ברכות ט:
מתני' מאימתי קורין את שמע בשחרית משיכיר בין תכלת ללבן ר'אליעזר אומר בין תכלת לכרתי וגומרה עד הנץ החמה ר' יהושע אומר עד שלש שעות שכן דרך מלכים לעמוד בשלש שעות הקורא מכאן ואילך לא הפסיד כאדם הקורא בתורה:
גמ' מאי בין תכלת ללבן אילימא בין גבבא דעמרא חיורא לגבבא דעמרא דתכלתא הא בליליא נמי מידע ידעי אלא בין תכלת שבה ללבן שבה.
תניא רבי מאיר אומר משיכיר בין זאב לכלב ר"ע אומר בין חמור לערוד ואחרים אומרים משיראה את חברו רחוק ד' אמות ויכירנו
אמר רב הונא הלכה כאחרים אמר אביי לתפילין כאחרים לק"ש כותיקין דאמר ר' יוחנן ותיקין היו גומרין אותה עם הנץ החמה
תניא נמי הכי ותיקין היו גומרין אותה עם הנץ החמה כדי שיסמוך גאולה לתפלה ונמצא מתפלל ביום
א"ר זירא מאי קראה (תהלים עב, ה) ייראוך עם שמש ולפני ירח דור דורים
Brachot 9b
From when does one recite Shema in the morning? From [when a person] can distinguish between sky-blue and white. R. Eliezer says: between sky-blue and leek green. And, finish until sunrise. R. Yehoshua says: until three hours, as that is the habit of kings to rise at three hours [of the day.] One who recites Shema from that time onward looses nothing, he is like one who reads the Torah.
Gemara: To what is "between sky-blue and white" referring? If you say it means distinguishing between pile of white wool and a pile of sky-blue wool, wouldn't one know the difference at night as well? Rather one must be able to distinguish between the blue in it and white in it. (Numbers 15:38*)
It was taught (in a bariata): R. Meir says: the day begins when you can tell the difference between a wolf and a dog. R. Akiva says: between a donkey and a wild donkey. And Acherim say: from when one sees his friend 4 amot away and can recognize him.
Rav Huna said: the law is with Acherim. Abaye said: the tefillin, with the Acherim. The recitation of Shema, in accordance with the vatikin. As R. Yochanan said: the vatikin were finishing with the sunrise.
It was also taught in a baraita that the vatikin were finishing at sunrise, so as to juxtapose Geulah (redemption) with prayer, and pray during the day.
R. Zeira said: what verse (is the source for this tradition?): “They shall fear You with the sun, and before the moon for all generations.” (Psalms 72:5)
(לח) דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם וְעָשׂוּ לָהֶם צִיצִת עַל כַּנְפֵי בִגְדֵיהֶם לְדֹרֹתָם וְנָתְנוּ עַל צִיצִת הַכָּנָף פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת.
(38) ’Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them throughout their generations fringes in the corners of their garments, and that they put with the fringe of each corner a thread of blue.
(ה) יִירָאוּךָ עִם שָׁמֶשׁ וְלִפְנֵי יָרֵחַ דּוֹר דּוֹרִים.
(5) They shall fear Thee while the sun endureth, And so long as the moon, throughout all generations.
- תכלת
- לבן
- כרתי
- הנץ החמה
- דרך מלכים
- מאי
- ותיקן
- Sky-blue
- White
- Leek green color
- Lit: Sparkling forth of the rising sun. Moment when the sun rises on the horizon.
- Way of kings
- What is it referring to?
- Pious men who woke early, scrupulous mitzvot observers
Tchelet תכלת
Steinsaltz Dictionary of Talmudic Terms
Sky blue dye. Special dye produced from a species of snail. In Talmudic times, the dye was rare, and the means of preparing it were eventually forgotten. In recent generations efforts have been made to identify the snail and resume use of the dye because in the Torah, Numbers 15:38, there is a positive commandment to use wool dyed this color for two purposes. In ritual fringes (tzitzit) one of the eight threads is dyed this special shade of blue. (However, the commandment to wear frignes does not depend on one of the threads being dyed, and today are made without the dyed thread.) The second reason is the priests vestments, their girdle, cloak, ephod, and breastplate consist of tchelet.