[And so the interpretation of dreams goes on for other two and a half folio pages. These three specimen extracts may suffice to give examples of the indifferent, the good, and the absurd, which constitute the Talmud. They will show the necessity of discrimination, and how readily the Talmud, as a whole, may be either decried by enemies or unduly exalted by a judicious selection of passages.] __________________________________________________________________
[76] Berachoth is the first Tractate of the first Seder (Seraim, which consists of eleven Tractates). It contains nine Perakim, which successively explain the duty, the exceptions, the posture, the formulas, and the controversies in regard to prayer. The Tractate exists both in the Jerusalem and in the Babylon Talmud. The great Maimonides has prefaced the Seder Seraim by a General Introduction, which presents a general view of Talmudism, and explains what is of greatest importance to the student. Notwithstanding his vast learning and authority, incompleteness and inaccuracies have, however, been pointed out in his Introduction.
[77] The heave-offering given to the priests, which they ate within the Temple.
[78] The Jews divided the night into three watches.
[79] That is, they may be left to consume on the altar from the time of evening sacrifice till then.
[80] Literally "Daughter Voice"--the voice from heaven.
[81] Of secret sin.
[82] If it has only lately become a ruin, since then there would be no immediate danger.
[83] Because where there are two, they need not fear evil spirits.
[84] All this is intended to establish Rabbi Nathan's view, that there are only three watches in the night.
[85] Whose chief he is supposed to have been.
[86] There is here a play on the words.
[87] Referring again to the saying of Rabbi Simeon, the pious, mentioned earlier.
[88] The plural indicating the two worlds.
[89] This and the following are prayers at night.
[90] He was not deterred by their presence from so praying.
[91] This Rabbi was blind.
[92] There is a play here upon the words.
[93] Another play upon the words. __________________________________________________________________
Indexes __________________________________________________________________
Index of Scripture References
Genesis
[1]2:23 [2]3:21 [3]3:21 [4]3:24 [5]3:24 [6]15:18 [7]18:1 [8]18:1 [9]18:12 [10]18:19 [11]20:3 [12]25:11 [13]25:11 [14]25:14 [15]34:12 [16]35:16 [17]35:19 [18]37:2 [19]37:9 [20]40:16 [21]41:12 [22]41:13 [23]41:32 [24]41:46 [25]42:22 [26]42:27 [27]43:21 [28]48:16 [29]49:22
Exodus
[30]2:3 [31]2:6 [32]2:8 [33]11:4 [34]12:26 [35]13:1-10 [36]13:8 [37]13:9 [38]13:14 [39]19:16 [40]19:17 [41]21:9 [42]21:10 [43]21:26 [44]21:27 [45]22:17 [46]23:11-16 [47]23:31 [48]24:11 [49]24:12
Leviticus
[50]2:13 [51]19:15 [52]19:19 [53]19:24 [54]19:32 [55]21:10 [56]21:11 [57]22:4 [58]22:6 [59]25:36 [60]25:37
Numbers
[61]5:23 [62]6:23 [63]6:24 [64]6:24-26 [65]12:1 [66]12:6 [67]14:27 [68]15:37 [69]15:37-41 [70]15:37-41 [71]15:37-41 [72]15:39 [73]20:17 [74]20:19 [75]21:22 [76]24:16 [77]33:38
Deuteronomy
[78]4:9 [79]4:9 [80]4:10 [81]6:4 [82]6:4-9 [83]6:4-9 [84]6:4-9 [85]6:4-9 [86]6:4-9 [87]6:7 [88]6:8 [89]6:9 [90]6:9 [91]6:20 [92]8:5 [93]8:7 [94]8:9 [95]10:17 [96]11:13-21 [97]11:13-21 [98]11:13-21 [99]11:13-21 [100]11:13-21 [101]11:13-21 [102]11:18 [103]11:19 [104]11:19 [105]11:19 [106]11:20 [107]11:20 [108]13:1 [109]13:2 [110]13:4 [111]14:22 [112]17:10 [113]17:11 [114]17:18 [115]18:21 [116]18:22 [117]19:3 [118]21:11 [119]21:15 [120]22:10 [121]22:12 [122]23:5 [123]23:20 [124]24:1 [125]24:1 [126]24:3 [127]24:5 [128]26:12 [129]27:21 [130]28:10 [131]28:10 [132]28:10 [133]28:31 [134]28:32 [135]28:41 [136]28:58 [137]28:58 [138]29:28 [139]30:12 [140]31:13 [141]33:2 [142]33:24 [143]34:5 [144]34:6 [145]35:6