Pedagogical transliterationme-ematai qorin et Shema be-arvit ... kedei leharḥiq et ha-adam min ha-averah
Plain meaningMishnah Berakhot 1:1: the evening Shema’s time, three positions, a reported case, and the reason for the rabbinic limit.
Pointing follows the registered Torat Emet Mishnah witness. It is edition-supplied reading support and is not attributed to the earliest manuscript layer.
WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT
Mishnah Berakhot 1:1
This first full Mishnah begins with מֵאֵימָתַי, answers with a time marker, then distinguishes Rabbi Eliezer, the Sages, and Rabban Gamliel. The narrative about Rabban Gamliel’s sons tests the rule. The closing אִם כֵּן, לָמָּה asks why the Sages imposed midnight when the underlying time continues until dawn.
HEAR THIS LESSONListen to the full public explanation.Teacher narration is separate from original-language pronunciation.
me-ematai qorin et Shema be-arvit ... kedei leharḥiq et ha-adam min ha-averah
READING
Pedagogical reading guide
Mishnah Berakhot 1:1: the evening Shema’s time, three positions, a reported case, and the reason for the rabbinic limit.
MEANING
Hebrew
question → Rabbi Eliezer → Sages → Rabban Gamliel → case involving his sons → extension to other rites → reason for the safeguard
EXAMPLES
Examples supplied by the approved curriculum.
Close translation — ‘From when do we recite the Shema in the evening? From the time the priests enter to eat their terumah until the end of the first watch—Rabbi Eliezer’s view. The Sages say: until midnight. Rabban Gamliel says: until dawn rises. A case: his sons returned from a banquet and said, We have not recited the Shema. He said: If dawn has not risen, you are obligated to recite it ... If so, why did the Sages say until midnight? In order to distance a person from transgression.’
Read a complete Mishnah by tracking the opening question, named opinions, reported case, generalization, and stated rationale.
Language and syntax
Rabbinic Hebrew. Formulae: מֵאֵימָתַי opens the question; דִּבְרֵי attributes a view; וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים introduces the collective position; מַעֲשֶׂה introduces a precedent-like narrative; אִם כֵּן, לָמָּה asks for the rationale.
Practice
Name the three positions, identify whose ruling governs the reported case, and distinguish the legal endpoint from the protective rabbinic deadline.
Answer key
Rabbi Eliezer: end of the first watch. Sages: midnight. Rabban Gamliel: dawn. Rabban Gamliel applies his own dawn endpoint to his sons. The Mishnah explains the midnight deadline as a safeguard, כְּדֵי לְהַרְחִיק אֶת הָאָדָם מִן הָעֲבֵרָה.
Source notes
The complete text is copied from the registered Torat Emet 357 witness; no sentences are silently omitted from the hero text.
REMEMBER
A complete Mishnah often moves from rule to dispute to case to rationale.