“We shall return to you massechet Berachot and you shall return to us. The tractate Berachot is concluded.” TB Berachot 64

Today we have the privilege of finishing our massechet with daf TB Berachot 64a. According to Jewish law we should never finish an aliyah of the Torah or an entire Parashat on a bad note. We always try to end with something positive or at least neutral. The same tradition is true when it comes to ending a tractate of Talmud.

Our Gemara ends: “The Sages interpreted this verse homiletically: Do not read your children [banayikh], but your builders [bonayikh]. Torah scholars are those who build peace for their generation. As it is stated: “Those who love Your Torah have great peace; there is no stumbling block for them” (Psalms 119:165); and “May there be peace within your walls, prosperity within your palaces” (Psalms 122:7), because: “For the sake of my brothers and friends, I shall say: Peace be within you. For the sake of the House of the Lord, our God, I will seek your good” (Psalms 122:8–9), and “May the Lord give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace” (Psalms 29:11).” (Sefaria.org translation)

When I was in rabbinical school, we thought that this teaching was the funniest joke in the entire Talmud because when don’t rabbis argue and fight with each other?!  One of my favorite Haggadahs, A Night To Unite by Aaron Goldscheider, taught me the deeper meaning of today’s Gemara. Commenting about the five Sages discussing the Exodus from Egypt all night in Bene Brak, he writes:

“As we begin telling the story and Seder night, we describe a Seder of great Sages who gathered together to debate, discuss, and celebrate the night of Passover.

“In his commentary and the prayer book, Rav Kook offers and insight regarding the study of our sages. He says that during the Sabbath service we read, ‘Torah scholars increase peace in the world.’ He asks: ‘Can we really say this? Anyone who enters the study hall of the yeshiva will merely be struck by the lively arguments and discussions that are taking place. Anyone who opens a page of Talmud would know that it is filled with rigorous arguments and differences of opinion. So how do we understand the statement that ‘scholars increase Shalom- ‘peace’-in the world’?

“Rav Kook explains that ‘peace’ does not mean that we must agree with one another, but that we must understand each other. He says that finding peace is when we can see all sides of an argument, and recognize the value of each position. In this way, one reaches peace and a sense of wholeness, shalom and sheleimut. Therefore, the way there sages have engaged in penetrating analysis, differing opinions, and multiple perspectives in pursuing truth is the path to peace. Indeed, concludes Rav Kook Torah scholars do increase peace in the world.” (Page 91-92)

I hope that you’ve enjoyed my reflections on my journey through massechet Berachot. If for any reason you missed one of my daily blogs or want to go back to something I have written, you may find them all at rabbigarygreene.blogspot.com. I’ll conclude the same way the Talmud concludes: “We shall return to you massechet Berachot and you shall return to us. The tractate Berachot is concluded.”

On to massechet Shabbat!