Jerusalem Talmud Berakhot 1:5:3

משנה: בְּשַׁחַר מְבָרֵךְ שְׁתַּיִם לְפָנֶיהָ וְאַחַת לְאַחֲרֶיהָ. בָּעֶרֶב מְבָרֵךְ שְׁתַּיִם לְפָנֶיהָ וּשְׁתַּיִם לְאַחֲרֶיהָ. אַחַת אֲרוּכָה וְאַחַת קְצָרָה. מָקוֹם שֶׁאָֽמְרוּ לְהַאֲרִיךְ אֵינוֹ רְשָׁאִי לְקַצֵּר. לְקַצֵּר אֵינוֹ רְשָׁאִי לְהַאֲרִיךְ. לַחֲתוֹם אֵינוֹ רְשָׁאִי שֶׁלֹּא לַחֲתוֹם. שֶׁלֹּא לַחֲתוֹם אֵינוֹ רְשָׁאִי לַחֲתוֹם. MISHNAH: In the morning he offers two blessings before [the Shema‘] and one after. In the evening he offers two blessings before and two after, one long and one short. At a place where they²⁰⁰The men of the Great Assembly. said to make it long he is not allowed to make it short, short he is not allowed to make it long. To seal²⁰¹“To seal” means to start the last sentence of the benediction with the words “Praise to You, o Eternal, …”. he is not allowed not to seal, not to seal he is not allowed to seal.

הלכה: רִבִּי סִימוֹן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן עַל שֵׁם וְהָגִיתָ בּוֹ יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה שֶׁתְּהֵא הַגָּיַית הַיּוֹם וְהַלַּיְלָה שָׁוִין. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרִבִּי אָבִין בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי עַל שֵׁם שֶׁבַע בַּיּוֹם הִלַּלְתִּיךָ עַל מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ. רִבִּי נַחְמָן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי מָנִי כָּל־הַמְּקַיֵּים שֶׁבַע בַּיּוֹם הִלַּלְתִּיךָ כְּאִילּוּ קִיַּים וְהָגִיתָ בוֹ יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה. HALAKHAH: Rebbi Simon in the name of Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman: Because of²⁰²The reason is sought for benedictions before and after the recitation of Shema‘. The first opinion, ascribed to an early Amora, gives the reason why the two recitations should be parallel and why each one has to include a benediction of thanks for the Torah, since the recitation of the Shema‘ also helps to fulfill the obligation of Torah-study in a minimal way. The second opinion, by a late Amora in the name of one of the first ones, explains the asymmetry in the numbers since they must add up to the odd number of 7.
Since in Berakhot 1:6:2-11" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Berakhot.1.6.2-11">Halakhah 9 (and in the Berakhot.14b">Babli, Berakhot 14b) it is reported that in Israel one did not recite the entire last section of Shema‘ in the evening, Rebbi Simon also gives a reason for the asymmetry: In the evening one recites 4 benedictions and 2 sections, in the morning 3 benedictions and 3 sections, for a total of 6 morning and evening. In the next section it is clear that Rebbi Simon makes a distinction between the first two and the third sections of Shema‘, a distinction rejected by Rebbi Levi from the circle of Rebbi Yoḥanan. (Joshua.1.8">Jos. 1:8): “You should think about it day and night”, that the thinking of day and night should be equal. Rebbi Yose bar Rebbi Abin in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: Because of (Psalms.119.164">Ps. 119:164): “Seven times a day I praise You for Your just laws.” Rebbi Nachman in the name of Rebbi Mani²⁰³Usually, Rebbi Mani in the Yerushalmi is R. Mana the first, an Amora of the first generation. However, Rebbi Naḥman, the preacher, is an Amora of the last generation in Galilee, a student of Rebbi Mana the second. Hence, it is reasonable to assume that R. Mani here is R. Mana the second. However, since the late R. Yose bar Abin transmits in the name of the very early R. Joshua ben Levi, it is not impossible that the name of R. Mani is transmitted correctly.
The statement of R. Mani implies that anybody who recites Shema‘ with its benedictions regularly, every evening and every morning, cannot be considered transgressing the obligation of Torah study even if he does not study otherwise. In contrast to the first two statements, this one has practical consequences.: Everybody who keeps “seven times a day I praise you” is as if he kept also “you should think about it day and night”²⁰⁴In the Menachot.99b">Babli, Menaḥot 99b, Rebbi Yoḥanan reports in the name of R. Simeon bar Yoḥai that reading the Shema‘ alone is enough; no mention of the necessary benedictions..

תַּמָּן תַּנִּי אָמַר לָהֶן הַמְּמוּנֶּה בָּֽרְכוּ בְרָכָה אַחַת וְהֵן בֵּירְכוּ. מַה בֵּירְכוּ. רַב מַתָּנָה אָמַר בְּשֵׁם שְׁמוּאֵל זוּ בִּרְכַּת תּוֹרָה. וְקָֽרְאוּ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים שְׁמַע וְהָיָה אִם שְׁמוֹעַ. וַיֹּאמֶר. רִבִּי אַמִּי בְשֵׁם רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ זֹאת אוֹמֶרֶת שֶׁאֵין הַבְּרָכוֹת מְעַכְּבוֹת. אָמַר רִבִּי בָא אִין מִן הֲדָא לֵית שְׁמַע מִינָּהּ כְּלוּם שֶׁעֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת הֵן הֵן גּוּפָהּ שֶׁל שְׁמַע. דְּרַב מַתָּנָה וְרִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר תְּרַוֵּיהוֹן אָֽמְרִין בְּדִין הֲוָה שֶׁיְּהוּ קוֹרִין עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּיבְּרוֹת בְּכָל־יוֹם וּמִפְּנֵי מַה אֵין קוֹרִין אוֹתָן מִפְּנֵי טַעֲנַת הַמִּינִין שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ אוֹמְרִין אֵלּוּ לְבַדָּם נִיתְּנוּ לוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה בְּסִינַי. There it was stated (Tamid 5:1" href="/Mishnah_Tamid.5.1">Tamid Mishnah 5:1): “The official in charge told them²¹²This Mishnah deals with the details of the Temple service, in particular the prayers of the priests before the start of dawn and beginning of services. The official in charge was one of the small permanent staff of the Temple; the priests themselves were divided into 24 “watches”, one of which served in the Temple from the placing of new show-bread on the Sabbath to its removal the next week. These “watches” are remembered in several kinnot for the Ninth of Av.: recite one benediction! and they recited one benediction.” What benediction did they recite? Rav Mattanah in the name of Samuel²¹³Rav Mattanah was a student of Samuel, the head of the Academy of Nahardea and representative of the Babylonian tradition in Talmudic studies.: that is the benediction for the Torah. “Then they recited the Ten Commandments and the three sections of Shema‘.” Rebbi Ammi in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish: that means that the benedictions are no obstacle²¹⁴Since it is implied that the priests fulfilled their duty of reciting the Shema‘, it follows that the non-recitation of the benedictions preceding and following the Shema‘ does not invalidate the recitation of Shema‘ itself.
The Berakhot.11b">Babli (11b) has a totally different approach. First, they note that Rav Mattanah did not know what benediction was recited in the Temple and then they report that Rav Yehudah said in the name of Samuel that the second of the daily benedictions preceding the Shema‘ was recited. Rebbi Ammi in the name of R. Simeon ben Laqish is quoted that “benedictions do not invalidate one another”, i. e., the recitation of the second before the first is not an obstacle. The essential difference is that for the Babli, the last benediction before Shema‘, which is praise for the Torah and its study, may take the place of the explicit benediction for the Torah (e. g., for somebody who came late to the Synagogue and is reciting that benediction before he had a chance to recite the benediction for the Torah), whereas the Yerushalmi requires two benedictions unless one starts studying after the recitation of the Shema‘ without interruption; see below and Berakhot 11b:10:1" href="/Tosafot_on_Berakhot.11b.10.1">Tosaphot Berakhot 11b, s. v. שכבר.. Rebbi Abba said: From here you cannot draw any inference because the Ten Commandments contain the essence of Shema‘²¹⁵Since the benedictions for the Shema‘ were instituted for Shema‘ only, they are not applicable to the Ten Commandments; hence, the Ten Commandments, if recited at the start of the service, require the benediction for the Torah. On the other hand, in the preceding section is was shown that Shema‘ contains allusions to all of the Ten Commandments. Hence, Shema‘ is in a sense a duplication of the Ten Commandments and a separate benediction would be out of place.. Rav Mattanah and Rebbi Samuel ben Naḥman both say that it would have been logical to require that the Ten Commandments should be recited every day. Why does one not recite them? Because of the arguments of the Christians²¹⁶מִין always denotes a Jewish Christian. In the Berakhot.12a">Babli (12a) it is said that “the reading of the Ten Commandments was stopped because of the propaganda of the (Jewish) Christians.”, that they should not say that only these were given to Moses at Sinai.

רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר זְבוּדָא בְּדִין הָיָה שֶׁיְּהוּ קוֹרִין פָּרָשַׁת בָּלָק וּבִלְעָם בְּכָל־יוֹם וּמִפְּנֵי מַה אֵין קוֹרִין אוֹתָם שֶׁלּא לְהַטְרִיחַ עַל הַצִּיבּוּר. רִבִּי חוּנָה אָמַר מִפְּנֵי שֶׁכָּתוּב בָהּ שְׁכִיבָה וְקִימָה. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּי רִבִּי בּוּן אָמַר מִפְּנֵי שֶׁכָּתוּב בָּהֶן יְצִיאָה וּמַלְכוּת. אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר מִפְּנֵי שֶׁכְּתוּבָה בַתּוֹרָה בִנְבִיאִים וּבִכְתוּבִים. Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman in the name of Rebbi Yehudah bar Zebida²¹⁷A Galilean Amora of the second generation, possibly a student of Rav in Babylonia. He is also the author of the parallel statement in the Berakhot.12b">Babli (12b). The statement of Rebbi Ḥuna is given in the Babli in the name of Rebbi Yose bar Abun. The reasons of Rebbi Yose bar Abun and Rebbi Eleazar in the Yerushalmi are missing in the Babli. The quotes in the Babli are all in the name of Galilean authorities.: It would have been logical that one also would have to recite the chapter of Balaq and Balaam every day²¹⁸The blessings of Balaam, Numbers.23.7-24.25">Num. 23:7–24:25.. Why does one not recite it? Not to incommodate the public too much. Rebbi Ḥuna said, because it mentions lying down and standing up²¹⁹Numbers.23.24">Num. 23:24, Numbers.24.9">24:9.. Rebbi Yose bar Abun said, because it contains the Exodus and God’s kingdom²²⁰Numbers.24.8">Num. 24:8, Numbers.23.21">23:21.. Rebbi Eleazar said, because it is written in the Torah, in the Prophets, and in the Hagiographs.²²¹In the Torah as indicated; in the Micah.6.5">Prophets Michah 6:5, in the Hagiographs Neḥemiah 13:2

אָמַר לָהֶן הַמְּמוּנֶּה בָּֽרְכוּ בְרָכָה אַחַת וְהֵן בֵּירְכוּ. מַה בֵּירְכוּ. מַר רַב מַתָּנָה אָמַר בְּשֵׁם שְׁמוּאֵל זוּ בִּרְכַּת תּוֹרָה. וַהֲלֹא לֹא בֵרְכוּ יוֹצֵר הַמְּאוֹרוֹת. רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל אָחוּי דְּרִבִּי בְּרֶכְיָה עֲדַיִין לֹא יָֽצְאוּ הַמְּאוֹרוֹת וְתֵימַר יוֹצֵר הַמְּאוֹרוֹת. ²²²In the Babli, this piece would be introduced by גוּפא “let us return to our main theme.” Such a reference is always missing in the Yerushalmi. In the Babli, this argument is an anonymous tentative statement (12a). Rebbi Samuel, brother of Rebbi Berekhiah, is an Israeli Amora of the fourth generation. His brother, Rebbi Berekhiah, is one of the authors of the oldest sections of Midrash Rabba.“The official in charge told them: recite one benediction! and they recited one benediction.” What benediction did they recite? Rav Mattanah in the name of Samuel: that is the benediction for the Torah. But they did not yet recite “Creator of the Lights!²²³The first benediction before the Shema‘, a celebration of God’s creation of the sun. The corresponding benediction in the evening is a celebration of God’s making the world revolve alternatingly into darkness and light.” Rebbi Samuel, brother of Rebbi Berekhiah, said: there is no light yet and you want to recite “Creator of the Lights”?

וּבְשַׁבָּת מוֹסִיפִין בְּרָכָה אַחַת לְמִשְׁמָר הַיּוֹצֵא. מַהוּ בְרָכָה. אָמַר רִבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ זוּ הִיא הַשּׁוֹכֵן בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה יִטַּע בֵּינֵיכֶם אַחֲוָה וְאַהֲבָה שָׁלוֹם וְרֵיעוּת. (Tamid 5:1" href="/Mishnah_Tamid.5.1">Tamid Mishnah 5:1) On the Sabbath they add one benediction for the departing watch. What kind of benediction? Rebbi Ḥelbo²²⁴A Babylonian, student of Rav Huna and colleague of Rav Sheshet, who emigrated to Galilee and became student of Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman and Rebbi Ammi. He was the main teacher of Rebbi Berekhiah. His statement appears in the Babli in identical form (12a). said, that is it: May He Who resides in the Temple plant among you brotherliness and love, peace and neighborliness.

שְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר הִשְׁכִּים לְשַׁנּוֹת קוֹדֶם קִרְיַת שְׁמַע צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ. לְאַחַר קִרְיַת שְׁמַע אֵין צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ. אָמַר רִבִּי בָּא וְהוּא שֶׁשִּׁנָּה עַל אָתָר. רִבִּי חוּנָא אָמַר נִרְאִין הַדְּבָרִים מִדְרַשׁ צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ. הֲלָכוֹת אֵין צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ. רִבִּי סִימוֹן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי בֵּין מִדְרַשׁ בֵּין הֲלָכוֹת צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ. אָמַר רַב חִייָא בַּר אַשִׁי נְהָגִין הֲוִינָן וְיָתְבִין קוֹמוֹי רַב בֵּין מִדְרַשׁ בֵּין הֲלָכוֹת זְקִיקִינָן לְמִיבְרְכָה. Samuel said: If one got up early to study before he recited the Shema‘ he has to recite the benediction. After the recitation of Shema‘ he does not have to recite the benediction. Rebbi Abba²²⁵The opinion of the Yerushalmi is that the benediction before Shema‘ is no substitute for the benediction on the Torah. The statement of Rebbi Abba, Babylonian immigrant to Israel, former student of Rav Yehudah, the student of Samuel, harmonizes Babylonian practice, expressed by Samuel, with Israeli theory by accepting the Babylonian practice but making it impracticable. על אתר is the same as Babylonian לאלתר “on the spot, immediately.” said, that is only if he studied immediately. Rebbi Ḥuna²²⁶From the parallel in the Berakhot.11b">Babli (11b) and the order of statements it seems that “Rebbi” here in the Yerushalmi is a scribal error for Rav; the author of the statement is Rav Huna, the student of Rav from the family of the Resh Galuta. The discussion in the Babli is much more detailed, starting with the study of Scripture and going into the details of the sections of the Oral Law. said: It is reasonable to say that for exegesis²²⁷It seems that here מדרש includes both exegesis of the Torah and exegesis of the Oral Law, anything that is not obvious either from a biblical verse or from a Mishnaic statement. one has to recite the benediction, for practical rules²²⁸Practical rules, הלכה, refers to the memorization of fixed statements which are immediately applicable, whether a Mishnah, Tosephta, or a deciding statement of an Amora. one does not have to recite the benediction. Rebbi Simon in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: Both for exegesis and for practical rules one has to recite the benediction. Rav Ḥiyya bar Ashi said: When we were sitting before Rav, he always required us to recite the benediction both for exegesis and for practical rules²²⁹In the Berakhot.11b">Babli (11b), Rav Ḥiyya bar Ashi, the student of Rav, notes that for his early morning class, Rav washed his hands, recited the benedictions, and proceded to teach the Midrash Halakha on the Torah, thus combining all aspects of Torah study. In the version of the Babli, the statement of Rav Ḥiyya bar Ashi is separate from the preceding discussion and seems to indicate that the different aspects of Torah study should not be separated, in contrast to the Yerushalmi version..

תַּנִּי הַקּוֹרֵא עִם אַנְשֵׁי מַעֲמָד לֹא יָצָא כִּי מְאַחֲרִין הָיוּ. רִבִּי זְעִירָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי אַמִּי בְּיוֹמֵי דְרִבִּי יוֹחָנָן הֲוִינָן נַפְקִין לְתַעֲנִיתָא וְקָרוֹי שְׁמַע בָּתָר תְּלַת שָׁעִין וְלֹא הֲוָה מַמְחֵי בְיָדָן. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרִבִּי אָחָא נַפְקָן לְתַעֲנִיתָא אָתָא צִיבּוּרָא וּמִיקְרֵי שְׁמַע בָּתָר תְּלַת שָׁעִין. בָּעָא רַב אָחָא מְחוּיֵי בְיָדָן. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יוֹסֵה וַהֲלֹא כְּבַר קָֽרְאוּ אוֹתָהּ בְּעוֹנָתָהּ. כְּלוּם קוֹרִין אוֹתָהּ אֶלָּא כְּדֵי לַעֲמוֹד בִּתְפִילָּה מִתּוֹךְ דְּבַר תּוֹרָה. אָמַר לֵיהּ מִפְּנֵי הַהֵדְיוֹטוֹת שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ אוֹמְרִין בְּעוֹנָתָהּ הֵן קוֹרִין אוֹתָהּ. It was stated²³⁰A somewhat different version of this baraita is in Yoma.37b">Babli Yoma 37b.: He who recites with the men of Maämad²³¹The land of Israel was divided into 24 districts, corresponding to the 24 families of priests, and every week a select group of laymen from the district in charge of the week came to Jerusalem to be present at the sacrifices. Since public sacrifices were brought on behalf of the entire people, a sacrifice must be brought with its owners being present. The lay delegation, the Men of Maämad, were the representatives of the Jewish people at the daily sacrifices. Since these sacrifices started very early, the men of Maämad had to participate before they could hold their prayers. Therefore, they started their morning prayers only after the daily morning sacrifice was completed. By that time, it was later than three hours into daylight and anyone else would be too late in their recitation. has not done his duty since they were too late. Rebbi Zeïra in the name of Rebbi Ammi: In the days of Rebbi Yoḥanan we went out for a fast-day and recited Shema‘ after three hours and he did not oppose us²³²In Israel, a fast day usually meant a day of fasting for rain. The services for these fast days were always held in the public square, therefore one had “to go out”. Also, the sermon was given before the start of prayers since a sermon after prayers would not do much good and on fastdays the regular service, with an extended Amidah, was said. By the time that a great many people were assembled and the sermon was given, it was rather late, later than three variable hours (one quarter of the time between sunrise and sundown).. Rebbi Yose and Rebbi Aḥa went out for a fast-day. The public came and recited Shema‘ after three hours. Rebbi²³³The reading רב that is found in all printed editions and manuscripts is clearly a copyist’s error; the entire discussion is about rain fasts in Israel and only Israeli scholars are involved. Aḥa wanted to oppose them. Rebbi Yose said to him: Did they not recite at its due time²³⁴At the time of the morning benedictions that were said at home, not in the synagogue., now they only recite it in order to stand in prayer after words of the Torah. He answered back: It is because of the uneducated, who should not say that the recitation was in its correct time²³⁵The disagreement between Rebbis Yose and Aḥa is not resolved in the Yerushalmi..

אֵלּוּ בְּרָכוֹת שֶׁמַּאֲרִיכִין בָּהֶן בִּרְכוֹת רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים וּבִרְכוֹת תַּעֲנִית צִיבּוּר. מִבִּרְכוֹתָיו אָדָם נִיכַּר אִם תַּלְמִיד חָכָם הוּא אִם בּוּר הוּא. אֵלּוּ בְּרָכוֹת שֶׁמְּקַצְּרִין בָּהֶן הַמְּבָרֵךְ עַל הַמִּצְוֹת וְעַל הַפֵּירוֹת וּבִרְכַּת הַזִּימּוּן וּבְרָכָה אַחֲרוֹנָה שֶׁל בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן אַחַר הַמָּזוֹן. הָא כָּל־שְׁאָר הַבְּרָכוֹת אָדָם מַאֲרִיךְ. אָמַר חִזְקִיָּה מִן מַה דְתַנִּי הַמַּאֲרִיךְ הֲרֵי זֶה מְגוּנֶּה וְהַמְּקַצֵּר הֲרֵי זֶה מְשׁוּבָּח הֲדָא אָֽמְרָה שֶׁאֵין זֶה כְּלָל. תַּנִּי צָרִיךְ לְהַאֲרִיךְ בְּגוֹאֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתַעֲנִית. הָא בְשֵׁשׁ שֶׁהוּא מוֹסִיף אֵינוֹ מַאֲרִיךְ. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵה שֶׁלֹּא תאֹמַר הוֹאִיל וְהוּא מֵעֵין י̇ח̇ לֹא יַאֲרִיךְ בָּהּ. לְפוּם כֵּן צָרִיךְ מֵימַר צָרִיךְ לְהַאֲרִיךְ בְּגוֹאֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתַעֲנִית. These are the benedictions that one makes long²³⁶In a different order (short, long, recognize) the statement is found in Tosephta Berakhot 1:6. In Tosephta 1:7, the list of the short benedictions is repeated as that of benedictions which do not have a separate ending (where, however, Rebbi Yose Hagalili disagrees about the fourth benediction of Grace.) Towards the end of the Halakhah here, Rebbi Yudan will explain that Tosephta 1:7 gives the definition of “short” in the Mishnah and Tosephta 1:6; hence, it follows that “long” is identical with “having a separate ending: Praise to You, o Eternal, …” That identification has been accepted by most Medieval authorities.
However, originally the definition seems to have been the one given here and in Tosephta 1:6, viz., that there exist benedictions, those of Musaph of Rosh Hashanah, all prayers of Yom Kippur with the Confessions, and the additional benedictions in the prayer of a public fast for rain (a lengthened Seventh benediction followed by six additional ones, detailed in Taanit 2:4:1" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Taanit.2.4.1">Mishnah Taänit 2:4) which were not those of the congregation, but of the cantor who in Israel at that time was supposed to present his own compositions, and those of the list had to be long. Then there exists a short list of short benedictions that may not be lengthened by poetic insertion. And finally, there exist the benedictions not mentioned here at all, like the benedictions before and after the recitation of Shema‘, where it seems the cantor may produce poetic insertions without being characterized either as scholar or as uneducated.: the benedictions for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and the benedictions for a public fast day. From his benedictions one can tell whether someone is a scholar or is uneducated. These are the benedictions that one makes short: He who makes a benediction over a commandment and on fruits, the introductory paragraph of Grace²³⁷Some Medieval authors (e. g. Sefer Hamanhig, Hilkhot Seüdah, #16) read “the benediction over food (מזון)” instead of zimmun (זימון), the introductory paragraph. This reading would explain the seemingly redundant “Grace after a meal” but is it not supported by any manuscript either of the Yerushalmi or the Tosephta. SeferHamanhig explains this “benediction over food (מזון)” as the benediction before the meal., and the last benediction in Grace after the meal²³⁸The last benediction was originally only “Praise to You, o Lord, King of the Universe, Who is good and does good” (Talmid Rabbenu Yonah, Berakhot.36a">Alfassi Berakhot 36a). The extensions that today make the benediction short in form but long in text are mainly of Babylonian origin; cf. the discussion in the author’s The Scholar’s Haggadah, pp. 358–359.. Hence, all other benedictions one should make long. Ḥizqiah²³⁹One of the twin sons of Rebbi Ḥiyya, collaborator of Rebbi Yehudah the Prince. said: From what we have stated: He who makes it long is despicable, he who makes is short is praiseworthy, which means that this is not a principle²⁴⁰The benedictions not mentioned may be enlarged by poetic insertions but do not have to be long.. We have stated: One has to make long the benediction “Who saves Israel” on a fast day²⁴¹With poetic or Biblical insertions.. Hence²⁴²Since the next six benedictions are not mentioned in this baraita., the six additional benedictions he should not make long. Rebbi Yose said: You should not say: because this is part²⁴³Of the everyday prayers. One has to assume that Rebbi Yose would classify the קרובץ insertions on Purim as short. of Shemoneh Esreh one should not make it long, therefore it is necessary to say: One has to make long the benediction “Who saves Israel” on a fast day.

אֵלּוּ בְּרָכוֹת שֶׁשׁוֹחֲחִין בָּהֶן בְּרֹאשׁוֹ תְּחִילָּה וְסוֹף. וּבְמוֹדִים תְּחִילָּה וְסוֹף. הַשּׁוֹחֵחַ עַל כָּל־בְּרָכָה וּבְרָכָה מְלַמְּדִין אוֹתוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יְשׁוּחַ. רִבִּי יִצְחָק בַּר נַחְמָן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל שׂוֹחֵחַ עַל סוֹף כָּל־בְּרָכָה וּבְרָכָה. הַמֶּלֶךְ רֹאשׁ כָּל־בְּרָכָה וּבְרָכָה וְסוֹף כָּל־בְּרָכָה וּבְרָכָה. רִבִּי סִימוֹן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי הַמֶּלֶךְ מִשֶּׁהוּא כּוֹרֵעַ אֵינוֹ נִזְקַף עַד שֶׁהוּא מַשְׁלִים כָּל־תְּפִילָּתוֹ. מַאי טַעֲמָא וַיְּהִי כְּכַלוֹת שְׁלֹמֹה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל אֶל י֙י אֶת כָּל־הַתְּפִילָּה וְאֶת כָּל־הַתְּחִינָּה הַזֹּאת קָם מִלִּפְנֵי מִזְבַּח י֙י מִכְּרוֹעַ עַל בִּרְכָּיו. These are the benedictions for which one bows down²⁴⁴Here one does not talk about the recitation of the Shema‘ and its benedictions at all but about the eighteen benedictions of the Amidah, the subject of Chapters 3 and 4. In the Babli, the place of this discussion is in Chap. 4, p. 34a. The reason that the subject is taken up in this context in the Yerushalmi is that in the Tosephta (Berakhot 1:8) it is dealt with immediately after the discussion of short and long benedictions. (In Tosephta and Babli, the verb “to bow down” is שחה, not שחח as in the Yerushalmi. This is another indication that the Tosephta in our hands today is a Babylonian edition of an originally Israeli text.): The first²⁴⁵At the very start of Shemone Esre and before the benediction “Shield of Abraham.”, beginning and end; “thanks”, beginning and end. One who bows down for every benediction is taught that he should not bow down²⁴⁶Either because he imitates behavior reserved for the High Priest or because he is ostentatious in his religiosity, an objectionable behavior.. Rebbi Isaac bar Naḥman²⁴⁷One of the students of R. Joshua ben Levi in the early Talmudic period. in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: The High Priest bows down at the end of every benediction; the king at the start and the end of every benediction. Rebbi Simon in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: Once the king bows down deeply he does not get up until he finishes his entire prayer²⁴⁹The origin of this short insertion is Sukkah 5:4:2-4" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Sukkah.5.4.2-4">Sukkah 5:4 where it is reported that Rabban Gamliel, on occasion of the joyous dance for the drawing of water on Sukkot not only had a fire dance with eight different torches swirling in the air but also showed “bowing down to one’s knees” as making a push-up by supporting oneself not on two hands but only on two fingers. This introduction has fallen out here and the two termsכריצה, בריכה have been switched. What the Yerushalmi calls בריכה, the parallel in the Megillah.22b">Babli (Megillah 22b, also Berakhot.34b">Berakhot 34b) calls קידה, “falling on one’s face”.. What is the reason? (1Kings 8:54) “It was when Solomon finished all this prayer and supplication to the Eternal, he got up before the Eternal’s altar and did no longer bow down on his knees.”

אֵי זוּ כְּרִיעָה וְאֵי זוּ בְּרִיכָה. רִבִּי חִייָא רַבָּא הֶרְאָה בְּרִיכָה לִפְנֵי רִבִּי וְנִפְסַח וְנִתְרַפֵּא. רִבִּי לֵוִי בַּר סִיסִי הֶרְאָה כְּרִיעָה לִפְנֵי רִבִּי וְנִפְסַח וְלֹא נִתְרַפֵּא. ²⁴⁹The origin of this short insertion is Sukkah 5:4:2-4" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Sukkah.5.4.2-4">Sukkah 5:4 where it is reported that Rabban Gamliel, on occasion of the joyous dance for the drawing of water on Sukkot not only had a fire dance with eight different torches swirling in the air but also showed “bowing down to one’s knees” as making a push-up by supporting oneself not on two hands but only on two fingers. This introduction has fallen out here and the two termsכריצה, בריכה have been switched. What the Yerushalmi calls בריכה, the parallel in the Megillah.22b">Babli (Megillah 22b, also Berakhot.34b">Berakhot 34b) calls קידה, “falling on one’s face”. What is bowing down to one’s knees and what is kneeling? The great Rebbi Ḥiyya demonstrated kneeling before Rebbi, he got up lame and was healed. Rebbi Levi ben Sisi demonstrated bowing down to his knees before Rebbi, he got up lame and was not healed.

וְכַפָּיו פְּרוּשׂוֹת הַשָּׁמָיִם אָמַר רִבִּי אַיְיבוּ כְּגוֹן הָדֵין נֶקְרִיס הָיָה עוֹמֵד. אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בַּר אֲבִינָא כַּכַּפַּיִם הַלָּלוּ שֶׁלֹּא נָטְפוּ בְּבִנְיַין בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ כְּלוּם. (1Kings 8:54) “His hands raised to Heaven.”²⁵¹This is the end of the verse quoted earlier for Solomon’s prayer. The text of the Venice edition here is inferior to that of the Rome manuscript that has been followed. (In the Venice print: הזהיר is missing, נטפו for ינטפו.) As Levy recognized, נטף is the same as טנף. Rebbi Ayvu said: He was standing as if inanimate. Rebbi Eleazar bar Avina said: He made clear that these palms did not get at all dirty during the building of the Temple²⁵²He seems to emphasize that Solomon raised his “open hands”, not his “hands”, to show that from all the riches that David had assembled for the building of the Temple (1Chr. 29:1–9) not a penny was sticking to his own palms..

תָּנָא רִבִּי חֲלַפְתָּא בֶּן שָׁאוּל הַכֹּל שׁוֹחֲחִין עִם שְׁלִיחַ צִיבּוּר בְּהוֹדָאָה. רִבִּי זְעִירָא אָמַר וּבִלְבַד בְּמוֹדִים. רִבִּי זְעִירָא סָבַר לִקְרוֹבָה כְּדֵי לְשׁוּחַ עִמּוֹ תְּחִילָּה וְסוֹף. רִבִּי יֹסֵא כַּד סַלִּיק לְהָכָא חַמְתֵּין גְּחָנִין וּמְלַחֲשִׁין. אָמַר לוֹן מַהוּ דֵין לְחִישָׁה וְלֹא שְׁמִיעַ דָּמַר רִבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה רִבִּי חֲנִינָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי מְיָישָׁא רִבִּי חִיָּיא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי סִימַאי. וְאִית דְּאָֽמְרִין לֵיהּ חֲבֵרַיָּא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי סִימַאי מוֹדִים אֲנַחְנוּ לָךְ אֲדוֹן כָּל־הַבִּרְיוֹת אֱלוֹהַּ הַתּוּשְׁבָּחוֹת צוּר עוֹלָמִים חַי הָעוֹלָם יוֹצֵר בְּרֵאשִׁית מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִים שֶׁהֶחֱיִיתָנוּ וְקִייַמְתָּנוּ וּזְכִיתָנוּ וְסִייַעְתָּנוּ וְקֵרַבְתָּנוּ לְהוֹדוֹת לִשְׁמָךְ בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֵל הָהוֹדָאוֹת. רִבִּי בָּא בַּר זַבְדָּא בְשֵׁם רַב מוֹדִים אֲנַחְנוּ לָךְ שֶׁאָנוּ חַייָבִין לְהוֹדוֹת לִשְׁמָךְ תְּרַנֵּנָּה שְׂפָתַי כִּי אֲזַמְּרָה לָךְ וְנַפְשִׁי אֲשֶׁר פָּדִיתָ בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֵל הָהוֹדָאוֹת. רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר [אִינְיָא] בְשֵׁם רִבִּי אָחָא הוֹדָיָיה וּשְׁבָח לִשְׁמָךְ לָךְ גְּדוּלָּה לָךְ גְּבוּרָה לָךְ תִּפְאֶרֶת יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךְ יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֵינוּ שֶׁתִּסְמְכֵינוּ מִנְּפִילָתֵינוּ וְתִזְקָפֵנוּ מִכְּפִיפָתֵינוּ כִּי אַתָּה הוּא סוֹמֵךְ נוֹפְלִים וְזוֹקֵף כְּפוּפִים וּמָלֵא רַחֲמִים וְאֵין עוֹד מִלְּבַדֶּךָ בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֵל הָהוֹדָאוֹת. בַּר קַפָּרָא אָמַר לָךְ כְּרִיעָה לָךְ כְּפִיפָה לָךְ הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה כִּי לָךְ בְּרִיכָה לְךָ תִּכְרַע כָּל־בֶּרֶךְ תִּשָּׁבַע כָּל־לָשׁוֹן לְךָ יי הַגְּדוּלָּה וְהַגְּבוּרָה וְהַתִּפְאֶרֶת וְהַנֶּצַח וְהַהוֹד כִּי כֹל בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ לְךָ יי הַמַּמְלָכָה וְהַמִּתְנַשֵּׂא לְכֹל לָרֹאשׁ וְהָעוֹשֶׁר וְהַכָּבוֹד מִלְּפָנֶיךְ וְאַתָּה מוֹשֵׁל בַּכֹּל וּבְיָדְךָ כֹּחַ וּגְבוּרָה וּבְיָדְךָ לְגַדֵּל וּלְחַזֵּק לַכֹּל וְעַתָּה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מוֹדִים אֲנַחְנוּ לָךְ וּמְהַלְלִים לְשֵׁם תִּפְאַרְתֶּךָ בּכָל־לֵב וּבְכָל־נֶפֶשׁ מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים כָּֽל עַצְמוֹתָי תֹאמַרְנָה יי מִי כָמוֹךָ מַצִּיל עָנִי מֵחָזָק מִמֶּנּוּ וְעָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן מִגּוֹזְלוֹ בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֵל הָהוֹדָאוֹת. אָמַר רִבִּי יוּדָן נְהִגִּין רַבָּנִין אָֽמְרִין כּוּלְּהוֹן. וְאִית דְּאָֽמְרִין אוֹ הֲדָא אוֹ הֲדָא. Rebbi Ḥalaphta ben Shaül²⁵³An Amora of the first generation in Israel who occasionally is quoted as a Tanna. His opinion is the only one given here, to the effect that one has to bow down at modim. The Berakhot.34b">Babli (Berakhot 34b) quotes that Rava, Rav Naḥman and Rav Sheshet actually fell down on their knees for modim; the Talmud quotes a baraita which explicitly forbids falling down on one’s knees. Louis Ginzberg assumes that in Israel, falling on one’s knees was always strictly forbidden since their synagogues were built of stone with stone floors and falling on one’s knees on a stone floor outside the Temple is forbidden. In Babylonia, where synagogues were brick with hardened dirt floors, falling on one’s knees was permitted. stated: Everybody bows down with the cantor for the benediction of thanksgiving. Rebbi Zeïra said: But only for the word modim. Rebbi Zeïra was attentive to the Qeroba²⁵⁴Qeroba is the cantor, the שליח ציבור, who presents his own poetic offering of the prayer, the qerovut, קרובות or קרובץ, to the congregation for the repetition of the Amidah, as noted by L. Ginzberg. סבר here seems to mean “to be attentive”, as in the exclamation before the qiddush סברי “please pay attention”.
It seems that Rebbi Zeïra timed his thanksgiving, one of the longer texts given here, so he could end his benediction in unison with the cantor. to bow his head at the beginning and at the end. Rebbi Yose when he came up here²⁵⁵“Coming up” means making aliyah from Babylonia to Israel. The Sotah.40a">Babli (Soṭa 40a) also reports very short texts by Rav, Samuel, Rebbi Simai (also of the generation between Tannaïm and Amoraïm) and a slightly longer one by Rav Aḥa bar Jacob (a student of Rav Huna, the student of Rav). Most of these texts are so short that they do not lead to the congregation whispering for any length of time. saw them bowing down and whispering. He said to them: What is this whispering? He had not heard what Rebbi Ḥelbo, Rebbi Simeon said in the name of Rebbi Yoḥanan, in the name of Rebbi Jeremiah²⁵⁶A Tanna of the last generation, student of R. Yehudah ben Batyra., Rebbi Ḥanina in the name of Rebbi Miasha²⁵⁷One of the first Tannaïm with the title of “Rebbi”, from the last times of the Second Temple., Rebbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rebbi Simai, and some say, the colleagues²⁵⁸The collective of scholars in the Yeshivah. in the name of Rebbi Simai: We thank You, Master of all creatures, God of praises, eternal Rock, Life of the Universe, Creator, Who resurrects the dead, that You have made us alive, kept us, gave us merit, supported us, and brought us near to give thanks to Your name; praised be You, o Eternal, God of thanksgiving. Rebbi Abba bar Zavda²⁵⁹An Israeli Amora who received his training in the Babylonian academy of Rav. in the name of Rav: We thank You since we are obliged to give thanks; may my lips sing, for I shall sing to You with my soul that You have redeemed; praised are You, o Eternal, God of thanksgiving. Rebbi Samuel bar Inia²⁶⁰A student of Rebbi Aḥa, Israeli Amora of the fourth generation. The name of his father cannot be determined with certainty; the form given here is from the Rome manuscript. In the Venice print it appears as Mina, at other places in the Yerushalmi it appears as Ina, ldi, Bina, Yonah, Yanna, Yannai. The fourth generation of Galilean Amoraïm saw the Roman empire become Christian and lived through the first persecutions that finally forced the following generation to abandon the work on the Jerusalem Talmud. in the name of Rebbi Aḥa: Thanksgiving and praise to Your name, Yours is greatness, Yours is strength, Yours is glory! May it please You, o Eternal, our God and God of our fathers, that You may support us in our fall, straighten us up from our bent state, because You support the falling and straighten up the bent ones, You are full of mercy and nothing exists except You; praised are You, o Eternal, God of thanksgiving. Bar Qappara²⁶¹A contemporary of Rebbi who also made his own compilation of Mishnayot. His full name was R. Eleazar, son of R. Eleazar the Qappar. Since his name is identical to that of his father it is clear that he was a posthumous child; cf. E. and H. Guggenheimer, Jewish Family Names and Their Origins, Ktav 1992, Etymologisches Lexikon der jüdischen Familiennamen, München 1996, both p. xviii.
While the previous texts were quoted in historical order, the text of Bar Qappara should have been the first. The reason may be his extensive use of Biblical verses that were a matter of controversy, see below (and in all Yerushalmi versions this is a formal benediction.) said: For You we fall down, for You we bend down, for You we prostrate ourselves, for You we kneel, to You every knee should fall down and every tongue swears. (1Chr. 29:11–13): Yours, o Eternal, is greatness, strength, glory, victory, and majesty, truly all that is in heaven and on earth; Yours, o Eternal, is the kingdom, and You lift Yourself over all as head. Riches and honor are before You, You rule over all; in Your hand is power and strength, it is in Your hand to make great and strengthen everything. And now, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name; with all our heart and soul we prostrate ourselves before You. (Psalms.35.10">Ps. 35:10) My entire self shall say: O Eternal, who is like You, Who saves the destitute from one who is stronger than he is, the destitute and poor from the one who robs him. Praised are You, o Eternal, God of thanksgiving. Rebbi Yudan said: the rabbis used to say all of these²⁶²Statement of Rav Papa in Sotah.40a">Babli Soṭa 40a. It appears from here that Rav Papa (fifth generation in Babylonia) had good precedent for his ruling from Rebbi Yudan (fourth generation in Israel). The method of Rebbi Yudan/Rav Papa is more adequate to a collection of short statements as given in the Babli than to the very long pieces quoted here in the Yerushalmi.. But some say, either one or the other.

תַּנִּי וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יָשׁוּחַ יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי. אָמַר רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה וּבִלְחוּד דְּלֹא יַעֲבִיד כְּהָדֵין חַרְדּוֹנָה אֶלָּא כָּֽל עַצְמוֹתָי תֹאמַרְנָה יי מִי כָמוֹךָ. מִילְתָא דְּחָנָן בַּר בָּא פְּלִיגָא דְּחָנָן בַּר בָּא אָמַר לַחֲבֵרַיָּא נֵימוֹר לְכוֹן מִילְתָא טָבָא דְּחָמִית לְרַב עָבֵיד וָאָֽמְרִיתָהּ קוֹמֵי שְׁמוּאֵל וְקָם וְנָשַׁק עַל פּוּמִי. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה שׁוֹחֵחַ. בָּא לְהַזְכִּיר אֶת הַשֵּׁם זוֹקֵף. שְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר אֲנָא אָֽמְרִית טַעֲמָא יי זוֹקֵף כְּפוּפִים. אָמַר רִבִּי אַמִּי לֹא מִסְתַּבְּרָא אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי שְׁמִי נִיחַת הוּא. אָמַר רִבִּי אָבוּן אִילּוּ הֲוָה כְתִיב בִּשְׁמִי נִיחַת הוּא יֵאוּת. לֵית כְּתִיב אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי שְׁמִי נִיחַת הוּא. קוֹדֶם עַד שֶׁלֹּא הִזְכִּיר אֶת הַשֵּׁם כְּבָר נִיחַת הוּא. We have stated: Only that one should not bow down too much²⁶³After the digression about the text of the private prayer during modim, the discussion now returns to the statement that one has to bow twice at the beginning and the end of the Amidah.. Rebbi Jeremiah said: On condition that one should not behave like that large lizard²⁶⁴Arabic חַרְד̇וֹן, חִרְד̇וֹן “large lizard”. Berakhot 12b" href="/Tosafot_on_Berakhot.12b">Tosafot Berakhot 12b in the Venice print quote this Yerushalmi as הירוגא and declares it to be the Yerushalmi translation of צָב (Leviticus.11.29">Lev. 11:29). In the Wilna Talmud Babli, the word was changed to הרדונא following our text. In the Targum Yerushalmi (Pseudo-Jonathan), the translation of צב is חַדְרוֹנָא. It seems that the Targum Yerushalmi takes Hebrew צב as parallel to Arabic צַ֗בּ “lizard” (of all sizes), not as “turtle” as in late Biblical and modern Hebrew.
Rebbi Jeremiah means that, while one should not bow down too much, on the other hand one should not behave like a lizard which keeps its body quiet and moves only the head when it is catching flies. He requires that one should bow down enough so that all bones of one’s spine are moved in God’s praise., but (Psalms.35.10">Ps. 35:10) “All my bones should say, o Eternal, who is like You?” The word of Ḥanan bar Abba²⁶⁵Ḥanan bar Abba appears in the Babli as Rav Ḥanan bar Rava, son-in-law of Rav and father-in-law of Rav Ḥisda. He disagrees with those who bow down at modim and remain bowed to the end of their private supplication, even though he formulates his statement in terms of the first benediction of Shemone Esreh which starts and ends with “Praised are You, Hashem”, but his statement is applicable to all other situations, that one never should be bowed when mentioning the Name. disagrees since Ḥanan bar Abba said to the colleagues: I shall tell you one of the good things that I saw Rav do and, when I told it before Samuel, he got up and kissed me on my mouth. At “praised are You”, he bows down. When he comes to mention Hashem, he straightens up. Samuel said: I shall give the reason (Psalms.35.10">Ps. 35:10): “The Eternal straightens the bent ones.” Rebbi Ammi²⁶⁶Since Rebbi Ammi and Rebbi Abun the first (Ravin) were contemporaries, R. Abun here is the first, not his posthumous son of the same name. Rebbi Ammi also is the contemporary of R. Ḥiyya bar Abba mentioned in the next section and, as successor of R. Yoḥanan as head of the Yeshivah of Tiberias, he is the higher authority. said: It is not reasonable, but (Malachi.2.5">Mal. 2:5): “Before My Name he is low.”²⁶⁷The verse in Maleachi refers to Levi, son of Jacob, or Aharon, the High Priest. Most commentators of Psalms, including Rashi, derive נחת from the root חתת “to tremble” but the Amoraïm take it as derived from (Aramaic) נחת “to descend”. Rebbi Abun said: If it were written “at My Name he is low” then you would be right, but it is written “before My Name he is low”, before he mentions Hashem he is low.

רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נָתָן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָא מַעֲשֵׂה בְּאֶחָד שֶׁשָּׁחַח יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי וְהֶעֱבִירוֹ רִבִּי. רִבִּי אַמִּי אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן הֲוָה מַעֲבִר. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי חִייָא בַּר בָּא לֹא הֲוָה מַעֲבִיר אֶלָּא גֹּעֵר. Rebbi Samuel bar Nathan²⁶⁸A student of R. Ḥama bar Ḥanina, the son of R. Ḥanina ben Ḥama of the generation of Rebbi. Since Rebbi Yoḥanan did know Rebbi Samuel bar Nathan in his old age, it follows that the two stories are complementary, not that there is a difference of opinion on who removed the cantor because of his excessive bowing. It is clear that we are talking about a cantor because only he can be removed from office by the Rabbi. This does not imply that any congregant would be allowed to bow down too much, only that he cannot be removed. This is the interpretation of Maimonides (Hilkhot Tefillah 9:4, see Kesef Mishneh on that text).
It is difficult to decide the opinion of the Yerushalmi about whether in practice one removes or simply scolds such a cantor since Rebbi Ammi is in general the higher authority but Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba is quoted in the last, preferred, position. in the name of Rebbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina: It happened that one bowed down too much and Rebbi removed him. Rebbi Ammi said, Rebbi Yoḥanan did remove. Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said, he did not remove but scold.

אֵלּוּ בְּרָכוֹת שֶׁפּוֹתְחִין בָּהֶן בְּבָרוּךְ. כָּל־הַבְּרָכוֹת פּוֹתְחִין בָּהֶן בְּבָרוּךְ וְאִם הָֽיְתָה בְרָכָה סְמוּכָה לַחֲבֵירָתָהּ כְּגוֹן קִרְיַת שְׁמַע וּתְפִילָּה אֵין פּוֹתְחִין בָּהֶן בְּבָרוּךְ. These are the benedictions one begins with “Praised”. All benedictions one begins with “Praised”, but a benediction following another one, e. g., the recitation of Shema‘ and Amidah, one does not begin with “Praised”.²⁶⁹This statement exists in two additional versions. In the Berakhot.46a">Babli (Berakhot 46a) it reads: All benedictions one begins with “Praised” except for benedictions over fruits, obligations, benedictions following another one and the last benediction of the recitation of Shema‘. In the Tosephta (Berakhot 1:9) it reads: All benedictions one begins with “Praised” except for benedictions following another one and the last benediction of the recitation of Shema‘.
The versions of the Tosephta and the Babli are essentially identical, except that the Babli for completeness includes the short benedictions of one sentence for the execution of a mitzwah and for eating food, whose form otherwise is taken for granted. The main difference between the Babli/Tosephta and the Yerushalmi is that the last benediction for the Shema‘, the one recited after Shema‘, is considered by the Yerushalmi to be the continuation of the second benediction before Shema‘ but for the Babli it needs special mention. The consequence is that for the Yerushalmi all prayer benedictions separated by Scriptural readings from a preceding benediction are considered consecutive (the benedictions after the morning Psalms and Hallel) whereas for the Babli each one needs special treatment. The first objection to the rule given in the next paragraph is therefore impossible for the Babli.

הָתִיב רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה הֲרֵי גְּאוּלָּה. שַׁנְיָיא הִיא. דָּמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן הַלֵּל אִם שָֽׁמְעָהּ בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת יָצָא. הָתִיב רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֵּי רִבִּי יוֹסֵה קוֹמֵי רִבִּי יוֹסֵה וַהֲא סוֹפָהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ שְׁתַּיִם הֵנָּה אַחַת לָבֹא וְאַחַת לְשֶׁעָבַר. Rebbi Jeremiah objected: But there is “redemption”²⁷⁰The answer shows that the question is about the benediction at the end of the recitation of the Haggadah in the Seder night: “Praised are You, o Eternal, our God, King of the Universe, Who has redeemed us and has redeemed our forefathers from Egypt and let us attain this night to eat mazzah and bitter herbs. May it please You, o Eternal, our God and God of our fathers, to let us attain in peace more festive seasons and holidays, when we shall rejoice in the rebuilding of Your city and enjoy Your service. There we shall eat from the family offerings and the pesaḥ sacrifice whose blood shall reach the wall of Your altar for goodwill. Then we shall thank You with a new song for our redemption and the liberation of our persons. Praise be to You, o Eternal, Who did save Israel.”
This benediction follows the recitation of the first two Psalms of Hallel. It is clear from here, and from the parallel in the last Chapter of Yerushalmi Pesaḥim that in Israel in Talmudic times one preceded the recitation of Hallel by a benediction (the details are discussed in the author’s The Scholar’s Haggadah, pp. 317–318). Hence, by the principle of the Yerushalmi, this benediction should not start with “Praised”.. There is a difference since Rebbi Yoḥanan said²⁷¹Pesachim 9:7:2" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Pesachim.9.7.2">Pesaḥim 9:1, fol. 37c. In Galilee there existed congregations which were illiterate except for the cantor, where no one could recite the Hallel or the entire Haggadah at home. For these people it was instituted that Hallel should be recited in the synagogue after evening prayers (with its benedictions before and after); then the people could go home and just recite the benediction for redemption, drink four cups and go to bed. The text there seems to imply that the required recital of the Exodus likewise was read to them in the synagogue. The generally accepted implication of this and the following arguments is that any benediction which under some circumstances could be recited by itself has the status of a benediction that is not following another one (Berakhot.36a">Rashba on Babli Berakhot 36a).: If he heard Hallel in the synagogue he has fulfilled his obligation. Rebbi Eleazar, the son of Rebbi Yose, objected before Rebbi Yose, but there is its ending.²⁷²There is much controversy about the meaning of this question; every commentator has another interpretation. In the author’s opinion, this is a complete parallel to the identical question asked later for Qiddush and refers simply to the concluding statement “Praise be to You, o Eternal, Who did save Israel.” Since this follows the entire text, it certainly is a benediction following another one, so why does it repeat “Praise be to You, o Eternal”? He said to him: there are two, one for the future and one for the past.²⁷³A statement of Rava in Pesachim.117b">Babli Pesaḥim 117b notes that the benediction for redemption after Shema‘ and in the Haggadah is גאל ישׂראל but that in the Amidah prayer is גואל ישׂראל. The same formulation, גאל ישׂראל, is found in the Mishnah Pesaḥim and is followed by the Haggadah texts with the exception of the Yemenite ones. The unvocalized text of Mishnah and Talmud is read גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל in the past tense. Then Rebbi Yose’s statement makes sense. Since the text concentrates on the future after a perfunctory mention of the past, the conclusion by a benediction for the past is a change of theme and, therefore, the concluding phrase has to be considered a separate benediction. [Rebbi Yose belongs to those authorities who require that the topic of the final benediction should be repeated immediately before the final sentence. His opinion is superseded here by that of Rebbi Mana later in the discussion but is taken up again by Rebbi Aḥa.]
The very conservative Yemenite tradition, strictly based on the Babli, cannot be expected to disregard a prescription of that Talmud. Hence, it is possible that Rava did read גָּאֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל, a pa’el form of the present [cf. S. Morag, בנין פָּאֵל וּבנין נִתְפָּאֵל, Tarbiẓ 26(1957), 349–356 and the material quoted in the author’s The Scholar’s Haggadah, p. 322.] The Yerushalmi here shows that the Israeli reading was גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל. Hence, identical (consonantal) wording in Babli and Yerushalmi does not necessarily imply same text and same meaning. Since Italian and Northern European Jewry obtained their prayer texts from Israel, probably in the Mishnaic period, it is the rule that their prayer texts follow Yerushalmi sources.

הָתִיבוּן הֲרֵי הַבְדָּלָה. שַׁנְיָיא הִיא. דָּמַר רִבִּי בָּא בַּר זַבְדָּא רִבִּי הָיָה מְפַזְּרָן וְחוֹזַר וְכוֹלְלָן עַל הַכּוֹס. רִבִּי חִייָא רַבָּא הָיָה מְכַנְּסָן. They objected: There is Havdalah.²⁷⁴The Havdalah benediction at the end of the Sabbath is preceded by benedictions over wine, spices, and light. These are all short sentences and it is universally agreed that they should start with “praise”. The only problem is the Havdalah benediction itself, which follows the other ones. The answer is that the benedictions over spices and fire are recited in order only for convenience, not out of necessity, and that Rebbi did recite them separately. Hence, Havdalah is a potentially freestanding benediction, but it follows always the benediction for wine. The objection based on this is not raised, but it will be raised for Qiddush and the answer given there also applies here. It is explained in Pesachim.54a">Babli Pesaḥim54a that Rebbi was collecting the other benedictions on the cup for his family, not for himself. There is a difference since Rebbi Abba bar Zavda said that Rebbi was dispersing them and collecting them on the cup. The great Rebbi Ḥiyya was collecting them²⁷⁵Being a Babylonian, he never gave up Babylonian practices even though he spent his life in Galilee..

הָתִיבוּן הֲרֵי נְבָרֵךְ. שַׁנְיָיא הִיא. שֶׁאִם הָיוּ שְׁנַיִם יוֹשְׁבִין וְאוֹכְלִין שֶׁאֵינָן אוֹמְרִים נְבָרֵךְ. הֲרֵי הַזָּן אֶת הַכֹּל. קַשְׁיָא. They objected: There is Nevarekh.²⁷⁶The introductory section of Grace after meals, known as ברכת הזימוּן, “the benediction of preparation”. This introductory paragraph is recited only when at least three people are eating together who are obliged to recite Grace in the same degree of obligation. Hence, Grace itself must start with “Praised”. There is a difference, because if there were two sitting together and eating they would not say Nevarekh. There is “He Who feeds all”²⁷⁷This is the concluding benediction of the first paragraph of Grace; the question is parallel to that asked for the concluding paragraphs of “redemption” and Qiddush. The lack of an answer here is provisional; the final answer of the Amoraïm of the last Galilean generation covers all these cases.; that is difficult.

הֲרֵי הַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב. שַׁנְיָיא הִיא. דָּמַר רַב הוּנָא מִשֶּׁנִּיתְּנוּ הֲרוּגֵי בֵיתַר לִקְבוּרָה נִקְבְעָה הַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב. הַטּוֹב שֶׁלֹּא נִסְרְחוּ. וְהַמֵּטִיב שֶׁנִּיתְּנוּ לִקְבוּרָה. There is “He Who is good and does good”²⁷⁸The fourth section of Grace that clearly follows the third but nevertheless starts with “Praised”. The answer is that the first three sections constitute Grace as required by the Torah, while the fourth starts Rabbinic Grace.. There is a difference since Rav Ḥuna said: When permission was received to bury the slain of Bethar, “He Who is good and does good” was fixed, “He Who is good” because they did not rot, “He Who does good” because permission was received to bury them.

הָא קִדּוּשָׁה. שַׁנְיָיא הִיא. שֶׁאִם הָיָה יוֹשֵׁב וְשׁוֹתֶה מִבְּעוֹד יוֹם וְקִדַּשׁ עָלָיו הַיּוֹם שֶׁאֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר בּוֹרֵא פְרִי הַגָּפֶן. וְהָא סוֹפָהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי מָנָא טוֹפֶס בְּרָכוֹת כַּךְ הוּא. אָמַר רִבִּי יוּדָן מַטְבֵּעַ קָצַר פּוֹתֵחַ בָּהֶן בְּבָרוּךְ וְאֵינוֹ חוֹתֵם בָּהֶן בְּבָרוּךְ. מַטְבֵּעַ אָרוֹךְ פוֹתֵחַ בּוֹ בְּבָרוּךְ וְחוֹתֵם בְּבָרוּךְ. There is Qiddush²⁷⁹The main benediction follows the benediction over wine (or over bread) and, nevertheless, starts with “Praised”. The answer is that Qiddush during a meal does not require the benediction over wine even though there is an interruption in the meal since one is forbidden to eat and drink after sundown Friday night before making Qiddush. The Babli does not take up this question, hence practice follows this Yerushalmi, Shulḥan Arukh Oraḥ Ḥayyim 271, Sec. 4. The Qiddush starts with “praised” and its final sentence again starts with “praised.”. There is a difference since if one was sitting and drinking when it still was day and the holy day came upon him, he does not say “Creator of the fruit of the vine.” But there is its final sentence? Rebbi Mana said, the type²⁸⁰Greek τύπος, “pattern, model, prescribed form”. Rebbi Mana was a student of Rebbi Yudan who uses the Hebrew מטבע “coin” for “form”. The students of Rebbi Mana were the collectors of the Yerushalmi in the form it came down to us. Hence, his answer is final: All long benedictions end with “Praise to You, o Eternal, …” as a matter of principle (going back to the Men of the Great Assembly). Between this sentence and the next, a “since” should be mentally interpolated. of benedictions is like that. Rebbi Yudan said: A short form starts with “Praised” and does not end with “Praised”, a long form starts with “Praised” and ends with “Praised”.

כָּל־הַבְּרָכוֹת אַחַר חִיתוּמֵיהֶן אֵין אוֹמְרִין בְּרָכָה פָסוּק. הָתִיב רִבִּי יִצְחָק בֵּרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר קוֹמוֹי רִבִּי יוֹסֵה מִכֵּיוָן דְּתֵימַר אַחַר חִיתוּמֵיהֶן אֵין אוֹמְרִין בְּרָכָה פָסוּק. אָֽמְרִין חֲכִימֵי הָדֵין טַלְיָיא דְּהוּא סָבַר מַהוּ אַחַר חִיתוּמֵיהֶן שֶׁאִם הָיָה עוֹמֵד בְּשַׁחֲרִית וְשָׁכַח וְהִזְכִּיר אֶת שֶׁל עַרְבִית וְחָזַר וְחָתַם בְּשֶׁל שַׁחֲרִית יָצָא. אָמַר רִבִּי אָחָא כָּל־הַבְּרָכוֹת כְּעֵין חוֹתְמוֹתֵיהֶן. וְאִילֵּין דְּאָֽמְרִין צַהֲלִי וְרֹנִי יוֹשֶׁבֶת צִיּוֹן וְגוֹמֵר אֵין בּוֹ מִשּׁוּם בְּרָכָה פָּסוּק. All benedictions after their seals²⁸¹This is a continuing discussion of the statement of Rebbi Yudan. The “seal” of a longer benediction is the last sentence “Praise to You, o Eternal, …” It is stated that this “seal” is what makes the benediction valid and it cannot be a Biblical verse.; one does not say a verse as benediction. Rebbi Isaac ben Rebbi Eleazar objected before Rebbi Yose: Because you say after their seals, one does not say a verse as benediction²⁸²Since the two statements appear together in one baraita, there should be a logical connection between them but there seems to be none.? They said, that young man is intelligent because he thinks! What is the meaning of “after their seals”? It is that when he was standing in the morning prayer and forgot and mentioned the text of evening prayers but he caught himself and finished with the text of morning prayers, then he did his duty²⁸³“They” are the members of Rebbi Yose’s Yeshivah. They do not disagree with the rule which they state, but they note that the baraita does not deal with it; its correct interpretation is by Rebbi Aḥa.
About the rule itself, there is disagreement between the Yerushalmi and the parallel Berakhot.12a">Babli, Berakhot 12a, where it is stated: “If in the morning one started with ‘Creator of light’ and ended with ‘Making evenings dark’, he did not do his duty. If in the evening he starts with ‘He Who makes evenings dark’ and ends with ‘Creator of light’, he did not do his duty. But if he started with ‘Creator of light’ and ended with ‘Making evenings dark’, he did his duty. The principle is: Everything is determined by the seal.” The Babli asserts that if in evening prayers one started out wrongly with the text appropriate for morning prayers then everything is O.K. if only the final doxology is correct. But the Yerushalmi speaks of one “who is standing in morning prayers and forgot”, i. e., that he started out correctly, forgot himself in the middle, and remembered in time to close with the correct text. The principles of prayer texts were instituted by the Men of the Great Assembly. They determined the contents of the prayers but not, in general, their texts. (For the Amidah, the Mishnah even reports that Rebbi Eliezer says that one who repeats the same text for more than 30 days cannot really be an honest supplicant). The question is whether, in addition to the contents, the Men of the Great Assembly only determined the “seals” (following the Babli) or also the introductory sentences (following the Yerushalmi).. Rebbi Aḥa said, all benedictions in the kind of their seals.²⁸⁴The language is difficult. R. Eleazar Askari explains that Rebbi Aḥa insists that only the “seal” counts and, therefore, the text preceding the “seal” is unimportant; the text of the “seal” cannot be a verse. R. Shelomo Cirillo and R. Moshe ben Ḥabib explain, on the contrary, that the “seal” must fit the text of the benediction just preceding and that this text cannot be a verse. In the Pesachim.104a">Babli (Pesaḥim 104a) this principle is spelled out only for Havdalah [and in the Yerushalmi the treatment given for Havdalah, (Berakhot 5:2:2-16" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Berakhot.5.2.2-16">Berakhot 5:2, fol. 9b) supports R. Eleazar Askari.] Most Medieval authorities extend the principle of the Babli to all longer benedictions. But those who say (Isaiah.12.6">Is. 12:6): “Jubilate and sing, inhabitant of Zion …” do not violate the rule that no benediction is a verse²⁸⁵Ezra Fleischer (Tarbiẓ 41, p. 450) has published a Yerushalmi prayer text from the Cairo Genizah which uses this verse in the third benediction of the ‘Amidah, קדושת השם. From what is left of the original Galilean minhag it seems clear that the standard text of longer benedictions always ended with a Biblical verse just preceding the “seal”. For example, in Grace, the verses were Psalms.145.16">Ps. 145:16, Deuteronomy.8.10">Deut.8:10, Psalms.147.2">Ps. 147:2. In the morning prayers, the verses have survived in the first benediction for Shema‘ in all minhagim and for the benediction after Shema‘ in most of them. The text states that the only acceptable place for a Biblical verse is before the “seal”. Even the Mishnah prescribes benedictions whose text is a Biblical verse (Taanit 2:2:2-14" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Taanit.2.2.2-14">Taäniot 2:2); what is prohibited here is using a verse in the final doxology..