Rav Ashi offers a 3rd answer to why Moshe Rabbeinu said "k'chatzos" if he really knew exactly when midnight was:
Answer # 3: It was actually the midnight of the 13th going into the 14th and Moshe said to the Jews that Hashem says that tomorrow at midnight, like right now, I will go out into Mitzrayim.
The Gemara now analyzes a pasuk in Tehillim 86. In the pasuk King David states that he is a chassid. Levy and R' Yitzchak argue about how to interperet this pasuk:
Opinion # 1: King David says to Hashem, "Master of the Universe, Am I a not a chassid? For all the kings of the east and the west sleep three hours into the day and "I awaken at chatzos to praise you" (Tehillim 119).
Opinion # 2: King David says to Hashem, "Master of the Universe, Am I not a chassid? For all the kings of the east and the west sit in groups of honor, while I sit with my hands in blood and afterbirth in order to make a woman tehorah for her husband. And not only that, but everything I do I decide with Mephiboshes my Rebbi. And I say to him, "Meshiboshes my Rebbi, have I judged properly? Have I been mechayev properly? Have I declared innocence properly? Have I been metaher properly? Have I been metamei properly?" And I was never embarrassed.
R' Yehoshua the son of R' Iddi asks:
what is the meaning of the pasuk in Tehillim 119 which says regarding King David "And I will speak your testaments before kings and I am won't be embarrassed"?
Tanna:
His name wasn't Mephiboshes but, rather, Ish Boshes. Why was he called Mephiboshes? Because he embarrassed King David in halacha. Therefore David merited and Kilav descended from him.
And R' Yochanan says:
His name wasn't really Kilav, but Daniel. And why was he called Kilav? Because he embarrassed Mephiboshes in halacha. Shlomo in his wisdom said about him, "Son, if your heart is wise let my heart also rejoice" (Mishlei 23) and "My wise son and my heart is happy and I will respond with a sharp thing" (Mishlei 27).
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Berachos 4a - Part 2
The Gemara previously asked how King David could know precisely when midnight was, when even Moshe Rabbeinu didn't know this. The gemara now presents a second answer to this question.
Second Answer: Rabbi Zeira says, In reality both Moshe Rabbeinu and King David knew precisely when chatzos was. If so we are left with two questions:
Question #1: Why did King David need the harp?
Answer: It was like an alarm clock that woke him up.
Question #2: Why did Moshe Rabbeinu say "at around midnight" which implies he didn't know exactly when midnight was?
Answer: Moshe did know. However, the astrologers of Pharoah may not have known and they would say Moshe was a liar. This follows Mar's statement: Train your tongue to say "I don't know" for otherwise you may be grabbed as a liar.
Second Answer: Rabbi Zeira says, In reality both Moshe Rabbeinu and King David knew precisely when chatzos was. If so we are left with two questions:
Question #1: Why did King David need the harp?
Answer: It was like an alarm clock that woke him up.
Question #2: Why did Moshe Rabbeinu say "at around midnight" which implies he didn't know exactly when midnight was?
Answer: Moshe did know. However, the astrologers of Pharoah may not have known and they would say Moshe was a liar. This follows Mar's statement: Train your tongue to say "I don't know" for otherwise you may be grabbed as a liar.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Berachos 3b - Part 6, Berachos 4a - Part 1
The gemara previously stated that the servants of King David asked Achitofel, the Sanhedrin, and the Urim V'Tumim about going out to war.
Rav Yosef brings a pasuk to support this. The pasuk in Divrei HaYamim Alef 27 lists Achitofel, Benayahu ben Yehoyada, Evyasar, and then the general Yoav. Achitofel is the adviser. This is clear from a pasuk in Shmuel Beis 16 that says that Achitofel's advice was sought after like the word of God. Benayahu ben Yehoyada refers to the Sanhedrin. Evyasar refers to the Urim V'Tumim. There is also a pasuk along these lines in Shmuel Beis 20 that says that Benayahu ben Yehoyada was over the "Kreisi U'pleisi". They are called the Kreisi U'pleisi because their words of clear-cut (kreisi) and amazing (pleisi). After them came the general to the king, Yoav.
Rav Yitzchak bar Abba, and some say Rav Yitzchak bar Rav Iddi, now asks, what pasuk tells us about the harp that woke up King David? It is the pasuk in Tehillim 27 which says that the harp awakens him in the morning.
Rav Yosef brings a pasuk to support this. The pasuk in Divrei HaYamim Alef 27 lists Achitofel, Benayahu ben Yehoyada, Evyasar, and then the general Yoav. Achitofel is the adviser. This is clear from a pasuk in Shmuel Beis 16 that says that Achitofel's advice was sought after like the word of God. Benayahu ben Yehoyada refers to the Sanhedrin. Evyasar refers to the Urim V'Tumim. There is also a pasuk along these lines in Shmuel Beis 20 that says that Benayahu ben Yehoyada was over the "Kreisi U'pleisi". They are called the Kreisi U'pleisi because their words of clear-cut (kreisi) and amazing (pleisi). After them came the general to the king, Yoav.
Rav Yitzchak bar Abba, and some say Rav Yitzchak bar Rav Iddi, now asks, what pasuk tells us about the harp that woke up King David? It is the pasuk in Tehillim 27 which says that the harp awakens him in the morning.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Berachos 3b - Part 5
The gemara previously stated that King David arose at midnight. The gemara now asks, how could King David have known when midnight was precisely? For we know that even Moshe did not know the exact time of midnight. The gemara proves that Moshe did not know exactly when midnight was from the fact that Moshe says in Shemos 11, "around midnight I will go out into Mitzrayim". Why does Moshe say "around" midnight? If you say it is because Hashem Himself said that, are there any doubts in the heavens? So, the gemara says, it must be that Hashem said "at midnight" and Moshe said "around midnight". Thus, you see, that Moshe himself did not know exactly when midnight was. So, how did King David know?
Answer #1: King David had a sign that told him when midnight was.
The gemara proves this answer from a statement of Rav Acha Bar Bizna in the name of R' Shimon Chasidah who said as follows:
There was a harp that hung above the bed of King David. When midnight came a northern wind would blow and the harp would play on its own. Immediately he would arise and learn torah until dawn. At dawn, the chachmei yisrael would come to him and say, "our master the king, your nation Israel needs parnassah". He said to them, "go and make parnassah one from the other". They said to him, "the fistful cannot satisfy the lion and a pit cannot be filled from its surrounding heap". He said to them, "go and stick your hand in the spoils". Immediately, they went to seek the advice of Achitofel, the sanhedrin, and the urim v'tumim.
Answer #1: King David had a sign that told him when midnight was.
The gemara proves this answer from a statement of Rav Acha Bar Bizna in the name of R' Shimon Chasidah who said as follows:
There was a harp that hung above the bed of King David. When midnight came a northern wind would blow and the harp would play on its own. Immediately he would arise and learn torah until dawn. At dawn, the chachmei yisrael would come to him and say, "our master the king, your nation Israel needs parnassah". He said to them, "go and make parnassah one from the other". They said to him, "the fistful cannot satisfy the lion and a pit cannot be filled from its surrounding heap". He said to them, "go and stick your hand in the spoils". Immediately, they went to seek the advice of Achitofel, the sanhedrin, and the urim v'tumim.
Berachos 3b - Part 4
The gemara previously stated that "neshef" refers to the evening. The gemara now questions this based on a pasuk in Shmuel Alef 30 that states that King David smote his enemies "from neshef until evening". Doesn't this imply that neshef is, in fact, morning?
The gemara answers that this is not necessarily the case. It could be that the pasuk means "from evening until evening". However, the gemara finds this answer difficult because if that is what the pasuk means why not consistently use the same word for evening? Either always use "neshef" or always use "erev", why switch between the two?
The gemara finally presents Rava's answer:
Rava's answer: In fact, there are two "neshefs". Neshef can refer to the time of the night that leads into the day, or, neshef can refer to the time of the day that leads into the night.
The gemara answers that this is not necessarily the case. It could be that the pasuk means "from evening until evening". However, the gemara finds this answer difficult because if that is what the pasuk means why not consistently use the same word for evening? Either always use "neshef" or always use "erev", why switch between the two?
The gemara finally presents Rava's answer:
Rava's answer: In fact, there are two "neshefs". Neshef can refer to the time of the night that leads into the day, or, neshef can refer to the time of the day that leads into the night.
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