“The Torah was not given to ministering angels.”

It’s hard to believe that the reading of tractate Berakhot concludes today. The past 63 days have taken me on a journey I had not anticipated. I approached the reading of the Talmud as a personal challenge to myself with the intention of just skimming gently through the pages for a short while. But here I am sinking deeply into this winding, bewildering and yes, at times illuminating text.

“Where there is no one to fill a particular role, accept that role upon yourself.”

Today’s reading provides more guidance on where it is appropriate to spit; it is permitted when wearing shoes in the synagogue. A comparison is made between a synagogue and one’s home and if one allows wearing shoes in their home and expectorating, then its ok to do so in the temple. Can you imagine with all the hysteria today concerning the coronavirus if it was socially allowable to go about the street spitting? One would probably be arrested or worse – perhaps attacked by a panic-stricken crowd.

“Anyone who is modest in the bathroom will be saved from three things: From snakes, from scorpions, and from demons.”

After the dramatic chronicle of Rabbi Akiva’s martyrdom in yesterday’s portion of the Talmud, it is a bit of a come down to read about his bathroom habits. But of course, this also places Rabbi Akiva very much among us; he was a man of the people who started his life as a shepherd and did not start his Torah study until he was in his 40s. This passage is interesting because it demonstrates how Rabbi has learned from Rabbi, student from teacher. Rabbi Akiva learned a lesson about the most basic of human activities from observing Rabbi Yehoshua, while Ben Azzai learned from Rabbi Akiva. 

“Woe unto me from my Creator and woe unto me from my inclination.”

Today’s reading examines the dual nature of man: he does good and evil, he is good and evil, he has a good inclination and an evil one, he has two faces, two sides, a back and a front, a front and a tail. We are told that a man’s dual inclination can be demonstrated by his two kidneys, with the one on the right advising him to do good, while the one of the left steers him toward evil. He has two hands and gleans wisdom from his right, while what he gains from the left is foolhardiness.

“One recites a blessing for the bad that befalls him just as he does for the good.”

Rabbi Akiva said that one must always accustom oneself to say: “Everything that God does, he does for the best.” Rabbi Akiva asks a lot of us to say blessings over hardship. It takes a lot of introspection and faith to be able to be able to bless our pain.

“Lightning flashes, the clouds rumble, and the rain comes.”

We are provided in today’s reading with insight into the world of the Rabbis who were making sense of the universe and natural phenomenon without the benefit of science.

“The aura of the comet passes Orion and it appears as though the comet itself passes.”

Ulla appears in a passage that offers insight into grief. The Koren Talmud provides background on Ulla who traveled back and forth from Babylon to Israel (as we are reminded from the earlier comment by Yalta who suggested he carried lice along with him.)

“All species of animals are good omens in a dream, with the exception of an elephant and a monkey.”

We are told today that in fact dreaming of an elephant is good omen if he is saddled and a bad one if he is not. What a wonderful thought of saddling an elephant and jumping onboard and heading out for an adventure with the most majestic creature on earth.

All dreams follow the mouth.”

When I was a young girl I poured over Freud and Jung hoping to find some meaning in the scraps of dreams that I could remember. I was certain that there were fixed, predetermined messages in my dreams and if I could only figure out the precise meaning I would have some insight into my life to come. I felt stuck in my suburban New Jersey adolescent life and was certain there was a much more fabulous life waiting for me. In addition to interpreting my dreams through the psychoanalytic texts I was reading, I taught myself astrology. I was desperate to see my future through a positive lens.

“I have dreamed yet a dream.”

We are reminded of the importance of humility for among the warnings of sitting or standing near an inclined wall is the guidance to not expect our prayers to be answered because doing so suggests we think we are worthy.

“One must recite a blessing for the good that befalls him just as for the bad.”

Miracle of Miracles! Today’s reading is about miracles and the blessings we say to acknowledge such wonders in our lives. There are the miracles of the natural world, including thunder, gale force winds, lightening, mountains, hills, rivers, and the great sea (which the Koren Talmud says is the Mediterranean.) Immersing oneself in the Mediterranean early in the morning when you have the still waters all to yourself can feel like a miracle.

“There is a minority of people who burn incense to witchcraft.”

And let there be fire! Today’s reading explores the essence of fire: “A flame is not a concrete, static object, but rather it constantly recreates itself.” The Gemara says that “the flame should be considered essentially new” regardless of who lit it or if it is carried from place to place. Fire is generally associated with destruction. But the flame itself in its ever-changing form, represents our ability for renewal.

“One mixes water with the wine in the cup and only washes his hands thereafter.”

What struck me with today’s reading is how much insight it provides into domestic life, with mention of tables, tablecloths, the sweeping of crumbs, concern for preservation of leftovers, candles and spices. The Koren Talmud provides background on the prohibition against saying blessings over “spices of idolatry” and suggests that such spices are used as scent to neutralize a bathroom. Through these types of glimpses, I am beginning to get a view of what a home was like 2,000 years ago. (And I imagine fairly strong spices were need in the bathroom in the days before modern plumbing.)hand

“From itinerant peddlers, Ulla traveled regularly from Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia and back, come meaningless words, and from rags come lice.”

Hello Yalta! Strong, daring, perhaps strident Yalta enters the pages of the Talmud today and my engagement with the Talmud will never be the same.

“The basis for these laws is the need to treat bread with respect.”

The laws refer to the prohibition against placing raw meat on bread, passing a cup of over bread (lest it should drip), propping up a dish with bread, or throwing bread. We have found out previously that bread is considered a meal (preferably with salt). And bread appears to be in its own category because throwing other types of food is entirely acceptable.

Who sanctifies Israel, who sanctify the New Moons.”

Rabbi Akiva appears in today’s text and as always, brings a dose of practicality to the discussion. After the extended discussion on what blessings to say according to the size of the crowd – ten, one hundred, one thousand, ten thousand – sensible Rabbi Akiva steps in and halts the increasingly complex analysis by proclaiming that there is no distinctions based on the size of the crowd as long as a quorum of ten is present: “when there are many and when there are few, as long as there is a quorum of ten.”

“A great person can be recognized even from a young age.”

The gifted child appears in today’s reading in reference to Abaye and Rava when they were children: “A cucumber can be recognized from its blossoming stage. Similarly, a great person can be recognized even from a young age.” Their measure of greatness was demonstrated when one pointed to the sky and the other pointed to the roof of his home when asked whom they recite their blessings to. They proved at a young age (we are never told how young) that they understood there was an omnipresent power that they could not see or feel.

You will keep them as an inheritance for your children after you, to hold as a possession; they will serve as bondsmen for you forever.”

The discussion on deference in today’s reading is analyzed through the measure of a doorway: whether one shows deference for another when before a doorway with a mezuzah or a doorway that is worthy of a mezuzah but doesn’t have one. And the whole issue of whether one is worthy of being shown deference in other circumstances is not really discussed.

May it be Your will that the master of the house shall not suffer shame in this world, nor humiliation in the World-to-Come.”

I am starting to become acquainted with the individual personalities of some of the Rabbis. Rabbi Akiva is practical, ethical, humane and always suggests an interpretation that is measured. Rabbi Gamliel is a traditionalist and has very high standards for observance (but humble enough to recover with dignity after he lost his position in the Academy due to his rigid approach).

“One hundred women are considered the equivalent of two men.”

Now that we have spent days learning about the small details associated with saying blessings before meals, and in what order and what foods are considered primary, the text turns to saying grace after meals. I fear we are in for a long haul of protracted examination of after-meal blessings.