Berakhot (Talmud)

Berachot (Hebrew: בְּרָכֹות Brakhoth in Talmudic/Classical Hebrew, "Blessings"; also Berachos) is the first tractate (Hebrew: masekhet) of Seder Zeraim ("Order of Seeds"), a collection of the Mishnah that primarily deals with laws relating to plants and farming, hence the name. The tractate Berakhot is the only tractate in Zeraim to have a Gemara (rabbinical commentaries and analysis) from both the Jerusalem Talmud and the Babylonian Talmud. It primarily addresses the rules regarding the Shema (a section of the Torah recited as part of prayer), the Amidah (Silent "standing" prayer), Birkat Hamazon (Grace after Meals), Kiddush (Sanctification ceremony of Shabbat and holidays), Havdalah (ceremony that ends Shabbat and holidays) and other blessings and prayers.

The first three chapters of the tractate (Perek I-III) address the subject of the recitation of Shema, a biblical command that constitutes the acceptance of the yoke of Heaven, to be performed twice per day. Topics discussed include when to say it, how to say it and possible exemptions from the fulfillment of this mitzvah ("commandment").

Chapter 1

Mishnah א - In the case of the evening Shema, recital begins when the Kohanim enter to eat their terumah (תרומה), which is at nightfall. R'Eliezer says it can be recited until the end of the first watch. He takes "when you lie down" (ובשכבך) to mean the Shema is recited at the time that people lie down to go to sleep, and anyone who will be going to sleep for the night has done so by the end of the first watch. The sages say it can be recited until midnight. And Rabban Gamliel says until the light of dawn. Rabban Gamliel says that whatever mitzvahs the sages said can be performed only until midnight can actually be performed until the light of dawn. The sages said until midnight to distance a person from procrastination and thus transgression. ()

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