My grandfather, who was an orthodox rabbi, did not like to admit that our ancestors were anything but perfect. In contrast, part of what I love about Torah is that our ancestors is how flawed they are, and yet God chooses them (so maybe there is hope for the rest of us). Today’s gem showsContinue reading “Avodah Zarah 5”
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Avodah Zarah 4
Even when you disagree with the government and how it’s run, not having a government would be a bad thing. (Sorry John Lennon.) Why? Just as among fish of the sea, the greater swallow up the smaller ones, so with men, were it not for fear of the government, men would swallow each other alive.Continue reading “Avodah Zarah 4”
Avodah Zarah 3
Such great gems on our daf! I will just quickly highlight two. The first, I love, because Maimonides talks about this in his Guide for the Perplexed as to why bad things happen to good people. Rabbi Hanina says: Everything is in Heaven’s hands, except colds and obstacles, as is said, “colds and snares areContinue reading “Avodah Zarah 3”
Avodah Zarah 2
We kick of a new tractate with a fabulous daf! Have you ever wanted to know how we will be judged when we die? Well, this daf is for you. As Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: All the mitzvot that the Jews perform in this world will come and bear witness for them in theContinue reading “Avodah Zarah 2”
Shevuot 49
We and masechet Shevuot with a final rundown of what happens when someone else has your item/animal and something happens to it. We get the 4 different categories of people who would be watching the item, what might happen, and then all the ways someone might make a false oath about what happened to theContinue reading “Shevuot 49”
Shevuot 48
I can’t find my sewing kit. It’s not where I usually put it, I have searched, I have asked my family, but, alas, I cannot find it. Where it not such a strange thing to steal, I might ask people who have been in my house over the past few weeks if they’ve taken it.Continue reading “Shevuot 48”
Shevuot 47
We are the company we keep. That’s today’s gem. The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: The servant of a king is like a king. Commenting on this Rashi teaches, “A king’s servant is a king, attach yourself to a captain and people will bow down to you; go near to an anointed (a distinguished) personContinue reading “Shevuot 47”
Shevuot 46
Today’s gem: Sometimes people talk a big game, but don’t make any moves. Doesn’t Rav Naḥman say: With regard to one who takes an ax in his hand and says: I will go and chop down so-and-so’s palm tree, and the palm tree is found chopped down and tossed on the ground, we do notContinue reading “Shevuot 46”
Shevuot 45
In this book of oaths, we get a situation today where an employer hires a worker and then isn’t sure if he paid the worker or not! He thinks he did, but the worker says he hasn’t been paid – so, what do they do? Who takes the oath? The Sages uprooted the oath fromContinue reading “Shevuot 45”
Shevuot 44
In Exodus 22:25-26 we are commanded, “If you take your neighbor’s garment in pledge, you must return it before the sun sets; it is the only available clothing—it is what covers the skin. In what else shall [your neighbor] sleep? Therefore, if that person cries out to Me, I will pay heed, for I amContinue reading “Shevuot 44”
2,711 pages of Talmud. A gem a day. 