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REVIEW QUESTIONS ON GEMARA AND RASHI

prepared by Rabbi Eliezer Chrysler
Kollel Iyun Hadaf, Jerusalem

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Berachos 40

1)

(a) What does Rav mean when he says ' "Tul Beroch, Tul Beroch!" Eino Tzarich le'Varech. "Havei Melach, Havei Liftan!" Tzarich le'Varech'?
According to Rebbi Yochanan, 'Bring salt!' is not considered a Hefsek, but 'Feed the cows'! is.
(b) What does Rav Sheishes say about that, and what is his reason?

(c) What is the source in the Torah for that?

2) When Rav bar Shmuel made a Motzi at the Chief Rabbi's house, they asked him whether he had changed his opinion.
(a) What did they mean, and what did he answer them?
Rava bar Shmuel also quotes Rebbi Chiya as saying that one can only urinate properly when sitting.
(b) Why is that, and what alternatives does one have?

(c) What does Rav bar Shmuel advocate that one eats and drinks as dessert, and with what results?

(d) What should one worry about by day, and what should one worry about by night, should he fail to do this?

3) Both lentils and mustard eaten every thirty days prevent illnesses.
(a) Why not every day?

(b) How do lentils prevent Askarah?

(c) What are the advantages of eating little fish?

(d) How do reconcile the fact that, on the one hand, poppy-seeds are healthy, and prevents heart-pains; and on the other, they are dangerous, so much so, that one should even avoid sleeping on the East side of one's poppy-seed barn?

4)
(a) What does Rebbi Yehudah in our Mishnah learn from "Baruch Hashem Yom Yom" (Tehilim)?

(b) What do we learn from the double expression "ve'Haya Im Shamo'a Tishme'u" (in the Shema)?

5) Our Mishnah rules that one is Yotze if one recited 'Adamah' over fruit from a tree. The author of our Mishnah, the Gemara concludes, must be Rebbi Yehudah.
(a) What does Rebbi Yehudah say (regarding Bikurim)?

(b) Why does the Tana of our Mishnah need to inform us that someone who recites 'ha'Eitz on the fruit of the ground is not Yotze. Is that not obvious?

(c) Why does one not recite 'ha'Eitz' over wheat, according to Rebbi Yehudah?

(d) What are the other two opinions (cited in our Gemara - there is a fourth opinion which it does*not* quote) regarding the fruit which Adam ha'Rishon ate - and what are their reasons?

Answers to questions

40b---------------------------------------40b

6) According to Rebbi Meir, someone who recites over bread 'Kamah Na'ah Pas Zu, Baruch ha'Makom she'Bera'ah', is Yotze.

(a) What does Rebbi Yossi have to say about that?
Rav Huna says that if someone recites 'Shehakol' over bread, he is not Yotze. Rebbi Yochanan says that he is.
(b) How does the Gemara attempt to connect this Machlokes Amora'im to the above-mentioned Machlokes Tena'im?

(c) How does the Gemara then reconcile Rav Huna with Rebbi Meir, and Rebbi Yochanan with Rebbi Yossi?

7)
(a) According to Rav, which word would we have to add to the Berachah 'Berich Marei de'Hai Pita', and why?

(b) Are we speaking about a Berachah Rishonah or a Berachah Acharonah, and how do we know that?

(c) In view of the Mishnah in Sotah, which permits Keri'as Shema, Tefilah and Birchas ha'Mazon in any language, what is Rav's Chidush?

8)
(a) In which point does Rebbi Yochanan disagree with Rav?
We have learnt a Sifri regarding Ma'aser Sheini, which Darshens "Lo Avarti mi'Mitzvosecha" - 'from making a Berachah'; "ve'Lo Shachachti" 'from mentioning Your Name over it'.
Although the Derashah is only an Asmachta, the Beraisa appears to be a strong proof for Rav, since it requires that Hashem's Name be mentioned, but not Malchus.
(b) How does Rebbi Yochanan explain the Beraisa?
9) According to Rebbi Yehudah, when one intends to eat a variety of fruits, the seven kinds take precedence.
(a) What do the Rabbanan say to that?

(b) What Berachah does one recite over ...

1. ... moldy bread or sour wine?
2. ... mushrooms - why should the Berachah not be 'Adamah'?
(c) Then why does the Beraisa in Nedarim write 've'Im Amar "Kol Gidulei Karka Alai", Asur Af bi'Kemeihin u'Pitriyos'?

(d) How do we then amend the Beraisa, which includes mushrooms in Davar she'Ein Gidulav Min ha'Aretz?

10)
(a) What are 'Bushli Kamra' and 'Tamrei de'Zika' respectively?

(b) If 'Novlos' in our Mishnah means dates that fell down in the wind, then why are they included in the Mishnah (together with vinegar and locusts) with things that are cursed?

According to the second Lashon, our Mishnah cannot be speaking about dates which have been blown down by the wind.
(c) Why not?
11) The Machlokes about whether 'Novlos Temarah' means Bushli Kamra or Tamrei de'Zika speaks about 'Kalin she'bi'Demai'.
(a) What does 'Kalin she'bi'Demai' mean, and why are Novlos Temarah and the others listed there Patur?

(b) How is it that they only argue by Demai, and not be Berachos?

12) Tamrei de'Zika are Patur only from Demai, but not by Vaday Tevel.
(a) Since they have a Din of Hefker, why are they not Patur even from Vaday, as well?

(b) What problem does the Gemara have with the Mishnah in Demai, if we explain Novlos Temarah to mean 'Bushlei Kamra'?

Answers to questions

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