(Permission is granted to print and redistribute this material
as long as this header and the footer at the end are included.)


ANSWERS TO REVIEW QUESTIONS

prepared by Rabbi Eliezer Chrysler
Kollel Iyun Hadaf, Jerusalem

Previous daf

Berachos 57

Questions

1)

(a)
1. 'Huna' signifies a miracle (because of the 'Nun', which stands for 'Nes').
2. Chanina, Chananya and Yochanan (which contain two 'Nunin') signify many miracles.
3. 'Hesped' signifies that Hashem had pity on him and spared him from death.
All of these speak when he saw, not the person or the object, but the letters spelled out.

(b) Someone who says 'Yehei Shemei Raba' etc., is assured that he is a Ben Olam ha'Ba.

(c) And if he recites the Shema, it means that he is worthy that the Shechinah rest on him, and tha, if it does not, it is only because the generation is not worthy.

(d) The Torah writes "ve'Ra'u Kol Amei ha'Aretz Ki Shem Hashem Nikra Alecha, ve'Yar'u Mimeka". It therefore follows that someone who dreams that he is wearing Tefilin, will rise to greatness.

2)
(a) Davening in a dream is a good sign, only if he did not conclude his Tefilah.

(b) Someone who has relations with his mother in a dream, can hope for an increase in understanding.

(c) We see ...

1. ... from the Pasuk "Torah Tzivah Lanu Moshe" etc., that Torah is called our betrothed. Consequently, someone who dreams that he is having relations with a betrothed girl can hope for Torah.
2. ... from the Pasuk in Mishlei, which compares Chochmah to one's sister, someone who dreams that he is having relations with his sister, can expect wisdom.
3)
(a) Someone who dreamt that he had relations with a married woman is a Ben Olam ha'Ba, only if he does not know the woman and did not think about her during the day.

(b)

1.If one dreams about wheat, he can expect peace, because of the Pasuk "ha'Sam Gevulech Shalom, Cheilev Chitim Yasbi'ech".
2. If one dreams about barley, it means that his sins have been forgiven, because of the Pasuk "ve'Sar (which is similar to 'Se'orim') Avonecha" etc.
(c) Rebbi Zeira commented that he moved to Eretz Yisrael only after he had seen barley in a dream.
57b---------------------------------------57b

Questions

4)

(a) David signifies piety; Shlomoh, wisdom and Achav, punishment.

(b) Sefer Melachim signifies greatness; Yechezkel, wisdom and Yirmiyah, punishment.

(c) Sefer Tehilim signifies piety; Mishlei, wisdom and Iyov, punishment.

(d) Shir ha'Shirim signifies piety; Koheles, wisdom; Kin'os, punishment and Megilas Esther, a miracle.

5) If someone sees Rebbi in a dream, he can expect wisdom; Rebbi Elazar b'Rebbi Shimon, riches; Rebbi Yishmael ben Elisha, punishment; Ben Azai, piety; Ben Zoma, wisdom and Acher, punishment.

6)

(a)
1.An elephant (unsaddled), a monkey, and a marten seen in a dream, are all not good signs.
2. All metal seen in a dream are a good sign, with the exception of a hoe, an ax or a spade.
3. The only fruit that is not a good sign is unripe dates.
4 And the only vegetable is the head of a (detached) turnip.
5. All colors are a good sign, except for Techeiles (dark-blue).
6. And all birds are a good sign except for various kinds of owls and bats.
(b)
1. Cherries, Kafniyos and unripe dates all enter the body but are of no benefit to it.
2. Washing, anointing oneself and Tashmish (relieving oneself) do not enter the body, yet they are a taste of Olam ha'Ba.
(c) Tashmish, in this context, cannot mean 'Tashmish ha'Mitah', because it weakens a man. So how can it be described as a taste of Olam ha'Ba, which is not subject to harmful side-effects?

(d) Tashmish must therefore mean relieving oneself, as we explained.

7)
(a) Music, a nice view etc. and a nice smell, put a person's mind at ease.

(b) A nice house, a nice wife and nice vessels give a person a sense of spaciousness.

(c) Fire is a sixtieth of Gehinom; honey, of the Manna; Shabbos, of Olam ha'Ba; sleep, of death; a dream, of prophesy.

(d) Sneezing, perspiring, diarrhea, an emission, sleep and a dream are a good sign for a sick person.

8)
(a) Cabbage, beets, dry pennyroyal, an animal's stomach or womb, and the lobe of its liver are all good for the recovery of a sick person.

(b) On the other hand, if a sick person eats ox-meat, juicy or roasted meat, bird's meat or a roasted egg, or if he has a haircut, eats cress, milk or cheese, or takes a bath, he is heading for a relapse.

(c) It is large pumpkins which are perhaps *not* healthy. Small ones *are*!

9)
(a)
1. A corpse seen in a dream is a sign of peace.
2. If the corpse ate in the house, it is a good sign for the house.
(b)
1. A dead person taking shoes or sandals in a dream is a bad sign, because they symbolize going out, and it is therefore a sign that he intends to take somebody from the house.
2. Whatever he gives is good except for earth, which a symbol of the grave.
10)
(a) Someone who sees Markulis, recites 'Baruch ... she'Nasan Erech Apayim le'Ovrei Retzono'. (Why specifically Markulis, see Tosfos d.h. 'ha'Ro'eh).

(b) If one sees a place where idols were destroyed, one recites the Berachah 'Baruch ... she'Akar Akum' etc.

(c) According to the Rabbanan, the phrase 've'Hashev Lev Ovdeihem le'Avdecha', refers to Jews who have gone astray, but not to gentiles.

(d) Rebbi Shimon ben Elazar claims that, since it is clear from a Pasuk in Tzefanya that eventually, the gentiles will also relinquish their idolatry and convert, the phrase is indeed appropriate.

11) One recites the Berachah 'Baruch Omer ve'Oseh, Gozer u'Mekayem', when one sees the place from which one takes earth to place on the animals (there is a certain location in Bavel where, if one does not load earth on to the back of the animal, it cannot leave there - it is symbolical of the disintegration of the cursed Bavel).

12)

(a) When Rava would see the donkeys carrying away the earth of Bavel, he would slap them on their backs and say 'Run Tzadikim, to perform the will of your Master.

(b) Mar bar Ravina, quoting the Pasuk in Yeshayah "ve'Tatesiha bi'Metate Hashmed", would take some earth in his head-cloth and throw it outside.

Next daf

Index


For further information on
subscriptions, archives and sponsorships,
contact Kollel Iyun Hadaf,
daf@shemayisrael.co.il