txt/Mishnah/Rishonim on Mishnah/Bartenura/Seder Zeraim/Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot/English/Sefaria Community Translation.txt

Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
ברטנורא על משנה ברכות
Sefaria Community Translation
https://www.sefaria.org

Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot



Chapter 1



Mishnah 1

Mishna: "From the time that the Priests enter to eat their Terumah (heave offering)." -----(Bartenura): Priests that have become ritually impure and have immersed (in a ritual bath), are not able to eat [with(lit.)] terumah until "the sun has set", which (in actuality) denotes the coming out of the stars. And the reason why (the Mishna) did not write "...from the time of the coming out of the stars", was to teach something incidentally; that if the priests became ritually impure with a form of impurity in which their purification requires a sacrifice, for example a Zav (emission) or Metzorah (skin affliction), the atonement (i.e. sacrifice) does not prevent them from eating Terumah, as it is written: "and the sun set and he is pure, and after he will eat from the sanctified food (Leviticus 22:7)". (It is) The setting of the sun which prevents eating of Terumah, and his atonement (i.e. sacrifice) does not prevent from eating of Terumah etc.
Mishna: "Until the end of the first watch" ----- (Bartenura): Which is the first third of the night, since the night is divided into 3 watches. And from then (end of the first watch) and onward it is not referred to as the time of reciting the Shema of "with laying down" (i.e. Shema of nighttime), and it is not called with your "laying down." And before (the time of) the coming out of the stars is also daytime, and not the time of "laying down." And those who rush forward and recite the Shema of nighttime while it is still day, rely on that which was stated by Rabbi Judah, later, in the chapter of Tefillat HaShachar (Morning Prayer), that the Afternoon Prayer (may be recited) until Plag HaMincha (division of afternoon), which is an hour and a quarter before nighttime. Thus it has been established "that one that performs in accordance of Rabbi Judah has indeed performed", and immediately at the completion of the time for the afternoon prayer, the time of the recitation of the Shema of nighttime begins....
Mishna: "Until the coming up of the dawn" ----(Bartenura): Since the entire night is referred to as the "time of laying down." The law is in accordance with Rabban Gamliel, for the Sages are also in agreement with him, and they do not state "until midnight" but only to distance Man from sin. Nevertheless, ideally at the arrival of the time (season lit.) of the recitation of the Shema of nightime of the Mishna, namely from the coming out of the stars, it is forbidden to conduct a meal, and how much more so to sleep, until one has recited the Shema and prayed. 
Mishna: "It once happened that his [Rabban Gamliel’s] sons came from a house of feasting" ----(Bartenura): The sons of Rabban Gamliel, having learned the opinion of the Sages (that one may say the Shema) "until midnight", said to him (their father), "That which the Sages disagree with you, do they literally mean (one may recite the Shema) 'until midnight' and no later, and (this is the final ruling based on the rule of) 'The Opinion of the Individual, vs The Opinion of the Many, The Ruling goes according to the Opinion of the Many'? Or, do the Sages agree with your opinion (i.e. until the break of dawn), however, they said (one may recite the Shema) 'until midnight' in order to distance a person from transgression? Rabban Gamliel replied to them, "The Sages agree with my opinion (i.e. until the break of dawn), and only said 'until midnight' in order to distance a person from transgression. Therefore you are required to recite (the Shema)."
Mishna: "And [this is true] not only in this case"  ----(Bartenura): The following are all things Rabban Gamliel said to his sons. 
Mishna: "Burning the fats" ----(Bartenura) of the sacrifices.
Mishna: "The limbs" ----(Bartenura) Of the perpetual elevation sacrifice of the afternoon (lit. evenings) [of which the] blood was sprinkled [while it was] still day. The commandment of burning the parts [of the animal's limbs] may be performed all night long, as  written (Vayiqra , 6:1) "This is the elevation offering [that shall stay] on the blaze on the Altar all night until the morning."

Mishnah 2

Between Tekhelet [purple-blue wool] and white; between the purple-blue strings and the white strings of the Tzitzis. Another explanation;[if he can discern the different hues of] a strand of wool which he has dyed purple-blue but still has spots where the dye has not been absorbed properly and which therefore remain white.
Between Tekhelet and the color of leek; the colour of Tekhelet is similar to the colour of leek.
Until three hours; Of the day, [that is to say] until the end of the third hour, which is a quarter into the day, on days with equal daytime and nighttime. The time for Krias Shema is always until a quarter into the day, whether the days are long or short. This is [the understanding] also when it says "The morning prayer is until four hours into the day". That is to say, until a third into the day. It uses the term "four hours" because a third into the day is four hours into the day on days with equal daytime and nighttime. On any occasion in which the Mishna mentions an amount of hours into the day, one must calculate in this way (I.e calculate what portion of the day these hours would constitute on a day with equal daytime and nighttime. That portion is the relevant factor for all days.) This is how I have understood from the commentaries of Rambam and how I have received [the tradition]. And the reasoning of Rabbi Yehoshua who said until three hours, is that this is the way of princes, who don't get up from bed until the end of the third hour. And Hashem said [in the Torah] "and when you get up", that is, until the time when all people get up from bed. The ruling is like Rabbi Yehoshua. However, as an ideal option, one needs to make sure to recite Krias Shema with sunrise as the pious people do.
He has not lost out; meaning to say that he has not lost out on reciting the blessings before and after [Krias Shema]. Rather, even though the time [of Krias Shema] has passed, he should recite Krias Shema and recite the blessings before and after it.
Like one who reads the Torah; Even though he has not fulfilled the obligation of reciting Krias Shema in its time, he receives reward like one who reads from the Torah.

Mishnah 3

Should recline; on their sides. As it is written " When you recline", [indicating that Krias Shema should be recited] while reclining.
Should stand; as it is written " and when you arise", [indicating that Krias Shema should be recited] while standing.
 In his usual way; whether he is standing or sitting or reclining or walking.
You would have deserved; You were fit to be killed, and if you had been killed, you would have been responsible for your own death.

Mishnah 4

Two blessings before it; [I.e. the blessings of] "Who forms light" and "Love".
And one after it; [I.e. the blessing of] "It is true and upright".
While in the evening; he recites the blessing.
Two blessings before it; [I.e. the blessings of] "Who brings on evenings" and "Eternal love".
And two after it; [I.e. the blessings of] "Truth and Faith" and Let us lie down".
A long one and a short one; This is referring to the two [blessings] before [Shema]. [The blessing of] "Who forms light" is long in that it begins and concludes with the word "Blessed". This is also the case by [the blessing of] "Who brings on evenings". [The blessing of] "Love" (both in the evening and in the morning) is short in that it concludes with the word "Blessed" and does not begin with it.
To conclude it; With the word "Blessed".
Not to conclude it; In the cases of the blessings on fruits and the blessings on commandments.

Mishnah 5

One must mention the exodus from Egypt at night; We say the Passage [which speaks] about Tzitzis in Krias Shema in the evening. Even though night is not the time when the obligation of tzitzis is present, as it is written " and you will see [the tzitzis]", which excludes a night garment, [nevertheless] we say this passage at night because it mentions the exodus from Egypt.
I am like a seventy-year-old man; I appeared like an old man. [He was] not literally old. Rather, his hairs turned white on the day when they appointed him leader, in order that he should appear old and fitting for leadership. On that day, Ben Zoma expounded this verse.
Yet I could not win; I did not beat the sages. There is a similar expression used in Talmud in Chapter Benos Cutim (38a); "in this Rabbi Elazar won the sages", I.e. beat them.

Chapter 2



Chapter 3



Chapter 4



Mishnah 1



Mishnah 2



Mishnah 3



Mishnah 4

The one who makes his prayer a burden: That his prayer is similar to a load. And the language of "burden": that he says, "a law is established upon me to pray and I need to fulfill myself from it."

Chapter 5



Mishnah 1

"We do not stand up... with a heavy head." Submission and awe, as it is written (Psalms 2:11): "Serve the L-rd with awe," and this service is prayer.
"Dwell for one hour." In the place where they came to pray.
"Even if the king greets him." Specifically, a Jewish king. However, he interrupts for a non-Jewish king, lest he kill him.
"Even if a snake wraps around his heel." Specifically a snake, since in most cases it does not bite. However, for the scorpion or the viper, among the species that will definitely bite and kill, he does interrupt.