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.