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REVIEW QUESTIONS ON GEMARA AND RASHI

prepared by Rabbi Eliezer Chrysler
Kollel Iyun Hadaf, Jerusalem

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Berachos 14

1) The Gemara asks whether it is permitted to interrupt Hallel or the Megilah, to greet or to answer, in the same way as it is permitted to greet or to interrupt the Shema.

(a) What are the two sides of the Sha'aleh?

(b) How does the Gemara resolve the Sha'aleh?

(c) What distinction does Raba draw between the twenty-one days on which Hallel is completed, and the days on which it is not?

(d) Why did Ravina not stop to greet Rav bar Sheva when he arrived in the middle of a chapter of Hallel - on one of the days on which Hallel is not completed?

2) The Gemara asks whether someone who has undertaken to fast (i.e. a private fast. See Tosfos d.h. 'O Dilma'), is permitted to taste the food or not (provided he spits it out. See Tosfos d.h. 'To'em').
(a) What are the two sides of the Sha'aleh?

(b) How does the Gemara resolve the Sha'aleh?

(c) Is someone who tastes in this way required to recite a Berachah over the food?

(d) What is the maximum amount that he is permitted to taste?

3)
(a) How does Rav explain the Pasuk in Yeshayah "Chidlu Lachem Min ha'Adam Asher Neshamah be'Apo, Ki ba'Meh Nechshav Lo" (by changing the punctuation of the word "Ba'meh")?

(b) How does Shmuel explain the Pasuk (in similar fashion) without changing the vowels)?

(c) How do Rav and Shmuel reconcile this with our Mishnah, which permits one to greet before having Davened the Amidah?

(d) Which two Derashos (one negative and one positive) does the Gemara make from the Pasuk in Tehilim "Tzedek Lefanav Yehalech, ve'Yasem la'Derech Pe'amav"?

4)
(a) How does Rebbi Yonah quoting Rebbi Zeira explain the Pasuk in Mishlei "ve'Savei'a Yalin Bal Yipaked Ra" (by changing the punctuation of the word "ve'Savei'a")?
Rebbi Chiya bar Aba quoting Rebbi Yochanan leaves the vowels of the "ve'Savei'a" intact.
(b) How does *he* explain the Pasuk?
Answers to questions

14b---------------------------------------14b

5) The Halachah is like Rebbi Yehudah, who forbids any interruption between 'Elokeichem' and 'Emes'.

(a) What is Rebbi Yehudah's reason?

(b) Why did Rabah say about a certain Chazan 'He has an obsession to say 'Emes'?

6) In Eretz Yisrael, they used to say at Ma'ariv, 'Daber el Benei Yisrael ve'Amarta Aleihem ... Ani Hashem Elokeichem, Emes'.
(a) What is the problem with this text?

(b) What did they hold in Bavel, and what is the source of the Machlokes between the B'nei Bavel and the B'nei Eretz Yisrael?

The Gemara concludes that someone who did not say "Ani Hashem Elokeichem" (at night-time), does not need to say 'Emes ve'Emunah', either.
(c) Then what will happen to the Mitzvah of mentioning Yetzi'as Mitzrayim?
7) Rebbi Yehoshua ben Korchah in our Mishnah gives reasons for the order of precedence of the three Parshiyos of the Shema. What reasons does Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai give for the order?

8) Rav washed his hands, recited the Shema, put on his Tefilin, and Davened the Amidah.

(a) What problem does the Gemara have with that, and how does it base its Kashya on the Beraisa of 'ha'Chofer Kuch le'Meis'?

(b) How do we reconcile the Beraisa itself, which exempts the digger from performimg other Mitzvos in the Reisha, and obligates him in the Seifa?

(c) Why is one person Patur?

9) The Gemara attempts to answer the above Kashya by saying that Rav follows the opinion of Rebbi Yehoshua ben Korchah in our Mishnah.
(a) What exactly, does that mean?

(b) Why is this answer not acceptable (two reasons)?

(c) Why does the Gemara at first refute the contention that, when Rebbi Chiya bar Ashi testified that Rav would wash his hands, recite Birchas ha'Torah, learn Mishnah with his Talmidim, put on his Tefilin and then recite the Shema, he was speaking before the time for reciting the Shema had arrived, and why does the Gemara then accept it?

10)
(a) How does Ula describe someone who reads the Shema without Tefilin?

(b) And what does Rebbi Chiya bar Aba quoting Rebbi Yochanan add to that?

(c) What does a total acceptance of Ol Malchus Shamayim comprise?

Answers to questions

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