Siman - Berachos Daf 33
- Havdalah
When the Jews first returned to Eretz Yisrael from the Babylonian exile, the Anshei Knesses Hagedolah (Men of the Great Assembly) fixed the berachah of Havdalah within Shemoneh Esrei, because the people were poor and couldn’t afford wine.
Later, when the people grew wealthier, the berachah was removed from tefillah and its recital was fixed over a cup of wine. The details of the original enactment were forgotten.
Later still, when the people became impoverished, they reverted to the original enactment and fixed Havdalah in tefillah, but required people who could afford it to recite Havdalah a second time over wine.
- Limiting praising Hashem’s traits
R’ Chanina reprimanded a shliach tzibbur who enumerated a long list of Hashem’s traits. When the man finished his tefillah, R’ Chanina asked him, “Did you complete all the praises of your Master?” – סיימתינהו לכולהו שבחי דמרך?
He explained that were it not for the fact that Moshe praised Hashem with the three attributes of Gadol, Gibbor and Nora in the Torah and the Anshei Knesses HaGedolah established them in the text of our tefillos, we would not have been able to recite even those attributes.
- יראת שמים
R’ Chanina taught that הכל בידי שמים חוץ מיראת שמים – Everything is in the hands of Heaven except for the fear of Heaven.
- This is derived from the pasuk, ועתה ישראל מה ה' אלקיך שואל מעמך כי אם ליראה – And now, Israel, what does Hashem, your G-d, ask of you, but merely to fear Hashem.
