D. Falk, 2002
1. Worship of God
1.1. Prayer
1.1.1. The Shema.
See reading packet
1.1.1.1 Mishnah Berakhot 1:1
From what time may one recite the Shema in the evening?
From the time that the priests enter [their houses] in order to eat their terumah1 until the end of the first watch. These are the words of R. Eliezer.
The sages say: until midnight.
R. Gamaliel says: until the dawn comes up. Once it happened that his sons came home [late] from a wedding feast and they said to him: we have not yet recited the [evening] Shema. He said to them: “If the dawn has not yet come up you are still bound to recite. And not in respect to this alone did they so decide, but wherever the sages say “until midnight”, the precept may be performed until the dawn comes up.”
The precept of burning the fat and the [sacrificial] pieces, too, may be performed till the dawn comes up. Similarly, all [the offerings] that are to be eaten within one day may lawfully be consumed till the coming up of the dawn.
Why then did the sages say ‘until midnight’? In order to keep a man far from transgression.
[adapted from Soncino Classics translation]
1.1.2. The Eighteen Benedictions (also Amidah, or Tefillah)
See the reading packet
1.1.2.1 Mishnah Berakhot 4:3
Rabban Gamaliel says: Every day, a man prays the Eighteen [benedictions].
R. Joshua says: an abstract of the Eighteen.
R. Akiba said: If his prayer is fluent in his mouth he prays the [full] Eighteen, and if not, an abstract of the Eighteen. [translation by D. Instone-Brewer, http://www.tyndale.cam.ac.uk/Brewer/PPages/TRENT/#Zeraim]
1.1.2.2 Tosefta Berakhot 3:7
R. Eliezer says: May your will be done in the heavens and grant ease to those who fear you on earth and do what is good in your eyes. Blessed [is he] who listens to prayer. [translation by D. Instone-Brewer, http://www.tyndale.cam.ac.uk/Brewer/PPages/TRENT/#Zeraim]
1.1.3. Intention. Mishnah Berakhot 2:1
If a man was reading [the verses of the Shema] in the Law and the time came to recite the Shema, if he directed his heart he has fulfilled his obligation; otherwise he has not fulfilled his obligation. [adapted from Danby translation]
1.1.4. Distraction in Prayer. Mishnah Berakhot 2:4-5
1.1.4.1 Mishnah Berakhot 2:4.
Workers may recite the Shema on the top of a tree or on top of a course of stones, which they may not do when they say the Tefillah. [adapted from Danby]
1.1.4.2 Tosefta Berakhot 2:7
The porter—even while bearing his load upon his shoulder—recites [the Shema]. But while he is unloading and loading, he should not recite, because he cannot concentrate [on his recitation]. Nonetheless he should not recite [the Tefillah] until he unloads his burden.
Tosefta Berakhot 2:8. Workers may recite the Shema on the top of a tree [Mishnah 2:4] and recite the Tefillah while atop an olive tree or atop a fig tree; [but for] all the other kinds of trees, they must climb down [first] and [then] recite the Prayer. But a householder must always climb down and [then] recite the Tefillah. [adapted from Zahavy, The Tosefta]
1.1.4.3 Mishnah Berakhot 2:5.
A bridegroom is exempt from reciting the Shema on the first night, or until the close of the [next] Sabbath if he has not consummated the marriage.
Once when Rabban Gamaliel married he recited the Shema on the first night. His disciples said to him, “Master, did you not teach us that a bridegroom is exempt from reciting the Shema on the first night?” He said to them, “I will not hearken to you to cast off from myself the yoke of the kingdom of heaven even for a moment.”
1.1.4.4 Yerushalmi Berakhot 2.5, 5a.
A tanna taught, “One may not wink his eyes while reciting [the Shema].
1.1.5. Exemption from Prayer. Mishnah Berakhot 3:3
Women and slaves and minors are exempt from reciting the Shema and from wearing tefillin, but they are not exempt from saying the Tefillah, from the law of the Mezuzah or from saying the Benediction after meals. [adapted from Danby]
1.1.6. Intention in Prayer.
1.1.6.1 Mishnah Berakhot 4:4
R. Eliezer says: He that makes his prayer a fixed task, his prayer is no supplication. [Danby]
1.1.6.2 Bavli Berakhot 34a
Our Rabbis taught: Once a certain disciple went down before the Ark in the presence of R. Eliezer, and he span out the prayer to a great length. His disciples said to him: Master, how longwinded this fellow is! He replied to them: Is he drawing it out any more than our Master Moses, of whom it is written: The forty days and the forty nights [that I fell down]? Another time it happened that a certain disciple went down before the Ark in the presence of R. Eliezer, and he cut the prayer very short. His disciples said to him: How concise this fellow is! He replied to them: Is he any more concise than our Master Moses, who prayed, as it is written: Heal her now, O God, I beseech Thee? R. Jacob said in the name of R. Hisda: If one prays on behalf of his fellow, he need not mention his name, since it says: Heal her now, O God, I beseech Thee’, and he did not mention the name of Miriam. [adapted from Soncino Classics translation]
1.1.7. Concentration in Prayer.
1.1.7.1 Mishnah Berakhot 5:1
None may stand up to say the Tefillah except in sober mood. The pious men of old used to wait an hour before they said the Tefillah, that they might direct their heart toward God. Even if the king salutes a man hay may not return the greeting; and even if a snake was twisted around his heel he may not interrupt his prayer. [adapted from Danby translation]
1.1.8. Fluency at Prayer.
1.1.8.1 Mishnah Berakhot 5:3
If a man went before the Ark [of the Torah scrolls to recite the Tefillah as precentor] and fell into error, another must take his place. None may decline at such a time. Where does he begin? At the beginning of the Benediction in which the other fell into error.
1.1.8.2 Mishnah Berakhot 5:5
If he that says the Tefillah makes an error it is a bad omen for him; and if he was the precentor of the congregation it is a bad omen for them that appointed him, because a man’s agent is like to himself.
They said concerning R. Hanina b. Dosa that he prayed for the sick and said: this one will live, or this one will die. And they said to him: How do you know [this]? He said to them: If prayer flows in my mouth, I know that it is heard, and if not, I know that it is rejected.
[Adapted from Danby]
1.1.9. Grace at Meals. Mishnah Berakhot 6:1
1.1.9.1 Mishnah Berakhot 6:1.
What Benediction do they say over fruits? Over the fruit of trees a man says, “[Blessed are you, Sovereign of the Universe] who creates the fruit of the tree,” except over wine, for over wine a man says “. . . who creates the fruit of the vine.” Over the fruits of the earth a man says, “. . . who creates the fruit of the gound,” except bread, for over bread a man says “. . . who brings forth bread from the earth.” [adapted from Danby translation]
1.1.9.2 Tosefta Berakhot 4:1.
One must not taste anything until he has [first recited a benediction [over it], as Scripture states, The earth is the Lord’s and all that it contains (Psalm 24:1). One who derives benefit from this world [by eating its produce] without first having recited a benediction has committed sacrilege [that is, it is as if he ate sanctified Temple produce, thereby misappropriating God’s property], until he has fulfilled all the obligation which permit him [to use the produce; that is, until he has recited the proper benediction].
[adapted from Zahavy translation]
1.1.10. Blessings for evil as well as good. Mishnah Berakhot 6:5.
Man is bound to bless [God] for the evil even as he blesses [God] for the good.
1.2. Shabbat
1.2.1. Forbidden Labor. Mishnah Shabbat 7:1-2
The main classes of work are forty minus one:
sowing, plowing and reaping;
binding sheaves, threshing, winnowing;
cleansing crops, grinding (grain);
sifting, kneading, baking;
shearing wool, washing or combing it;
dyeing, spinning, and weaving;
making two loops, weaving two threads, separating two threads;
tying (a knot) or loosening (it);
sewing two stitches, or tearing in order to sew two stitches;
hunting a gazelle, slaughtering, flaying or salting it;
curing the skin, scraping or cutting it;
writing two letters, erasing in order write two letters;
building up or tearing down;
putting out a fire, lighting a fire;
striking with a hammer;
And carrying anything from one domain to another.
These are the main classes of work: forty minus one.
(adapted from Danby translation)
1.2.2. Over-riding Sabbath. Mishnah Shabbat 19:1
R. Akiba laid down a general rule: Any act of work that can be done on the eve of the Sabbath does not override the Sabbath, but what (e.g., circumcision) cannot be done on the eve of Sabbath overrides the Sabbath. (Danby translation)
1.2.3. Plucking Grain on Sabbath. Bavli Shabbat 128a
“And one may pluck (grain) by hand and eat,
but only if one plucks without a utensil;
and one may rub [matal = “husk”]and eat,
but only if he does not rub a lot in a utensil.”
These are the words of Rabbi Judah (ben El’ai).
But the sages say:
–“One may rub with the tips of his fingers and eat,
but only if he does not rub a lot with his hands
in the way he does on a weekday.”
(http://religion.rutgers.edu/iho/sabbath.html#work)
1.2.4. Childbirth on Sabbath
Mishnah Shabbat 18:2
They may help a woman give birth on the Sabbath,
and they may get a midwife for her from any place at all.
And, for her sake, they may break the Sabbath and tie up the naval.
Rabbi José (ben Halaphta) says:
–“They may even cut it and do anything needed for circumcision on the Sabbath.”
(http://religion.rutgers.edu/iho/sabbath.html#work)
1.2.5. Saving a Life on Sabbath. Bavli Shabbat 132a
Where (is the rationale for this) from:
–“To rescue a soul [nephesh] puts off the Sabbath”?
Rabbi Eleazar ben ‘Atzariah said:
–“If circumcision, which concerns one of man’s limbs, puts off the Sabbath,
qal wachomer: to rescue a soul puts off the Sabbath!”
(http://religion.rutgers.edu/iho/sabbath.html#work)
1.2.6. Healing on Sabbath. Mishnah Shabbat 22:6
(On the Sabbath) one is not to work on an infant or set a fracture.
If one dislocated his hand or foot, he may not pour cold water on it;
but he may wash it in his (usual) way.
And if he is healed, he is healed.
(http://religion.rutgers.edu/iho/sabbath.html#work)