Berakhot 16b — the Talmud in English

And the Gemara still raises an objection:

If so,

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

why specifically

that we learned

“one who marries a virgin” is exempt,

but

even one who marries a widow as well

performs a mitzva through his marriage; and why 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

in his thoughts and is unable to have the proper intention.

And

if

here

in the case of one who marries a widow,

he is not preoccupied

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

And the Gemara raises an objection:

If because of preoccupation

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

even if his ship sank at sea as well

he should be exempt, for he is preoccupied with his distress! And 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, for “splendor” is stated concerning them, as it is said

Ezekiel 24:17

“Your splendor is bound upon you,”

and they expounded that one does not place “splendor in the place of ashes”; therefore, a mourner is exempt from them, because he is called “one who rolls in the dust.” But if preoccupation exempts, why should the mourner not be exempt because of his preoccupation with his distress?

And the Gemara distinguishes:

They said: There,

in the case of his ship sinking at sea, and likewise in the case of a mourner,

it is voluntary preoccupation

for he is not obligated to grieve. Therefore, he is obligated to divert his attention from his distress and have the proper intention when reciting the Shema.

But

here,

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

with mitzva preoccupation,

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

Mishna:

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

bathed

in hot water on the

first night

after

his wife died

and was buried that very day, even though a mourner is forbidden to bathe his entire body even in cold water.

His students said to him: Our teacher, you have taught us that a mourner is forbidden to bathe!?

He said to them: I am not like other people

who are forbidden to bathe during mourning; rather,

I am an istenis

[pampered]

I,

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

And when Tavi, his Canaanite slave, died,

he

accepted condolences,

when he returned from the cemetery, he sat in those places where a row is made for mourners, and the people made a row and accorded him honor as they do for a mourner over his relative.

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

!?

He said

to them: My slave Tavi is not like all other slaves, but rather

he was fit.

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

A groom —

if he wishes to recite the Shema on the night

of the first day,

although he is exempt,

he recites.

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

a good name, by being exacting in mitzvot,

may assume it.

For this is merely a way of arrogance, by which he presents himself as able to have the proper intention.

Gemara:

The Gemara discusses:

What is the reason of Rabban Gamliel

that he bathed on the first night?

And it explains:

He holds: The aninut of the night

following the day of death

is rabbinic.

It is.

For it is written

[Amos 8:10]

“And its end as a bitter day,”

which implies that the essential aninut is only during the “day”; but during the night that follows it, since it is not part of the “day,” the aninut is only by rabbinic decree,

and in the case of an istenis

like Rabban Gamliel,

the Sages did not decree in his case,

and bathing is permitted.

We learned in the Mishna:

“And when Tavi, his slave, died,” etc.

The Sages taught: Canaanite male and female slaves

who died

are not stood over in a row,

for when they returned from the cemetery they would make rows around the mourner and console him, but they do not do so for a master who buried his Canaanite slave, so that they would not come to elevate them to proper lineage.

And

when they provide the mourner with the first meal from others,

they do not recite over them the blessing of mourners,

which is “Blessed is He Who comforts mourners.”

And

they do not console their owners with

the consolation of mourners.

It happened that Rabbi Eliezer’s maidservant died. His students entered to console him

. When he saw them, he went up to the upper room, and they went up after him. He entered the 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 seems to me that you are scalded

even

by

lukewarm

water,

meaning, I thought that you would understand the slight hint that I gave you when I withdrew from you to enter the anteroom ; and I showed that I did not desire consolation over the maidservant. But

now,

I have realized that

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

and do not understand even a clear hint, until I say an explicit statement to you: Is it not so that

I taught you this: Male and female slaves are not stood over in a row, the blessing of mourners is not recited over them, and there is no consolation of mourners. Rather, what is said over them —

just as

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

It was taught in another baraita: Male and female slaves are not eulogized.

Rabbi Yose says: If he is a fit slave, they say over him, “Alas,”

a term of groaning and crying,

a good man

and trustworthy, who enjoyed the fruit of his labor.

They said to him: If so,

you say this concerning slaves,

what have you left for the fit ones?

The Sages taught: “Forefathers” is said

only of three,

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

And “foremothers”

are said only of four, namely Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah.

And the Gemara discusses:

“Forefathers”—what is the reason

that they are not called this concerning the tribes?

If you say 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 to call “our father.”

If so, the foremothers as well

—after all,

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

And nevertheless, we call them foremothers.

And the Gemara explains:

Rather,

the reason is:

Until here,

the end of the generation of the forefathers and foremothers,

they are important; beyond this, they are not important.

It was taught in another baraita: Male and female slaves are not called

by a title of honor

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

lest those who call them disqualify themselves, since this expression leads one to think that they are their children.

And

his male and female slaves,

Rabban Gamliel’s, were called “so-and-so father” and “so-and-so mother.”

And the Gemara raises an objection: Does the baraita bring

an incident

that proves

to refute

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 that which is written

[Psalms 63:5], which King David said,

“So shall I bless You in my life; in Your name I shall raise my palms,”

and afterward it says, “As with fat and abundance shall my soul be satisfied.” Rabbi Elazar wondered: Why was “as” written? It would have been preferable to write: “So shall I bless You in my life; in Your name I shall raise my palms—and as a reward for this, my soul shall be satisfied 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, that my lips shall praise You, is greater than the kindness by which You gave me life, and he continued and said:

“So shall I bless You in my life” —

this is

the recitation of the Shema

“In Your name I shall raise my palms” —

this is prayer. And if he does so —

the verse says concerning him: “As with fat and abundance shall my soul be satisfied”

the recitation of the Shema and prayer are important in my eyes as though you had offered before Him the “fat” of a peace-offering and the “abundance” of a burnt-offering; and even during the destruction of the Temple, “my soul shall be satisfied” through prayer in place of the sacrificial service.

And furthermore, he inherits two worlds, this world and the World to Come. As it is stated: “And my lips of songs of praise shall laud my mouth.”

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 he will merit to praise Him also for the good that he will inherit in the World to Come .

After Rabbi Eleazar finished his prayer, he said thus: May it be Your will before You, Lord our God, that You cause to dwell in our lots —

in our portions —

love and brotherhood, peace and friendship. And increase our boundary with disciples, and make our end successful, with a future and hope,

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

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

desires]

of our heart to fear Your Name.

So that the evil inclination will not overpower us through the thoughts of the night, to turn away from following You during the day. Rather, when we rise in the morning, may we find our heart longing for You.

And may the satisfaction of our soul come before You,

the fulfillment of our needs and our satisfaction —

for good!

After Rabbi Yohanan finished his prayer, he said thus: May it be Your will before You, Lord our God, that You cast a glance at our shame

that we are ashamed because of the transgressions in our possession, and whoever is ashamed is forgiven,

and

afterward

look upon our evil,

that You know and give Your attention to the evil that is coming upon us.

And clothe Yourself in Your mercies, cover Yourself with Your might, wrap Yourself in Your piety, gird Yourself with Your graciousness, and may Your measure of goodness and Your humility come before You.

After Rabbi Zeira finished his prayer, he said thus: May it be Your will before You, Lord our God, that we not sin and not be shamed

because of our own deeds

and not be humiliated

by them

before

the face of

our fathers .

After Rabbi Hiyya prayed, he said thus: May it be Your will before You, Lord our God, that Your Torah be our occupation, and that our heart not grieve and our eyes not darken.

After Rav finished his prayer, he said thus: May it be Your will before You, Lord our God, that You give us long life,

life of peace, life of goodness, life of blessing, life of livelihood, life of soundness of limbs

so that he may be healthy in his body and limbs .

Life in which there is fear of sin, life in which there is no shame or humiliation, life of wealth and honor. Life in which there is within us love of Torah and fear of Heaven,

life in which You fulfill for us all the desires of our heart for good.

After Rabbi finished his prayer, he said thus: May it be Your will before You, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that You save us from insolent people

who will not provoke us,

and from insolence

so that they will not spread a slander about us of illegitimacy ,

from an evil person, from an evil mishap, from an evil inclination, from a bad companion

so that we will not learn from his deeds,

a bad neighbor,

so that we will not be stricken together with him,

and from the destructive Satan,

so that he will not cause us to sin,

and from judgment

that is

difficult

to compromise in,

and from a difficult litigant, whether he is

a Jew,

a member of the covenant, whether

he is a gentile,

who is not a member of the covenant —

who is uncircumcised.

And

Rabbi would say this prayer

even though executioners stood over Rabbi.

They were officers standing by order of Caesar Antoninus to strike and take revenge on all who stood against him.