Berakhot 29a — the Talmud in English

And he looked back

tried to remember]

at it for two or three hours,

but they did not remove him

from the prayer stand the Gemara wondered:

And why did they not remove him?

But Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: If he erred in all the blessings

and forgot to say them,

they do not remove him .

But

in the blessing concerning the Sadducees they remove him,

because

we are concerned that perhaps he is a heretic,

and he intentionally did not say it, because it says in it, “And all the heretics will perish in an instant,” and he does not wish to curse himself.

The Gemara answers:

Shmuel the Small is different, for he

himself

instituted it,

and there is no concern that he is a heretic.

The Gemara asks:

And let us be concerned that perhaps he went back on it

from his righteousness?

Abaye said: It is a tradition: A good person—

does not become evil!

A righteous person does not become wicked.

The Gemara wondered:

And

is it the case that

not

is it possible that he should become wicked?

But it is written [Ezekiel 18:24]:

(Ezekiel 18:24):

“And when a righteous person turns back from his righteousness and commits wrongdoing.”

The Gemara answers:

That

verse is dealing with

one who was wicked from the outset,

who turned back from his wickedness and became righteous, and sometimes he returns and becomes wicked;

but one who was righteous from the outset—

does not

become wicked again.

The Gemara returns and asks:

And

a completely righteous person

does not

become wicked?

But we learned in a Mishna [Avot 2:4]:

(Avot 2:4):

“Do not trust yourself until the day of your death. For Yohanan the High Priest

served in the high priesthood for eighty years

and in the end became a Sadducee!”

And during those years in which he served in the high priesthood he was certainly righteous, for any high priest who was unfit would not complete his year, after entering to burn incense in the Holy of Holies.

Abaye said: Yohanan too was wicked from the outset, and afterward became righteous. And at the end of eighty years he corrupted himself again,

for

he is “Yannai,” he is “Yohanan,”

and Yannai was wicked, for he killed the Sages of Israel.

And Rava said: “Yannai” is one person, and “Yohanan” is another person,

and Yannai was the son of Yohanan.

Yannai was wicked from the outset, and Yohanan was righteous from the outset.

The Gemara asks:

This works for Abaye,

since “he is Yohanan, he is Yannai,” and it is found that he was wicked from the outset.

But according to Rava,

who says “Yannai is one person and Yohanan is another,” and Yohanan was righteous from the outset—

it is difficult:

how did he ultimately become a Sadducee?

The Gemara therefore concludes:

Rava could say to you:

Actually, even with regard to

one who was righteous from the outset

there is concern

that perhaps he went back on it

and became wicked.

And if you will challenge:

If so,

why did they not remove Shmuel the Small from his prayer when he forgot the blessing concerning the Sadducees?

There is a distinction, for

Shmuel the Small is different, because he had begun it

by reciting this blessing, and in the middle he erred in its wording; in such a case there is no concern of heresy.

And as

Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav—and some say, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: They taught

that they remove him

only

when he

had not begun it

in the blessing concerning the Sadducees;

but

if he

had begun it

and erred in the middle of it, they do not remove him; rather, he

finishes it.

The Gemara further discusses:

These seven

blessings that are in the prayer

of Shabbat—

corresponding to what were they instituted?

Rav Halafta ben Shaul said: Corresponding to the seven voices that David said over the water,

in the psalm “Give to the Lord, sons of gods”—“The voice of the Lord is in strength,” “The voice of the Lord is in majesty,” and so on.

The Gemara further discusses:

These nine

blessings that are in the additional prayer

of Rosh Hashanah—

corresponding to what were they instituted?

Rabbi Yitzhak of Kartignin said: Corresponding to the nine mentions of the Name that Hannah said in her prayer

when she gave thanks for the birth of Samuel; and they instituted the prayer of Rosh Hashanah corresponding to it,

as the Master said: On Rosh Hashanah, Sarah, Rachel, and Hannah were remembered.

The Gemara further discusses:

These twenty-four

blessings that are in the prayer

of a fast [as explained at the beginning of the second chapter of Tractate Ta’anit, that he prays the eighteen of every day and adds to them six more blessings—remembrances, shofarot, and four additional psalms with which he concludes in a manner resembling the section]—

[as explained at the beginning of the second chapter of tractate Ta'anit: one recites the eighteen blessings of every day and adds six additional blessings — Remembrances, Shofarot, and four additional psalms, with which he concludes in a manner resembling the theme of the passage] —

corresponding to what

were they instituted?

Rabbi Helbo said: Corresponding to the twenty-four supplications that Solomon said at the time when he brought

the

Ark into the Holy of Holies!

And twenty-four matters of prayer are mentioned in that section, in several expressions, such as “supplication,” “prayer,” and “plea,” and the like.

The Gemara asks:

If so, every day as well, let us say them

all twenty-four blessings; and what did they see to institute this specifically on fasts?

The Gemara answers:

When did Solomon say them,

the twenty-four supplications? Was it not

on a day of mercy

that he said them, [when he then needed to request mercy that the gates of the Temple be opened, after they had adhered to one another and would not allow the Ark to enter the Holy of Holies]? Therefore,

we too, on a day of mercy,

only [on fasts] alone

say them

—the twenty-four blessings.

We learned in the Mishna:

Rabbi Yehoshua says:

A person prays

an abbreviated form of the eighteen.

The Gemara discusses:

What is “an abbreviated form of the eighteen”?

Rav said: An abbreviated form of each and every blessing—

he says the content of each and every blessing briefly, and concludes with a blessing.

And Shmuel said:

He says the first three blessings and the last three blessings, and in the middle he says one blessing, including within it the content of all the middle blessings. And this is its wording:

Grant us understanding, O Lord our God, to know Your ways [corresponding to “Who graciously grants knowledge”].

[corresponding to “Who graciously grants knowledge”].

Circumcise our heart for fear of You [corresponding to “Who desires repentance”].

[corresponding to “Who desires repentance”].

And forgive us [corresponding to “Who abundantly forgives”].

[corresponding to “Who is abundant in forgiveness”].

To be redeemed [corresponding to “Who redeems Israel”].

[corresponding to “Who redeems Israel”].

And distance us from our pains [corresponding to “Heal us”].

[corresponding to “Heal us”].

And satisfy us with the goodness of Your land [corresponding to the blessing of the years].

[corresponding to the blessing of the years].

And our dispersed ones from the four

ends of the earth

gather [corresponding to the ingathering of the dispersed].

[corresponding to the ingathering of the exiles].

And those who err regarding Your knowledge You shall judge

that those who err in judgment, restore them so that You may teach them to judge according to Your words; and this corresponds to “Justice and judgment”].

And over the wicked raise Your hand

corresponding to the blessing concerning the righteous].

And the righteous shall rejoice in the building of Your city, and in the repair of Your sanctuary [corresponding to “Builder of Jerusalem”].

[corresponding to “Who rebuilds Jerusalem”].

And in the sprouting of the horn of David Your servant, and in the arranging of a lamp for the son of Jesse Your anointed [corresponding to “Who causes the horn of salvation to sprout”].

[corresponding to “Who causes the horn of salvation to flourish”].

Before we call, You shall answer,

Blessed are You, Lord, Who hears prayer!”

He cursed [

cursed]

Abaye cursed one who prays “havinenu,

because he skips the blessings and includes them all in one blessing.

Rav Naḥman said in the name of Shmuel: Throughout the entire year a person prays “havinenu”

instead of the Eighteen,

except at the conclusion of Shabbat and at the conclusion of Festivals, because then he must say

at that time

the separation in “Who graciously grants knowledge,”

and the separation is not mentioned in the blessing of havinenu.

Rabba bar Shmuel raised an objection

to Rav Naḥman: Why should he not pray havinenu at the conclusion of Shabbat

and say it

for the separation as a

blessing

in itself, after the first three blessings, before he says “havinenu”?

But

did we not learn: Rabbi Akiva says: He says the separation in the prayer at the conclusion of Shabbat

as a

fourth blessing in itself. Rabbi Eliezer says: He says it

for the separation

in

the blessing of

thanksgiving!

The Gemara answers:

Is it so that throughout the entire year,

when we pray the complete Eighteen,

we act in accordance with Rabbi Akiva

to say the separation in itself,

that now,

when we pray havinenu,

we should act likewise?

And if you will argue:

Throughout the entire year, for what reason do we not act in accordance with Rabbi Akiva

—is it not because only

eighteen

blessings

the Sages instituted

in the prayer, but

nineteen they did not institute.

Behold, here too,

likewise,

in the prayer of havinenu,

seven

blessings

they instituted

the first three, one middle blessing, and the last three]—

eight they did not institute.

And since it is impossible to say the separation in itself, if he prays havinenu he will lose it.

Mar Zutra raised an objection

to Rav Naḥman:

Let us include

the separation

within

the blessing of “hav inenu,” and let him say:

“Grant us understanding, O Lord our God, Who distinguishes between the sacred and the profane,”

just as we include it in “You graciously grant knowledge.” Why, then, did Shmuel say that one should not pray havinenu at the conclusion of Shabbat?

The Gemara concludes:

It is difficult!

Rabbi Bivi bar Abaye said: The entire year

a person prays

the prayer of

“Havinenu”,

except for the days of rain, because he needs to say the request [“and grant dew and rain”

in the blessing of the years,

which is not mentioned in the prayer of Havinenu.

Mar Zutra attacked

Rabbi Bivi:

And let the request

for rain

be included in “Havinenu,” and let him say

“and nourish us in the pleasant places of Your land, and grant dew and rain and blessing,”

“and nourish us in the pleasant places of Your land, and grant dew and rain and blessing,”

and why did they require him to pray the complete Eighteen Benedictions during the days of rain?

The Gemara answers:

He may come to distraction

[and err in his prayer] because of this addition. The Gemara asks:

If so, havdala in “Who grants knowledge” also

should not be included in “Havinenu,” for this reason,

that he may come to distraction,

and why did the Gemara above remain with the objection?

They said:

They said:

There, with havdala, since it comes at the beginning of the prayer

of “Havinenu,”

it does not distract,

but

here,

with the request for rain,

since it comes in the middle of the prayer, it distracts

because of it, and he will come to error.

Rav Ashi attacked: And let him say it

with regard to the request for rain

in “Who hears prayer,”

which is at the end of “Havinenu,” and he will not come to error because of it.

For

behold,

Rabbi Tanḥum said in the name of Rav Asi: If one erred and did not mention the powers of rain

[“Who makes the wind blow and causes the rain to fall”]

in the blessing of the revival of the dead, they make him return

to the beginning of the prayer. But if he did not mention

the request

for rain

in the blessing of the years, they do not make him return, because he can say it

also

in “Who hears prayer,”

because it is a request, [but “Who makes the wind blow” is mention of praise, and it has no place in “Who hears prayer”].

And

likewise, if he did not mention

“havdala” in “Who grants knowledge,” they do not make him return, because he can say it over the cup!

The Gemara answers: If he

erred

and forgot to mention the request,

it is different,

and after the fact he can mention it in “Who hears prayer.” But initially he may say it only in the blessing of the years, and since in the mention of the blessing of the years in “Havinenu” he cannot say it, he must pray the complete eighteen blessings.

The essential text: Rabbi Tanḥum said in the name of Rav Asi: If one erred and did not mention the powers of rain

in the revival of

the dead—

they make him return.

in the resurrection of the dead— they require him to repeat the prayer.

If one erred and did not mention

the request in the blessing of the years—

they do not make him return, because he can say it in “Who hears prayer.”

And

if he did not mention

“havdala” in “Who grants knowledge”—

they do not make him return

because he can say it over the cup!

A refutation was raised: If one erred and did not mention the powers of rain in the revival of the dead, they make him return.

And likewise, if he did not mention

the request in the blessing of the years, they make him return.

But if he did not mention

“havdala” in “Who grants knowledge,” they do not make him return, because he can say it over the cup.

It follows that one who errs concerning the request is made to return, and not in accordance with Rav Asi.

The Gemara answers:

It is not difficult: This

where we learned, “they make him return,”

concerns an individual

praying alone.

Whereas

this

where Rav Asi said, “they do not make him return,” concerns

an

individual praying with the

congregation.

The Gemara asks:

And with

an individual praying with the

congregation—

what is the reason that they do not

make him return? Is it not

because he hears it

afterward

from the prayer leader,

during the repetition of the prayer leader?

If so,

it is difficult:

this

reason given by Rav Asi, “they do not make him return

because he can say it in ‘Who hears prayer?’”

for behold, this reason is unnecessary. Rather,

“because he hears it from the prayer leader”—

Rav Asi should have said this.

And therefore the Gemara distinguishes in another manner:

Rather, both this and that

[both the beraita and Rav Asi] deal

with an individual.

And it is not difficult.

This

that Rav Asi said, “they do not make him return,” refers to a case

where he remembered before “Who hears prayer,”

and then he does not return because “he can say it in ‘Who hears prayer.’”