R. Elazar b. Azaryah says: The mussaf ("additional") prayer is recited only bechever ir [bechavurath ha'ir ("with a company of the city"); that is, with a congregation, and not individually.] And the sages say: Bechever ir and not bechever ir [both with a congregation and individually.] R. Yehudah says in his [R. Elazar's] name: Wherever there is a congregation, an individual is exempt from the recitation of the mussaf prayer. [The difference between the first tanna and R. Yehudah — an individual living in a city where there are not ten men. According to the first tanna citing R. Elazar to the effect that it was instituted only with a congregation, this individual is exempt. According to R. Yehudah, an individual is exempt only when he is in a place where there are ten men, in which instance the prayer leader exempts him. The halachah is according to the sages.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
אין תפלת המוספים אלא בחבר עיר – In communities of the city, that is to say, as a tzibbur/congregation and not as an individual.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
Introduction
The final mishnah of the chapter deals with the musaf prayer, the additional prayer recited on Shabbat, festivals and Rosh Hodesh. This prayer corresponds to the musaf sacrifices offered in the Temple on the aforementioned days.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
בחבר עיר ושלא בחבר עיר – whether as a congregation or as an individual.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah says: The musaf prayer is said only with the local congregation. According to Rabbi Elzazar ben Azaryah the musaf prayer is not an individual prayer but rather a communal one. It is only said with the local congregation. It seems that according to Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah the musaf retains a connection to its Temple roots. While the other regular prayers are only loosely connected to the Temple, the musaf prayer is strongly connected. Since the Temple was a public offering, the musaf prayer does not become an individual prayer.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
ר' יהודה אומר משמו – in the name of Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah. There is a difference between the first teacher [of our Mishnah] and Rabbi Yehuda: An individual who dwells in a city where there aren’t ten [individuals – for a Minyan], according to the First Teacher [of our Mishnah] according to the opinion of Rabbi Eleazar who said, that they did not establish this other than with a community of the city, then an individual is exempt. But according to Rabbi Yehuda, an individual is only exempt when he is in a place where ten [individuals are found] and the שליח ציבור/emissary of the congregation exempts him. And the Halakha follows the Sages.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
The sages say: whether with or with out the congregation. The other rabbis do not make any distinction between the various recitations of the Tefillah. All are equally obligatory upon the individual regardless of whether the community is reciting them.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
Rabbi Judah said in his name: wherever there is a congregation, an individual is exempt from saying the musaf prayer. Rabbi Judah somewhat modifies Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah’s position. Individuals are obligated to recite the musaf tefillah, but only if there is no congregation in his community to recite the prayer. If the community is reciting the prayer and he can’t be there for some reason, then he is exempt.
