Translation:Mishnah/Seder Zeraim/Tractate Berakhot/Chapter 1

Mishnah 1

From when may one recite the Shema in the evening?

From the time when the kohanim go in to eat their terumah.

Until the end of the first watch – the words of Rabbi Eliezer.

And the [other] Sages say: Until midnight.

Rabban Gamaliel says: Until the break of dawn.

It once happened that [Rabban Gamaliel’s] sons came from a house of feasting.

They said to [Rabban Gamaliel]: "We have not recited the Shema."

He said to them: "If dawn has not broken, you are obligated to recite it."

“[This is true] not only in this case; rather, in all cases where the Sages said that [some precept can be performed only] until midnight — the precept is [still in force] until the break of dawn.

“[For example:] Burning the fats and organs [of the sacrifices, on the Temple altar] — this precept [can be performed] until the break of dawn.

“[Another example:] All [sacrifices] which may be eaten for one day — the precept [of eating them can be performed] until the break of dawn.

If that is so, why did the Sages say, "until midnight"?

To distance a person from transgression.

Mishnah 2

From when may one recite the Shema in the morning?

From when one can distinguish between techelet and white.

Rabbi Eliezer says: [The earliest time for the Shema is when one can distinguish] between techelet and the color of leek,

and one must finish reciting it by sunrise.

Rabbi Yehoshua says: [One may recite the Shema] until three hours [of the day],

for such is the way of the sons of kings, to arise at the third hour.

If one recites [the Shema] later than this, he has not lost out,

[but rather is] like one who reads the Torah.

Mishnah 3

The school of Shammai says:

In the evening all people should recline and recite [the Shema], and in the morning they should stand,

since it says [in the verse (Deut. 6:7)], “When you lie down and when you arise.”

But the school of Hillel says:

Each person may recite it in his usual way (posture),

since it says (ibid.), “When you walk on the road.”

If so, why does it say “when you lie down and when you arise”?

—[It means:] at the time when people are lying down, and at the time when people are arising.

Said Rabbi Tarfon:

“I was once traveling on the road,

and I reclined to recite [the Shema] in accordance with the view of the school of Shammai,

and [by doing so] I put myself in danger of [attack by] bandits.”

They [possibly the other Sages or possibly the robbers] said to him: “You would have deserved to be guilty for your own fate,

since you went against the view of the school of Hillel.”

Mishnah 4

In the morning one says two blessings before it [the Shema] and one after it,

while in the evening he says two blessings before it and two after it,

a long one and a short one.

Where they said to make the blessing long – he may not shorten it.

[Where they said] to make the blessing short – he may not lengthen it.

[Where they said] to conclude it – he is not permitted to omit the conclusion.

[Where they said] not to conclude it – he is not permitted to conclude.

Mishnah 5

One must mention the exodus from Egypt at night.

Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah said:

"Behold, I am like a seventy-year-old man,

yet I could not win [the argument against the other sages] having the exodus from Egypt recited at night,

until Ben Zoma derived it [from a Biblical source]."

"[He derived it as follows:] It says (Deut. 16:3), 'In order that you may remember the day when you left Egypt for all the days of your life.'"

"Now, 'days of your life' means the days;

'All the days of your life' [includes also] the nights."

But the Sages say:

"Days of your life" means the present world;

"All the days of your life" includes also the era of Mashiach.