BSD

Brochos 7b (4) -8a

Adar 7, 5786. 02/24/2026

Notes on the Shiur

1- To wrap up the topic of last week concerning the זהר and קבלה  being part of our מסורה even in הלכה (as opposed to those who doubt it),

we mentioned the הגהה of the צמח צדק in last week’s תורה אור.

תרומה פג, ג

  ועיין כה“ג בפרדס שער החמישי פ“ג בשם הבית יוסף ומלכות נפיק כו‘ ומשום הכי קאמר אברהם כו‘

This is the רמ”ק in his פרדס רימונים quoting the בית יוסף on a pure קבלה topic.

We mentioned that the Rebbe’s Library has the original כתב יד of the רמ”ק’s Sefer אור יקר on the זהר – and is occasionally on display.

See here.

See a previous Shiur in Sukkah where the בית יוסף brings a phenomenal mystical story of the מקובל Reb Menachem Ricanti.

2- The גמרא moves on to the topic of Davening in a בית כנסת in general and  with a מנין in particular.

Now Davening with a מנין is a big topic that will be discussed in the next few Shiurim IYH.

Being that this coming Shabbos is פרשת זכור, we spoke about the story we will encounter on Daf מז, ב. concerning a Minyan.

Reb Eliezer, looking for a ‘tenth’ for a מנין, had no other choice but to free  his slave!

The גמרא takes issue with this since generally, one should not free slaves and concludes that since it was done for the purpose of  מצוה של רבים – i.e. a מנין, it was permitted.

The רא״ש writes that although קדיש and ברכו is only דרבנן, the gathering of ten people is a קידוש השם and that is a מצוות עשה of ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל.

Although one may argue that the story of Reb Eliezer attempt to get a מנין was on שבת זכור! when the קריאת התורה  in מדאורייתא, that is not the simple פשט of the story.

There is much more to this to be discussed BL”N in the future.

3 – We discussed the תשובה from Reb Akiva Eiger (13) who was asked by inhabitants of a city that had a river cutting across it. The only מנין was on one side of the river and they were searching for a היתר to cross this river by raft on Shabbos.

Generally, boarding and traveling on any type of boat is prohibited on Shabbos. The גזירה is that one may build a water craft on Shabbos. This איסור is also if one want to cross לדבר מצוה.

Reb Akiva Eiger tries to find a היתר based on the great importance of (not just joining a מנין) creating a מנין; meaning when one is the 10th. (He quotes the רא”ש above).  However, ultimately he rules against crossing the river on Shabbos.

4 – Our גמרא continues with the famous גמרא (for Chabadniks..)

פָּדָה בְשָׁלוֹם נַפְשִׁי מִקְּרׇב לִי״ וְגוֹ׳. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: כָּל הָעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה וּבִגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים וּמִתְפַּלֵּל עִם הַצִּבּוּר, מַעֲלֶה אֲנִי עָלָיו כְּאִילּוּ פְּדָאַנִי, לִי וּלְבָנַי, מִבֵּין אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם.

Iggeres HaKodesh 26.

 אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: Anyone who engages in Torah study, and in acts of kindness, and prays with the ציבור , I ascribe to him credit as if he redeemed Me and My children from among the nations of the world.

We mentioned the very interesting שיחה of the Rebbe on this גמרא on  י”ט כסליו תשכ”ג.

5 – Reb Yochanon was wondering as to what merit the people in בבל had to reach an old age. After all the ברכה for אריכות ימים seems to be only when living in ארץ ישראל!

When he was told that the people in בבל go early to Shul and stay late (after מעריב) he understood that this was their זכות  to live long.

We mentioned that it still is a problem since the פסוק explicitly says that old age is something unique to those living in ארץ ישראל.

Spoke about the story with the Chosid who wanted to make aliya and the Rebbe the צמח צדק told him מאך דא ארץ ישראל. ‘Make Israel here’.

The source in נגלה for this idea as the Rebbe mentioned from the מאירי.

לקו”ש חי 404 (and see here  אגרות קודש א, תפה (ריי”צ))

Additionally, the מגן אברהם writes that the prophecy that all Shuls and בתי מדרשים will be transported to ארץ ישראל when משיח arrives applies to the land under these בתי כנסיות ובתי מדרשים. OC 160, 9.

So perhaps, as others point out, (see below) the elders of בבל spent their time in the Shuls of בבל, which in a sense is ארץ ישראל. Truly על האדמה.

6 – The entering into a Shul thru 2 doors.

Literally or the time it takes to walk the width of two doors. Standing right at the door shows that the person can’t wait to escape.

See here for the many explanations of these ‘two doors’. OC 90, 19.

The very interesting explanation of the ירושלמי as quoted by the ב״ח.

7 – The topic of מצא or מוצא we will write up next time BL”N.

Happy Purim to all.

 

 

 

 

BSD

Brochos 7b (3)

Shvat 30, 5786. 02/17/2026

Some short notes.

1 – Our גמרא touches on the topic of names.

מְנָא לַן דִּשְׁמָא גָּרֵים? אֲמַר רִבִּי אֶלִיעֶזֶר: דַּאֲמַר קְרָא: ״לְכוּ חֲזוּ מִפְעֲלוֹת ה׳ אֲשֶׁר שָׂם שַׁמּוֹת בָּאָרֶץ״ (תהלים מ״ו:ט׳). אַל תִּקְרֵי ״שַׁמּוֹת״, אֶלָּא שֵׁמוֹת.

Regarding the basic assumption that these interpretations of names are allusions to one’s future, the Gemara asks: From where do we derive that the name affects one’s life? Rabbi Eliezer said that the verse says: “Go, see the works of the Lord, who has made desolations [shamot] upon the earth” (Psalms 46:9). Do not read the word as shamot, rather as שמות, names. The names given to people are, therefore, “the works of the השם upon the earth.”

 Reading into a person’s name

Mentioned the story of Reb Meir who suspected an individual just by his name and was proven right. Yuma 83.

רַבִּי מֵאִיר וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי הֲווֹ קָא אָזְלִי בְּאוֹרְחָא רַבִּי מֵאִיר הֲוָה דָּיֵיק בִּשְׁמָא רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי לָא הֲווֹ דייקו בִּשְׁמָא כִּי מְטוֹ לְהָהוּא דּוּכְתָּא בְּעוֹ אוּשְׁפִּיזָא יְהַבוּ לְהוּ אֲמַרוּ לו מָה שְׁמָךְ אֲמַר לְהוּ כִּידוֹר אֲמַר שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ אָדָם רָשָׁע הוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר {דברים ל״ב:כ׳} כִּי דוֹר תַּהְפּוּכוֹת הֵמָּה רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי אַשְׁלִימוּ לֵיהּ כִּיסַיְיהוּ רַבִּי מֵאִיר לָא אַשְׁלֵים לֵיהּ כִּיסֵיהּ אֲזַל אוֹתְבֵיהּ בֵּי קִיבְרֵיהּ דַּאֲבוּהּ.

Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yosei were walking on the road together. Rabbi Meir would analyze names and discern one’s nature from his name, while Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yosei were not apt to analyze names.

When they came to a certain place, they looked for lodging and were given it. They said to the innkeeper: What is your name? He said to them: My name is Kidor. Rabbi Meir said to himself: Perhaps one can learn from this that he is a wicked person, as it is stated: “For they are a generation [ki dor] of upheavals” (Deuteronomy 32:20). Since it was Friday afternoon, Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yosei entrusted their purses to him.

Rabbi Meir did not entrust his purse to him but went and placed it at the grave of the innkeeper’s father.

 אִתְחֲזִי לֵיהּ בְּחֶלְמֵיהּ תָּא שְׁקֵיל כִּיסָא דְּמַנַּח אַרֵישָׁא דְּהָהוּא גַּבְרָא לִמְחַר אֲמַר לְהוּ הָכִי אִתְחֲזִי לִי בְּחֶלְמַאי אָמְרִי לֵיהּ חֶלְמָא דְּבֵי שִׁמְשֵׁי לֵית בְּהוּ מַמָּשָׁא אֲזַל רַבִּי מֵאִיר וְנַטְרֵיהּ כּוּלֵּי יוֹמָא וְאַיְּיתְיֵהּ.

The innkeeper’s father appeared to the innkeeper in a dream and said to him: Go take the purse placed at the head of that man, i.e., the innkeeper’s father. The following day, he said to the Sages: This is what appeared to me in my dream. They said to him: Dreams during twilight on Shabbat evening have no substance and should not be trusted. Even so, Rabbi Meir went and guarded his money all that day and then took it.

לִמְחַר אֲמַרוּ לו הַב לַן כִּיסַן אֲמַר לְהוּ לֹא הָיוּ דְבָרִים מֵעוֹלָם אֲמַר לְהוּ רַבִּי מֵאִיר אַמַּאי לָא דָּיְיקִיתוּ בִּשְׁמָא אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ אַמַּאי לָא אֲמַרְתְּ לַן מָר אֲמַר לְהוּ אֵימַר דַּאֲמַרִי אֲנָא חֲשָׁשָׁא, אַחְזוֹקֵי מִי אֲמַרִי.

The next day, the rabbis said to the innkeeper: Give us our purses. He said to them: These matters never occurred; you never gave me any purses.

Rabbi Meir said to them: Why didn’t you analyze his name to learn that he is a wicked man? They said to him: Why didn’t the Master tell us? He said to them: I said one should be suspicious, but have I said a person should be established as wicked? Could I say to you with certainty that he is wicked based on his name alone?

 See there for the conclusion of the story.

 2 – The name of a person or object is its ‘life’

Discussed the Alter Rebbe’s words in Tanya.

וְכֵן בְּכָל הַנִּבְרָאִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, And so it is with all created things in the world. The Holy Tongue, the Hebrew of the Torah, was the language used in creation. Thus, all created things are directly affected by their Hebrew names as well as by the component letters of their names. In this, the Holy Tongue is unlike other, arbitrary languages, the meaning of whose words is the result of mere consensus.

הַשֵּׁמוֹת שֶׁנִּקְרָאִים בָּהֶם בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ – הֵן הֵן אוֹתִיּוֹת הַדִּבּוּר, הַמִּשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוֹת מִמַּדְרֵגָה לְמַדְרֵגָה מֵעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה,

The names [of all creatures] in the Holy Tongue are the very letters of speech which descend, degree by degree, from the ten utterances recorded in the Torah,

3 –

דוד המלך‘s praising ‘ה while on the run

The גמרא moves on to the פרק תהלים that דוד המלך composed while running away from אבשלום, his rebellious son.

מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד בְּבׇרְחוֹ מִפְּנֵי אַבְשָׁלוֹם בְּנוֹ. תהלים פרק ג.

Despite being hunted by his son, דוד המלך  begins with the words, מזמור לדוד! A praise to השם.

The גמרא explains this seeming paradox with a משל of someone in debt that has anxiety about sourcing the funds to pay off the debt.

Once he is successful in paying it, he feels a sense of relief.

Now דוד המלך was expecting something bad to happen to him, as he was told by the נתן הנביא.

כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה הִנְנִי֩ מֵקִ֨ים עָלֶ֤יךָ רָעָה֙ מִבֵּיתֶ֔ךָ וְלָקַחְתִּ֤י אֶת־נָשֶׁ֙יךָ֙ לְעֵינֶ֔יךָ וְנָתַתִּ֖י לְרֵעֶ֑יךָ וְשָׁכַב֙ עִם־נָשֶׁ֔יךָ לְעֵינֵ֖י הַשֶּׁ֥מֶשׁ הַזֹּֽאת׃

His anxiety was that the rebellion will be led by one of his slaves, or perhaps even worse, by a ממזר who would have no רחמנות on him.

4 – We discussed the זהר, (Reb Akiva Eiger refers to it)  that suggests a different answer to the above.

In short- דוד המלך  was concerned that this prophecy would not materialize during his life time and the retribution would come to דוד in the עולם האמת.

He began to sing when he realized that his suffering is happening now, in עולם הזה, purifying him to arrive with a ‘clean slate’ in the world to come.

5 –

The success of humans that are less than perfect

The next section in the גמרא is truly tough to comprehend. It is, in a sense, a continuation of the topic of the previous עמוד, where the suffering of the righteous is discussed.

Here the גמרא deals with something even more perplexing – the success of evil people not only in their own personal lives, but more so, in their interaction against others. Others that are ‘better people’.

The גמרא says that if one sees a  רשע that is currently successful – stay away from him because it seems that (for whatever reason, at this moment) his מזל is ‘shinning’ and he will be victorious even in a בית דין or, more so, even בידי שמים!

Wow! This is not easy to understand.

6 – We mentioned some examples of this idea such as (תענית כט) not going to court when your opponent is a גוי during חודש of מנחם אב. It is a time when his מזל shines and may cause the יהודי to lose.

Discussed the כהן גדול praying that the suspected murderer should be acquitted. מכות יא ב.

Now how can prayer sway a בית דין? Don’t they rule with pure logic?

It seems that תפילה has the ability to bring out one’s מזל even if this individual is someone that is guilty and unworthy.

As above, this is not an easy topic to understand.

7 – The doubts of a גדול

 In relation to the זהר mentioned above we told a story with Reb Yoel Kahan ע”ה.

In 2004 a certain well known גדול passed away and the media was filled with his praise. This individual was truly a great תלמיד חכם and was also known to ‘think out of the box’. His interests were, in addition to תורה, philosophy, classical music etc. Occasionally, despite living a simple and austere life, ‘he enjoyed a glass of fine wine’ etc.

I showed Reb Yoel a collection of articles and comments about this man.

In short, after reading the articles about him, this is what he told me:

The fact that he liked classical music, fine wine, nu nu. One can live with that. Not all גדולים are alike.

 But when I came across that this גדול expressed once in while that ‘I am unsure about the validity of the זהר and קבלה’, that is something very disturbing.

 Reb Yoel continued: Surely, when קבלה was revealed to the masses (after being cloaked in secrecy for thousands of years), if one would doubt its truth ח”ו, the skepticisms may have been somewhat justified.

However, now, after hundreds of years of קבלה being part of our מסורה, to doubt it, is a very serious matter. How can someone doubt קבלה when the בית יוסף, the רמ”א, מגן אברהם who form the basis of הלכה for every Yid, quote it?!

 Doubting the authenticity of קבלה means that they were all fooled by a forgery.

 Every Yid says בריך שמה at פתיחת הארון. So what is this ‘גדול’ saying? That this passage is not from a valid source?! It’s a poem written not by Rashbi of his חבריה?

Reb Yoel concluded that in his humble opinion this גדול had much deeper doubts! והמבין יבין.

8 –

The Yeminite ‘Dardayim’.

We discussed the famous sect of Yeminite Jews that were opposed to anything associated with קבלה and mysticism. They named themselves ‘The Dor Daim’ from the words דור דעה. See here. כת הדרדעים. Here.

Rabbi Yahya Kapach – Founder

[There is also a group of “Yeke’ German Jews that have similar השקפות, but that is for another Shiur].

ומסיימים בטוב

אך כל ישראל מאמינים בני מאמינים. לקו”א פמ”ב.

————————–

Hebrew notes.

שמות רבי מאיר מדייק בשמא. יומא פג ב.

אבשלום. גהש”ס מהזוהר. ג.נ. כת הדרדעים. קפיח.

 

ב”מ קז, ב.

מזל אפילו בדי”ש. מזלו גובר.

תענית כט – אדר- רש”י ערכאות של נכרים.

מכות יא ב. כ”ג שנתמנה לפני גמר דינו של הורג בשוגג. מאי הוי”ל למעבד? (הלא לא הי’ כ”ג בעת ההריגה) הי’ לו לבקש רחמים שיגמר דינו לזכות ולא ביקש! י״א שהכוונה שהי׳ לו להתפלל שכל חברי הב״ד ידונו לחובו וע״י״ז יפטר.

אור זרוע לר”צ.

 

 

 

 

BSD

Brochos 7b (2)

Shvat 12, 5786. 02/10/2026

Shiur notes in short.

1 – The גמרא discusses the topic of people’s names.

It begins with the naming of יהודה  by his mother לאה.

וַאֲמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי: מִיּוֹם שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת עוֹלָמוֹ, לֹא הָיָה אָדָם שֶׁהוֹדָה לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, עַד שֶׁבָּאֲתָה לֵאָה וְהוֹדַתּוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הַפַּעַם אוֹדֶה אֶת ה׳ ״.

And Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: From the day  הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא created the world, no one thanked the Holy One, Blessed be He, until Leah came and thanked Him, as it is stated: “And she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and she said, ‘This time I will give thanks to God,’ and thus he was called יהודה”.

We mentioned what דרשנים would say on this גמרא. Surely there were others that gave thanks to ’ה prior to לאה. What לאה did was to thank ‘ה in a perpetual way. By naming her son יהודה she created an ‘ongoing thank you’.

2 – Speaking of names, the גמרא continues with the story of לאה naming ראובן.

Although the פסוק itself gives the reason for her naming her first born ראובן, the גמרא adds another reason.

The פסוק:

וַתַּ֤הַר לֵאָה֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ רְאוּבֵ֑ן כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֗ה כִּֽי־רָאָ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ בְּעׇנְיִ֔י כִּ֥י עַתָּ֖ה יֶאֱהָבַ֥נִי אִישִֽׁי׃

Leah conceived and bore a son. She named him Reuven, for she said “Because Hashem has seen my affliction. Surely, now, my husband will love me.”

ראובן  from the word ראה.

The גמרא:

רְאוּבֵן. אֲמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אָמְרָה לֵאָה: רְאוּ מַה בֵּין בְּנִי לְבֶן חָמִי, דְּאִילּוּ בֶּן חָמִי, אַף עַל גַּב דְּמִדַּעְתֵּיהּ זַבְּנֵיהּ לִבְכִירוּתֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיִּמְכֹּר אֶת בְּכֹרָתוֹ לְיַעֲקֹב״ חֲזוּ מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ: ״וַיִּשְׂטֹם עֵשָׂו אֶת יַעֲקֹב״

Reuben. Rabbi Elazar said: Reuben’s name should be considered a prophecy by Leah, as Leah said: See [re’u] the difference between my son [beni] and the son of my father-in-law, (עשיו, son of Isaac). Even though עשיו knowingly sold his birthright to his brother Jacob, as it is written: “And he sold his birthright to Jacob” nonetheless, it is written about him: “And עשיו hated Jacob”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Esau selling his Birthright to Jacob  – Rembrandt

וּכְתִיב: ״וַיֹּאמֶר הֲכִי קָרָא שְׁמוֹ יַעֲקֹב, וַיַּעְקְבֵנִי זֶה פַעֲמַיִם״ וְגוֹ׳

עשיו  was not only angry over Isaac’s blessing, but he was angry about another matter as well, as it is written: “And he said, ‘Is he not rightly named Jacob, for he has supplanted me twice? He took my birthright, and behold, now he has taken my blessing’” Despite having sold his birthright, he refused to relinquish it.

Nevertheless, לאה says,  ראובן held no grudge against יוסף when his בכורה rights were taken from him and given to יוסף  He even saved יוסף’s life when his brothers wanted to do away  him.

וְאִילּוּ בְּנִי, אַף עַל גַּב דְּעַל כָּרְחֵיהּ שַׁקְלֵיהּ יוֹסֵף לִבְכִירוּתֵיהּ מִנֵּיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וּבְחַלְּלוֹ יְצוּעֵי אָבִיו, נִתְּנָה בְּכוֹרָתוֹ לִבְנֵי יוֹסֵף״ , אֲפִילּוּ הָכִי לָא אִקָּנֵא בֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיִּשְׁמַע רְאוּבֵן וַיַּצִּילֵהוּ מִיָּדָם״

וּבְחַלְּלוֹ יְצוּעֵי אָבִיו

While my son, Reuben, even though Joseph took his birthright from him by force, as it is written: “And the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, for he was the firstborn; but, since he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph,

Nevertheless, he was not jealous of him, as it is written when Joseph’s brothers sought to kill him: “And Reuben heard and he saved him from their hands, saying ‘Let us not take his life’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mentioned briefly the topic of when exactly did ראובן lose his בכורה. The גמרא in בבא בתרא, and the מהרש”א there. 123a.

3 – We mentioned the פני יהושע that explains why the reason for ראובן’s name given by the גמרא is not mentioned in the פסוק.

לאה, although knowing via נבואה that רחל will also bear children (יוסף), she kept it to herself,  so that יעקב would have affection towards her…

4- We discussed the מהרש”א who writes that לאה was not a נביאה per se, as she is not enumerated in  14a מסכת מגילה as one of the 7 women נביאות.

שֶׁבַע נְבִיאוֹת מַאן נִינְהוּ? שָׂרָה, מִרְיָם, דְּבוֹרָה, חַנָּה, אֲבִיגַיִל, חוּלְדָּה וְאֶסְתֵּר.

It seems that it is מדרשות חלוקות as we find in many other places where it clearly states that all 4 אמהות were נביאות.

5 – Mentioned the topic of parents naming their children if this is actual נבואה or another form of  רוח הקודש.

The אור החיים הקדוש  in שמות ב, י. seems to imply that this התגלות applies to גויים as well.

ואולי כי האמהות היו בעלי רוח הקודש והיו משיגות בחינת השם וקריאת השם היתה למה שהיו מכוונים בו מה שאין כן קריאת שם משה מגיד הכתוב כי לא השיגה לידע בחינת השם כי שמו נפלאות יגיד. וצא ולמד מה שכתוב בספר הזוהר (ח״ג דע״ו תיקונים תיקון ס״ט) מה ירמוז שם זה. וה׳ השם שמות בארץ שם בפיה שם משה ומה שאמרה היא בטעם השם הוא כי מן המים משיתהו ולא ידעה טעם זולת זה.

Reb Zusha Wilhelm ע”ה wrote an interesting book on the topic of names.

זיו השמות.

6 – The next name is discussed: רות.

רוּת. מַאי רוּת? אֲמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן: שֶׁזָּכְתָה וְיָצָא מִמֶּנָּה דָּוִד, שֶׁרִיוָּהוּ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּשִׁירוֹת וְתִשְׁבָּחוֹת.

What is the meaning of the name רות? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: That she had the privilege that David, who inundated (satiated) the Holy One, Blessed be He, with songs and praises in תהילים, would descend from her. The name Ruth [Rut] is etymologically similar in Hebrew to the word inundate [riva].

 We discussed:

A – What exactly is the גמרא’s question about רות’s name?

B – What was her name before her גיור?

C – One explanation: רות equals 606, which is the number of additional מצוות (on top of the שבע מצוות בני נח)  that רות accepted upon herself when she converted. So the גמרא’s question is why she is not called תרו, as opposed to רות. (See more here).

D – זהר : Her  original name was גילית and the גמרא’s question is why she picked רות upon her conversion.

E – Her name was  רות and never changed. The Ramban writes that a גר usually changes his/her name. So the question is why רות did not change it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

F – Interesting explanation  by the  בן יהוידע.

גרים, the מדרש says are always suffering. Some say it is because they hesitated to convert earlier, when the opportunity arose. The reason for the name change, שינוי השם, is to avoid the consequence of them not converting earlier.

רות, however, could not have converted earlier because at that time the הלכה was not yet established that  עמוני ולא עמונית, מואבי ולא מואבית. It was only codified right before her marriage to בועז. Thus, there was no need for her to change her name!

So the question is why she had the זכות, prior to her conversion, of having a name that signifies the שבע מצוות בני נח plus the future of adding another 606.

7- Mentioned the idea from the Kotzker or Reb Yolish of Satmar about the fact that Boaz, who lived to a ripe old age of 400, passed away the day after he married רות.

Seems to be a sign from above that בועז should not have married רות  because she was a מואביה. Nevertheless the הלכה is that one is indeed permitted to marry either a עמונת or a מואביה! So much for calculating ‘a sign from above’.

Trying to hack into G-ds computer

8 – A fascinating footnote to a previous shiur where the topic of ט’ טבת was discussed.

We spoke about the two suggestions on why it is a fast day and why the חכמים did not want to disclose the reason for the fast.

1- Birthday of אותו האיש.

2- Yortzeit of רבי שמעון, the תנא who was מוסר נפש to create a schism and a separation between this new עבודה זרה and traditional יהדות. He joined this new sect posing as a member, and convinced them to abandon תורה ומצוות. This Reb Shimon is associated in non-Jewish sources as  שמעון הקלפוס or Simeon of Jerusalem.

– See previous Shiur

Simeon in prison– Rembrandt

I recently found a source from the חתם סופר that adds another tidbit to this story.

ספר תקנות ותפילות, לר’ שלמה צבי שיק

Reb Shimon was a brother to מרים the mother of אותו האיש!!

9 – Speaking of תהילים of King David we concluded with the amazing story of the בעל שם טוב’s student who received a lesson from a מלמד דרדקי.

Although דוד המלך was in the middle of singing ברכי נפשי, he could not control himself and shouted out:

מָה רַבּוּ מַעֲשֶׂיךָ יְהֹוָה כֻּלָּם בְּחׇכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ קִנְיָנֶךָ.

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Hebrew notes.

• פנ”י – למה לא כתוב בפסוק את הסיפור העתיד עם הנבואה? והפי’ שלאה לא גלתה כי רצתה שיעקב יחשוב שרק לה יהי’ בנים….
• קריאת שם ע״י הוריו אינה נבואה. אלא ה׳ שם בפי הקורא, ויש שאחר זמן המשמעות מתגלית לכל.
• תופעה זו היא גם אצל הגויים! אוה״ח שמות ב, י.
• שער הגלגולים הקדמה.
• רות תרו. גילית.
• בן יהוידע. גרים מעונים כי התמהמהו להתגייר, ולכן משנים את שמה. אבל רות עד אז לא היתה יכולה להתחתן, ולכן לא הי׳ צורך לשנות שמה. – ושאלת הגמ׳ היתה למה זכתה שנקראה רות (תרו)  עוד לפני שהתגיירה, מעת שנולדה להורי עוע״ז. ותירצו שריווהו להקב״ה בשירות לכן הקדימו לה מן השמים.
• מתי איבד ראובן את הבכורה?
• ומתי נתנה ליוסף? ב״ב קכג, א.
• מהרש״א שם.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brochos 7b

Shvat 16, 5786. 02/03/2026

Short notes on topics discussed.

1 – The request of משה רבינו that the שכינה should not ‘rest’ upon גויים.

Was it granted? What about  בלעם?

2 – Mentioned the recently published letter of the Rebbe to Reb Yitzchok Hunter. Here. Page 30 and on.

Can a נביא אמת (that is not Jewish?)  add an additional מצווה to the שבע מצוות בני נח? Whereas by בני ישראל this is not possible (since the Torah explicitly says that this will never occur), the Rebbe suggests that from the Rambam (today was the Siyum), it seems that it is a possibility.

The Rambam writes that גויים are prohibited from adding any מצווה ‘on their own’,  מדעתן, which seems to imply that if a (or their) נביא claims that he was instructed מלמעלה, it becomes a new מצווה for them.

See the interesting footnotes where the Rebbe himself expressed a פליאה on such an idea.

3 – We learnt the Tosfos that points out some interesting facts.

It states that when אברהם אבינו was 70 years old, while in ארץ ישראל at the ברית בין הבתרים, (this land) ארץ ישראל was promised to his children. And it seems that afterwards he returned to חרן.

Question: How does this reconcile with what it says in פרשת לך לך that at the age of 75!, אברהם אבינו who was in חרן at the time, was told to leave מארצך and go to an ‘unspecified land’. Unspecified? אברהם אבינו was there just 5 years ago and was promised that his children will inherit this land. So how is this  אל ארץ אשר אראך unspecified?

[we joked that on his first visit he was part of a Birthright group….]

Searching for an answer. See below from AI-Gemini.

4 – Mentioned the רשב”א חידושי אגדות that explains our גמרא about אברהם אבינו being the first one to use the term א- ד-נ-י. Although there were other great צדיקים prior to אברהם אבינו that were true believers, א”א was the first to publicize the fact that the מזלות do not control the world by bearing a child at the age of 99. He would go around and cause people to proclaim ה’ אחד.

He quotes the מדרש that was the Rebbe’s motto and directive to us all.

אל תקרא ויקרא אלא ויקריא מלמד שהקריא אברהם אבינו לשמו של הקב״ה בפי כל עובר ושב. כיצד, לאחר שאכלו ושתו עמדו לברכו אמר להם וכי משלי אכלתם והלא משל אלקי עולם אכלתם, הודו ושבחו וברכו למי שאמר והי׳ העולם.

He didn’t just pronounce השם‘s existence and unity, he also caused others to recognize and proclaim it.

5 – Tosfos quotes the Rashbam on the topic of the chronological order of אברהם אבינו’s life and the way it’s written in the חומש.

We mentioned the פירוש of the Rashbam on חומש and his definition on פשוטו של מקרא.

His take is that one needs to explain the פסוקים with עומק הפשט , which is ‘simpler’ that פשוטו של מקרא and the most straightforward method. He writes (פרשת וישב) that he even discussed this approach with רש״י, his grandfather, who admitted that had he had more time he would indeed explain חומש using this method.

“אלה תולדות יעקב” – ישכילו ויבינו אוהבי שכל, מה שלימדונו רבותינו כי “אין מקרא יוצא מידי פשוטו” (שבת סג א). אף כי עיקרה של תורה באת ללמדנו ולהודיענו ברמיזת הפשט ההגדות וההלכות והדינין, על ידי אריכות הלשון, ועל ידי שלושים ושתים מידות של רבי אליעזר בנו של רבי יוסי הגלילי, ועל ידי שלוש עשרה מידות של רבי ישמעאל.

והראשונים מתוך חסידותם נתעסקו לנטות אחרי הדרשות שהן עיקר, ומתוך כך לא הורגלו בעומק פשוטו של מקרא; ולפי שאמרו חכמים (ברכות כח ב): “אל תרבו בניכם בהגיון”, וגם אמרו (בבא מציעא לג א) “העוסק במקרא – מידה ואינה מידה, העוסק בתלמוד – אין לך מידה גדולה מזו”. ומתוך כך לא הורגלו כל כך בפשוטן של מקראות, וכדאמרינן במסכת שבת (סג א): הוינא בר תמני סרי שנין, וגרסינ’ כולה תלמודא, ולא הוה ידענא דאין מקרא יוצא מידי פשוטו.

וגם רבינו שלמה אבי אמי, מאיר עיני גולה, שפירש תורה נביאים וכתובים – נתן לב לפרש פשוטו של מקרא. ואף אני שמואל ב”ר מאיר חתנו זצ”ל, נתווכחתי עמו ולפניו, והודה לי שאילו היה לו פנאי – היה צריך לעשות פירושים אחרים לפי הפשטות המתחדשים בכל יום.

ועתה יראו המשכילים מה שפירשו הראשונים: אלה תולדות יעקב – אלו מקראות ומאורעות שאירעו ליעקב. והנה זה הבל הוא. כי כל אלה תולדות האמור בתורה [ובנביאים] ובכתובים, יש מהם שמפרשים בני האדם, ויש מהם רבים שמפרשים בני בנים, כאשר פירשתי באלה תולדות נח. למעלה בפרשת בראשית כתיב (ה לב) ויהי נח בן חמש מאות שנה ויולד נח את שם ואת חם ואת יפת, ואחרי כן מפרש כי העולם חטאו ונח מצא חן, ואחרי כן מפרש אלה תולדות נח (לעיל ו ט) בני בניו, היאך…

6 – We mentioned a few examples from the Rashbam’s פירוש. Here are two:

A – ויהי ערב ויהי בוקר יום אחד. According to the Rashbam, עומק הפשט says that ויהי ערב means evening has arrived and ויהי בוקר means that morning has arrived and it concluded יום אחד. Thus, in the days of ששת ימי בראשית, the night followed the day!

There is a letter of the Rebbe about this Rashbam. The point is that one must keep in mind that this is obviously only in the world of פשוטו של מקרא not Halachically.

B –

They לשון הרע by Aharon and Miriam about Moshe.

וַתְּדַבֵּ֨ר מִרְיָ֤ם וְאַהֲרֹן֙ בְּמֹשֶׁ֔ה עַל־אֹד֛וֹת הָאִשָּׁ֥ה הַכֻּשִׁ֖ית אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָקָ֑ח כִּֽי־אִשָּׁ֥ה כֻשִׁ֖ית לָקָֽח׃

Miryam and Aharon spoke against Moshe regarding the Cushite wife he had taken, for he had taken a Cushite wife.

וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ הֲרַ֤ק אַךְ־בְּמֹשֶׁה֙ דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה הֲלֹ֖א גַּם־בָּ֣נוּ דִבֵּ֑ר וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע יְהֹוָֽה׃

They said, “Has Hashem spoken only with Moshe? Has He not also spoken with us?” And Hashem heard.

Rashi explains these two points as one; they were referring to משה’s wife ציפורה, who was unquestionably beautiful (obvious as ‘black and white’) that Moshe was married to but then separated from. They thought that Moshe decided to separate from her on his own due to the fact that השם communicated with him. They spoke behind his back and claimed that they too were נביאים and yet, stayed married.

  ?

So כושית – black, actually means a white woman. And לקח, which connotes ‘married’, means here divorced!

The Rashbam however, says that this is not עומק הפשט at all.

 

He explains that these two פסוקים are two separate points of their לשון הרע.

The first, האשה הכושית אשר לקח, refers (literaly) to a black Ethiopian princess that Moshe was married to when he lived there. Their error was not being aware that משה never had any relationship with her.

כושית – שהיא ממשפחת חם.

כי אשה כושית לקח – כדכתיב בדברי הימים דמשה רבנו: שמלך בארץ כוש ארבעים שנה, ולקח מלכה אחת, ולא שכב עמה, כמו שכתוב שם. והם לא ידעו כשדיברו בו, שלא נזקק לה. זהו עיקר פשוטו.

שאם בשביל צפורה דיברו, מה צורך לפרש כי אשה כושית לקח? וכי {עד} עתה לא ידענו כי ציפורה מדיינית היא? ועוד תשובה: כי לא היתה כושית, כי כוש מבני חם הוא, ומדיין מבני קטורה אשר ילדה לאברהם

The second point was referring to his considering himself an elitist being that השם spoke to him, when השם spoke to them as well.

ויאמרו הרק אך במשה {וגו׳} – כלומר: עוד זאת אמרו על משה: במה יכול להתפאר עלינו, הלא גם בנו דבר לישראל.

More on this next week.

See also the ילקוט שמעוני on  –  קסח ,שמות.

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Answer on above question from Gemini AI:

This is a classic question discussed by the Rishonim, arising from the chronological calculations in Seder Olam. The difficulty you noted—that Avraham had already been to Eretz Yisrael and received a promise there at age 70—makes the “unspecified” nature of the command at age 75 (“to the land that I will show you”) very difficult to understand.

Here are the primary ways the commentators reconcile this:

1. The Goal was to Increase the Reward

The most common explanation (noted by Rashi and Ramban) is that Hashem intentionally kept the destination vague to increase Avraham’s reward. Every step he took without knowing exactly where he was going demonstrated a greater level of faith (Emunah). Even though Avraham likely suspected he was headed back to the land he had visited five years prior, the command was phrased as “the land I will show you” to make the journey an act of pure obedience rather than a return to a known location.

2. A “New” Command for a Permanent Move

The Tosafot in Brochos 7b (the page you are currently viewing) and other places (like Shabbos 10b) deal with the timeline. They explain that the first trip at age 70 for the Brit Bein HaBetarim (Covenant Between the Parts) was a temporary visit.

• At age 70, he went to Eretz Yisrael, had the vision, and returned to Charan.
• At age 75, the command of Lech Lecha was a command to leave his father’s house permanently.

The “unspecified” nature served to test if he would leave his established life in Charan for a destination he couldn’t “claim” or “own” yet, despite having seen it before.

3. The “Unspecified” Land refers to the specific spot

Some commentators suggest that while Avraham knew he was going to the general area of Canaan, he did not know exactly where within that land he was meant to settle or where the “holiest” part was. The “land I will show you” refers to the specific site of the altar or the place where the Shekhinah (Divine Presence) would eventually rest.

4. Re-evaluating the Promise

The Gur Aryeh (Maharal) explains that the first promise at age 70 was a general covenant for his descendants. The command at age 75 was a personal directive for Avraham himself to live there. The vagueness was a way of telling Avraham: “Don’t go there because you already know the land; go there because I am showing it to you now.” This transformed a logical return into a Divine mission.

In short, the “unspecified” language is seen not as a lack of geographic knowledge on Avraham’s part, but as a spiritual trial designed to ensure his journey was motivated solely by Hashem’s word.

 

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Hebrew notes.

 

• רמב״ם, נביא, גוי. ב”נ מדעתן אסור לחדש. מכתב כ’ אדר תשל”ב להר”י הוטנר.

 

• בתוס׳ מביא את הרשב״ם. עומק הפשט.

ר״פ וישב. אין מקרא יוצא מידי פשוטו. החכמים לא הורגלו בעומק פשוטו ש״מ. ויהי ערב. נזיד עדשים. מכירת יוסף. אשה כושית. מן הוא – בלשון מצרי מן פירושו ׳מה׳.

 

• אאע״ה הי׳ בן 70 בבבה״ב. ,תוס כאן ורש”י פ’ בא. ובהתחלת פ’ לך לך הי’ בן עה?!

 

• רשב״א חידושי אגדות כאן. אף שהיו צדיקים לפני אברהם הוא הי׳ הראשון שפרסם אלוקותו, והביא ראי׳ שאין המזלות שולטות מזה שיצחק נולד לעת זקנותו. סוטה י. ב, א״ת ויקרא כו׳.

 

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