A ten minute segment of the Daily Daf. Why does the Talmud describe the time for reciting Shema as the time that Kohanim may eat Teruma?

(For full transcribed text click title above) In this session we will explore the proper start and end time for reciting Shema. The text of Shema can be found in the Torah starting with the verse Shema Yisroel (Devorim 6:4). The Mishna links the start time of the evening Shema to the time that the Kohanim (priests) who had been impure, are finally considered pure with the start of the new Jewish day. Since the Jewish day begins at night (for example, Shabbos, starts on Friday eve) the time which is night enough for the Kohanim to be considered pure will be the same time to be considered sufficiently dark, and night enough, to recite the evening Shema.

Regarding the end time for this Mitzvah, the Mishnah presents three opinions. The Mishnah introduces, as well, the concept that the Rabbis will sometimes teach a rule in a way that is a bit more strict than is actually required to help us avoid misssing the time for the mitzvah. In the case of Shema, the Mitzvah may be done until day, but the Rabbis instructed us to do the Mitzvah by midnight, so that we should not risk falling asleep and missing the chance to do the Mitzvah.

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Quick Reference Vocabulary- focusing on the times of the day
Shkiya- Sunset
Bein Hashimashos- Interim time (dusk)- prevalent customs are 42, 50, 60, or 72 minutes after sunset
Tzeis Hakochavim- Nightfall
Alos- 72 minutes before sunrise
Neitz Hachama- Sunrise
Chatzos- Middle of day or night, calculated by dividing the time between sunrise and sunset

Please reply with questions or comments,

Thanks for joining,

Have a great day!

Rabbi Mordechai Rhine

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Transcribed text:

Welcome to Take Ten for Talmud. We begin Brachos 2a, page 3.

Mazal Tov on starting the first page of Talmud.

 

The Mitzvah we will focus on this session is the Mitzvah of reciting Shema (affirmation of faith) at night. The time for this mitzvah is described in the Torah by the word, “B’Shochbicha- when people go to sleep.”

 

The Mishna states: What is the proper time for the evening Shema? The same time as the Kohanim would go in to eat their Terumah.

 

So, to a certain extent, the Mishna is answering its question by way of a riddle. You have to know what time the Kohanim go in to eat the Terumah (tithe), and that time is the same as the start time for the evening Shema.

 

The case that the Mishna is alluding to is that the Kohein became Tomei (ritually impure) and is not fit to eat the Terumah. So the Kohein went to mikvah to purify himself, but he must still wait for nightfall before he can eat the Terumah. We are being told, that the same time that the Kohein expert considers it sufficiently night to eat the Terumah (tithe)… at that same time you can consider it sufficiently night to recite the night Shema.

 

As a practical question what time is that exactly? So in our society there are different calculations that people follow. But the estimation according to Rabbi Moshe Feinstein is that nightfall is around 42 minutes after sunset, or according to one calculation, 50 minutes after sunset. That is the time that we can consider definitively nightfall. Before that it is indeed sunset but it is not dark enough to definitively say that it is night, and that it is the time that people go to sleep.

 

The Mishna continues: What is the end time?

(i.e. how long do you have to recite Shema?)

Until a third of the night is complete, this is the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer.

So you divide the night into thirds, and the first third according to Rabbi Eliezer is the time that people are going to sleep, and you can fulfill the mitzva.

 

And the Chachomim (Sages) say: Until Chatzos (the middle of the night).

This should not be confused with midnight, as in 12 midnight. What we are discussing here is halachic midnight which is ascertained by taking the sunset time, then taking the sunrise time, and dividing the difference. That midpoint would be called halachic midnight.

 

So far we have two opinions. One opinion says a third of the night, and one opinion says until Chatzos, the middle of the night.

 

Rabban Gamliel says (a third opinion): Until Alos Hashachar, until close to morning.

 

We know that at sunrise we truly consider it day. But Rabban Gamliel is describing a time called Alos, which is 72 minutes before sunrise. He says that until that time people are still going to sleep. This refers to, for example, the latecomers, the people who were busy, or people who were by a Chasuna (wedding) all night. Since there are still people who are going to sleep at that time, it is still called “B’Shochbicha,” the time that people go to sleep.

 

There was a story, and Rabban Gamliel’s children came from a Chasuna (wedding), and they told him that they did not yet read Shema. Rabban Gamliel responded that if Alos (first glimmers of light before sunrise) did not yet occur they still have to read Shema.

 

Rabban Gamliel explains that his position is not as novel as it sounds.

 

Not just in the case of Shema, but in any case that the ruling was given “until Midnight/ Chatzos” really you are able to do the mitzvah until this Alos time (a little before sunrise).

 

But they wanted to give a preventative measure to make sure that people wouldn’t delay too much. Because sometimes a person delays, he ends up going to sleep, and then it is out of his control. They wanted to make sure that he would do the mitzvah properly so they told him until chatzos but really, really the mitzvah can still be done until Alos.

 

The Mishnah gives examples. The Karbanos in the Beis Hamikdash had to be burned. The recommendation may be to burn them early, but really you’re entitled until Alos to burn them. Any meat from a Korban (sacrifice), that you’re entitled to eat, we can make a recommendation until Chatzos (midnight), but really you’re entitled until Alos.

 

Why did they say until Chatzos?

To make a person distant from an Aveira (wrongdoing).

 

We find this concept as well regarding the Afikoman of Pesach seder night. The Afikoman corresponds to the Korban Pesach, which should preferably be eaten before Chatzos (midnight), so likewise the Afikoman should preferably be eaten before midnight. But if it wasn’t, it can still be eaten until Alos.

 

The Gemara goes on to explain this interesting analogy between the time that a person can start reciting the evening Shema, and the time that the kohanim enter to eat their Terumah.

 

“From the time that the Kohanim go in to eat the Terumah.”

Let’s analyze this: When do the Kohanim go in to eat Terumah? From nightfall.

So why did the Mishna talk in code? Why didn’t the Mishna simply say “nightfall”?

 

The Talmud answers:

We are being told another piece of information. When can the Kohanim eat Terumah? From nightfall.

This teaches us that the Korban (sacrifice, which sometimes has to be brought after an emission that made him ritually impure), does not withhold him from eating Terumah.

 

Rather, he can eat Terumah right away, and he will owe the Korban. But owing the Korban will not stop him from eating Terumah.

 

On a philosophical note, it is very interesting that in the opening concept of Talmud when we are talking about accepting Shema – Accepting G-d’s monarchy upon ourselves- We have to be informed in such a backhanded way of another piece of information. Namely that the Kohein may still owe a Karbon (sacrifice/ atonement) but that should not stop him from eating the holy tithe.

 

I believe that this is an insight of inspiration to all of us. As we jump into the sea of Talmud there may be a lot of things that we owe so to speak… unfinished business… but that doesn’t stop a person from doing good. It should not stop a person from forging ahead. That which has to be cleaned up, should be cleaned up. But that doesn’t stop a person from eating from the holy tithe. And it doesn’t stop a person from starting, and hopefully finishing, the entire Talmud.

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Points you won’t want to miss:

Rashi observes that in his time they would daven Maariv before nightfall. Therefore Rashi wonders what the function of the Maariv Shema is, and when do people truly fulfill there obligation? Rashi answers that the Shema during Maariv is not for the Mitzva, but is rather part of the structure of the service. The Mitzva is fulfilled when a person recites the bedtime Shema. Rashi writes, “And it is fulfilled with reciting the first paragraph of Shema.” In practical observance we recite all 3 paragraphs of Shema when looking to observe the Mitzva, based on a variety of considerations.

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I have always been struck by the imagery of the passage on 2b which describes the work of rebuilding the Beis Hamikdash in the time of Ezra and Nechemia. They worked the entire day, half the people working at building, and half the people holding spears, standing guard to protect them.

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