Chagigah, Daf 4

Welcome to the Daily Daf Differently. In this episode, Rabbi Danny Nevins looks at Masechet Chagigah Daf 4.

Gender identity and roles are contentious topics in contemporary society, but we assume that the ancients had a simpler sense of male and female. Actually, it seems that they knew about various intersex genders, and debated the respective role of men and women in ritual life. To be sure, their teachings are not gender egalitarian, and indeed, some make us wince and even cause tears, much as the sages on Side B would weep when they read painful passages in the Torah.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.