Rab Iwya was ill and did not attend Rab Joseph's discourse[2]. The next day when he arrived, Abbai wished to set Rab Joseph's mind at rest[3] ; so he said to him, "For what reason did not the master attend the discourse?" He replied, "My heart was faint and I could not." He asked him, "Why didst thou not eat something and come?" He answered, "Does not the master agree with the opinion of Rab Huna who said : It is forbidden a man to eat anything before praying the additional Tefillah?" He replied, "Then the master should have said the additional Tefillah by himself and eaten something and attended." He said to him, "Does not the master agree with the opinion of R. Johanan who declared : A man is forbidden to anticipate the congregational Tefillah by praying alone?" He replied, "But has it not been reported in this connection : R. Abba[4] said : This teaching applies only when he is with the Congregation[5]?" The Halakah is in accord neither with Rab Huna nor R. Joshua b. Levi. [It is not] in accord with Rab Huna, as is here mentioned. [Nor is it] in accord with R. Joshua b. Levi who said : When the time of the afternoon Tefillah has arrived, it is forbidden to eat anything before praying the afternoon Tefillah. MISHNAH R. Nehunya h. Hakkanah, on entering and leaving the House of Study, used to offer a short prayer. They said to him : What is the nature of this prayer ? He replied : On entering I pray that no offence should occur through me; and when I leave I offer thanks-giving for my portion [1]. GEMARA Our Rabbis have taught : What used he to say on entering ? "May it be Thy will, O Lord my God, that no offence occur through me ; that I stumble not in the matter of Halakah ; that my colleagues have occasion to rejoice in me ; that I pronounce not anything clean that is unclean, or unclean that is clean; that my colleagues stumble not through me in the matter of Halakah ; and that I may have occasion to rejoice in them." What used he to say on leaving? "I give thanks before Thee, O Lord my God, that Thou hast set my portion with those who sit in the House of Study and not with those who sit at street-corners[2]; for I and they rise early — I to words of Torah, but they to vain matters ; I and they labour, but I labour and receive a reward whereas they labour and receive no reward ; I and they hasten — I to the life of the world to come, but they to the pit of destruction." Our Rabbis have taught : When R. Eliezer was ill, his disciples went in to visit him. They said to him, "Master, teach us the ways of life whereby we may be worthy of the life of the world to come." He said to them, "Be careful of the honour of your colleagues ; restrain your children from recitation[3], and seat them between the knees of the disciples of the wise ; and when you pray, know before Whom ye stand ; and on that account will you be worthy of the life of the world to come." When Rabban Johanan b. Zakkai was ill, his disciples went in to visit him. On beholding them, he began to weep. His disciples said to him, "O lamp of Israel, right-hand pillar[1], mighty hammer! Wherefore dost thou weep ?" He replied to them, "If I was being led into the presence of a human king who to-day is here and tomorrow in the grave, who if he were wrathful against me his anger would not be eternal, who if he imprisoned me the imprisonment would not be everlasting, who if he condemned me to death the death would not be for ever, and whom I can appease with words and bribe with money — even then I would weep ; but now, when I am being led into the presence of the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, Who lives and endures for all eternity, Who if He be wrathful against me His anger is eternal. Who if He imprisoned me the imprisonment would be everlasting. Who if He condemned me to death the death would be for ever, and Whom I cannot appease with words nor bribe with money — nay more, when before me lie two ways, one of the Garden of Eden and the other of Gehinnom, and I know not in which I am to be led — shall I not weep ?" They said to him, "Our master, bless us !" He said to them, "May it be His will that the fear of Heaven be upon you [as great] as the fear of flesh and blood," His disciples exclaimed, "Only as great !" He replied, "Would that it be [as great] ; for know ye, when a man intends to commit a transgression, he says, 'I hope nobody will see me'[2]." At the time of his departure [from the world] he said to them, "Remove all the utensils because of the defilement[3] and prepare a seat for Hezekiah, king of Judah, who is coming[4]." MISHNAH Rabban Gamaliel says: Every day one should pray the eighteen [benedictions][5]. R. Joshua says : The abstract of the eighteen [benedictions][6]. R. 'Akiba says: If his prayer is fluent in his mouth, he should pray the eighteen ; but if not, an abstract of the eighteen. R. Eliezer says : If one makes his prayer a fixed task, his prayer is not a supplication. R. Joshua says : If one is journeying in a place of danger, he should offer a short prayer, saying : "Save, O Lord, Thy people, the remnant of Israel ; in all times of crisis may their needs be before Thee. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, Who hearkenest to prayer." If he is riding upon an ass, he should alight and say the Tefillah ; but if he is unable to alight, he should turn his face [in the direction of Jerusalem] If he is unable to turn his face, he should direct his heart towards the Holy of Holies. If he is journeying in a ship or on a raft, he should direct his heart towards the Holy of Holies. GEMARA To what do these eighteen benedictions correspond ? R. Hillel, the son of R. Samuel b. Nahmani, said : They correspond to the eighteen times the Divine Name [JHWH] is mentioned by David in the Psalm "Ascribe unto the Lord, O ye sons of might" (Ps.xxix). Rab Joseph said : They correspond to the eighteen times the Divine Name[1] is mentioned in the Shema'. R. Tanhum said in the name of R. Joshua b. Levi : They correspond to the eighteen vertebrae in the spinal column. R. Tanhum also said in the name of R. Joshua b. Levi : When one says the Tefillah, he must bow[2] until all the vertebrae in the spine are loosened. 'Ulla said : [He must bow] until he sees a ring [of flesh formed] opposite his heart. R. Hannina said : If he lowered his head, more than that is unnecessary. Raba said : That is so, if it gives him pain [to bow low] and he appears like one making obeisance. As to those eighteen benedictions — there are nineteen ! R. Levi said : The benediction relating to the Minim[3] was subsequently instituted at Jabneh[4]. Corresponding to what was it instituted? R. Levi said : According to R. Hillel, the son of R. Samuel b. Nahmani[1], it corresponds to "The God [el] of glory thundereth" (Ps. xxix. 3) ; according to Rab Joseph, it corresponds to "One" in the Shema' ; according to R. Tanhum in the name of R. Joshua b. Levi, it corresponds to the small vertebra in the spinal column. Our Rabbis have taught : Simeon the Cotton-dealer[3] arranged the eighteen benedictions in order in the presence of Rabban Gamaliel at Jabneh. Rabban Gamaliel asked the Sages, "Is there anyone who knows how to word the benediction relating to the Minim?" Samuel the Small stood up and worded it. In the following year he had forgotten it[4],
