Siman - Taanis Daf 8
- אם ראית תלמיד שלמודו קשה עליו כברזל
Reish Lakish said: אם ראית תלמיד שלמודו קשה עליו כברזל – If you see a talmid whose learning is as hard as iron, בשביל משנתו שאינה סדורה עליו – It is because his understanding of Mishnayos is not well organized. Rashi explains that he has a hard time understanding the Gemara because he is disorganized and does not remember the mishnayos well, which should be mastered first. Alternatively, he may have also memorized incorrect versions of the Mishnah. How does he fix this? ירבה בישיבה – He should increase the amount of time in Yeshivah where the talmidim review mishnayos. Reish Lakish would review mishnayos forty times כנגד מ' יום שניתנה תורה – corresponding to the forty days the Torah was given to Moshe, and only then would he go before Rebbe Yochanan to learn Gemara. Rav Adda bar Ahavah would review his mishnayos twenty four times, corresponding to the twenty four books of Tanach, and only then would he go to Rava to learn Gemara.
- Comparing those who speak loshon hora to the snake
Reish Lakish said: What does the following passuk mean? "אם ישך הנחש בלוא לחש ואין יתרון לבעל הלשון" – If a snakes bites before it is charmed, then the master of speech has no advantage. לעתיד לבא מתקבצות ובאות כל החיות אצל הנחש – In the future, all the animals will gather and come to the snake and say to it: ארי דורס ואוכל זאב וטורף ואוכל – A lion mauls its prey and eats it. A wolf tears apart its prey and eats it. אתה מה הנאה יש לך – But you, what gain do you get? Rashi explains that the snake bites people and kills them but gets no benefit from it. The snake answered: "ואין יתרון לבעל הלשון" – The master of speech has no advantage. Rashi explains that the snake responds that people who speak loshon hora, as well, get no benefit. In the future, Hashem will bring those who spoke loshon hora to the snake in order to embarrass it for the sin of enticing Adam haRishon, and the speakers of loshon hora will be embarrassed together with the snake.
- אין הברכה מצויה אלא בדבר הסמוי מן העין
Rebbe Yitzchak taught: אין הברכה מצויה אלא בדבר הסמוי מן העין – Berachah is not found except in an object that is hidden (samui) from the eye, which Rashi explains, is something that has not been counted, as the passuk states: "יצו ה' אתך את הברכה באסמך" – Hashem will command the berachah in your storage towers. The word אסמך is like the word סמוי, which means hidden. It was taught in a Baraisa: הנכנס למוד את גרנו – When one enters to measure his stored grain, he should recite the following tefillah: יהי רצון מלפניך ה' אלקינו שתשלח ברכה במעשה ידינו – May it be your will, Hashem our G-d, that you send berachah in the work of our hands. When one begins to measure his grain, he should say: ברוך השולח ברכה בכרי הזה – Blessed is the One who bestows berachah on this pile of grain. If he measured first and then recited a berachah, it is a תפלת שוא, a prayer in vain, because the berachah can no longer happen, לפי שאין הברכה מצויה לא בדבר השקול ולא בדבר המדוד ולא בדבר המנוי אלא בדבר הסמוי מן העין – For berachah does not occur in something that has been weighed, measured or counted. It is found only in something that is hidden from the eye.
