarding the prophecy of other prophets.
Tosafot on Berakhot 31b, in English Tab translation (6)
  1. Davar she'eino hagun (an unseemly matter) — This phrase means even though there is no Torah-level prohibition involved. For if there were a Torah-level prohibition, it would be obvious that rebuke is required, as it is written, 'You shall surely rebuke' (Leviticus 19:17).
  2. Gavra be-guvrin (a man among men) — This means a person significant enough to be counted among men.
  3. [Imcha] (with you) — The word 'imcha' (with you) implies within four cubits, because it is written 'imcha' spelled fully with a heh, meaning that he (Eli) was not sitting within her four cubits, but rather within the fifth cubit.
  4. Mikan she-asur leishev be-arba amot shel tefilah (from here it is derived that one may not sit within four cubits of a person praying) — whether in front of him, behind him, or to the sides. The responsa of the Geonim explained that this applies specifically when one is sitting idly; but if one is engaged in reciting the Shema and its blessings or similar, it is permissible even to sit.
  5. Moreh halakha bifnei rabbekha at (you are ruling on halakha in front of your teacher) — Even though he had not yet studied formally before him, nevertheless he was a great scholar of the generation who had come to study before him.
  6. Kol ha-yoshev be-ta'anit be-Shabbat (one who observes a fast on Shabbat) — Rabbeinu Chananel explains this refers to a fast undertaken because of a bad dream (ta'anit chalom), and so it is found in the Midrash on Psalms. And when one observes such a dream-fast on Shabbat, the Halakhot Gedolot explain that he recites 'Aneinu' within the blessing 'Elohai Netzor,' and this is so even if he adds it as a separate blessing of his own, since it is not inserted within the eighteen blessings of the Amidah.

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 31.