“Who forms

<<light

<<and creates

<<darkness.”

Let him say:

<<“Who forms

<<light

<<and creates

<<brightness”!

As it is written

<<we say it.

But

<<now,

<<“Who makes

<<peace

<<and creates

<<evil” —

<<do

<<we say it

<<as it is written?!

<<Rather,

<<it is written

<<“evil,”

<<and we say

<<“all things”

<<in a language

<<refined;

<<here

<<too,

<<let him say

<<“brightness,”

<<a language

<<refined!

Rather,

<<Rava said:

<<in order

<<to mention

<<the attribute of

<<day

<<at night

<<and the attribute of

<<night

<<by day.

Granted

<<the attribute of

<<night

<<by day,

<<as we say:

<<“Who forms

<<light

<<and creates

<<darkness”;

<<but

<<the attribute of

<<day

<<at night,

<<how

<<do you find

<<it?

Abaye said:

<<“Who rolls away

<<light

<<from before

<<darkness,

<<and darkness

<<from before

<<light.”

And the other one —

<<what

<<is it?

<<Rav Yehuda said in the name of Shmuel:

<<“Ahavah rabbah.”

<<And so

<<instructed

<<him

<<Rabbi Elazar,

<<Rabbi Pedas

<<his son:

<<“Ahavah rabbah.”

It is taught

<<also

<<so:

<<one does not

<<say

<<“Love

<<eternal,”

<<but

<<“Ahavah rabbah.”

<<And the Rabbis

<<say

<<“Love

<<eternal,”

<<and so

<<it

<<says:

<<“And with a love

<<eternal

<<I have loved you;

<<therefore

<<I have drawn you

<<with kindness.”

Rav Yehuda said in the name of Shmuel:

<<if he rose early

<<to learn,

<<as long as

<<not

<<he has recited

<<the Shema,

<<he needs

<<to bless;

<<once he has recited

<<the Shema,

<<he does not

<<need

<<to bless,

<<for already

<<he was exempted

<<by “Ahavah rabbah.”

Rav Huna said:

<<for Scripture

<<one needs

<<to bless,

<<and for midrash

<<one does not

<<need

<<to bless.

And Rabbi Elazar

<<said:

<<for Scripture

<<and for midrash

<<one needs

<<to bless;

<<for Mishnah

<<one does not

<<need

<<to bless.

And Rabbi Yochanan

<<said:

<<even

<<for Mishnah

<<too

<<one needs

<<to bless;

<<[but

<<for Talmud

<<one does not

<<need

<<to bless].

And Rava

<<said:

<<even

<<for Talmud

<<one needs

<<(to go back and bless)

<<[to bless].

For Rav Chiya bar Ashi said:

<<many times

<<I would

<<stand

<<before

<<Rav

<<to review

<<our chapters

<<in the Sifra of the school of Rav;

<<he would

<<first

<<wash

<<his hands,

<<and bless,

<<and teach

<<us

<<our chapters.

What

<<does he bless?

<<Rav Yehuda said in the name of Shmuel:

<<“Who

<<sanctified us

<<with His commandments

<<and commanded us

<<to engage

<<in the words of

<<Torah.”

And Rabbi Yochanan

<<concludes

<<it

<<thus:

<<“Make pleasant,

<<please,

<<Hashem

<<our God,

<<the words of

<<Your Torah

<<in our mouth

<<and in the mouths of

<<Your people,

<<the house of

<<Israel;

<<and may we be,

<<we

<<and our offspring

<<and the offspring of

<<Your people,

<<the house of

<<Israel,

<<all of us,

<<knowers of

<<Your name

<<and learners of

<<Your Torah.

<<Blessed

<<are You,

<<Hashem,

<<who teaches

<<Torah

<<to His people

<<Israel.”

And Rav Hamnuna

<<said:

<<“Who

<<chose

<<us

<<from all

<<the nations

<<and gave

<<us

<<His Torah.

<<Blessed

<<are You,

<<Hashem,

<<Giver of

<<the Torah.”

<<Rav Hamnuna said:

<<this

<<is

<<the most excellent

<<of the blessings.

Therefore

<<let him say them

<<all.

We learned

<<there:

<<said

<<to them

<<the appointed one:

<<“Bless

<<blessing

<<one!”

<<And they

<<blessed.

<<And they read

<<the Ten Commandments,

<<“Shema,”

<<“And it will be

<<if

<<you surely listen,”

<<“And He said.”

<<And they blessed

<<the people

<<three

<<blessings:

<<“True

<<and firm,”

<<and the Service,

<<and the blessing of

<<the Kohanim.

<<And on Shabbos

<<they add

<<blessing

<<one

<<for the watch

<<that is leaving.

What is

<<“blessing

<<one”?

<<Like

<<this,

<<that Rabbi Abba

<<and Rabbi Yosei bar Abba

<<happened

<<to a certain

<<place;

<<they asked

<<of them:

<<what is

<<“blessing

<<one”?

<<Not

<<was it

<<in their hands.

<<And they came

<<and asked

<<Rav Masna;

<<not

<<was it

<<in his hand.

<<They came

<<and asked

<<Rav Yehuda.

<<He said to them:

<<thus

<<Shmuel said:

<<“Ahavah rabbah.”

And Rabbi Zerika said in the name of Rabbi Ami in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish:

<<“Who forms

<<light.”

<<When

<<came

<<Rav Yitzchak bar Yosef,

<<he said:

<<this

<<of Rabbi Zerika

<<not

<<explicitly

<<was it said,

<<but

<<by inference

<<was it said.

<<For Rabbi Zerika said in the name of Rabbi Ami in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish:

<<this

<<is to say:

<<blessings

<<do not

<<invalidate

<<one

<<another.

If

<<you say

<<granted

<<“Who forms

<<light”

<<they would

<<say,

<<this is

<<that blessings

<<do not

<<invalidate

<<one

<<another,

<<for not

<<were they saying

<<“Ahavah rabbah.”