Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Mishna on page 18 states that to eat “chullin” or regular non-holy bread and Maaser Sheni food (a portion of your produce taken to Jerusalem to eat) requires that hands be washed with a vessel. The Talmud presents a … Continue reading →

Chagiga 4 is one of the most powerfully thought provoking in shas. It can be seen as pessimistic and arbitrary. One the last part of 4b, there is a bizarre story. The Angel of Death sends a messenger to take … Continue reading →

Taanis 21 B has two stories about regular people being credited with saving a community rather than the presence of rabbi. The first story is about a neighborhood in a town that is saved from pestilence despite other areas being … Continue reading →

It must first be clear that, important as subjective feelings are Judaism does not stand or fall by how deeply we think we experience religious stirrings. Neither theology nor emotions will in the run, determine the quality of our lives, … Continue reading →

Yesterday we read Koheles. Chapter 6 sentence 1: There is an evil under the sun. Gd gives man riches, property and honor, but Gd gives him no power to use it. The strange part of this verse is that it … Continue reading →

eToday is Erev Yom Kippur. Todays daf, Beitzah 15 has a funny tangent. It has a message clearly belongs to the days before Yom Kippur. The discussion is regards to one who finds tefillin in a field during shabbat or … Continue reading →

Fortuitiously, today’s daf which falls on Erev Rosh Hashaana discusses the holiday. The top of page 6 ask what happens when someone dies on the first day of Rosh Hashana. Then we allow non jews to bury, but if someone … Continue reading →

I guess I have mistakes or slip ups on my mind. I guess it is that time of year. The Mishna is Beitza one starts: An egg laid on Yom Tov is permissible to eat according to Shammai, but impermissible … Continue reading →

Succa page 44 deals with taking the lulav and Arava on Shabbos. The Talmud tries to determine its permissibility based upon the famous paskuk about lulav: “on the day the first day.” Does this permit even on Shabbat. Rabbi Eliezer … Continue reading →

There was a glitch a week ago and this did not get posted. Here it is. On page 35 of Succa, the mishna probes whether an esrog of Maaser Sheni can be used. Just a quick reminder. Maaser Sheni is … Continue reading →