Berakhot 55a (נה.) — the Talmud in English

Anyone who prolongs his prayer and examines it

expecting that he will be answered because he prayed with concentration],

ultimately

his request is not fulfilled, and he

comes to heartache, as it is stated

Proverbs 13]:

“Hope deferred

a prolonged prayer] causes

sickness of the heart.”

And

so

said

also

Rabbi Yitzḥak: Three things

cause people to examine the deeds of those responsible for them, and it is found that they

bring a person’s iniquities to remembrance. And these are they:

one who passes through a dangerous place, such as beneath a

leaning wall,

thereby revealing that he trusts in his merits;

examining

one’s prayer,

as he trusts in the merit of his prayer;

and submitting judgment

that he has

against another person to Heaven,

as, trusting in his merits, he assumes that the other person will be punished. Thus, prolonging prayer causes him harm; how, then, did they say that one who prolongs his prayer has his days and years prolonged?

The Gemara answers:

That is not difficult.

For

this

which leads to heartache is when he

examines it,

whereas

this

which causes his days and years to be prolonged is when he

does not examine it. And how does he act

when he prolongs his prayer?

By increasing his pleas for mercy.

The Gemara explains: The reason that

“one who prolongs his meal,

has his days and years prolonged” is that his reason for prolonging the meal is

lest a poor person come and he give him

food to eat with him. And we find that one who feeds the poor, his table atones for him,

as it is written

Ezekiel 41:22]:

“The altar was of wood, three cubits high.” And it is written

there, at the end of the verse]:

“And he said to me: This is the table that is before the Lord.”

But apparently it is difficult: How did he

begin with “altar” and conclude with “table”? —

Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Elazar both say:

This verse comes to teach that

as long as the Temple exists, the altar atones for Israel; but now

that the offerings have ceased,

a person’s table

at which he feeds the poor

atones for him,

and for this reason it is considered like an altar and causes his days to be prolonged.

“And one who prolongs his time in the lavatory,”

the Gemara wonders: Is

that an advantage? But it was taught in a beraita: Ten things bring a person to hemorrhoids

piles], and these are they: 1.

One who eats on reed leaves; 2.

2.

and grape leaves; 3.

3.

and grape shoots; 4.

4.

and the rough parts of an animal

portions of its flesh that are not smooth, such as the palate and the skin of the tongue, which are ridged and resemble a “sharp threshing sledge”]; 5.

and the backbone of a fish; 6.

6.

and salted fish that is not fully cooked; 7.

7.

and one who drinks wine sediment; 8.

A guest who

wipes himself

after relieving himself]

with lime; 9.

9.

and with earthenware; 10.

10.

and one who wipes himself with a clod with which another person wiped himself. And some say, also one who suspends himself

kneeling on his knees so that his orifices will open]

in the lavatory more than necessary. Thus, prolonging one’s time in the lavatory harms a person; how, then, did they say that it causes his days and years to be prolonged?

so prolonging oneself in the privy harms a person; and how did they say that it causes his days and years to be prolonged?

That is not difficult.

For

this

which brings one to hemorrhoids is when he

prolongs his time and suspends

himself, whereas

this

which prolongs his days and years is when he

prolongs his time but does not suspend himself,

rather he sits in the lavatory in the usual manner.

The Gemara proves this from an incident that occurred:

As in the case where a certain noblewoman said to Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Ila’i: “Your face resembles that of pig breeders and usurers,”

who earn money without exertion, and because they are satisfied with their lot their faces are ruddy; and so, too, your face appears!

He said to her: By my faith

an oath],

for me, both

taking interest and raising pigs ]

are forbidden. Rather,

my face appears well because

there are twenty-four lavatories from my lodgings

guesthouse]

to the house of study, for when I go

from my lodgings to study in the house of study,

I examine myself

to see whether I need to relieve myself

in all

of these lavatories; and as a result I am healthy and look well.

And Rav Yehuda said: Three things shorten a person’s days and years,

and these are they: 1.

One to whom a Torah scroll is given to read and he does not read.

2. One to whom they give

a cup of blessing to recite the blessing and he does not recite it.

3.

And one who appoints himself to authority

dominion].

The Gemara explains: As for one to whom they give

“a Torah scroll

The Gemara explains: One to whom they give

“a Torah scroll

to read and he does not read”—

from where do we know that his days are shortened?

As it is written

Deuteronomy 30]:

“For it is your life and the length of your days,”

and when he refuses to read, he demonstrates that he does not desire life.

“A cup of blessing to recite the blessing, and he does not recite it”—

as it is written

Genesis 12]:

“And I will bless those who bless you,” and one who recites Birkat HaMazon blesses the host; and everyone who blesses another person is himself blessed. When he refuses to recite the blessing, he demonstrates that he does not wish to be blessed.

as Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: Why did Joseph die before

his brothers? —

Because he appointed himself to a position of authority.

And Rav Yehuda said that Rav said:

“And one who appoints himself to authority”—

as Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: Why did Joseph die before

his brothers?

Because he appointed himself to authority.

And Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: Regarding

three things, one must

ask for

mercy

that they should come, since they are in the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, and they come only if He grants permission.

1.

A good king; 2.

a good year; 3.

and a good dream. A good king, as it is written

Proverbs 21]:

“The heart of a king is like streams of water in the hand of the Lord.” A good year, as it is written

Deuteronomy 11]:

“The eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.” A good dream, as it is written

in King Hezekiah of Judah’s prayer

Isaiah 38]:

“And restore me

to health”

and revive me].

Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Holy One, blessed be He, Himself proclaims three things, and these are they: 1.

Famine; 2.

and plenty; 3.

and a good provider. Famine, as it is written

II Kings 8]:

“For the Lord has called for a famine, and so on.” Plenty, as it is written

Ezekiel 36]:

“And I will call for the grain and multiply it.” A good provider, as it is written

Exodus 38]:

“(And he said)”

“and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: See, I have called by name Bezalel, and so on.”

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: A court does not appoint

a provider over the community unless it consults with the community,

so that they will agree to his words and heed him,

as it is stated

Exodus 31:2]:

“See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel,”

meaning that He asked Israel to “see”—give your attention and your heart to examine whether you agree to his appointment, for so they expounded this verse:

He said to him,

the Holy One, blessed be He, to Moses: “Moses,

is Bezalel

suitable in your eyes?” —

He said to Him,

Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He:

“Master of the Universe, if he is suitable in Your eyes, surely he is all the more suitable in mine!” He said to him,

the Holy One, blessed be He:

“Even so, go and tell them

to Israel that they should say whether they want him appointed.

Moses went

and

said to Israel:

“Is Bezalel

suitable in your eyes?” —

They said to him: “If he is suitable in the eyes of the Holy One, blessed be He, and in your eyes, surely he is all the more suitable in ours!”

Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: Bezalel was called by that name on account of his wisdom, and we find that he was called “in the shadow of God” on account of his wisdom in constructing the Tabernacle.

suitable in your eyes?” —

when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Go and tell Bezalel: Make for Me a Tabernacle, an ark, and vessels”

They said to him: “If he is suitable before the Holy One, blessed be He, and before you, is he not all the more so suitable before us?

Moses went and reversed

When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Go and tell Bezalel: Make for Me a Tabernacle, an ark, and vessels,”

[in the portion of Ki Tissa, Exodus 31:7, “the Tent of Meeting and the Ark for the Testimony”],

Moses went and reversed

the order

and said to him: “Make an ark

and vessels and a Tabernacle,”

[as they are listed in the portion of Teruma ],

he said to him,

Bezalel said to Moses:

“Moses, our teacher, the practice of the world

is that first

a person builds a house and afterward brings vessels into it, but you say

first,

“Make for Me an ark

and vessels

and

afterward

a Tabernacle. Where will I put the vessels that I make? Perhaps this is what the Holy One, blessed be He, said to you—

“Make a Tabernacle, an ark, and vessels!” —

He said to him,

Moses said to him: Indeed, this is what the Holy One, blessed be He, said. “Perhaps you were in the shadow of God and knew

how He had said it”

?!

Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: Bezalel knew how to combine the letters through which heaven and earth were created

by combining them.

And the proof is that it is written here

concerning Bezalel

Exodus 35:31]:

“And He filled him with the spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, and with knowledge,” and it is written there

concerning the act of Creation

Proverbs 3:19]:

“The Lord founded the earth with wisdom; He established the heavens with understanding,” and it is written

there, 20]:

“By His knowledge the depths were broken open.” Thus Bezalel merited the aspects of “wisdom, understanding, and knowledge,” through which heaven and earth were created.

Rabbi Yohanan said: The Holy One, blessed be He, grants wisdom only to one who possesses wisdom,

as it is stated

[Daniel 2:21]

“He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge

[understanding]

to those who know understanding.”

Rav Taḥlifa bar Ma'arava heard

the words of Rabbi Yohanan and

repeated them before Rabbi Abbahu.

He said to him: You derive it from there

[from the verse in Daniel]

and expound it

that wisdom is given to the wise,

whereas we derive it from here

[from a verse in the Torah]

and expound it, as it is written

[Exodus 31:6]

“And in the heart of every wise-hearted person I have placed wisdom.”

Rav Hisda said:

It is good for a person to see

every dream, and

the main thing is that he should

not

see

a tavot

[a dream for which one must fast].

And

further

Rav Hisda said: A dream that has not been interpreted

[resolved]

is like a letter that has not been read.

For all dreams follow their interpretation, and if it has not been interpreted, it causes a person neither good nor evil.

And

further

Rav Hisda said: A good dream is not fulfilled

[realized]

in its entirety

[in all of its interpretation],

nor is a bad dream

[an evil one]

fulfilled in its entirety.

And

further

Rav Hisda said: An evil dream

that has not been interpreted

is preferable to a good dream

that has not been interpreted, because since a dream has no significance without an interpretation, it is preferable for the dream to be bad, as it arouses a person to repentance.

And

further

Rav Hisda said: Regarding a bad dream, its distress is sufficient —

the anguish caused by it nullifies the decree contained in it;

regarding a good dream, its joy is sufficient —

the happiness caused by it takes the place of the good tidings contained in it.

Rav Yosef said: Even a good dream, for me

who am blind ,

its merriment dispels it —

the small measure of joy that it causes me nullifies it.

And

further

Rav Hisda said:

The worry caused by

a bad dream

is

more harmful

to his body

than lashes

[flogging],

as it is stated

[Ecclesiastes 3:14]

“And God has acted so that they should fear before Him.” And Rabba bar bar Hana said that Rabbi Yohanan said: This is an evil dream

that the Holy One, blessed be He, sends in order to arouse a person to repent.

It is stated in Jeremiah

[23:28]:

“The prophet who has a dream, let him recount the dream; and he who has My word, let him speak My word of truth. What has straw in common with grain? — the word of the Lord.” What connection is there between grain and straw and a dream?

Rather, Rabbi Yohanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai: Just as it is impossible for grain

[produce] to be

without straw

which is refuse,

so it is impossible for a dream

to come

without

there being mixed into it

worthless matters,

and therefore a false prophet “recounts” the dream, using language of empty talk, because he sees what is secondary in it as primary; whereas a true prophet “speaks” only the truthful elements in the dream.

Rabbi Berekhya said: Although part of a dream is fulfilled, the whole of it is not

fulfilled,

and worthless matters are always mixed into it.

From where do we derive this? —

From Joseph,

as it is written

[Genesis 37:9]

“Behold, the sun and the moon

and eleven stars are bowing down to me,” meaning that this corresponded to his father, his mother, and his brothers, who were destined to bow before him.