This morning the Shikkerdovid was walking to shul pondering the great wonders of the stains on his shirt. Suddenly, he walked by a a truck in front of the kosher store. Shor Habor food. For those who are doing the daf, the phrase shor habor is instantly understandable. For others “Shor Habor” literally means “ox and pit” . This is a reference to the classic chapter in Bava Kamma dealing with monetary damages. The classic example of which is when someone’s ox falls into a pit, dug in public property by someone. The pit is signifies a trap, a hazard which caused harm. This is the guts, heart, soul and life blood of talmudic. This is what it is about. Philosopically, it is how society operates. It is the order in which a society apportions responsibility.

This is what is great about Judaism. An philosphical ideal, legal argument, really abstruse concept which has been bantered about in halls of yeshivas for centuries- becomes a cultural icon. An ad for flank steak. People see the Shor Habor and realize this is an ad for meat.