Study of the Mishnah Berachot 1:1

Text-base

“Since when reciting the Shema in the evening? From the time that the priests enter to eat their terumáuntil the end of the first watch. These are the words of Rabbi Eliezer.
The Sages say: Until midnight.
Rabban Gamliel says: Until dawn...”

I. general Context of the Treaty Berachot

The treaty Berachot (בְּרָכוֹת, “Blessings”) opens the Mishnah, the first treaty of Seder Zeraimdedicated mainly to the agricultural laws. However, Berachot is not about agriculture, but prayers and blessingsstarting with the Shema Yisrael, the statement of the central jewish faith (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).

The fact that the Mishnah begins with this treaty reflects that the spiritual life and the awareness of God are the starting point of all jewish life. The Shema it is a profession of monotheism, and commitment, and his recitation twice a day —“when you lie down and when you rise” (beshokhbekha uvekumeja)— it is a mitzvah from the bible.

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II. Central theme: the time of the Shema of the night

The passage discussed from when and until when you can recite the Shema night, interpreting the verse from Deuteronomy 6:7:

“And the recitarás... when thou liest down and when thou risest up”.

The question of the Mishnah, “Since when?” (Me eimatay), implies that the obligation is already known; what is debated is the right time that is to fulfill the mitzvah.

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III. First opinion: Rabbi Eliezer

1. Time frame

“From the time that the priests enter to eat their terumá until the end of the first watch.”

• Reference to the priesthood: The kohanim (priests) could eat the terumá (sacred part of the offerings) only after having purified your state of ritual impurity by means of the immersion and fall of the sun (Leviticus 22:6-7).
  → Therefore, the start of the Shema night coincides with the appearance of the stars (tzeit hakojavim), the true start halachic of the night.
• Until the end of the first watch: The night, in ancient times, it was divided into three watches (ashmurót). The first vigil ends approximately one-third of the night after sunset (about 4 hours halájicas).
  → Rabbi Eliezer, then, limits the Shema in the early hours of the nightwhen people usually lie down (beshokhbekha understood literally).

2. Foundation concept

Rabbi Eliezer associates the commandment with human behavior average: “when the people lie down”. To read it is context and literalist: the mitzvah applies while the act of lying down is in progress, not all night.

IV. Second opinion: The Wise men (Jajamim)

“The Sages say: Until midnight.”

This is a intermediate position, which seeks to balance the letter of the Torah with the practice and the prevention of neglect (gezerá rabbinic).

• Reasoning:
  Although technically the night extends until dawn, the Wise limited time caution, “to zoom out to the man of the transgression.”
  → If someone knows that he has until dawn, you can procrastinate it and forget it; set midnight as a boundary generates discipline.
• Nature of his decree:
  Is a close (siyag) rabbinic, not an interpretation of the text, but a practical protection around the law.

V. Third opinion: Rabban Gamliel

“Rabban Gamliel says: Until the dawn.”

1. Broad interpretation of beshokhbekha

To Rabban Gamliel, “when thou liest down” covers the duration of nighttime sleep, that is to say, the whole of the period in which people sleep, until the dawn.

2. Practical example

The story of their children returning late from a wedding show that the practical halachic was your opinion: if you still has not dawned, they may recite the Shema.

3. Argument from analogy

Rabban Gamliel extends his reasoning:

• The fat and members the altar could burn all night (Leviticus 6:2).
• The offerings edible you could eat until dawn, but the Wise established midnight as a limit (Leviticus 7:15).

Its principle is general:

“All that the Wise men said, ‘until midnight’ can be fulfilled until the dawn.”
But added to that limit just to avoid negligence (shelo yitroshal).

VI. Dimension halachic

1. Practical decision

The Talmud (Berachot 2a–9a) analyze these opinions and concludes:

• The law continues to Rabban Gamliel: you can recite the Shema until dawn,
  but it is recommended to do it before midnightaccording to the caution of the Wise.

2. Current application

• Start time: Since the appearance of three medium sized stars (tzeit hakojavim).
• End time: Until dawn (amud hashajar), although ideally before midnightchatzot).

VII. Dimension symbolic and spiritual

1. The Shema as a statement of unity

The night represents darkness and concealment; to recite the Shema at dusk symbolizes affirm divine unity even in the moments of confusion and shadow.

2. The three opinions as visions spiritual

• Rabbi Eliezer: represents the rigor, the discipline, the early action.
• The Wise Men: the balance between letter and spirit, between ideal and practice.
• Rabban Gamliel: the amplitude and the mercy, which extends the time until the sunrise, reflecting divine patience.

3. Pedagogical dimension

The Mishnah teaches that all the mitzvot have an optimal time (zrizim makdimim lemitzvot – “the diligent are ahead of the mitzvot”) but also a flexibility halachic that allows for the enforcement while the bible time permits.

VIII. Conclusion

Berachot 1:1 is not only a technical discussion on schedules, but a lesson on the relationship between the law, the discipline and devotion.
Each position expresses a pedagogy:

• Rabbi Eliezer: do it early, with diligence.
• The Wise Men: to comply with the order and limits.
• Rabban Gamliel: God grants time, but do not abuse your patience.

Together, the Mishnah teaches that the Shema night symbolizes the God-consciousness, which must accompany the man even on his break, and that the time of the night with its silence and darkness— is also an opportune time to reaffirm the faith and the divine oneness.