Berakhot 9:1-4
משנה ברכות ט:א-ד
Seder: Zeraim | Tractate: Berakhot | Time4Mishna
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Mishna 9:1
משנה ט:א
Hebrew:
הָרוֹאֶה מָקוֹם שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ בוֹ נִסִּים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה. מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּעֶקְרָה מִמֶּנּוּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ שֶׁעָקַר עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה מֵאַרְצֵנוּ:
English:
This mishna, which includes all of this chapter’s mishnayot, contains a series of blessings and halakhot that are not recited at specific times, but rather in response to various experiences and events.MISHNA: One who sees a place where miracles occurred on Israel’s behalf recites: Blessed…Who performed miracles for our forefathers in this place. One who sees a place from which idolatry was eradicated recites: Blessed…Who eradicated idolatry from our land.
קלאוד על המשנה:
Chapter 9 shifts from meal blessings to blessings triggered by experiences—seeing, hearing, and encountering various phenomena. This mishna opens with blessings for seeing places of historical or personal significance.
Seeing a place where miracles happened for Israel: ‘Blessed…who performed miracles for our ancestors in this place.’ Seeing a place from which idolatry was uprooted: ‘Blessed…who uprooted idolatry from our land.’ These blessings transform geography into theology—the land itself testifies to God’s actions in history.
The mishna also mentions blessings for comets, earthquakes, lightning, thunder, and storms: ‘Blessed…whose power and might fill the world.’ For mountains, hills, seas, rivers, and deserts: ‘Blessed…who makes the works of creation.’ These blessings cultivate wonder. Instead of taking natural phenomena for granted, we pause to acknowledge the Creator behind creation.
Key Terms:
- מקום שנעשו בו נסים (Makom Shena’asu Bo Nissim) = Place where miracles occurred; site of divine intervention
- ברקים (Berakim) = Lightning; powerful natural phenomenon
- רעמים (Re’amim) = Thunder; awe-inspiring natural sound
- עושה מעשה בראשית (Oseh Ma’aseh Bereishit) = Who makes the works of creation; blessing for natural wonders
Mishna 9:2
משנה ט:ב
Hebrew:
עַל הַזִּיקִין, וְעַל הַזְּוָעוֹת, וְעַל הַבְּרָקִים, וְעַל הָרְעָמִים, וְעַל הָרוּחוֹת, אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ שֶׁכֹּחוֹ וּגְבוּרָתוֹ מָלֵא עוֹלָם. עַל הֶהָרִים, וְעַל הַגְּבָעוֹת, וְעַל הַיַּמִּים, וְעַל הַנְּהָרוֹת, וְעַל הַמִּדְבָּרוֹת, אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ עוֹשֵׂה מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, הָרוֹאֶה אֶת הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ שֶׁעָשָׂה אֶת הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל, בִּזְמַן שֶׁרוֹאֶה אוֹתוֹ לִפְרָקִים. עַל הַגְּשָׁמִים וְעַל הַבְּשׂוֹרוֹת הַטּוֹבוֹת אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ הַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב, וְעַל שְׁמוּעוֹת רָעוֹת אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ דַּיַּן הָאֱמֶת:
English:
One who sees conspicuous natural occurrences recites a blessing. For zikin and zeva’ot, which the Gemara will discuss below, for lightning, thunder, and gale force winds, manifestations of the power of the Creator, one recites: Blessed…Whose strength and power fill the world. For extraordinary (Rambam) mountains, hills, seas, rivers, and deserts, one recites: Blessed…Author of creation. Consistent with his opinion that a separate blessing should be instituted for each individual species, Rabbi Yehuda says: One who sees the great sea recites a special blessing: Blessed…Who made the great sea. As with all blessings of this type, one only recites it when he sees the sea intermittently, not on a regular basis. For rain and other good tidings, one recites the special blessing: Blessed…Who is good and Who does good. Even for bad tidings, one recites a special blessing: Blessed…the true Judge.
קלאוד על המשנה:
This mishna continues with blessings for natural phenomena and adds unusual categories. For zikin and zeva’ot (types of shooting stars or meteors), lightning, thunder, and powerful winds: ‘Blessed…whose power and might fill the world.’ For mountains, hills, seas, rivers, and deserts: ‘Blessed…who makes the works of creation.’
Rabbi Yehuda adds: One who sees the Great Sea (Mediterranean) says: ‘Blessed…who made the Great Sea’—but only if seeing it at intervals. Frequency diminishes wonder; the blessing requires renewed appreciation.
For rain and good news: ‘Blessed…who is good and does good.’ For bad news: ‘Blessed…the true Judge.’ The mishna insists we bless God for everything—not just the pleasant. This is perhaps the most profound teaching: gratitude and acceptance extend to all of life’s experiences.
Key Terms:
- זיקין וזועות (Zikin U’Zeva’ot) = Shooting stars/earthquakes; dramatic natural events
- ים הגדול (Yam HaGadol) = The Great Sea; the Mediterranean
- הטוב והמטיב (HaTov VeHaMeitiv) = Who is good and does good; blessing for good news
- דיין האמת (Dayan HaEmet) = The true Judge; blessing for bad news/death
Mishna 9:3
משנה ט:ג
Hebrew:
בָּנָה בַיִת חָדָשׁ, וְקָנָה כֵלִים חֲדָשִׁים, אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ. מְבָרֵךְ עַל הָרָעָה מֵעֵין הַטּוֹבָה, וְעַל הַטּוֹבָה מֵעֵין הָרָעָה. הַצּוֹעֵק לְשֶׁעָבַר, הֲרֵי זוֹ תְּפִלַּת שָׁוְא. כֵּיצַד. הָיְתָה אִשְׁתּוֹ מְעֻבֶּרֶת, וְאָמַר, יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁתֵּלֵד אִשְׁתִּי זָכָר, הֲרֵי זוֹ תְּפִלַּת שָׁוְא. הָיָה בָא בַדֶּרֶךְ וְשָׁמַע קוֹל צְוָחָה בָּעִיר, וְאָמַר יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ אֵלּוּ בְּנֵי בֵיתִי, הֲרֵי זוֹ תְּפִלַּת שָׁוְא:
English:
Similarly, when one built a new house or purchased new vessels, he recites: Blessed…Who has given us life, sustained us, and brought us to this time. The mishna articulates a general principle: One recites a blessing for the bad that befalls him just as he does for the good. In other words, one recites the appropriate blessing for the trouble that he is experiencing at present despite the fact that it may conceal some positive element in the future. Similarly, one must recite a blessing for the good that befalls him just as for the bad. The mishna states: And one who cries out over the past in an attempt to change that which has already occurred, it is a vain prayer. For example, one whose wife was pregnant and he says: May it be God’s will that my wife will give birth to a male child, it is a vain prayer. Or one who was walking on the path home and he heard the sound of a scream in the city, and he says: May it be God’s will that this scream will not be from my house, it is a vain prayer. In both cases, the event already occurred.
קלאוד על המשנה:
This mishna addresses blessings for personal milestones and possessions. One who builds a new house or acquires new vessels recites: ‘Blessed…Who has given us life, sustained us, and brought us to this time’ (Shehecheyanu). This blessing marks significant moments of arrival and acquisition.
The mishna then articulates a profound principle: One must bless for the bad just as for the good. This isn’t mere acceptance—it’s active acknowledgment that everything comes from God. The blessing for bad news (Dayan HaEmet) doesn’t pretend the bad is good; it affirms God’s justice even when we don’t understand it.
Conversely, the mishna warns against improper prayers. One who cries out over the past—‘May it be Your will that my wife who is pregnant give birth to a boy’ when she’s already pregnant—that’s a vain prayer. The gender is already determined. Prayer changes the future, not the past.
Key Terms:
- שהחיינו (Shehecheyanu) = Who has given us life; blessing for new experiences/acquisitions
- בית חדש (Bayit Chadash) = New house; major acquisition requiring blessing
- תפילת שוא (Tefilat Shav) = Vain prayer; prayer for impossible outcomes
Mishna 9:4
משנה ט:ד
Hebrew:
הַנִּכְנָס לִכְרַךְ מִתְפַּלֵּל שְׁתַּיִם, אַחַת בִּכְנִיסָתוֹ וְאַחַת בִּיצִיאָתוֹ. בֶּן עַזַּאי אוֹמֵר, אַרְבַּע, שְׁתַּיִם בִּכְנִיסָתוֹ וּשְׁתַּיִם בִּיצִיאָתוֹ, וְנוֹתֵן הוֹדָאָה לְשֶׁעָבַר, וְצוֹעֵק לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא:
English:
The Sages also said: One who enters a large city, the Gemara explains below that this is in a case where entering the city is dangerous, recites two prayers: One upon his entrance, that he may enter in peace, and one upon his exit, that he may leave in peace. Ben Azzai says: He recites four prayers, two upon his entrance and two upon his exit. In addition to praying that he may enter and depart in peace, he gives thanks for the past and cries out in prayer for the future.
קלאוד על המשנה:
This mishna addresses prayers for protection in dangerous situations. One entering a city recites two prayers: upon entering, a prayer for safe arrival; upon leaving, thanksgiving for being saved. Ben Azzai says: Four prayers—two entering, two leaving—thanks for the past and petition for the future at each point.
The mishna then discusses crying out over the past. If you hear screaming from your city and pray ‘May it be Your will that this not be in my house’—this is a vain prayer. What’s happened has happened. But you may pray regarding uncertain outcomes: if your wife is pregnant, you can pray for the child’s wellbeing until birth.
The mishna articulates a general principle about prayer: we petition for the future, give thanks for the past, and accept the present. Prayer doesn’t change reality retroactively—but it shapes our relationship with unfolding events.
Key Terms:
- כרך (Kerakh) = Large city; urban area with potential dangers
- מודה (Modeh) = Gives thanks; expresses gratitude for past salvation
- צועק לשעבר (Tzo’ek L’She’avar) = Crying out over the past; prayer for what already occurred