Berakhot 24b (כד:) — the Talmud in English

and he feels his garment:

in order to kill a louse that is biting him.

But

if his tallit was falling from him,

he would not

take it and

wrap himself

in it, so as not to interrupt his prayer.

And when he

would

yawn—

he would place his hand on his chin

so that his yawn would not be noticeable .

An objection was raised: One who makes his voice heard during his prayer—

that person is among those of little faith,

for he thinks as though the Holy One, blessed be He, does not hear prayer recited silently.

One who raises his voice during his prayer—

that person is among the false prophets,

whose practice is to call out in a loud voice.

The

one who belches and

the

one who yawns

during his prayer—

that person is among the arrogant.

One who sneezes during his prayer—

it is a bad sign for him.

And some say: It is apparent that he is ugly.

One who

spits

during his prayer—

it is as though

he

spat in the presence of the king!

The Gemara explains its objection from the beraita:

Granted,

what is stated concerning Rabbi, that he

belched and yawned, is not difficult:

because

here,

in Rabbi’s case, it was

involuntary,

whereas

here,

in the beraita, he is considered among the arrogant when he belches and yawns

voluntarily.

Rather, from the fact that we learned in the beraita that one who

from what we learned in the beraita, that one who

sneezes

it is a bad sign for him,

Rabbi’s sneeze—

of Rabbi

is difficult !

The Gemara answers:

Rabbi’s sneeze is also not difficult:

because

here,

in Rabbi’s case, it was a sneeze

from above,

from the nose, and that is a good sign, as will be explained below. Whereas

here,

in the beraita, the sneezing was the expulsion of wind with a sound

from below.

We find that sneezing from above is considered a good sign,

as Rabbi Zeira said: This matter was whispered

to him

in the academy of Rav Hamnuna, and it was precious to me

and important in my eyes

as all my learning,

as all my studies [because he was accustomed to sneeze frequently from above]:

One who sneezes during his prayer—

it is a good sign

for him.

For

just as they bring him relief

through his sneezing in this world

from below,

for sneezing brings relief to a person—

so they bring him relief from above, from Heaven, to fulfill his heart’s desires.

Rather, from the fact that we learned in the beraita that

from what we learned in the beraita, that

spitting

during his prayer is as though he spat in the presence of the king,

Rabbi’s spitting

of Rabbi

is difficult!

The Gemara answers:

Spitting is also not difficult,

because there is a circumstance in which it is

possible

to spit,

as in the statement of Rav Yehuda. For Rav Yehuda said: If one was standing in prayer and saliva happened to collect in his mouth—

he should swallow it into his tallit; and if it is a fine tallit—

he should swallow it into his afraksuto,

the scarf placed over his head and hanging down over his shoulders.

Ravina was standing

standing

behind Rav Ashi. Saliva happened to collect in his mouth

and

he cast it

spat it

behind him.

Rav Ashi said to him,

Rav Ashi said: Surely

you do not accept this statement of Rav Yehuda,

who said

“he should swallow it into his afraksuto”?!

He said to him: I am sensitive by nature—

I am fastidious, and I cannot swallow my saliva into my garment.

We learned in a beraita:

One who makes his voice heard during his prayer—

that person is among those of little faith.

Rav Huna said: They taught

this only when he can direct his heart while praying silently; but if he cannot direct his heart while praying silently—

it is permitted

to make his voice heard.

And this matter,

that it is permitted to make his voice heard in order to direct his heart—

applies when he is praying alone.

But when praying with a congregation, it is forbidden, because

he may disturb the congregation.

Rabbi Abba was avoiding

was evading

Rav Yehuda,

because

he wanted

Rabbi Abba wanted

to ascend

to go up

to the Land of Israel,

and therefore he avoided entering the house of study, so that he would not encounter Rav Yehuda, who prohibited ascending to the Land of Israel.

For Rav Yehuda said: Anyone who ascends from Babylonia to the Land of Israel transgresses a positive commandment, as it is stated: [Jeremiah 27:22]

“They shall be brought to Babylon,

and there they shall remain”—

until the day

I attend to them, declares the Lord.”

Rabbi Abba said

to himself:

I will go and hear from him

from Rav Yehuda

a matter,

while I stand outside

the house of assembly

[the house of study],

and afterward

afterward

I will leave

and set out on the road and ascend to the Land of Israel.

Rabbi Abba went

Rabbi Abba

and found a tanna who was reciting,

who taught

before Rav Yehuda: If one was standing in prayer and sneezed

from below—

he waits until the wind has subsided

and resumes his prayer.

Some say: If one was standing in prayer and wished to sneeze

from below—

he moves four cubits behind himself

and sneezes,

and waits until

the foul odor emanating from

the wind has dissipated, and he resumes

his prayer.

And he recites

“Master of the universe, You created us with many openings and many cavities. It is revealed and known before You that our disgrace and humiliation are apparent during our lifetime, and at our end, worms and maggots.”

And he begins

to pray

from the place where he stopped.

Rabbi Abba said:

Rabbi Abba:

If I had come only to hear this statement—

that would have been enough.

The Sages taught:

he was sleeping while naked, but his body was covered

with his cloak, and he was unable to take his head out

from beneath his cloak

because of the cold—

it serves as a barrier

between his nakedness and his eyes by tightening

his cloak around his neck,

and he recites the Shema.

Thus is the wording of the Shulchan Aruch Shulchan Aruch , Mishnah Berurah that if he slept in a Mishnah Berurah that if he slept in a garment without trousers, that one must fasten it at the place of the heart or below it to separate between him and the nakedness, and this is the law according to one view, but according to the basic opinion since he removed his head he is permitted. Wrote the Taz and the Gra that turning his face Taz and the Gra that turning his face away from the nakedness is of no avail, for one must turn his whole body away from the nakedness, and therefore specifically a partition is required between his eyes and the nakedness. Rabbenu Yonah noted that the same applies to Rabbenu Yonah noted that the same applies to Torah study, and the Mishnah Berurah brought it as law But in Mishnah Berurah brought it as law. But in the Aruch HaShulchan he wrote that the prohibition in reciting HaShulchan he wrote that the prohibition in reciting the Shema is because the heart is the dwelling of the Divine Presence of a person when he recites the Shema, whereas at the time of Torah study it is permitted that his heart see the nakedness [and see note 11]. And the Peirush ha-Magid wrote that its prohibition is rabbinic Peirush ha-Magid [" ] wrote that its prohibition is rabbinic, yet the Meleh ha-Ro'im took the position that seeing with Meleh ha-Ro'im took the position that seeing with the heart is forbidden even in Torah study.

And there are those who say:

he tightens his cloak

over his heart

and thereby creates a barrier between the upper part of his body, from his heart upward, and the nakedness. The Gemara objects:

And

according to

the first tanna,

who tightens his cloak around his neck, what does he accomplish by doing so,

when his heart “sees” the nakedness, since there is no barrier between his heart and the nakedness, even though his entire body is covered? He must create a barrier between his heart and the nakedness; covering the nakedness itself is insufficient to permit reciting the Shema.

The Gemara answers: The first tanna holds that even if

the first tanna maintains that

his

heart “sees” the nakedness—

it is permitted

to recite the Shema.

Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Yohanan: If one was walking through filthy alleyways

with excrement—

he places his hand over his mouth

and recites the Shema.

Rav Hisda said to him: By God! This is an oath: Even

Rav Chisda said to him: "By God!" : even if

if Rabbi Yohanan himself had told me

this ruling

with his own mouth—

I would not obey him.

I would not have obeyed him.

There are those who state it differently: Rabba bar bar Hana said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: If one was walking through filthy alleyways—

he places his hand over his mouth and recites the Shema.

Rav Hisda said to him: By God! If

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi had told me this with his own mouth—

I would not obey him.

Did Rav Huna really say

in the name of Rabbi Yohanan

this,

that it is permitted to recite in filthy places by placing one’s hand over his mouth?

But Rav Huna said: It is prohibited for a Torah scholar to stand in a filthy place—

because he cannot stand there without thinking thoughts of Torah ?!

The

The Beit Yosef brought a Yerushalmi that it is Beit Yosef brought a Yerushalmi [" "] that it is permitted to ponder Torah matters in the privy, and he explained that he does not disagree with his category, for the prohibition is only to focus the heart to think Torah, but if his learning is habitual upon his lips and he thinks involuntarily, it is permitted. And the Derishah wrote that the term permitted indicates that Derishah wrote that the term "permitted" indicates that because of the compulsion in his thinking it is permitted even to articulate with his lips, [and from the prohibition to stand in a filthy place it follows that this compulsion is not permitted a priori]. And from here the Beit Yosef wondered at the words of Beit Yosef wondered at the words of Rabbenu Yonah above that someone who is required Rabbenu Yonah above [ note 12] that someone who is required to make a blessing in a filthy place should think the blessing in his heart. And he positioned his words to a place that is unclean but not filthy. Nevertheless the Derishah wrote that he did not mean to think the text of the blessing, but that he wants to bless but is not permitted.

The Gemara answers:

It is not difficult.

Here,

where it is prohibited, the case is

when he is standing

there.

Here,

where it is permitted, the case is

when he is walking.

The Rashba and Ritva explained that your encampment shall Rashba and Ritva explained that your encampment shall Rashba and Ritva explained that your encampment shall Rashba and Ritva explained that your encampment shall Rashba and Ritva explained that your encampment shall Rashba and Ritva explained that your encampment shall Rashba and Ritva explained that your encampment shall Rashba and Ritva explained that "your encampment shall be holy" need only apply to one's permanent place, namely when he stands there, and not when he is walking and merely passing through. [And see note 78, and below notes 14, 30]. And the Maharshe"ah stated that only one who stands necessarily thinks, but walking applies without thinking. And in Megillah they said that Rabbi Zira attributed his long life to his virtue of not thinking Torah in the foul entrances, and the Rashba there explained that he agreed with Rabbi Yohanan who permits thinking, hence it is a virtue. But the Maharshe"ah explained that Rabbi Zira also said that he never walked four cubits without Torah, and since he thought even while walking he was careful not to pass through foul entrances at all, and that is his virtue. And in the Biur Halacha he brought Biur Halacha [ " ] he brought Or Zarua who even for the position that Or Zarua who even for the position that there is no difference between standing and walking regarding matters of holiness nevertheless permitted for laying tefillin when passing by. And see in the Biur Halacha that one does not perform a Biur Halacha [ " ] that one does not perform a mitzva in a filthy place a. because of intention b. for the degradation of the mitzva.

There is still an objection:

Did Rabbi Yohanan really say this,

that it is permitted to recite in filthy alleyways?

But Rabba bar bar Hana said in the name of Rabbi Yohanan: Everywhere it is permitted to think words of Torah—

except in a bathhouse and a lavatory,

and filthy alleyways are like them, therefore, it is prohibited there as well?!

And if you would say, here too

there is a distinction:

here the case is when he is standing, and here the case is when he is walking.

No! But Rabbi Abbahu was walking behind Rabbi Yohanan, and he was reciting

Rabbi Abbahu was reciting

the Shema. When he reached

that is, when he arrived

at the alleyways

that were filthy—

he fell silent.

Rabbi Abbahu said to

Rabbi Yohanan:

From where should I resume,

that is, from where should I continue reciting after stopping in this filthy alleyway?

He said to him,

Rabbi Yohanan:

If you delayed long enough to finish it all,

Shema—

return to the beginning

of the Shema!

Since Rabbi Abbahu was walking, and nevertheless Rabbi Yohanan agreed with his interruption of the recitation of the Shema, it follows that Rabbi Yohanan’s view is that it is prohibited to recite the Shema in filthy alleyways.

The Gemara answers:

This is what Rabbi Yohanan said to Rabbi Abbahu:

As for me,

I do not hold

that one must stop. But

as for you, who hold

that one may not recite there even while walking—

if you delayed long enough to finish it all, return to the beginning.

A beraita was taught in accordance with Rav Huna’s opinion, and a beraita was taught in accordance with Rav Hisda’s opinion.

A beraita was taught in accordance with Rav Huna’s opinion: One who is walking through filthy alleyways—

places his hand over his mouth and recites the Shema.

A beraita was taught in accordance with Rav Hisda’s opinion: If one was walking through filthy alleyways—

he should not recite the Shema. Moreover, if he was already reciting it and came—

he must stop.

The Gemara discusses:

If he did not stop—

what

is the ruling? Rabbi Meyasha, son of the son of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, said: The verse says concerning him

[Ezekiel 20:25]:

“I also gave them statutes that were not good and laws by which they could not live.”

That is, since he performs the mitzva improperly, it is not good for him, because he will receive no reward for it.

Rav Asi said: From here

[Isaiah 5:18]:

“Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity.”

That is, he is punished for mere speech, comparable to one who draws iniquity upon himself with a loose cord that is easy to sever.

Rav Adda bar Ahava said: From here

[Numbers 15:31]:

“For he has despised the word of the Lord,”

since by speaking words of sanctity in a filthy place, he has thereby shown contempt for the word of the Lord.

And

the Gemara explains:

If he stopped, what is his reward?—

Rabbi Abbahu said: The verse says concerning him

[Deuteronomy 32:47]:

“And through this matter you shall prolong your days.”

Rav Huna said: If his cloak was belted around his waist,

and he covered himself with it from his waist downward ,

it is permitted to recite the Shema.

Rabbenu Yonah objected why Rav Abbahu did not Rabbenu Yonah objected why Rav Abbahu did not learn from this verse, for in Sanhedrin they derive from this verse universally. He explained that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi held that only when his beginning of recitation was in the foul entrances does he transgress "the word of the Lord in this" and his punishment is great. But when he began in a clean place and when he enters the foul entrances he does not stop his recitation his punishment is not great, rather he does not receive reward and is considered as doing "statutes that were not good." Gra"m Horvitz explained that Rav Ada held that thinking is permitted and only "speech" is forbidden, and therefore he said that placing his hand on his mouth is not effective because even speech that is not discernible except to God is included in the prohibition. Indeed, it seems Rav Ada taught here an additional prohibition, for "your camp shall be holy" is a substantive prohibition that is not fit when standing in filth, but "the word of the Lord in this" teaches a prohibition by degradation to sacred speech which applies even when a person is walking, and this prohibition is only of speech [see note 30]. Thus explained Rashi and the Rashi, and the Rosh Yosef explained that fastening the belt between Rosh Yosef explained that fastening the belt between his heart and the nakedness is not efficacious unless his nakedness is covered, as per the view of Shach that even if his heart sees the Shach [" ] that even if "his heart sees the nakedness it is permitted to read the Shema" [according to Rashi below ] exposure of nakedness is forbidden. See note 19. We present them to teach that even if his heart sees the nakedness it is permitted to read the Shema, nevertheless for prayer one must gird below the heart. The Yeraim wrote that a belt on one's garment Yeraim wrote that a belt on one's garment does not suffice to partition, for clothing equates all into one, and in the glosses of Chavat Yair they noted that the poskim did Chavat Yair they noted that the poskim did not mention this distinction [and it seems because the prohibition is essentially of "sight" and depends on reality, and the Yeraim held that the garment unites all into "one place"]. And in Toafot Re'em he wrote that the intention is Toafot Re'em he wrote that the intention is to gird above the heart, and it is found that it does not partition between the heart and the nakedness.

It was also taught likewise: If his cloak, whether of cloth, leather, or sackcloth, was belted around his waist, it is permitted to recite the Shema.