2,711 pages of Talmud. A gem a day.

We learned in our last Tractate, Makkot, that the courts only punish people for committing an act forbidden by the Torah (doing a “don’t do”). If you are passive and don’t to a positive commandment, you don’t get punished by the court (if you don’t do a “do do”). Today, the daf asks about oaths. We know we have to keep them, but what if our not keeping the oath is passive? We don’t do what we said we would do?

With regard to any prohibition in the Torah, if it is a prohibition that involves an action, one is flogged for violating it. But with regard to a prohibition that does not involve an action, one is not flogged for violating it.

This we learned. Here is the new information:

With the exception of one who takes an oath, and one who substitutes a different animal for one that is consecrated to be sacrificed (see Leviticus 27:10), and one who curses another using the Divine Name (see Leviticus 19:14).

So, cursing someone in God’s name, substituting a animal for a consecrated animal, and BREAKING YOUR OATHS will get you punished. Again we learn how important it is to follow up on your word when you give it.

“Shamor v’Zachor b’dibur echad” says the lyrics of Lecha Dodi. What is it saying? The Ten Commandments are given twice in the Torah. But in one location is says “guard” Shabbat while in the other it says “remember” Shabbat. How do we solve this discrepancy? We learn on the daf . . .we also learn why women are obligated to sanctify the day with kiddish.

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8), and: “Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Deuteronomy 5:12), were spoken in one utterance, in a manner that the human mouth cannot say and that the human ear cannot hear. The Gemara asks: Granted, there, “remember” and “observe” were spoken in a single utterance in order to teach the halakha that Rav Adda bar Ahava says; as Rav Adda bar Ahava says: Women are obligated to recite kiddush sanctifying the seventh day, by Torah law, even though it is a positive, time-bound mitzva, since the verses state: “Remember,” and: “Observe,” indicating that anyone who is obligated to observe, i.e., is prohibited from performing labor on Shabbat, is obligated to remember, by reciting kiddush. And these women, since they are obligated to observe, they also are obligated to remember.

So now we know that God said both at once, and that a woman can make kiddish (it doesn’t have to be a man). Shabbat Shalom (oh wait it’s Wednesday).

Today’s gem is that there is no such thing as repetition for no reason in the Torah. Each repetition is there to teach something we wouldn’t have otherwise known.

This is in accordance with what was taught in the school of Rabbi Yishmael: Every passage in the Torah that was stated and repeated was repeated only for the novel element introduced therein.

So every time a word is repeated or a phrase – the rabbis derive more meaning out of it. Each word is precious and each word is completely necessary, just like each of us.

On today’s daf we see a rabbi throw dirt at another rabbi for asking a stupid question and the rabbis repeatedly talking about flaccid penises. But the gem is the magical thinking of what to do to ensure you have boys when conceiving:

Concerning this matter, Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Anyone who separates himself from his wife near the expected date of her menstruation will have male children, as it is written: “To distinguish between the impure and the pure” (Leviticus 11:47), and it is stated near it: “If a woman conceive and bear a male child” (Leviticus 12:2). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: He will have sons who are worthy of teaching halakha, as it is written: “To distinguish…between the impure and the pure, and to teach the children of Israel all the statutes” (Leviticus 10:10–11). The Gemara continues to expound these verses: Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Anyone who recites havdala over wine at the conclusion of Shabbatot, and not over some other beverage, will have male children, as it is written: “To distinguish between the holy and the unholy, and between the impure and the pure” (Leviticus 10:10), and it is written there once again: “To distinguish between the impure and the pure” (Leviticus 11:47), and it is stated near it: “If a woman conceive and bear a male child” (Leviticus 12:2). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: Anyone who recites havdala over wine at the conclusion of Shabbatot will have sons who are worthy of teaching halakha, as it is written: “To distinguish between the holy and the unholy…and to teach” (Leviticus 10:10–11). Rabbi Binyamin bar Yefet says that Rabbi Elazar says: Anyone who sanctifies himself with modest conduct while engaging in sexual intercourse will have male children, as it is stated: “You shall sanctify yourselves, and you shall be holy” (Leviticus 11:44), and it is stated near it: “If a woman conceive and bear a male child” (Leviticus 12:2).

Oy vey. I hate to say it, but the science does not prove this one right. But, it’s pretty funny.

While not having sex with your partner except in a certain window between menstrual cycles does NOT guarantee boys, it does help with fertility!

When is a woman most fertile? Apparently about 5 days before ovulation to the day after ovulation. A woman typically ovulates 14 days before her period. So, if your thinking about a man staying away from his wife if she is menstruating – it’s more likely he will be having sex with her while she is ovulating. So, it won’t guarantee a boy, but it does help with conception. (And thank God. What would we do without girls?)

Short gem today. Rabbi Oshaya, said said: I wish to say something, but I am afraid of my colleagues.

I get it! Wow. I love this. How often are we afraid to speak up because we don’t want to look stupid? Rabbi Oshaya, you do your thing. Don’t let them intimidate you.

How do you bow? Usually we associate a bow in services as straight from the waist, or maybe with a knee bend followed by a bow from the waist. But I see people swooping back and forth as well. And then there is the Great Aleinu where we go prostrate. Today, we see that there are different kinds of bows one might give based on the Tanakh.

The Gemara discusses the different forms of bowing in greater detail. The Sages taught: The term kidda indicates falling upon one’s face, and so the verse states: “Then Bathsheba bowed [vatikkod] with her face to the ground” (I Kings 1:31). Keria means descending upon one’s knees, and so the verse states with regard to Solomon: “He rose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling [mikero’a] upon his knees” (I Kings 8:54). Hishtaḥava’a, this is prostrating oneself while spreading one’s arms and legs in total submission, and so the verse states that Jacob asked, in response to Joseph’s relating of his dream: “Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow down [lehishtaḥavot] to you to the ground” (Genesis 37:10), i.e., spread out completely on the ground.

When I would bring home my report card, my mom would always ask me if it was the best I could do. She just wanted to know that I was trying my best.

It seems she may have gotten this idea from the daf:

The Gemara challenges this: Is the size of the offering of any importance before Heaven? But isn’t it taught in a mishna (Menaḥot 110a): It is stated with regard to an animal burnt-offering: “A fire offering, a pleasing aroma” (Leviticus 1:9), and it is also stated with regard to a bird burnt-offering: “A fire offering, a pleasing aroma” (Leviticus 1:17), and it is also stated with regard to a meal-offering: “A fire offering, a pleasing aroma” (Leviticus 2:2). The same term is used in all three cases even though the three offerings are of different value. This teaches that one who brings a substantial sacrifice and one who brings a modest sacrifice have equal merit, and both offerings are accepted as having a pleasing aroma, provided that one directs his heart to his Father in Heaven.

God doesn’t care if we give an expensive or cheap offering as long as it’s our best and done with the best intentions. A beautiful lesson for us.

On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, clergy say a confession before we lead the service. The origins are on our daf…

The Gemara answers: Two confessions are necessary, one for the High Priest himself, and one for his household, i.e., the priests, as the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: The High Priest must first confess his own transgressions and only afterward those of the priests, because that is how the attribute of justice functions: It is better that the innocent come and atone for the guilty, than that the guilty come and atone for the guilty. When the High Priest confesses the transgressions of those in his house, it is better that he already be considered innocent, having confessed and been absolved of his own transgressions.

No leader is perfect. But a good leader should at least have the humility to know they’re not and admit their faults.

Did you know that man have reversed their circumcision?

As it is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: For all transgressions that are stated in the Torah, whether one repented, or whether one did not repent, Yom Kippur atones, except for one who divests himself of the yoke of Heaven, by denying God’s existence, and one who reveals facets of the Torah that differ from its true meaning, and one who nullifies the covenant of circumcision of the flesh.

How does one nullify the covenant of the flesh? Chat GBT just gave these results:

Methods of Foreskin Restoration: 

• Non-Surgical Techniques:
  • Tissue Expansion: This involves gently stretching the skin on the penile shaft forward over the glans, either manually or with the aid of devices. The tension can be maintained for extended periods to encourage tissue growth and expansion. 
  • Taping with an Extension: A restoration device can be placed in front of the glans, and the skin is taped onto it to promote further stretching. 
• Surgical Procedures:
  • Foreskin Advancement Flap: This involves creating a flap of skin from the remaining penile skin and advancing it forward to cover the glans. 
  • Other Flap Methods: Other surgical techniques may involve transferring tissue from other areas of the body or using skin grafts. 

During the Roman period, many Jewish men wanted to wrestle naked like their Roman neighbors and were reversing their circumcisions! Ouch. And Yuck. And apparently Yom Kippur will not absolve them of this sin . . .

Does God have a sweet-tooth?

Today we continue to learn about left over offerings The Gemara asks a good question: why would there be left overs for the daily offerings? Why were they bringing extra?

The Gemara notes: This is also taught in a baraita: What type of offerings would they bring from the surplus lambs that were consecrated for the daily offerings? 

So, why did they bring the extra lambs?

For dessert! Adding they are like white figs, for the altar. The Gemara asks: Are white figs ever offered on the altar? But isn’t it written: “For any leavening or fruit honey you shall not cause to go up in smoke as a fire-offering to the Lord” (Leviticus 2:11)? The term “fruit honey” includes all tree fruits. The Gemara answers: Rav Ḥanina teaches:The supplementary offerings are to the altar like white figs for a person.

So, just as a person might have a sweet desert after the meal, these lambs are like desert after the main course for God.

Now, they never felt God was really eating, so this is left open for us to interpret. What can be desert for God?

I think about what God asks of us and about what we do for others. We can do what is asked of us and still disappoint. When someone goes above and beyond – then we feel really special. Maybe that’s what God wants from us too – to go above and beyond.

Let’s try to do a little extra.