Berachos 3ab

This Daf starts off with an interesting question – why does R’ Meir contradict himself? He is quoted as defending two different times to begin the evening Shema:

• R’ Meir – from the time Kohamin who are tamei (ritually impure) immerse themselves, just a few moments prior to the appearance of the stars

• R’ Meir of the second Baraisa – from the time people enter to eat their meal on the Sabbath eve

The Talmud simply says that the Tanna, those Sages who were commenting about R’ Meir simply differed as to what he actually said and then it leaves it at that.

The next debate recorded is in regard to how many watches during the night are there – three or four? In one answer is that there are three because Hashem [since this is an orthodox translation I use they translate YHVH as Hashem which is Hebrew for “the Name”] roars three times during the night like a lion because of the destruction of the Temple.

The next incident discussion has R’ Yose traveling on a road and going into a ruin to pray. As he comes out he meets Elijah the prophet who warns him about entering ruins and the dangers of praying on the road. R’ Yose says:

AT THAT TIME I LEARNED FROM [ELIJAH] the following THREE THINGS: I LEARNED THAT ONE SHOULD NOT ENTER A RUIN; AND I LEARNED THAT ONE MAY PRAY ON THE ROAD; AND I LEARNED THAT ONE WHO PRAYS WHILE ON THE ROAD SHOULD PRAY THE ABRIDGED PRAYER.

From these three points the commentators conclude that R’ Yose learned three important lessons. “First, it is not wise for a person enter too deeply into the reasons for the lengthy exile and the long delay in the Messiah’s arrival, nor to try and reckon the time of his arrival. Second, he learned that one should pray on the road – i.e. pray for the survival and well-being of Israel along her journey through the exile. Third, that our prayers concerning the tragedies of exile should be intense but not overly long.”