Berakhot 16b (טז:) — the Talmud in English

The Gemara nevertheless raises an objection:

If so,

if the groom is exempt from reciting the Shema because he is occupied with a mitzva, and not because of his preoccupation,

why specifically

the one

who marries a virgin is exempt,

for

even one who marries a widow as well

is performing a mitzva through his marriage; why, then, is he not exempt from reciting the Shema? And the Gemara distinguishes:

Here,

in the case of one who marries a virgin, he is

preoccupied

with his thoughts and is unable to have the requisite intention.

But

if

here,

in the case of one who marries a widow, he is

not preoccupied

and is able to have the requisite intention; therefore, he is obligated to recite.

The Gemara raises another objection:

If it is because of preoccupation

that you exempt him, and not because he is occupied with a mitzva, then

even if his ship sank at sea as well

he should be exempt, since he is preoccupied with his distress! If so,

why did Rabbi Abba bar Zavda say that Rav said: A mourner is obligated in all the mitzvot stated in the Torah except for tefillin, as the term splendor is stated with regard to them? As it is said

Ezekiel 24:17

“Bind your splendor upon yourself,”

and they interpreted this in tractate Moed Katan 15a to mean that one does not place “splendor in a place of ashes.” Therefore, a mourner is exempt from tefillin, because he is called one who “rolls in the dust.” But if preoccupation exempts a person, why should a mourner not be exempt because of his preoccupation with his distress?

The Gemara distinguishes:

They said: There,

in the case of one whose ship sank at sea, and likewise in the case of a mourner,

it is voluntary preoccupation

that he has, since he is not obligated to grieve. Therefore, he is obligated to divert his attention from his distress and concentrate when reciting the Shema.

But

here,

in the case of a groom marrying a virgin, he is preoccupied with

a mitzva-related preoccupation

and need not divert his attention; therefore, he is exempt from reciting the Shema.

Mishna:

In the previous Mishna we found that Rabban Gamliel conducted himself in an unusual manner, and likewise we find that he

bathed

in hot water on the

first night

after

his wife died

and was buried that same day, even though a mourner is prohibited from bathing his entire body, even in cold water.

His students said to him: Our teacher, you taught us that a mourner is prohibited from bathing!?

He said to them: I am not like other people

who are prohibited from bathing during mourning; rather, I am

an indulgent person

one accustomed to comfort;

I am,

for I suffer if I do not bathe, and I am permitted to bathe, since they prohibited bathing during the days of his mourning only when it is bathing for pleasure.

And when Tavi, his

Canaanite

slave died, he accepted condolences,

and when he returned from the cemetery, he sat in the places where a row is formed for mourners; and the people formed a row for him and honored him as they do a mourner over a close relative.

His students said to him: Our teacher, you taught us that condolences are not accepted over Canaanite slaves

!?

He said

to them: My slave Tavi is not like all other slaves; rather, he was

a worthy man.

Tavi was a Torah scholar and fit to be relied upon, and condolences are accepted over him out of honor for Torah.

A groom—

if he wishes to recite the Shema on the

first

night, although he is exempt,

he may recite it.

Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Not everyone who wishes to assume the Divine Name

a good name, indicating meticulous observance of the mitzvot,

may assume it.

For this is merely a path of arrogance, by which he presents himself as capable of concentrating.

Gemara:

The Gemara discusses:

What is the reason of Rabban Gamliel

for bathing on the first night?

It explains:

He holds that the aninut of the night

following the day of death is

rabbinic

in nature.

As it is written

Amos 8:10:

“And its end shall be as a bitter day,”

implying that the principal aninut applies only during the “day,” whereas on the night that follows it, since it is not part of the “day,” the aninut is only a rabbinic decree,

and in the case of an indulgent person

such as Rabban Gamliel,

the Sages did not impose the decree,

and bathing is permitted.

We learned in the Mishna:

“And when Tavi, his slave, died,” and so on.

The Sages taught: Canaanite slaves and maidservants

who died—

one does not stand over them in a row,

for when people returned from the cemetery, they would form rows around the mourner and comfort him; but they do not do so for a master who buried his Canaanite slave, so that people would not come to attribute Jewish lineage to them.

And

when they provide the mourner with the first meal after the burial, which is supplied by others,

they do not recite the blessing of mourners over them,

which is: “Blessed are You, Who comforts mourners.”

And

they do not comfort their owners with

the consolation of mourners.

There was an incident, and the maidservant of Rabbi Eliezer died. His students entered to comfort him

. When he saw them, he went up to the upper story, and they went up after him. He entered an anteroom

a small room before a large reception hall—

and they entered after him. He entered the reception hall, and they entered after him. He said to them: It appears to me that you are scalded

even

by

lukewarm

water,

meaning: I thought you would understand the subtle hint I gave you when I withdrew from you to enter the anteroom, thereby showing that I did not want consolation for the maidservant. But

now

I see that

you are not scalded even by “boiling-hot water,”

and do not understand even an obvious hint, until I state the matter explicitly:

Did I not teach you this: One does not stand in a row over slaves and maidservants, one does not recite the blessing of mourners over them, and one does not offer them the consolation of mourners. Rather, what does one say about them?—

Just as

one says to a person concerning his ox or his donkey that died: May the Omnipresent fill your loss, so one says to him concerning his slave or maidservant: May the Omnipresent fill your loss.

It was taught in another baraita: One does not eulogize slaves and maidservants.

Rabbi Yosei says: If he is a worthy slave, one says over him: Alas,

a term of groaning and crying,

a good

and faithful man who enjoyed the fruit of his labor.

They said to him: If so,

you say this about slaves—

what have you left for worthy Jews?

The Sages taught: One calls “patriarchs”

only three,

namely Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But not the tribes, the sons of Jacob.

And one does not call

“matriarchs” except four, namely Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah.

The Gemara asks:

“Patriarchs”—what is the reason

that the tribes are not called so?

If you say that it is because we do not know whether

we descend from the tribe of

Reuben or whether

we descend from the tribe of

Simeon,

and no person can know whom he may call “our father”—

If so, the matriarchs as well:

after all,

we do not know whether we descend from Rachel or whether we descend from Leah.

Nevertheless, we call them matriarchs.

The Gemara explains:

Rather,

the reason is:

Up to here,

the end of the generation of the patriarchs and matriarchs, they are

of recognized importance; beyond this, they are not of recognized importance.

It was taught in another baraita: One does not call slaves and maidservants

by an honorific title

“So-and-so father” or “So-and-so mother,”

lest those who call them thereby disqualify themselves, since this language may lead people to think that they are their children.

And

the slaves and maidservants

of Rabban Gamliel were called “So-and-so father” and “So-and-so mother.”

The Gemara asks: Does the baraita cite

an incident

that proves

to contradict

the ruling stated before it?

The Gemara explains: In Rabban Gamliel’s household there was no concern that people would mistakenly regard them as the children of slaves and maidservants

because they were important—

the members of his household were prominent and well known to the public .

Rabbi Elazar said: What is the meaning of the verse

Psalms 63:5, in which King David said:

“So will I bless You in my life; in Your name I will lift my hands”?

And afterward it says, “As with fat and abundance shall my soul be satisfied.” Rabbi Elazar wondered: Why was the word “as” written? It would have been preferable to write: “So will I bless You in my life; in Your name I will lift my hands, and as a reward for this, my soul shall be satisfied as with fat and abundance”!

And he explained: King David's words refer to the preceding verse: “For Your kindness is better than life; my lips shall praise You.” That is, this kindness, through which my lips shall praise You, is greater than the kindness by which You granted me life. And he continued and said:

“So shall I bless You in my life” –

this is

the recitation of Shema

“In Your name I shall raise my hands” –

this is prayer. And if one does so –

“my soul shall be satiated as with fat and abundance”

the recitation of Shema and prayer are precious in my eyes as though you had offered before Him “fat” from a shelamim offering and “abundance” from an olah offering; and even during the Destruction of the Temple, “my soul shall be satiated” through prayer in place of the sacrificial service.

Moreover, he inherits two worlds, this world and the World to Come, as it is stated: “And my lips with songs of praise shall glorify You.”

Its meaning is: two songs of praise. Just as he praises the Holy One, blessed be He, for the good that he inherited in this world, so too will he merit to praise Him for the good that he will inherit in the World to Come .

After Rabbi Elazar concluded his prayer, he said this: May it be Your will, Lord our God, that You establish in our lot –

in our portions –

love and brotherhood, peace and friendship. And increase our boundary with disciples, and grant success to our end, fulfillment, and hope,

so that our end will be good and we will see what we hoped for.

And place our portion in the Garden of Eden. And set us right with a good companion and a good inclination in Your world. And may we rise early and find the longing [

desire]

of our hearts to fear Your Name.

May the evil inclination not overcome us through the thoughts of the night, causing us to turn away from following You during the day. Rather, when we rise in the morning, may we find our hearts longing for You.

And may the satisfaction of our soul come before You,

the fulfillment of our needs and our contentment –

for good!

After Rabbi Yohanan concluded his prayer, he said this: May it be Your will, Lord our God, that You look upon our shame

for we are ashamed of the sins in our hands, and anyone who is ashamed is forgiven,

and

afterward

look upon our distress,

that You know and take to heart the trouble that is coming upon us.

And clothe Yourself in Your mercy, cover Yourself with Your strength, wrap Yourself in Your piety, gird Yourself with Your graciousness, and may Your attribute of goodness and humility come before You.

After Rabbi Zeira concluded his prayer, he said this: May it be Your will, Lord our God, that we not sin and not be ashamed

because of our own deeds

and not be humiliated

by them

before

our

forefathers .

After Rabbi Hiyya prayed, he said this: May it be Your will, Lord our God, that Your Torah be our occupation, and that our hearts not grieve and our eyes not grow dim.

After Rav concluded his prayer, he said this: May it be Your will, Lord our God, that You grant us long life,

a life of peace, a life of goodness, a life of blessing, a life of sustenance, a life of sound limbs

so that his body and limbs will be healthy .

A life containing fear of sin, a life containing neither shame nor humiliation, a life of wealth and honor; a life in which we possess love of Torah and fear of Heaven,

a life in which You fulfill all the requests of our hearts for good.

After Rabbi concluded his prayer, he said this: May it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our forefathers, that You save us from insolent people

who should not provoke us,

and from insolence

so that they do not cast aspersions upon us regarding illegitimacy ,

from an evil person, from an evil occurrence, from an evil inclination, and from an evil companion

so that we do not learn from his deeds,

from an evil neighbor,

so that we are not punished together with him,

and from the destructive Satan,

so that he does not cause us to sin,

and from a judgment

that

is difficult

to compromise,

and from a harsh litigant, whether he is

a Jewish

covenant-member, whether

he is a gentile

who is not a covenant-member –

who is uncircumcised.

And

Rabbi would recite this prayer

even though guards were stationed over Rabbi.

They were officers standing by order of the emperor Antoninus to strike and take revenge on anyone who stood against him.