Berachos 9:5 — A Beracha for the Bad and the Good

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A Beracha for the Bad and the Good

בְּרָכָה עַל הָרָעָה כְּעַל הַטּוֹבָה
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Mishnah ברכות ט׳:ה׳ · Berachos 9:5
חַיָּב אָדָם לְבָרֵךְ עַל הָרָעָה כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהוּא מְבָרֵךְ עַל הַטּוֹבָה,
שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ו) וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת ה’ אֱלֹקֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ.
בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ, בִּשְׁנֵי יְצָרֶיךָ, בְּיֵצֶר טוֹב וּבְיֵצֶר רָע.
וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ, אֲפִלּוּ הוּא נוֹטֵל אֶת נַפְשֶׁךָ.
וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ, בְּכָל מָמוֹנֶךָ.
דָּבָר אַחֵר בְּכָל מְאֹדֶךָ, בְּכָל מִדָּה וּמִדָּה שֶׁהוּא מוֹדֵד לְךָ הֱוֵי מוֹדֶה לוֹ בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד.
לֹא יָקֵל אָדָם אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ כְּנֶגֶד שַׁעַר הַמִּזְרָח, שֶׁהוּא מְכֻוָּן כְּנֶגֶד בֵּית קָדְשֵׁי הַקָּדָשִׁים.
לֹא יִכָּנֵס לְהַר הַבַּיִת
בְּמַקְלוֹ,
וּבְמִנְעָלוֹ,
וּבְפֻנְדָּתוֹ,
וּבְאָבָק שֶׁעַל רַגְלָיו,
וְלֹא יַעֲשֶׂנּוּ קַפַּנְדַּרְיָא,
וּרְקִיקָה מִקַּל וָחֹמֶר.
כָּל חוֹתְמֵי בְרָכוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ בַמִּקְדָּשׁ, הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים מִן הָעוֹלָם.
מִשֶּׁקִּלְקְלוּ הַמִּינִין, וְאָמְרוּ, אֵין עוֹלָם אֶלָּא אֶחָד,
הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהוּ אוֹמְרִים, מִן הָעוֹלָם וְעַד הָעוֹלָם.
וְהִתְקִינוּ, שֶׁיְּהֵא אָדָם שׁוֹאֵל אֶת שְׁלוֹם חֲבֵרוֹ בַּשֵּׁם,
שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (רות ב) וְהִנֵּה בֹעַז בָּא מִבֵּית לֶחֶם, וַיֹּאמֶר לַקּוֹצְרִים ה’ עִמָּכֶם, וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ, יְבָרֶכְךָ ה’.
וְאוֹמֵר (שופטים ו) ה’ עִמְּךָ גִּבּוֹר הֶחָיִל.
וְאוֹמֵר (משלי כג) אַל תָּבוּז כִּי זָקְנָה אִמֶּךָ.
וְאוֹמֵר (תהלים קיט) עֵת לַעֲשׂוֹת לַה’ הֵפֵרוּ תוֹרָתֶךָ.
רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר, הֵפֵרוּ תוֹרָתֶךָ עֵת לַעֲשׂוֹת לַה’.
A person is obligated to bless over the bad just as he blesses over the good,
as it says (Devarim 6): “And you shall love Hashem your G-d with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.”
“With all your heart” — with both your inclinations, the good and the evil.
“With all your soul” — even if He takes your soul.
“With all your might” — with all your wealth.
Another interpretation: “with all your might” — with every measure He metes out to you, give thanks to Him exceedingly.
One may not act irreverently opposite the eastern gate, since it is aligned with the Holy of Holies.
One may not enter Har HaBayis
with his staff,
his shoe,
his money-belt,
or the dust on his feet,
nor may one make it a shortcut;
and spitting — by a kal vachomer.
All the seals of the blessings in the Mikdash would conclude “from the world (min ha’olam).”
When the heretics corrupted matters and said there is but one world,
they enacted to say, “from the world and to the world (min ha’olam v’ad ha’olam).”
And they enacted that a person greet his fellow with the Name,
as it says (Rus 2): “Boaz came from Beis Lechem and said to the reapers, ‘Hashem be with you,’ and they said to him, ‘May Hashem bless you.’”
And it says (Shoftim 6): “Hashem is with you, mighty warrior.”
And it says (Mishlei 23): “Do not despise your mother when she is old.”
And it says (Tehillim 119): “It is a time to act for Hashem — they have voided Your Torah.”
Rabbi Nasan says: “They have voided Your Torah — it is a time to act for Hashem.”

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