R. Gamliel says: One recites eighteen blessings (shemoneh esreh) every day. R. Yehoshua says: What is akin to eighteen blessings. [In the gemara, some explain that he recites each of the middle blessings in short and concludes with the blessing for each one; and others, that he says: "Cause us, O L-rd our G-d, to know Your ways" (havineinu), which is one blessing epitomizing all of the middle blessings of the shemoneh esreh, and he concludes: "Blessed are you, O L-rd, who listens to prayer."] R. Akiva says: If it (the shemoneh esreh) is "habitual" in his mouth, [if he is "taught" and fluent in it], he recites shemoneh esreh; if not, he recites what is akin to it. [And the halachah is according to R. Akiva, that if one is not fluent in it, or is hard-pressed, he recites the first three blessings and the last, and "Havineinu," in the middle, Havineinu epitomizing all of the middle blessings (with the exception of the rainy season, when he does not recite Havineinu, it being necessary for him to recite the request for rain in the blessing of the years; and with the exception of the conclusion of Sabbaths and festivals, when he must recite havdalah in chonen hada'ath.]
Tosefta Berakhot
Any [holiday] on which there is no Mussaf [prayer] for example, Chanukah and Purim, on Shacharit and Mincha he prays [the Shmoneh Esreh with] eighteen [Berachot (blessings)] and he says [the paragraph] about the occasion in [the Beracha of] Hodaah (Thanks). And if he did not say [the paragraph] about the occasion, he does not have to go back [to the beginning of Shmoneh Esreh]. And any [holiday] which has on it [the] Mussaf [prayer], for example Rosh Chodesh (New Month), and Chol Hamoed (the intermediate days of Sukkot and Pesach), on Shacharit and Mincha10 he would pray [the prayer of Shmoneh Esreh with] eighteen [Berachot] and he says [the paragraph] about the holiness of the day11 in [the Beracha of] Avodah (Temple Service).12 Rebbi Eliezer says, “[he says the paragraph about the holiness of the day] in [the Beracha of] Hodaah, and if he did not say it then he has to go back [to the beginning of Shmoneh Esreh].” In [the] Mussaf [prayer] he prays [the Shmoneh Esreh consisting of] seven [Berachot] and he says [the paragraph about the] holiness of the day in the middle [Beracha]. [On] Shabbat that fell out on Rosh Chodesh or on Chol Hamoed, during Shacharit and during Mincha he prays [the Shmoneh Esreh prayer that consists of] seven [Berachot] and he says [the paragraph about the] occasion in [the Beracha of] Avodah. Rebbi Eliezer says, “[He says the paragraph about the holiness of the day] in [the Beracha of] Hodaah, and if he did not say it then he has to go back [to the beginning of Shmoneh Esreh].” In [the] Mussaf [prayer] he prays [the Shmoneh Esreh consisting of] seven [Berachot] and he says [the paragraph about the] holiness of the day in the middle [Beracha]. On Shabbat, on Yom Tov (Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot), and on Yom Kippur] he prays [the Shmoneh Esreh consisting of] seven [Berachot] and he says [the paragraph about the] holiness of the day in the middle [Beracha]. Rabban Shimon Ben Gamliel and Rebbi Yishmael the son of Rebbi Yochanan Ben Beroka say, “Any time that he is supposed to say seven [Berachot in Shmoneh Esreh] he says [the paragraph about the] holiness of the day in the middle [Beracha].”
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Tosefta Berakhot
[On] Yom Tov of Rosh Hashana which falls out to be on Shabbat, Bet Shamai say, “He prays ten [Berachot (blessings) in the Mussaf Shmoneh Esreh]. And he says [the Beracha] for Shabbat by itself and [the Beracha] for Yom Tov by itself, and he says [the Beracha] for Shabbat first.” And Bet Hillel say, “He prays nine [Berachot in the Mussaf Shmoneh Esreh].” [On any other] Yom Tov that falls out to be on Shabbat, Bet Shamai say, “He prays eight [Berachot in the Mussaf Shmoneh Esreh]. And he says [the Beracha] for Shabbat by itself and [the Beracha] for Yom Tov by itself, and he says [the Beracha] for Shabbat first.” And Bet Hillel say, “He prays seven [Berachot in the Mussaf Shmoneh Esreh]. He begins with [the Beracha about] Shabbat and ends with [the Beracha about] Shabbat and he says [the paragraph about] the holiness of the day in the middle [of the middle Beracha].” Rebbi Natan says, “He even seals [the middle Beracha with] Baruch [Ata Hashem] Mekadesh Hashabbat Veyisrael Vehazmanim (Blessed are You Hashem who sanctifies Shabbat, and Israel and the seasons).”
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Tosefta Berakhot
Eighteen Berachot (blessings) that the Sages have established [for the prayer of Shemoneh Esreh have been established] corresponding to eighteen mentionings [of God’s name] that are in [the chapter of Tehillim that begins with] “Ascribe to God, children of princes…” (Tehillim 29) And [a person] should include [the Beracha against] the heretics into [the Beracha] for the Rabbinical Jews, and [the Beracha] for the converts into [the Beracha] for the elders, and [the Beracha] for [King] David into [the Beracha] for [the rebuilding of] Jerusalem. But if he said each one of them separately he has fulfilled his obligation [of praying Shemoneh Esreh].
