So, I’ve decided to use this blog to write down various items of Torah that I either have learned up or am interested in finding an answer to. What prompted this? Well about a year ago, I asked the following question:
We have this:
<cite>Rebbi Yishak said, ?��Ǩ?�Blessing is not found except on things that are hidden from the eye [i.e. the view of others]. The Gemara adds that should one go to his storehouse to take inventory, one may pray, ?��Ǩ?�May it be your will our G-d that you bless my possessions — [blessing means ?��Ǩ?�increase?��Ǩ��]. If, however, one has already begun to count his inventory then he may only say, ?��Ǩ?�Blessed is the One who sends blessing to this stock.?��Ǩ�� If the person has already completed the inventory count then any blessing or prayer for a bountiful count is considered a blessing in vain. Blessing cannot fall on something counted exactly. [Baba Mesiah, 42a] (http://www.torah.org/learning/reflections/classes/reflection65.html)</cite>
And we have the Mishna 9 in Perek 3 of Mesechet Berachos, which states that:
<cite>To pray for what is past is a vain prayer. How is this? His wife was pregnant, and he said “May it be Thy will that my wife bear a male child”, this is a vain prayer. He was coming from a journey and heard a cry of anguish in the city and said “May it be Thy will that these are not the members of my household, this is a vain prayer.</cite>
The question here should be obvious. How do we have one place where it says that we should pray for things that are not known to us – to ask for blessing – that they increase, as long we don’t have any prior knowledge… however we have a Mishna that seems to state otherwise.
Well, over a year ago, I heard a beautiful answer to this. I sort-of remember part of it, but still am left with a huge question… you see… I forgot the answer! Why? Because I didn’t have a blog like this back then to record this stuff!
Well, fortunately I have the answer on a tape somewhere in my family’s house, but I’m away at school now, so that doesn’t help. Anyway, I can say that the answer is very much based on the first line of the Gemara. <b>Blessing is not found except on things that are hidden from the eye</b>. This is an amazing idea regardless – such an idea literally can change the way we see the world!
We run into what seems to be a huge problem with the case of the pregnant women. Isn’t the gender of the child “hidden from the eye”? If so, why are we told in the Mishna that we are not allowed to pray for that, when we are told in the Gemara in Bava Basra that we are allowed pray for something “hidden from the eye”. You see my question?
Well, that’s my first of G-d willing many entries in here. I hope to eventually post the answer to this once I find the tape. This first entry is written in the merit of my grandmother, Eshka bas Chaya.
Thanks for reading.
- Chaim