תַּנְיָא, אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא: בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה דְבָרִים אוֹהֵב אֲנִי אֶת הַמָּדִיִּים, כְּשֶׁחוֹתְכִין אֶת הַבָּשָׂר — אֵין חוֹתְכִין אֶלָּא עַל גַּבֵּי הַשּׁוּלְחָן, כְּשֶׁנּוֹשְׁקִין — אֵין נוֹשְׁקִין אֶלָּא עַל גַּב הַיָּד, וּכְשֶׁיּוֹעֲצִין — אֵין יוֹעֲצִין אֶלָּא בַּשָּׂדֶה.
Along the lines of Rava’s advice to refrain from cutting meat on one’s hands: Rabbi Akiva said: In three aspects of their conduct, I like the Medes. When they cut meat, they cut it only on the table and not on their hands; when they kiss, either as a show of affection or honor, they kiss only the back of the hand; and when they hold counsel, they only hold counsel in the field.
אָמַר רַב אַדָּא בַּר אַהֲבָה: מַאי קְרָאָה ״וַיִּשְׁלַח יַעֲקֹב וַיִּקְרָא לְרָחֵל וּלְלֵאָה הַשָּׂדֶה אֶל צֹאנוֹ״.
Rav Adda bar Ahava said: From what verse is this derived? From the verse, “And Jacob sent and he called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock” (Genesis 31:4); it was only there in the field that he held counsel with them.
תַּנְיָא אָמַר רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל: בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה דְבָרִים אוֹהֵב אֲנִי אֶת הַפַּרְסִיִּים: הֵן צְנוּעִין בַּאֲכִילָתָן, וּצְנוּעִין בְּבֵית הַכִּסֵּא, וּצְנוּעִין בְּדָבָר אַחֵר.
It was taught in a baraita, Rabban Gamliel said: In three aspects of their conduct, I like the Persians: they are modest in their eating, they are modest in the lavatory, and they are modest in another matter, i.e., sexual relations.
״אֲנִי צִוֵּיתִי לִמְקֻדָּשָׁי״, תָּנֵי רַב יוֹסֵף: אֵלּוּ הַפַּרְסִיִּים הַמְקוּדָּשִׁין וּמְזוּמָּנִין לְגֵיהִנָּם.
The Gemara offers another perspective on the Persians based on a verse describing the destruction of Babylonia at the hands of the Persian and Medean armies: “I have commanded My consecrated ones; I have also called My mighty ones for My anger, even My proudly exulting ones” (Isaiah 13:3). Rav Yosef taught a baraita: These are the Persians who are consecrated and designated for Gehenna, for they have been sent by God to carry out his mission of anger, and they will be sent to Gehenna.
רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר וְכוּ׳: אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה, אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: הֲלָכָה כְּרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל.
The Gemara returns to explain the mishna, in which we learned that Rabban Gamliel says: One may recite Shema until dawn. Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: The halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabban Gamliel.
תַּנְיָא: רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי אוֹמֵר פְּעָמִים שֶׁאָדָם קוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים בַּלַּיְלָה, אַחַת קוֹדֶם שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר וְאַחַת לְאַחַר שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר, וְיוֹצֵא בָּהֶן יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ אַחַת שֶׁל יוֹם וְאַחַת שֶׁל לַיְלָה.
It was taught in a baraita: Based on Rabban Gamliel’s ruling, Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: At times, one recites Shema twice at night, once just before dawn and once just after dawn, and he thereby fulfills his obligation to recite Shema, one of the day and one of the night. According to Rabban Gamliel, the Shema that he recited before dawn fulfills his evening obligation and the Shema that he recited after dawn fulfills his morning obligation.
הָא גוּפָא קַשְׁיָא, אָמְרַתְּ: פְּעָמִים שֶׁאָדָם קוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים בַּלַּיְלָה, אַלְמָא לְאַחַר שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר לֵילְיָא הוּא, וַהֲדַר תָּנֵי: יוֹצֵא בָּהֶן יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ אַחַת שֶׁל יוֹם וְאַחַת שֶׁל לַיְלָה, אַלְמָא יְמָמָא הוּא!
This Tosefta is self-contradictory. Initially, you said: At times one recites Shema twice at night. Apparently, the time just after dawn is still night. And then you taught: He thereby fulfills his obligation to recite Shema one of the day and one of the night. Apparently, the time in question is considered day, as otherwise, he would not have fulfilled his obligation to recite Shema during the day. There is an internal contradiction with regard to the status of the time just after dawn. Is it considered day or night?
לָא — לְעוֹלָם לֵילְיָא הוּא. וְהָא דְּקָרֵי לֵיהּ ״יוֹם״ — דְּאִיכָּא אִינָשֵׁי דְּקָיְימִי בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא.
The Gemara answers: No, there is no contradiction. Actually, the time just after dawn, when it is still dark, is considered night and the fact that it is referred to here as day is because there are people who rise from their sleep at that time and, if the need arises, it can be characterized as bekumekha, when you rise, despite the fact that it is still night.
אָמַר רַב אַחָא בַּר חֲנִינָא, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי.
Rav Aḥa bar Ḥanina said that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: The halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai.
אִיכָּא דְּמַתְנֵי לְהָא דְּרַב אַחָא בַּר חֲנִינָא אַהָא. דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי אוֹמֵר מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא: פְּעָמִים שֶׁאָדָם קוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים בַּיּוֹם, אַחַת קוֹדֶם הָנֵץ הַחַמָּה, וְאַחַת לְאַחַר הַנֵּץ הַחַמָּה, וְיוֹצֵא בָּהֶן יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ, אַחַת שֶׁל יוֹם וְאַחַת שֶׁל לַיְלָה.
Some teach this statement of Rav Aḥa bar Ḥanina, in which he ruled that the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, with regard to this halakha, which is stylistically similar to the previous halakha. As it was taught in a baraita that Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said in the name of Rabbi Akiva: At times, one recites Shema twice during the day, once just before sunrise and once just after sunrise, and he thereby fulfills his dual obligation to recite Shema: One, that he recites after sunrise, Shema of the day, and one, that he recites before sunrise, Shema of the night.
הָא גוּפָא קַשְׁיָא. אָמְרַתְּ פְּעָמִים שֶׁאָדָם קוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים בַּיּוֹם, אַלְמָא קוֹדֶם הָנֵץ הַחַמָּה יְמָמָא הוּא, וַהֲדַר תָּנֵי יוֹצֵא בָּהֶן יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ אַחַת שֶׁל יוֹם וְאַחַת שֶׁל לַיְלָה, אַלְמָא לֵילְיָא הוּא!
This baraita is self-contradictory. Initially, you said: “At times one recites Shema twice during the day.” Apparently, the time just before sunrise is considered day. And then you taught: “He thereby fulfills his dual obligation to recite Shema, one of the day and one of the night.” Apparently, the time in question is considered night, as otherwise, he could not thereby fulfill his obligation to recite Shema during the night.
לָא, לְעוֹלָם יְמָמָא הוּא, וְהַאי דְּקָרוּ לֵיהּ ״לֵילְיָא״ — דְּאִיכָּא אִינָשֵׁי דְּגָנוּ בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא.
The Gemara answers: No, there is no contradiction. Actually, the time just before sunrise is considered day and the fact that it is referred to here as night is because there are people who are still asleep at that time and, if the need arises, it can be characterized as beshokhbekha [when you lie down] despite the fact that it is already day.
אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן שֶׁאָמַר מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא. אָמַר רַבִּי זֵירָא: וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר ״הַשְׁכִּיבֵנוּ״.
Rabbi Aḥa, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: The halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Shimon who said it in the name of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Zeira said: As long as he will not recite: Help us lie down [hashkivenu] as well, after reciting the evening Shema before sunrise, as the blessing: Help us lie down, is a prayer that we sleep in peace, which is inappropriate in the morning.
כִּי אֲתָא רַב יִצְחָק בַּר יוֹסֵף, אֲמַר: הָא דְּרַבִּי אַחָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, לָאו בְּפֵירוּשׁ אִיתְּמַר, אֶלָּא מִכְּלָלָא אִיתְּמַר.
That is how the halakha was taught in the study hall. However, when Rav Yitzḥak bar Yosef came to Babylonia from Eretz Yisrael, where Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi lived, he said that this ruling that Rabbi Aḥa, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, was not said explicitly by Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi. Rather, it was stated that he held that the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Shimon who said it in the name of Rabbi Akiva based on inference.
דְּהָהוּא זוּגָא דְּרַבָּנַן דְּאִשְׁתַּכּוּר בְּהִלּוּלָא דִּבְרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי. אֲתוֹ לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, אֲמַר: כְּדַאי הוּא רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לִסְמוֹךְ עָלָיו בִּשְׁעַת הַדְּחָק.
The incident was as follows: This pair of Sages got drunk at the wedding of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi’s son and fell asleep before reciting the evening Shema. By the time they awoke, dawn had already passed. They came before Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi and asked him if they could still recite the evening Shema. He said to them: Rabbi Shimon is worthy to rely upon in exigent circumstances. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi did not rule in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Shimon, and, in a case where there are no exigent circumstances, one may not rely on this ruling.