Berakhot 123

Chapter 123

א תַּנָּא גּוֹי שֶׁבֵּירַךְ אֶת הַשֵּׁם עוֹנִין אַחֲרָיו אָמֵן [בַּשֵּׁם אֵין עוֹנִין אַחֲרָיו אָמֵן]. אָמַר רִבִּי תַנְחוּמָא אִם בֵּירַכָךְ גּוֹי עֲנֵה אַחֲרָיו אָמֵן דִּכְתִיב בָּרוּךְ תִּהְיֶה מִכָּל הָעַמִּים. גּוֹי אֶחָד פָּגַע אֶת רִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל וּבֵירְכוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ כְּבָר מִילָּתָךְ אֲמִירָה. פָּגַע אַחֲרִינָא וְקִילְלוֹ אָמַר לֵיהּ כְּבָר מִילָּתָךְ אֲמִירָה. אָמְרוּ לוֹ תַלְמִידָיו רִבִּי כְּמָה דְּאָמַרְתָּ לְהָדֵין אָמַרְתָּ לְהָדֵין. אֲמַר לוֹן כֵּן כָּתוּב אוֹרְרֶיךָ אָרוּר וּמְבָרְכֶיךְ בָּרוּךְ.
1 It is stated: One answers Amen after a Gentile who recited a benediction for the Eternal, [but if he recited a benediction with the Name one does not answer.] Rebbi Tanḥuma said, if a Gentile blesses you, answer after him Amen since it is written (<i>Deut.</i> 7:14) “You shall be blessed by all peoples.” A Gentile met Rebbi Joshua and blessed him. He answered: The word about you has already been said. He met a second one who cursed him; he answered: The word about you has already been said. His students said to him: Rebbi, did you say to the one what you said to the other? He said to them, so it is written (<i>Gen.</i> 27:29): “Those who curse you are cursed, but those who bless you are blessed.”
ב <strong><big>משנה:</big></strong> הָרוֹאֶה מָקוֹם שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ בוֹ נִסִּים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה. מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּעֱקְרָה מִמֶּנּוּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ שֶׁעָקַר עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה מֵאַרְצֵנוּ.
2 <strong>MISHNAH:</strong> He who sees a place where wonders were done for Israel, says: Praise to Him Who did wonders for our forefathers at this place.<br>At a place from which paganism was uprooted, one says: Praise to Him Who uprooted paganism from our Land.
ג <strong><big>הלכה:</big></strong> מַתְנִיתִין בְּנִסֵּי יִשְׂרָאֵל. אֲבָל בְּנִסֵּי יְחִידִי שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ לוֹ אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ.
3 <strong>HALAKHAH:</strong> The Mishnah deals with wonders of Israel. But for wonders of a single person that happened to him, one does not have to recite a benediction.
ד מַהוּ שֶׁיְּבָרֵךְ אָדָם עַל נִסֵּי אָבִיו וְעַל נִסֵּי רַבּוֹ. וְאִם הָיָה אָדָם מְסוּיָים כְּגוֹן יוֹאָב בֶּן צְרוּיָה וַחֲבֵירָיו. וְאָדָם שֶׁנִּקְדַּשׁ בּוֹ שֶׁם שָׁמַיִם כְּגוֹן חֲנַנְיָה מִישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָה. וְנִסֵּי שְׁבָטִים מַהוּ שֶׁיְּבָרֵךְ. מַאן דְּאָמַר כָּל שֵׁבֶט וְשֵׁבֶט אִיקְרֵי קָהָל צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ. מַאן דְּאָמַר כָּל הַשְּׁבָטִים קְרוּיִין קָהָל אֵין צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ.
4 Does one have to recite a benediction for the wonders that were done for his father or his teacher? Or if he was a famous person like Joab ben Ẓeruiah and his companions? Or a man through whom the Name of Heaven was sanctified, for example Ḥananiah, Mishael, and Azariah? About wonders done for one of the tribes? According to him who said that each tribe is called “assembly”, one has to recite the benediction; but according to him who said that only all tribes together are called “assembly”, one does not have to recite the benediction.
ה הָרוֹאֶה בָּבֶל צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ חָמֵשׁ בְּרָכוֹת. רֹאֶה פְרָת אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ עוֹשֶׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית. רֹאֶה מֶרְקוּלִיס אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם. רֹאֶה בֵיתוֹ שֶׁל נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ שֶׁהֶחֱרִיב בֵּיתוֹ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע. רֹאֶה מְקוֹם כִּבְשָׁן הָאֵשׁ וְגוֹב אֲרָיוֹת אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ שֶׁעָשָׂה נִיסִּים לַאֲבֹתֵינוּ בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה. רֹאֶה מָקוֹם שֶׁנּוֹטְלִין מִמֶּנּוּ עָפָר אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ אוֹמֵר וְעוֹשֶׂה בָּרוּךְ גּוֹזֵר וּמְקַיֵים. רֹאֶה בָּבֶל אוֹמֵר וְטֵאטֵאתִיהָ בְּמַטְאֲטֵא הַשְׁמֵד.
5 He who sees Babylon has to recite five benedictions. If he sees the Euphrates, he says: “Praise to Him Who made the Creation.” If he sees a (statue of) Mercury, he says: “Praise to Him, Who is patient.” If he sees the house of Nabucadnezzar, he says: “Praise to Him, Who destroyed the house of that evil one.” If he sees the fiery oven or the lions’ den, he says: “Praise to Him, Who did wonders for our forefathers at this place.” If he sees a place from which one takes dust, he says: “Praise to Him, Who pronounces and does, decrees and upholds.” If one sees Babylon, he says (<i>Is.</i> 14:23): “I shall sweep her out with the broom of destruction.”
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