“Who forms light and creates darkness, Who makes peace and creates evil, I am the Lord Who does all these things” (Isaiah 45:7).With regard to this formula of the blessing, the Gemara asks: Let him say the following formula instead: Who forms light and creates brightness, so as not to mention darkness, which has negative connotations.The Gemara answers: We say the blessing as the verse is written in the Bible and do not alter the formula that appears in the verse.The Gemara strongly objects: But if so, what about the continuation of the verse: “Who makes peace and creates evil”? Do we say this blessing as it is written in the Bible? Rather, it is written evil and we euphemistically recite the blessing all things to avoid mention of evil. Here, too, let us euphemistically say brightness instead of darkness.Rather, Rava said: The reason we recite: “Who creates darkness” is in order to mention the attribute of day at night and the attribute of night during the day, and thereby unify day and night as different parts of a single entity.The Gemara continues and asks: Granted, the attribute of night is mentioned during the day, as we say: Who forms light and creates darkness, but where do you find the attribute of day mentioned at night? In the blessing over the radiant lights recited at night there is no mention of “Who forms light.”Abaye said: Nevertheless, the attribute of day is mentioned at night in the words: Rolling away light before the darkness and darkness before the light.The Gemara asks: And what is the formula of the other blessing recited before Shema? Rav Yehuda said in the name of Shmuel: An abounding love [ahava rabba]. And Rabbi Elazar instructed his son, Rabbi Pedat, to also say: An abounding love.That was also taught in a baraita: One does not recite: An eternal love [ahavat olam]; rather, one recites: An abounding love. And the Rabbis say that one recites: An eternal love, and so it says: “And an eternal love I have loved you, therefore I have drawn you with kindness” (Jeremiah 31:2).The blessing: An abounding love, is about God’s love for us and includes praise for His giving us the Torah. Therefore, Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: One who arose to study, until he recites Shema he must recite a special blessing over the Torah. If he already recited Shema he need not recite that blessing, as he has exempted himself by reciting the blessing of: An abounding love, which includes the components of the blessing over the Torah.Having mentioned the blessing recited over Torah, the Gemara focuses on a dispute over what constitutes Torah in terms of requiring a blessing. Rav Huna said: For the study of Bible, one must recite a blessing, as it is the word of God, and for halakhic midrash, the derivation of halakhot from verses, one need not recite a blessing.And Rabbi Elazar said: For Bible and midrash, which includes halakhot derived from verses themselves, one must recite a blessing; for Mishna, which is only comprised of halakhic rulings issued by the Sages, one need not recite a blessing.And Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Even for Mishna, which includes final, binding halakhic rulings, one must recite a blessing as well, but for Talmud, which comprises a study of the Mishna and the rationales for its rulings, one need not recite a blessing.And Rava said: Even for Talmud, which is the means to analyze the significance of the halakhot, and is the only form of Torah study that leads one to its true meaning, one must recite a blessing.This statement is supported by the practical halakha derived from observation of Rav’s practice. His student, Rav Ḥiyya bar Ashi, said: Many times I stood before Rav to study our chapter in the Sifra, also known as Torat Kohanim, the halakhic midrash on Leviticus, of the school of Rav, and I saw that Rav would first wash his hands, then recite a blessing, and only then he would teach us our chapter. This demonstrates that even before their study of Torat Kohanim, which, due to Rav’s explanation of the reasons behind the halakhot, was the equivalent of studying Talmud, one must recite a blessing.The Gemara clarifies: What formula of blessings does he recite? There is a dispute over the formula of the blessings as well. Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: The formula of this blessing is like the standard formula for blessings recited over other mitzvot: Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who sanctified us with his mitzvot and commanded us to engage in matters of Torah.And Rabbi Yoḥanan concludes the blessing by adding the following: Lord our God, make the words of Your Torah sweet in our mouths and in the mouths of Your people, the house of Israel, so that we and our descendants and the descendants of Your people, the house of Israel, may be those who know Your name and engage in Your Torah. Blessed are You, Lord, Who teaches Torah to His people Israel.And Rav Hamnuna said an additional formula: Who has chosen us from all the peoples and given us His Torah. Blessed are You, Lord, Giver of the Torah. With regard to this formula, Rav Hamnuna said: This concise blessing is the most outstanding of all the blessings over the Torah, as it combines thanks to God for giving us the Torah as well as acclaim for the Torah and for Israel.Since several formulas for the blessing over Torah were suggested, each with its own distinct advantage, the Gemara concludes: Therefore, let us recite them all as blessings over the Torah.The Gemara returns to dealing with the blessings that accompany Shema, and describes the practice in the Temple. We learned there, in a mishna in tractate Tamid: In the morning the deputy High Priest appointed to oversee activity in the Temple, said to the priests who were members of the priestly watch [mishmar] on duty that week: Recite a single blessing. The members of the priestly watch recited a blessing, and read the Ten Commandments, Shema, VeHaya im Shamoa and VaYomer, the standard recitation of Shema. Additionally, they blessed the people with three blessings. These blessings were: True and Firm, the blessing of redemption recited after Shema; Avoda, service, the special blessing recited over God’s acceptance of the sacrifices with favor, similar to the blessing of Temple Service recited in the Amida prayer; and the priestly benediction, recited in the form of a prayer without the outstretched hands that usually accompany that blessing (Tosafot). And on Shabbat one blessing is added to bless the outgoing priestly watch, as the watch serving in the Temple was replaced on Shabbat.Certain details in this mishna are not sufficiently clear. First, what is the single blessing that the deputy High Priest instructed the guards to recite? The Gemara relates: It is like the incident where Rabbi Abba and Rabbi Yosei bar Abba happened to visit a certain unnamed place, and the people there asked them: What is the single blessing mentioned in the mishna? They did not have an answer readily available. So they came and asked Rav Mattana, and he too did not have an answer readily available. They came and asked Rav Yehuda, and he told them: Shmuel said as follows: An abounding love is the single blessing recited by the priestly watch.Rabbi Zerika said that Rabbi Ami said that Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said a different answer: This single blessing is: Who creates light. That was how Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish’s statement was received in Babylonia, yet when Rav Yitzḥak bar Yosef came from Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, he said that this halakha was not a direct quote of a statement by Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish. That which Rabbi Zerika said was not stated explicitly by Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, but rather it was inferred from another statement. As Rabbi Zerika said that Rabbi Ami said that Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: From the expression: Recite a single blessing, in the mishna in tractate Tamid, it follows that failure to recite one of the blessings recited before Shemadoes not prevent one from reciting the other. This means that if only one of the blessings was recited, the obligation to recite that blessing was fulfilled, as the two blessings are not mutually dependent.The conclusion was drawn from Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish’s statement that he held that the single blessing recited was: Who creates light. The considerations that led the Sages to that conclusion were: Granted, if you say that they would recite: Who creates light, then the conclusion of Reish Lakish, that failure to recite one of the blessings recited before Shemadoes not prevent one from reciting the other, is understandable, as they recited: Who creates light, and did not recite: An abounding love, and they nonetheless fulfilled their obligation.

The Gemara challenges: And prayer, which is also a matter in which the community is engaged, and we learned in the mishna: One who was standing in prayer and remembered that he is one who experienced a seminal emission and did not yet immerse himself should not interrupt his prayer, rather he should abridge it. The Gemara infers: The reason is because he already began to pray; however, if he did not yet begin, then he should not begin, even by means of contemplation.The Gemara responds: Prayer is different in that it does not contain the acceptance of the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven. The Gemara rejects this: And Grace after Meals does not contain the acceptance of the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven, and yet we learned in the mishna: Over food, one recites a blessing afterward, but does not recite a blessing beforehand. Rather, the differences must be explained otherwise: The recitation of Shema and Grace after Meals are both mitzvot by Torah law, while prayer is only by rabbinic law. Therefore, one who is impure need not pray.Rav Yehuda said: From where is the mitzva by Torah law to recite Grace after Meals, derived? As it is stated: “And you shall eat and be satisfied and bless the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 8:10).And from where is the mitzva by Torah law to recite the blessing over the Torah before it is read, derived? As it is stated: “When I proclaim the Lord’s name, give glory to our God” (Deuteronomy 32:3), meaning that before one proclaims the Lord’s name by reading the Torah, he must give glory to God.Rabbi Yoḥanan said: We derived that one must recite the blessing over the Torah after it is read from Grace after Meals by means of an a fortiori inference. And we derive the obligation to recite a blessing before partaking of food from the blessing over the Torah by means of an a fortiori inference. The blessing over the Torah after it is read from Grace after Meals by means of an a fortiori inference: Food, which does not require a blessing beforehand by Torah law, requires a blessing afterward; Torah, which requires a blessing beforehand, is it not right that it requires a blessing afterward? And similarly: The blessing before partaking of food from the blessing over the Torah by means of an a fortiori inference: Torah, which requires no blessing afterward by Torah law, requires a blessing beforehand; food, which requires a blessing afterward, is it not right that it requires a blessing beforehand?The Gemara notes: The logic of this a fortiori inference can be refuted: What is true with regard to food, where one derives pleasure from eating, is not true with regard to matters which offer no bodily pleasure. Therefore, the blessing over the Torah cannot be derived from the blessing over food. And similarly: What is true with regard to Torah, that provides eternal life to those who engage in its study, is not true with regard to matters that do not provide eternal life. Therefore, the blessing before partaking of food cannot be derived from the blessing over the Torah. Furthermore, we learned in the mishna: Over food, one who is impure due to a seminal emission recites a blessing afterward, but does not recite a blessing beforehand. The mishna does not derive the blessing recited before a meal from the blessing recited over Torah. Consequently, this is a conclusive refutation of Rabbi Yoḥanan’s statement.Rav Yehuda said: One who is uncertain whether he recited Shema or whether he did not recite it does not recite it again. However, one who is uncertain whether he recited: True and Firm [emet veyatziv], the blessing that follows Shema in the morning, must recite emet veyatziv again. What is the reason for this? In his opinion, the obligation to recite Shema is only by rabbinic law. His ruling follows the principle that in cases of uncertainty involving rabbinic law, the ruling is lenient and he need not repeat it. However, since emet veyatziv is primarily a commemoration of the exodus from Egypt, it is a mitzva by Torah law, and, in cases of uncertainty involving Torah law, the ruling is stringent and he must repeat it.Rav Yosef raises an objection: How can you say that the obligation to recite Shema is only by rabbinic law when it is explicitly written: “And you shall recite them to your children and speak of them when you sit in your home and when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise” (Deuteronomy 6:7)? Abaye said to him: That verse was written with regard to matters of Torah. One need not interpret the verse in the conventional manner, as obligating the recitation of Shema, but rather as referring to the general obligation to study Torah.From here, the Gemara attempts to resolve this issue by citing proof from the mishna. We learned in the mishna: One who experienced a seminal emission may contemplateShemain his heart, but neither recites the blessings precedingShema, nor the blessings thereafter. Over food which, after partaking, one is obligated by Torah law to recite a blessing, one recites a blessing thereafter, but not beforehand.And if it would enter your mind that the obligation to recite emet veyatziv is by Torah law, let him recite the blessing afterShema. Since he does not recite the blessing, apparently, he is exempt.The Gemara refutes this: What is the reason that he recitesemet veyatziv? If it is because it deals primarily with the exodus from Egypt, wasn’t it already mentioned in the recitation of Shema, in the portion of the ritual fringes?The Gemara challenges: And let him say this,emet veyatziv, and he will not need to recite that,Shema. The Gemara responds: While one may commemorate the exodus from Egypt in either Shema or emet veyatziv, Shema is preferable as it contains two elements, both a commemoration of the exodus and an acceptance of the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven.And Rabbi Elazar said a different opinion: One who is uncertain whether he recited Shema or whether he did not reciteShema,must recite Shema again. According to his opinion, there is a mitzva by Torah law to recite Shema. However, if one is uncertain whether he prayed or whether he did not pray, he does not pray again, as the obligation to pray is by rabbinic law. And Rabbi Yoḥanan said: He must pray again; if only a person would pray throughout the entire day.And Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: One who was standing in prayer and remembered that he already prayed must interrupt his prayer, even in the middle of a blessing. The Gemara challenges this: Is that so? Didn’t Rav Naḥman say: When we were in the school of Rabba bar Avuh we raised a dilemma before him: Those students in the school of Rav who mistakenly recited a blessing from the weekdayAmidaon Shabbat, what is the ruling with regards to completing the weekday prayer? And Rabba bar Avuh said to us: The ruling is that one must complete that entire blessing. How then did Rav Yehuda say that one must interrupt his prayer even in the middle of a blessing?The Gemara rejects this: How can you compare the two cases? There, on Shabbat, the individual is one who is obligated and should actually recite all eighteen blessings, and it is the Sages who did not impose upon him in deference to Shabbat and instituted an abridged formula. But here, didn’t he already pray? Therefore he can stop, even in the middle of a blessing.And Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: One who already prayed, and then enters a synagogue to find a congregation standing and praying, if he is able to introduce a new element, an expression or request, into his prayer, he may pray again, and if not, he may not pray again.The Gemara notes: This concept is identical to Shmuel’s previous statement regarding one who already prayed that he need not pray again. Nevertheless, both statements are necessary. If he had taught us the firsthalakha, we would have said that applies only to a case involving an individual who prayed and an individual who began to repeat the prayer,

dipped with them a small bit of food in brine and ate with them only a single dry fig, he joins them. And to satisfy the obligation of the many, he does not satisfy their obligation until he eats an olive-bulk of grain. Rabbi Ḥana bar Yehuda said in the name of Rava that the halakha is: If one ate a vegetable leaf and drank a cup of wine, he joins the diners. However, to satisfy the obligation of others, he does not satisfy their obligation until he eats an olive-bulk of grain.With regard to the origins of the four blessings of Grace after Meals, Rav Naḥman said:Moses instituted for Israel the first blessing of: Who feeds all, when the manna descended for them and they needed to thank God.
Joshua instituted the blessing of the land when they entered Eretz Yisrael.David and Solomon instituted the third blessing: Who builds Jerusalem, in the following manner:
David instituted “…on Israel Your people and on Jerusalem Your city…” as he conquered the city,
and Solomon instituted “…on the great and Holy Temple…” as he was the one who built the Temple.
They instituted the blessing: Who is good and does good, at Yavne in reference to the slain Jews of the city of Beitar at the culmination of the bar Kokheva rebellion. They were ultimately brought to burial after a period during which Hadrian refused to permit their burial. As Rav Mattana said: On the same day that the slain of Beitar were brought to burial, they instituted the blessing: Who is good and does good, at Yavne. Who is good, thanking God that the corpses did not decompose while awaiting burial, and does good, thanking God that they were ultimately brought to burial.On the topic of the blessings of Grace after Meals, the Gemara adds that the Sages taught in a baraita that the order of Grace after Meals is as follows: The first blessing is the blessing of: Who feeds all; the second is the blessing of the land; the third is: Who builds Jerusalem; and the fourth is: Who is good and does good. On Shabbat one begins the third blessing with consolation and ends with consolation and mentions the sanctity of the day with mention of Shabbat in the middle. Rabbi Eliezer says: If one wishes to recite the supplement for the sanctity of Shabbat in the blessing of consolation: Who builds Jerusalem, he recites it there; in the blessing of the land, he recites it there; in the blessing instituted by the Sages at Yavne, Who is good and does good, he recites it there. And the Rabbis say: He may only recite the mention of the sanctity of Shabbat in the context of the blessing of consolation.The Gemara remarks: The opinion of the Rabbis is identical with the opinion of the first tanna. Both opinions hold that the mention of Shabbat is in the third blessing. The Gemara responds: The difference between the opinion of the Rabbis and the opinion of the first tanna is with regard to after the fact. They both agree that ab initio, Shabbat should be mentioned in the third blessing. If, though, one inadvertently mentioned Shabbat in one of the other blessings mentioned by Rabbi Eliezer, the first tanna holds that he fulfilled his obligation and the Rabbis emphasize that it may only be recited in the blessing of consolation.The Sages taught in a Tosefta: From where is it derived that Grace after Meals is from the Torah? As it is stated: “And you shall eat and be satisfied, and you shall bless the Lord, your God, for the good land that He has given you” (Deuteronomy 8:10). The Gemara explains: And you shall bless, that is the blessing of: Who feeds all. The Lord, your God, that is the zimmun blessing in which God’s name is invoked. For the land, that is the blessing of the land; good, that is the blessing: Who builds Jerusalem, and it also says: “This good mountain and Lebanon” (Deuteronomy 3:25), which is interpreted homiletically as referring to Jerusalem and the Temple. That He gave you, that is: Who is good and does good. However, I only have a Torah source for blessings after eating, i.e., Grace after Meals. From where is it derived that one is obligated to recite blessings before eating? You said that it can be derived through an a fortiori inference: When one is satisfied, he is obligated to recite a blessing and thank God for food; when he is hungry, all the more so that he should recite a blessing to offer thanks for the food he will eat.Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: It is not necessary to interpret the verse this way; rather, it should be understood in a slightly different manner, as follows: “And you shall eat and be satisfied, and you shall bless,” that is the blessing of: Who feeds all; however, the zimmun blessing is derived from the verse: “Praise God with me and we will exalt His name together” (Psalms 34:3). He continues: For the land, that is the blessing of the land. Good, that is the blessing: Who builds Jerusalem, and it also says: This good mountain and Lebanon. They instituted the blessing: Who is good and does good, at Yavne and, as such, it has no biblical source. However, I only have a Torah source for blessings after eating, i.e., Grace after Meals. From where is it derived that one is obligated to recite blessings before eating? The verse states: That he gave you. A blessing must be recited over food from the moment that God gave it to you, not only afterward.Rabbi Yitzḥak says: That source for the obligation to recite a blessing beforehand is not necessary, as it says: “And He will bless your bread and your water” (Exodus 23:25); do not read: And He will bless [uveirakh], rather: And you will bless [uvareikh]. And when is it called bread? Before it is eaten.Rabbi Natan says: That source for the obligation to recite a blessing beforehand is not necessary, as it says when the maidens told Saul: “As soon you come into the city, find him right away, before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he comes, because he will bless the sacrifice; and afterwards all those who are invited will eat; now go, for you shall find him at this time of day” (I Samuel 9:13). A blessing recited prior to eating is explicitly mentioned in that verse.Tangentially, the Gemara asks: Why did these maidens go on so expansively while speaking to Saul? It is because women are chatterers. And Shmuel said a different reason: They spoke expansively in order to gaze upon Saul’s beauty longer, as it is written about him: “An excellent young man; no one among the Israelites was better than he; he was taller than the people from the shoulders up” (I Samuel 9:2). Rabbi Yoḥanan said that their expansiveness was initiated by God, because one sovereignty does not overlap with its counterpart, even one hairbreadth. Saul’s coronation was delayed so that Samuel’s leadership would not be curtailed.The baraita with regard to Grace after Meals continues: I only have a Torah source for Grace after Meals. From where is the obligation to recite the blessing of the Torah derived? Several answers are offered: Rabbi Yishmael said: It is derived through an a fortiori inference from Grace after Meals: Over food, which is an aspect of temporal life, one recites a blessing, all the more so one recites a blessing over the Torah, which is eternal life. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Naḥmani, the student of Rabbi Yishmael, says in the name of Rabbi Yishmael: Thisa fortiori inference is not necessary, as this halakha can be derived from the same verse from which Grace after Meals is derived, as it states: “For the good land that He gave [natan] you,” and below, with regard to the Torah, it says: “And I will give [ve’etna] you the stone tablets, and the Torah and the mitzva, which I have written, that you may teach them” (Exodus 24:12). Here, just as giving with regard to the good land requires a blessing, giving with regard to the Torah requires a blessing.Concerning this verse, Rabbi Meir says: From where is it derived that just as one recites a blessing over the good that befalls him he recites a blessing over the bad? The verse states: “That the Lord, your God gave you.” “Your God” is a reference to the attribute of divine justice; your Judge, in whatever judgment that He judges you, whether it is a positive measure of goodness or a measure of calamity.Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira says: Proof for a blessing over the Torah from a different verse is not necessary, as it says: “For the good [hatova] land.” Two different matters are derived from different aspects of the word hatova: Tova, that is Torah, as it says: “For I have given you good [tov] teachings, do not forsake My Torah” (Proverbs 4:2); hatova, that is the building of Jerusalem, as it says: “This good mountain [hatov] and Lebanon.”With regard to the formula of Grace after Meals, the Gemara continues: It was taught in a baraita: Rabbi Eliezer says: Anyone who did not say: A desirable, good, and spacious land in the blessing of the land, and who did not mention the royal house of David in the blessing: Who builds Jerusalem, did not fulfill his obligation. Naḥum the Elder says: One must mention the covenant of circumcision in the blessing of the land. Rabbi Yosei says: One must mention the Torah in the blessing of the land. Pelimu, one of the last tanna’im, says: He must make mention of the covenant of circumcision preceding mention of the Torah, as this, the Torah, was given to the Jewish people with three covenants,

And for what reason is it not common for Torah scholars to give rise to Torah scholars from among their sons? Why are Torah scholars generally born to paupers, who are not Torah scholars themselves? Rav Yosef said: This is so that they should not say the Torah is their inheritance. Therefore, it is unusual to find that all the sons of a Torah scholar are also Torah scholars. Rav Sheshet, son of Rav Idi, said: This is so that they should not be presumptuous [yitgadderu] toward the community, with the knowledge that they will be Torah scholars like their fathers. Mar Zutra said: Because they take advantage of their fathers’ standing to lord over the community and are punished for their conduct. Rav Ashi said: Because they call ordinary people donkeys.Ravina says: They are punished because they do not first recite a blessing over the Torah before commencing their studies. As Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Who is the wise man that may understand this, and who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord has spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land is perished and laid waste like a wilderness, so that none passes through” (Jeremiah 9:11)? This matter, the question as to why Eretz Yisrael was destroyed, was asked of the Sages, i.e., “the wise man,” and of the prophets, “he to whom the mouth of the Lord has spoken,” but they could not explain it.The matter remained a mystery until the Holy One, Blessed be He, Himself explained why Eretz Yisrael was laid waste, as it is written in the next verse: “And the Lord said: Because they have forsaken My Torah which I set before them, and have not obeyed My voice, nor walked therein” (Jeremiah 9:12). It would appear that “have not obeyed My voice” is the same as “nor walked therein.” Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: The expression “nor walked therein” means that they do not first recite a blessing over the Torah, and they are therefore liable to receive the severe punishments listed in the verse.

(1) When the sages instituted these services of prayer, they likewise instituted other blessings, to be recited daily. These are as follows: When about to retire to rest for the night, one recites the blessing, "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, our God, king of the Universe, who causest the bands of sleep to fall upon my eyes and givest light to the pupil of the eye. May it be Thy will, O Lord my God, to deliver me from the evil inclination and from mishap. Let not evil dreams nor evil imaginations trouble me. May my rest be perfect before Thee. Cause me to rise from it to life and to peace, and lighten mine eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who givest light to the whole world in Thy glory."

(2) He then reads the first section of the Shema and sleeps. If he is overcome by drowsiness, he reads even if it be only one verse [of the Shema] or verses of a supplicatory character and sleeps.

(3) When he awakes, after he has completed his rest, he recites, while still on his couch, the following blessing: "O my God, the soul that Thou gavest me is pure. Thou didst create it, Thou didst form it, Thou didst breathe it into me, Thou preservest it within me, Thou wilt take it from me and wilt restore it unto me hereafter. So long as the soul is joined within me, I give thanks unto Thee, O Lord my God, Sovereign of all works. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who restorest souls unto dead bodies."

(4) When he hears the crowing of the cock, he recites the blessing, "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe^*This sentence “Blessed … Universe” precedes every one of the following blessings., who hast given to the cock intelligence to distinguish between day and night." When he puts on his garments, he recites, "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who clothest the naked." When he puts on his headgear he recites, "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who crownest Israel with glory." When he passes his hands over his eyes, he recites, "Who openest the eyes of the blind." When he sits up on his couch, he recites, "Who loosest those that are bound." When he descends from the couch and puts his feet on the ground, he recites, "Who spreadest forth the earth above the waters". When he stands up, he recites, "Who raisest up them that are bowed down". When he washes his hands, he recites, "Who hast sanctified us by Thy commandments and given us a command concerning the washing of the hands". When he washes his face, he recites the blessing, "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who removest the bands of sleep from mine eyes and slumber from mine eyelids. May it be Thy will, O Lord my God and God of my fathers to accustom me to religious duties and not accustom me to transgression. Let the good inclination have sway over me and let not the evil inclination have sway over me. Strengthen me in Thy commandments and grant my portion in Thy Law. Grant that I may be vouchsafed grace, loving kindness and mercy in Thy sight and in the sight of all who behold me, and bestow upon me loving kindnesses. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who bestowest loving kindnesses upon Thy people, Israel.

(5) When one goes to the toilet, he says before entering, "Honoured be ye, O honoured and holy ones, ministers of the Supreme. Protect me, protect me; tarry for me when I enter and till I leave; for this is the way of the children of men".^*These sentences are no longer said. After leaving, he recites the blessing, "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who hast formed man in wisdom and created in him many orifices and vessels. If one of these should close^*Contrary to their function.^*Contrary to their function. or one of these open, it would be impossible to exist even for a single hour. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who healest all flesh and doest wondrously."

(6) When he fastens his girdle, he recites, "Who girdest Israel with strength". When he puts on his shoes, he recites, "Who hast supplied my every want". When he starts to go out, he recites, "Who hast made firm the steps of man". A male recites daily the following blessings, "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who hast not made me a heathen"; "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who hast not made me a bondman"; "Blessed art Thou O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who hast not made me a woman".^*A woman omits this blessing and substitutes as follows: “… Who hast made me according to Thy will”.

(7) These Eighteen blessings have no appointed order. Each blessing is recited at the appropriate time and occasion. For example: If one has put on his girdle, while still on his couch, he recites the blessing, "Who girdeth Israel with strength". When he hears the cock crow, he recites the blessing, "Who hast given the cock intelligence, etc.". Any of the above blessings for which there is no occasion, is not recited.

(8) For example: If one passed the night without removing his clothes, on arising in the morning he does not recite the blessing, "Who clothest the naked". If one walks barefoot, he does not recite the blessing, "Who hast supplied my every want". On the Day of Atonement and on the Ninth of Ab, when there is no ablution, one does not recite the blessing, "Concerning the washing of hands", nor the blessing, "Who removest the bands of sleep from mine eyes".^*Washing the eyes removes drowsiness. If one has no occasion to visit the toilet, he does not recite the blessing, "Who formest man, etc.". And so with the other blessings.

(9) The people in most of our cities have the custom of reciting these blessings in the Synagogue, consecutively, whether they were under an obligation to do so or not. This however is an erroneous practice which should not be followed. No blessing should be recited unless there is an obligation to do so.

(10) If one rises early to read the Torah, before he has recited the Shema, whether it is the Written or the Oral Law that he intends to study, he first washes his hands, recites three blessings and then proceeds to his reading. The blessings are as follows: "Who hast sanctified us by Thy commandments and given us a command concerning the words of the Law. Make pleasant, we beseech Thee, O Lord our God, the words of Thy Law in our mouth and in the mouth of Thy people, all the house of Israel, so that we with our offspring and the offspring of Thy people all the house of Israel may know Thy name and learn Thy Law for its own sake. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who givest the Law. Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who hast chosen us from all nations and given us Thy Law. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who givest the Law."

(11) It is a duty to recite these three blessings daily and then read a small portion of the words of the Torah. The people have the custom to read the Priestly Benediction.^*Numbers 6:24-26. In some places the section referring to the Daily Sacrifices^*Numbers 28:1-8. is read. In others again, both these sections are read. Chapters or paragraphs from the Mishna or the Boraitha are also read.

(12) The early Sages lauded one who reads every day psalms from the Psalter, beginning with "the Psalm of David" (Psalm 145) and continuing till the end of the book. It is also settled practice to read verses before and after these Psalms. The Sages appointed a blessing to be recited before the psalms, the one beginning, "Blessed be He who spake", and a blessing to be recited after them, beginning, "Praised be Thy name." Then the blessings for the Shema are recited and the Shema is read.

(13) In some places, it is the custom, after the blessing beginning, "Praised by Thy name," to read daily "The Song of the Red Sea" (Exodus 15:1-18), and then the blessings before the Shema. In other places, the custom is to read Haazinu (Deuteronomy Chapter 32.) Some individuals read both Songs. In this regard, custom always rules.

(14) A person is in duty bound to recite every complete day one hundred blessings. How are these hundred blessings made up? There are twenty-three blessing which we have enumerated in this chapter; and seven blessings before and after the morning and evening recital of the Shema. When putting on the Zizith,^*Fringed garment (Numbers 15:37-41). the blessing is recited, "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who hast sanctified us with Thy commandments and commanded us to wear a fringed garment". When putting on the Tephillin (phylacteries), the blessing is recited, "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who hast sanctified us with Thy commandments and commanded us to lay the Tephillin". All these, together with the three daily Services, each consisting of eighteen benedictions, make up eighty-six blessings. When two meals are taken each day, fourteen blessings are recited, seven at each meal, as follows; one blessing on washing the hands, one for the meal, three after its conclusion, one blessing before taking a drink and one after, making seven blessings for each meal.

(15) At the present time, since the institution of the blessing concerning Heretics as a part of the Amidah Service, and the addition of the blessing beginning, "Who is good and Who doest good" to the Grace after meals, there are five additional blessings (beyond the hundred). On Sabbaths and Festivals when the Amidah service consists of seven blessings, and on other days if one was not under the obligation to recite all these benedictions, as, for instance, if one did not sleep the whole night, did not loosen his girdle, or did not need to visit the toilet, and so forth, he has to complete the hundred blessings by partaking of fruit.

(16) How so? He partakes of a little vegetable, reciting the blessings before and after doing so; then a little of various kinds of fruit, reciting the appropriate blessings before and after each kind; and counts the blessings till the hundred, to be daily recited, are completed.

(17) The order of the prayers is as follows. In the morning, on arising, a person recites the blessings mentioned above; then reads the Psalms—reciting the appropriate blessings before and after them. Then he reads the Shema, reciting the blessings before and after it, omitting the Kedusha^*Sanctification (Isaiah 6:3, Ezekiel 3.12). from the former of the two blessings before the Shema, this not being recited by an individual in his private devotions. When he has concluded the blessing after the Shema, which closes with the phrase, "Who redeemedst Isael" he immediately rises, so that the reference to the Redemption may be connected with the Amidah prayer, which, as already stated by us, is recited standing. When this prayer is concluded, he sits down, bows his head, offers up supplications, raises his head and still seated, offers further supplications. Then he reads "The Psalm of David" (Psalm 145), offers according to his ability, more supplications, after which he proceeds to his affairs.

(18) The afternoon service begins with the reading of "The Psalm of David" (Psalm 145), the worshiper being seated. He then rises and recites the Amidah for the afternoon service. This concluded, he bows his head, offers supplications, raises his head, and offers further supplications according to his ability, and then proceeds to his affairs. In the evening service, the worshipper reads the Shema, reciting the appropriate blessings before and after it. The blessing referring to the redemption of Israel is connected with the Amidah, which is recited, standing. This concluded, the worshipper sits a brief while and withdraws. Whoever adds supplications after the Amidah in the evening acts commendably. Though the blessing concluded, "Who redeemedst Israel" is followed by the blessing beginning, "Cause us to lie down", this is not regarded as an interruption between the blessing relating to redemption and the Amidah, both blessings being regarded as one lengthy blessing.

(6) One says "and please make sweet" with a vav. (Gloss: and there are those who say without a vav, and so they have practiced. [Rambam: Laws of Prayer Chapter 7 and Rashba in the name of the Ma-or and Abudarham], But it is better to say it with a vav.)

(11) It is a duty to recite these three blessings daily and then read a small portion of the words of the Torah. The people have the custom to read the Priestly Benediction.^*Numbers 6:24-26. In some places the section referring to the Daily Sacrifices^*Numbers 28:1-8. is read. In others again, both these sections are read. Chapters or paragraphs from the Mishna or the Boraitha are also read.

(1) One must be very diligent to say the Blessing of the Torah.

(2) It is necessary to bless before Mikrah [scripture], Mishnah, and Gemara. (Gloss: and for Midrash [Tur])

(3) If he writes words of Torah, even if he doesn't read them, he must bless.

(4) One who considers words of Torah does not need to bless. (Gloss: and this is the law of one who can rule on the law without giving a reason for one's words [Ran: Chapter 1 of Shabbat and Chapter "All images" - he wrote that it is like considering])

(5) The Blessing of the Torah: "who makes us holy with His commandments and commands us regarding words of Torah, and please make sweet", etc. and "who chose us"

(6) One says "and please make sweet" with a vav. (Gloss: and there are those who say without a vav, and so they have practiced. [Rambam: Laws of Prayer Chapter 7 and Rashba in the name of the Ma-or and Abudarham], But it is better to say it with a vav.)

(7) The blessing of Ahavat Olam exempts [one from] the Blessing of the Torah. If one learned immediately [afterwards] without an interruption.

(8) And there is reason to doubt whether one fulfills [one's obligation] by reading the recitation of the Sh'ma adjoined to it [i.e. Ahavat Olam] immediately without an interruption, and therefore there is reason to be diligent to bless the Blessing of the Torah prior to Ahavat Olam.

(9) There are those who say that if one interrupted between the Blessing of the Torah and one's study, it [i.e. the blessing] does not amount to anything, and the correct thing is not to interrupt between them, and so they have practiced to say the section of the Priestly Blessing adjoined to the blessing of the Torah.

(10) If one was interrupted from studying and gets involved with one's activities, since it was in one's head to return and study, this is not an interruption. And this is the law for sleep or the bathhouse or the outhouse, that it is not an interruption.

(11) A routine sleep during the day in one's bed: it is an interruption. And there are those who say it is not an interruption, and so they have practiced.

(12) Even if one learned at night, the night comes after the day that passed, and there is no need to go back and bless [again] every time that one did not sleep.

(13) Those who wake early, before the light of day, to study bless the Blessing of the Torah and there is no need to go back and bless [again] when one goes to the synagogue. Those who wake early before the light of day bless the entire order of blessings other than the blessing of "who gives the rooster understanding" and the section of the daily offering [see above, Chapter 1, Section 6]; in that one waits to say them until the light of day. (Gloss: ab initio, one washes one's hands prior to blessing for study, but if one did not have water, one can learn and bless without washing as with the rest of blessing that one blesses before washing as above, Chapter 46 [Agur])

(14) Women bless the Blessing of the Torah