Uncategorized – Page 22 – 2,711 pages of Talmud. A gem a day.

Avodah Zarah 25

In the Book of Joshua 10:13 we read: And the sun stood stillAnd the moon halted,While a nation wreaked judgment on its foes—as is written in the Book of Jashar. Thus the sun halted in midheaven, and did not press on to set, for a whole day; And in II Samuel 1:18 we read: …Continue reading “Avodah Zarah 25”

Avodah Zarah 24

Today’s Torah reading was parshat Balak, where Bilam is hired to curse the Israelites and on his way his donkey opens up her mouth and speaks, saying an angel of the Lord is in their path. This makes today’s gem a little less surprising . . . The Gemara further analyzes the episode involving theContinue reading “Avodah Zarah 24”

Avodah Zarah 23

I remember being in elementary school and hearing people joke about “dropping the soap in prison.” Rape in incarceration is so known, even though it’s so underreported. Today’s daf kinda broke my heart. The daf had been discussing how a woman should not be secluded with certain people for fear that they might have sex.Continue reading “Avodah Zarah 23”

Avodah Zarah 22

Takes one to know one! That’s my gem, a fancy old school way of saying that: Rabba said: This is in accordance with the adage that people say: Just as the stylus etches script upon marble, a sinner knows his fellow sinner, i.e., a transgressor is acutely aware of others who act in the sameContinue reading “Avodah Zarah 22”

Avodah Zarah 21

Do kids in college need to hang a mezuzah on their dorm room doors? We get the answer on the daf. Rav Mesharshiyya says in response: Affixing a mezuza is the obligation of the resident, rather than an obligation that applies to the house. Therefore, if no Jew lives in a house, it is notContinue reading “Avodah Zarah 21”

Avodah Zarah 20

A really beautiful gem today, that reminds me of Chad Gadya, There Was an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly, and The Greengrass Grows All Around as well as th emore modern classic book: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. But, it’s about virtue. Rabbi Pineḥas ben Ya’ir would say: Torah study leads toContinue reading “Avodah Zarah 20”

Avodah Zarah 19

When I was in school, I found that any book I was assigned to read I did not like, but any book I chose myself, I loved. I have even gone back and re-read some of those old assigned books and loved them. All to say, I learn better if it’s what I want toContinue reading “Avodah Zarah 19”

Avodah Zarah 18

It’s not often that the entire daf is dripping gems, but this one is. I want to encourage you to read it in full. It has the martyrdom of Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon who is burned by the Roman’s wrapped in the Torah. He sees the letters dancing. The daf ends with Rabbi Meir eitherContinue reading “Avodah Zarah 18”

Avodah Zarah 17

A deadly fart. How could I not pick this as my gem? (So, I will just throw in what would have otherwise been my gem: You will be saved because you engaged in Torah study and in acts of charity, and I engaged in Torah study alone. Gem: Don’t just study, live it!) On ourContinue reading “Avodah Zarah 17”

Avodah Zarah 16 (and some 17)

While the entire daf is interesting today as it primarily discusses arms sales and mentions that the Persians are an exception to the rule of not selling to gentiles because the “Persians protect the Jews” (pause for the Irony of Iran – that’s Persia – being. friend for the Jews when Iran is trying toContinue reading “Avodah Zarah 16 (and some 17)”