R. Nechuniah b. Hakannah would recite a short prayer upon entering the house of study and upon leaving it. When asked: "What is the place [i.e., the nature] of this prayer?" he replied: "Upon entering I pray that no mischance occur because of me" [that I not create a stumbling-block, as explained in the baraitha: "that I not err in a halachah and my friends rejoice (in my discomfiture)" — whereby I become the cause of evil, my friends being punished because of me]; "and upon leaving, I give thanks for my portion." [I thank Him for the good that He bestowed upon me in placing my portion among those who sit in the house of study. These two prayers, upon entering the house of study and upon leaving it, are binding upon all men. For thus is it stated in the baraitha: "Upon entering what does he say?" and "Upon leaving what does he say?", the implication being that he must say them.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
מה מקום – that is to say, what is its nature?
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English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
Introduction
In today’s mishnah we learn that Rabbi Nehuniah ben Hakaneh had a special prayer that he would say when he went in and out of the Bet Hamidrash (the rabbinic study hall).
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Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
שלא תארע תקלה – that no stumbling block should come through me, as it is explained in the Baraitha: “that I should not stumble in a matter of Halakha and that my colleagues would rejoice [in my being in error],” that evil should come upon me in that I caused them to be punished [through my errant decision].
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English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
Rabbi Nehunia ben Hakaneh used to pray as he entered the Bet Hamidrash and as he left it a short prayer. They said to him: what is the reason for this prayer? He replied: When I enter I pray that that no mishap should occur through me, and when I leave I express thanks for my portion. The Babylonian Talmud (Berakhot 28b) gives a fuller reading of this blessing. It reads: “Our Rabbis taught: On entering what does one say? “May it be Your will, O Lord my God, that no mishap should occur through me, and that I may not err in a matter of halakhah and my colleagues rejoice in my [embarrassment], and that I may not call unclean clean or clean unclean, and that my colleagues may not err in a matter of halakhah and that I may rejoice in their [embarrassment].” On leaving what does he say? “I give thanks to You, O Lord my God, that You have place my portion with those who sit in the Bet Hamidrash and You have not set my portion with those who sit in [street] corners, for I rise early and they rise early, but I rise early for words of Torah and they rise early for frivolous talk; I labor and they labor, but I labor and receive a reward and they labor and do not receive a reward; I run and they run, but I run to the life of the world to come and they run to the pit of destruction.”
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Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
אני נותן הודיה על חלקי – I express thanks for the good that has been my portion that my I have been placed among those who sit in the House of Study. And these two prayers [recited] when one enters the House of Study and when one leaves it are obligatory upon each and every person to recite them and so we say in the Baraitha – When he enters: What should he say? And when leaves, what should he say? – implying that it is obligatory to recite them [both].
