brachot 30

the unbreakable concentric concentrated focus of prayer.





(english translation of this talmud page can be found here)

second chances

This week's other chavrutah/other voice, is from Rabbi David Levin-Krus. David is the Director of Special Programmes at Pardes, Jerusalem. 

What struck me in the few pages we "learned" together was not something you drew directly but alluded to. You spoke about the boundaries of night and day and when the one becomes the other. The Talmud says that if I could not daven shacharit I can recompense by davening two amidot at mincha. What about mincha to ma'ariv? Is this possible or does the fact that it is a new day prevent me from doing this? 

The Talmud quotes the verse saying that the crooked cannot be made straight. When reading this the thought struck me as to whether one can ever really make up for a moment lost. The discussion of the rabbis seems forced and they recognize that there is a limit  to what one can do if one has missed an opportunity. 

Two thoughts:

1. This is one of the differences between the spiritual world and the "real" world. In the former we have second chances; in the latter not always.

OR

2. The text is teaching us that we always have a second chance but we have to create the situation. It also tells us there is a limit to what we can do and sometimes a second chance is not available.

David Levin-Krus

brachot 29

numbers are not exact when the sun reddens
18 is 19
or sometimes it's 7, or 9, or a merciful 24
and a dangerous 13 can be just 1

18 never equals 18

unless you're a heretic


(discussion about the 18 blessings of the amidah prayer, an extra blessing was added against heretics, making it 19. 7 blessings for shabbat, 9 for rosh hashana, 24 for a fast day, and on regular days, in certain cases, the 13 middle brachot can be abridged to 1. for english translation of this talmud page see here)

brachot 28

standing & praying at the entrances - of the previously exclusive study hall,
and of the World to Come

and the one who dreams of white vessels enters the blackened house



(the revolution that deposed Rabban Gamliel, that led to more people having access to the study hall. prayers said by R. Nehunya ben Hakana on entering and exiting the study hall, and blessings and prayers said by various rabbis on their deathbed to their students. and the 18 blessings of the standing prayer parallel the vertebrae. for english translation of this talmud page see here)

brachot 27

when can afternoon be evening? and evening afternoon?

the boundaries of time & space of prayer

not behind
and not walk in front of someone praying

brachot 26

in the sunlight of day, it is clearly defined when to stand.
but at night,
the encounter in the dark can happen at any time.







(defining the 3 timezones of the amidah prayer, which is said standing: morning, afternoon and evening. for english translation of this talmud page see here)

brachot 25

the things that come from our bodies that wrinkle our nose, and are unpleasant to the eye

so our mouths can't say the things from the heart.









(discussion about saying the shema, praying or talking torah in the presence of feces and urine, for rnglish translation of this talmud page see here)