Berakhot 6a — the Talmud in English

Rabbi Yosei son of Rabbi Hanina said: He merits these blessings, as it is stated

Isaiah 48:18:

“If only you had listened to My commandments,”

if you performed kindness with your fellow and waited for him, [“listened” is an expression of waiting], because of “My commandments,” which I commanded to perform kindness, then

“your peace would be like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea, and your descendants would be

like the sand, and the offspring of your innards

like its coins”

etc.

It was taught in a beraita: Abba Binyamin says:

Had it not been that

[if]

permission were given to the eye

of a person

to see

all the demons that are around him,

no creature could stand before

the fear of

the harmful spirits.

Abaye said: They

the harmful spirits

are more numerous than us,

they are more numerous than we are,

and they surround us

and circle around us

like a furrow,

like a ditch, which is a row of excavation that encircles

the irrigation basin,

the mound of the garden bed. For the vine is planted on a mound, and around it they make a round groove that fills with water. And so the harmful spirits surround and circle around us.

Rav Huna said: Every single one of us

each one of us has on his side

a thousand,

a thousand harmful spirits

on his left, and ten thousand on his right.

Rava said: This crowding that exists at the kallah,

what people who come to hear the discourse on Shabbat sometimes feel as though they are sitting in cramped conditions, despite sitting with space between them—

is from them

this sensation is brought about by the harmful spirits.

And likewise,

these knees that become fatigued,

when a person feels fatigue in his knees without a known reason,

from them,

this sensation comes because of them.

And likewise,

these garments of the Sages that wear out,

the garments of the students that wear out quickly, although they are not engaged in labor,

from their rubbing,

this wear is caused by the friction of the harmful spirits that sit beside them and rub against them.

And likewise,

these thighs that become rubbed,

thighs that have been abraded,

from them,

their abrasion is caused by the harmful spirits.

One who wishes to know about them,

one who wants tangible proof that there are harmful spirits around him,

let him bring sifted ashes,

let him take sifted ashes

and let him scatter them around his bed,

let him scatter them near his bed when he lies down to sleep at night, when the harmful spirits are present with him,

and in the morning he will see

and in the morning he will see on the ashes footprints whose appearance is

like the feet of a chicken,

like the footprints of a chicken’s feet, for this is the form of the soles of the harmful spirits’ feet.

One who wishes to see them,

one who wants to see them,

let him bring the afterbirth of a female cat,

the afterbirth of the offspring of a female cat,

black, daughter of a black one,

black, whose mother was black,

firstborn, daughter of a firstborn,

a firstborn whose mother was also a firstborn,

and let him burn it in fire and grind it,

let him burn the afterbirth in fire and grind it,

and let him fill his eyes with it,

let him place a little of the ground ash in his eyes,

and he will see them,

and then he will see the harmful spirits.

And let him place it in an iron tube,

and let him put the remaining ash inside a hollow iron tube,

and let him seal it with an iron seal,

and let him seal the tube with an iron seal,

lest they steal some of it,

lest the harmful spirits steal some of the ash from him, and with something that is tied up and sealed they have no authority,

and let him seal its mouth,

and let him seal the mouth of the tube,

so that

he will not be harmed.

Rav Bibi son of Abaye did so; he saw them, and was harmed,

he did so and saw the harmful spirits, but was harmed by them.

The Sages sought mercy for him, and he was healed,

and he was healed.

It was taught

in a beraita:

Abba Binyamin says: A person’s prayer is heard only in a synagogue.

As it is stated

[I Kings 8:28]:

“To hear the song and the prayer,” in the place

of

song,

that is, in the place where the community recites songs and praises with pleasant voice, namely, in the synagogue

there shall be prayer,

there the prayer is heard.

Rabin son of Rav Adda said in the name of Rabbi Yitzhak: From where is it derived that the Holy One, blessed is He, is present in a synagogue? As it is stated

[Psalms 82:1]:

“God stands in the assembly of God,”

the intention is in His appointed house, namely, in a synagogue.

And from where is it derived that when ten pray, the Divine Presence is with them?

As it is stated: “God stands in the assembly of God,”

and “assembly” means ten people together.

And from where is it derived that when three judges sit in judgment, the Divine Presence is with them?

As it is stated

[later in that verse]:

“In the midst of the gods He judges,”

and “gods” means a court that has three judges,

for God judges with them and agrees with their ruling. Thus, the Divine Presence is with them.

And from where is it derived that when two sit and engage in Torah, the Divine Presence is with them?

As it is stated

[Malachi 3:16]:

“Then those who fear the Lord spoke, each one to his fellow, and the Lord listened,

and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and those who consider His Name.” “Listened” is an expression of “waiting”: God waits there to hear their study.

The Gemara asks:

What

is the connection of the words at the conclusion of the verse,

“and those who consider His Name”?

Rav Ashi said:

the intention is that even if only

a person intended to perform a mitzva and

but in practice

was prevented and did not perform it, Scripture considers it for him as though he performed it,

because had he not been prevented, he certainly would have fulfilled it in practice; therefore, he too is written in a book of remembrance before Him. The Gemara continues to explain where the Divine Presence rests:

And from where is it derived that even when one person sits and engages in Torah, the Divine Presence is with him?

As it is stated

[Exodus 20:21]:

“In every place where I cause My Name to be mentioned,”

that I give you permission to mention My Name in the course of study,

“I will come to you and bless you,”

I will cause My Divine Presence to rest upon you and bless you; and since it is stated in the singular, it is proven that the Divine Presence rests even with one person.

The Gemara asks:

But since even

one

person

who sits and studies has the Divine Presence with him,

is it necessary to state two,

is it necessary to inform us that when two study, the Divine Presence is with them?

The Gemara explains:

Two have their words written in the book of remembrance,

when two engage in Torah, their words are written in the book of remembrance, but

one

who engages in Torah

does not have his word written,

his words are not written

in the book of remembrance.

And the Gemara still asks:

And since even two

who engage in Torah, the Divine Presence is with them,

is it not obvious that three are so!?

And why did it inform us that the Divine Presence is with three judges?

The Gemara explains:

You might have said that judgment is peace

merely,

for deliberation in the court is not considered engagement in Torah, but rather the making of peace among people,

and the Divine Presence does not come

[come]

the Divine Presence.

It teaches us that judgment too is Torah.

And therefore the Divine Presence rests in the place of three judges.

And the Gemara still asks:

And since even three,

judges who engage in Torah, the Divine Presence is with them,

is it not obvious that ten are so,

and why did it inform us that with ten the Divine Presence is with them?

The Gemara explains: The tanna came to inform us that with

ten the Divine Presence comes beforehand,

the Divine Presence precedes and comes even before all ten have arrived, but with

three

the Divine Presence does not come

until

they sit

to judge.

And

further

Rabbi Avin bar Rav Adda said in the name of Rabbi Yitzhak: From where is it derived that the Holy One, blessed be He, puts on tefillin?

As it is stated [A0055][Isaiah 62:8]:

“The Lord has sworn by His right hand and by the arm of His might.”

“The Lord has sworn by His right hand and by the arm of His strength.” “By His right hand”—this is Torah, as it is stated [A0057][Deuteronomy 33:2]:

“From His right hand He gave them a fiery law.”

“From His right hand, a fiery law for them.”

“And by the arm of His strength”—these are tefillin, as it is stated [A0060][Psalms 29:11]:

and the reference is to phylacteries, which are a source of strength for Israel, as the Gemara continues to explain:

“The Lord gives strength to His people,”

and the reference is to tefillin, which are strength for Israel, as he continues and explains:

And from where is it derived that tefillin are strength for Israel?

For it is written [A0065][Deuteronomy 28:10]:

in a beraita, a tannaitic source not included in the Mishna:

“And all the peoples of the earth shall see that the name of the Lord is called upon you, and they shall fear you.”

And it was taught

in a beraita:

Rabbi Eliezer the Great says: These are the head-tefillin.

Thus tefillin are strength for Israel, because through them the nations fear the Israelites; and “by the arm of His strength” also refers to tefillin, meaning that He swore by tefillin. And from here it follows that the Holy One, blessed be He, puts on tefillin.

Rav Nachman bar Yitzhak said to Rav Hiyya bar Avin:

As for our tefillin, it is understandable: they contain the passages “Hear” and “And it shall be, if you surely heed,” so that the commandments of the Holy One, blessed be He, should be a sign and remembrance for Israel. But

those tefillin of the Master of the world—what is written in them?

He said

[he replied]

to him

Rav Hiyya bar Avin: The verse [I Chronicles 17:21] written in them is:

“And who is like Your people Israel, one nation in the land?”

The Gemara asks:

And does the Holy One, blessed be He, praise Himself with the praise of Israel,

and does the Holy One, blessed be He, praise Himself with their praise?

The Gemara answers:

Yes,

indeed,

for it is written [A0106][Deuteronomy 26:17]:

as God.” “Distinguished” is an expression of importance and praise: The Jewish people consider the Lord important and praise Him.

“You have declared the Lord today

to be God.” “Declaration” is an expression of importance and praise, for Israel makes the Lord important and praises Him. [A0109]]And it is written, [A0110]there, verse 18:

“And today the Lord has distinguished you

to be for Him a treasured people.” Thus, the Lord praises and esteems the Jewish people. And so He says to Israel:

“And the Lord has declared you today

to be for Him a treasured people.” Thus the Lord praises and esteems Israel, and so He says to Israel:

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: You have made Me a unique entity in the world,

a thing especially praiseworthy,

and I shall make you a unique entity in the world.

You have made Me a unique entity in the world, as it is stated [A0121][there, 6:4]:

“Hear, Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is One,” and I

“Hear, Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is One”; and I shall

will

make you a unique entity in the world, as it is stated: ‘And who is like Your people Israel, one nation in the land.’

Rav Aha, his son [A0126][his son]

of Rava,

of Rava, said to Rav Ashi: It is understandable in one compartment

that “And who is like Your people Israel” is written in it, but it is still not known

in the other

three

compartments what

is written in them.

He said to him

Rav Ashi: The following verses are written in them:

“For what great nation

is there that has gods so near to it as the Lord our God whenever we call to Him?” [Deuteronomy 4:7].

And the verse:

“And what great nation

is there that has statutes and righteous ordinances like all this Torah that I set before you today?” [there, verse 8].

And the verse:

“Happy are you, Israel,

who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help, and He is the sword of your majesty; your enemies shall deny themselves to you, and you shall tread upon their high places.” [there, 33:29].

And the verse:

“Or has a god ever attempted

to come and take for himself a nation from the midst of another nation, through trials, through signs and through wonders, and through war, and through a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and through great terrors, like all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?” [there, 4:34].

And the verse:

“And to set you above

all the nations that He made, for praise, for a name, and for glory, and to make you a holy people to the Lord your God, as He spoke.” [there, 26:19].

The Gemara raises an objection:

If so,

since all these six verses are written in the passages of the tefillin, it follows that

they have many compartments,

there are more than four compartments.

The Gemara answers: Not every verse is in a separate compartment,

rather,

this is the arrangement of the verses in the compartments: The verse

“For what great nation,”

with the verse

“And what great nation,” for they resemble one another, are in one compartment,

since they resemble one another, they are in one compartment.

And the verse

“Happy are you, Israel,”

with the verse

“And who is like Your people Israel” in one compartment,

together in the second compartment.

The verse

“Or has a god ever attempted” in one compartment,

in a separate compartment by itself.

And the verse

“And to set you above”

is also by itself

in one compartment,

in a separate compartment, and together they are four compartments.