Text of the Mishnah (Berachot 3:5)
מִשְׁנָה:
הָעוֹמֵד בַּתְּפִלָּה וְנִזְכַּר שֶׁהוּא בַּעַל קֶרִי, לֹא יַפְסִיק וְיְקַצֵּר.
יָרַד לִטְבּוֹל, אִם יָכוֹל לַעֲלוֹת וְלִתְכַּסּוֹת וְלִקְרוֹת עַד שֶׁלֹּא תֵנָץ הַחַמָּה – יַעֲלֶה וְיִתְכַּסֶּה וְיִקְרָא; וְאִם לָאו, יִתְכַּסֶּה בַמַּיִם וְיִקְרָא.
וְלֹא בַמַּיִם הָרוֹעִים וְלֹא בַמַּיִם שֶׁהִשְׁרָה בָהֶן פִּשְׁתָּן, עַד שֶׁיִּתֵּן לָהֶן מַיִם לְתוֹכָן.
וְכַמָּה יִתְרַחֵק מֵהֶן וּמִן הַצּוֹאָה לִקְרוֹת? אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת.
VIDEO CLASS #020 IN SPANISH
Translation (according to your appointment and the traditional text):
The one who was standing in prayer and recalled that he had a seminal emission should not interrupt his prayer, but short every blessing. If it came down to submerge, and can climb, cover, and recite the Shema before the break of dawn, ascension, cover and recite. If you can't, cover with water and recite there. But you should not do it with dirty water or water that has soaked flax, until you pour clean water in it. How, and how far away must one go away from the urine and feces to recite the Shema? At least four cubits (approximately two meters).
Historical context and halachic
This Mishnah continues the theme of the ritual purity started in Berachot 3:4within the framework of the decree of Ezra the Scribe, which forbade the study or the prayer in a state of impurity seminal (ba'al keri).
But at this point, the focus switches:
Because it is not just the personal puritybut the purity of the environment and the attitude during the prayer and the recitation of the Shema.
The Mishnah offers three scenarios halájicos:
- Who has already begun the prayer and remember their impurity.
- Who is in the process of purification (bathing).
- Who needs to pray in an environment physically unclean.
VIDEO CLASS #020 IN ENGLISH
Analysis of the sections
1. “The one who was standing in prayer and recalled that he had a seminal emission...”
The ba'al keri it was considered ritually unclean according to Leviticus 15:16.
However, the principle taught the Mishnah is do not interrupt the devotion, even in the face of an impurity involuntary.
- “Do not interrupt” (what yafsik) — because stopping the prayer would be a lack of respect for God.
- “But abbreviate” (yekatzér) — must reduce the length or detail of the blessings, focusing on its essence, out of respect to the state of impurity.
Spiritual principle:
The absolute purity is not a condition of speaking to God. Even in the imperfection or impurity, the bond with the divine must be maintained, though with humility and restraint.
Talmud Bavli Berachot 22b:
Rav Yosef teaches that those who interrupted his prayer by impurity shows that he fears more to his physical fitness than the Creator. The devotion prevails over the ritual.
2. “Who descends to dive...”
This passage describes a case time limit:
The approaching dawn, and the individual is willing to comply with the recitation of the Shema before the time limit.
- If you can ascend and cover before dawn → you to do so.
- If you do not → you stay in the water and recite there, coping with the same water as a substitute of a dress.
This passage reflects a harmonization between ritual purity and sacred time:
The Shema you have a period halachic, and ritual purity, shall not prevent the fulfillment of the commandment.
You opt for a practical solution, and reverentbalancing both values.
Rashi (Berachot 22a) comments:
The water acts as a “cover” (kisui) to maintain modesty and respect during the recitation, although the body is naked.
3. “Not with that dirty water or water which has hardened linen...”
Here the Mishnah introduces a dimension of hygiene and aesthetic spiritual.
The environment of the sentence should be clean, no bad odor or visible contamination.
- Me re aim (“dirty water”): standing water or with an unpleasant smell.
- Me shehishrá bahen pishtán (“water in that which has hardened linen”): the process that gave off a foul odor.
The requirement of pour clean water (sheyitén lahen me letoján) symbolizes restore the purity of the environment prior to pronounce the sacred words.
Teaching ethics and symbolic:
Not only the body, but also your environment must be in a state of spiritual dignity.
Holiness requires a clean space, both physical and moral.
4. “How far must one go away from the urine and feces?”
The established minimum: four cubits (arba amot), a two meters approximately.
This establishes a as halachic basic respect to the divine presence during the prayer or the study of Torah.
Talmud Bavli Berachot 25a–26a:
- The distance applies to both urine and human feces as animals.
- It is also considered the direction of the wind: if the smell reaches the praying person, you must get away from even more.
- In the mystical sense, the “four amot” represent the personal space of a man before God, within which there must be purity.
Discussion talmudic and halachic
The Talmud (Berachot 22b–26a) extends this Mishnah with several principles:
- About the ba'al keri in prayer:
Rav Sheshet allows you to continue the prayer in silence; Rav Yehuda suggests ignore the passages more extensive.
The Talmud concludes that there must short, but not to suspend the communication with the Creator. - On the purity of the environment:
The Gemara states that the Shema there should be recited in the presence of impurity visible or odorous.
Maimonides codifies this rule in Hilchot Kriat Shema 3:2-4. - On the water impure:
The sages of the Talmud associated with the muddy waters with the absence of the Shechinah (divine presence), so that the environment should reflect serenity and cleanliness.
Interpretations halájicas later
🔹 Rambam — Mishné Torah, Hilchot Kriat Shema 3:4-6
“One who recites the Shema must do so in a clean place, free from dirt or bad smell. If you are located in a bathroom or near feces, should stay away from, four cubits.”
Rambam emphasizes that the purity of the environment it is a duty perpetual, non-linked to the ancient concepts of ritual impurity of the Temple.
🔹 Shulchan Aruch — Orach Jaím 76-79
- O. C. 76:1-2: Not recited the Shema close-up of dirt or odor.
- O. C. 78:4: he who prays in the water you must do so with the intimate parts covered at least by the water, provided that there are no bad smell.
The Shulchan Aruch consolidates this Mishnah in daily practice:
The space of prayer must be clean, dignified and respectful of the holiness of the act.
Spiritual dimension and ethics
1. The purity and interior layout
The impurity physics does not break the bond with God, but prayer requires awareness of the sanctity.
The individual may pray even in the water, but must do so with kavaná (intention and modesty).
2. The environment as a reflection of the soul
Get away from the dirt external teaches far from the “dirt moral”: impure thoughts, distractions, or pride or anger.
3. Balance between ritual and essential
The Mishnah does not require perfection, but reverence.
Even those who are in the process of purification can —and should— connect with the Creator.
Reading symbolic and mystical
The Zohar (III:46a, Parshat Tazria) interprets this Mishnah in esoteric key:
- The water represents the Jasadim (divine mercy).
- Immerse yourself and recite in the water symbolizes reborn in spiritual purityeven in the midst of the darkness or sin.
- Away four cubits of the dirt is equivalent to to establish an area of personal holiness, where the soul can speak with God without interference from the material world.
