A new mishnah! A Jew may not rent a house to a non-Jew in the land of Israel, and clearly not a field. In Syria, a Jew may rent a house to the non-Jew, but not the field. And in the Diaspora, a Jew may indeed sell a house to a non-Jew and rent out the fields. (All according to Rabbi Meir). Rabbi Yossi's response is more generous. The Gemara notes that even where one may rent out a house to a non-Jews, there is no permit to do so for purpose of using the space as residential. Plus, the questions ...
Jul 09, 2025•13 min•Season 27Ep. 21
Beginning with a new mishnah that opens on the bottom of daf 19: One may not make jewelry for an object of idolatry -- but you can be hired to do such things, as an artist. Also, note that Jews may not sell that which is attached to the ground to non-Jews. The Gemara will investigate the source of this prohibition - lo techanem - don't do them any mercy - which demands a great deal of investigation, and several possible meanings. But the meaning of the text and the term itself don't quite line u...
Jul 09, 2025•16 min•Season 27Ep. 20
Avoiding wickedness and wrong-doing: Interpreting the first psalm in the Book of Psalms (Tehilim) - happy is one who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked - as in the generation of the Tower of Babel, or the people of Sodom. Plus, one should learn Torah according to what is a delight -- only that which one's heart desires. Also, if one builds beyond the part that a Jew should build (unto a host section for idolatry), the Jew should still receive his wages -- it's only an accessory to idolat...
Jul 07, 2025•19 min•Season 27Ep. 19
More on Rabbi Hanina ben Teradyon - his trial and interrogation about why he engaged in Torah study. Plus, his daughter who ended up sentenced to a brothel, and why his wife and daughter were punished on account of him. Yet, they all accepted the judgements as deserved, which raises theological questions about reward and punishment. Plus, those who worked alongside Rome and those who defied them, and the difference in their deaths (Rabbi Yossi ben Kismah and Rabbi Haninah ben Teradyon) - includi...
Jul 05, 2025•25 min•Season 27Ep. 18
Jesus! Literally. An appearance in some versions of the Talmud, but not all, as these passages were excised by the Jews -- in this case, as the known teacher of a student who has an encounter with Rabbi Eliezer -- which becomes relevant as he tries to figure out why he suffered arrest for heresy by the Romans. Also, the story of Hanina ben Teradyon (more than a Who's Who) - the passage that recounts what happened to him when he was arrested by the Romans and then killed by them.
Jul 04, 2025•21 min•Season 27Ep. 17
Selling horses to idolaters: Because the horse can be used for labor that isn't subject to violation of Jewish law. Also, a new mishnah prohibiting the sale of wild animals that might cause public injury -- with exceptions when the animal wasn't a risk, for whatever reason. Plus, a prohibition against building structures that would house idolatry, though other building may be acceptable.
Jul 03, 2025•14 min•Season 27Ep. 16
Another "previous page" mishnah! In a place where they had the practice to sell "small" domesticated animals - sheep and goats - to non-Jews, they were permitted to do so. And in places where they didn't have the practice - they were not allowed to. But large livestock was not permitted in either place. Though some allowed the sale in the event of some damage to the large animals. Plus, the concern of these work-animals working on Shabbat. Also, a Jew cannot keep their own large animals in the s...
Jul 02, 2025•18 min•Season 23Ep. 15
Another mishnah placed on the previous daf: Commercial prohibitions when attempting business with idolaters - but specifically all year long, and not just at the time of their festivals. Among the prohibited items to sell to these non-Jews is a white rooster - though if sold among other roosters, and with a clipped toe (so not perfect for sacrifice), then they may be sold. Plus, the question of selling a damaged white rooster to one who asks for it. Does that mean the non-Jews don't want to make...
Jul 01, 2025•11 min•Season 27Ep. 14
Again, with the relevant mishnah on the previous daf: Buying from shops that are adorned for the non-Jewish pagan holiday was prohibited. Especially when the decorations were scented (eg - roses). Which leads to defining "benefit" - as deriving benefit is what is prohibited, while causing benefit is acceptable, or at least it can be. The concern isn't that of funding idolatry, but the Jew's benefit from idolatry. Plus, those who wore a wreath of roses - an idolatrous practice - received a reduce...
Jul 01, 2025•19 min•Season 23Ep. 13
Starting with a new mishnah from the previous daf.... A festival for the non-Jews in the next town can allow for business if the celebration is not right there. Unless heading for the city is the only possible path, in which case, observing the festival seems to be the destination. Plus, there's a lack of concern that the Jews and non-Jews might intermingle their cooking utensils - a rabbinic prohibition, in an case -- for kashrut as a parallel case to the idolatry. Also, a traveler to a place w...
Jul 01, 2025•16 min•Season 27Ep. 12
On Onkelos the convert, who is known for translating the Torah, and also for his ability to convert Romans to Judaism, as his "gift of gab" shows on this daf. Also, the particulars of another pagan festival - with several component parts - as an example of the tension between the Jews and non-Jews over their holidays.
Jun 29, 2025•13 min•Season 27Ep. 11
More on the festivals of the non-Jews, including, specifically, the coronation of their kings. With specific focus on the coronation of a king born of a king - except that the Romans didn't really function that way. So perhaps it was the king's birthday, not his coronation day? The Gemara attempts to unravel the terms. Also, Antoninus, about whom there are many stories with Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, a caesar who hated the Jews, and the role of circumcision in defining the Jewish community. The link ...
Jun 29, 2025•17 min•Season 7Ep. 10
On the idea that the world's entirety is said to last 6,000 words. Also, if you aren't sure which year of the 7 years of the sabbatical cycle is current, the Gemara explains how to do the math to figure it out. Plus, the question of ushering in the messianic era.
Jun 27, 2025•16 min•Season 27Ep. 9
A new mishnah! Listing the non-Jewish holidays, by name. Plus, other more local celebrations, based on the locale or a given family's rejoicing. Also, the story of Adam's first year, when the days were increasing in dark before the winter solstice, and his fear that it was a punishment - until the days started getting longer again. Also, with regard to Rome - and an allegiance with Israel for 26 years. Plus, the laws of penalties and R. Yehudah ben Bava's success in keeping those halakhot alive ...
Jun 26, 2025•18 min•Season 27Ep. 8
Organizing the halakhah from the mishnah, in accord with its various opinions. Including the principle of a single unattributed view that follows a machloket (dispute) - when is that view followed and when discarded? How significant is the order? And how close in terms of proximity do these statements need to be? Perhaps there's no "sequence" to the Mishnah... at least not from tractate to tractate... [Who's Who: Nachum the Mede]. Plus, dill and tithing.
Jun 25, 2025•18 min•Season 27Ep. 7
Are the "3 days before the non-Jews' holidays" inclusive of the day of the holiday itself? Or really not? What about Sundays? Other holidays are named explicitly too. Also, what if you did do business with the non-Jews on these days? How temporary must a thing be? How guilty is the one who does this? Plus, Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, consulting Resh Lakish on what to do with regard to this kind of case.
Jun 24, 2025•14 min
On sin and the purpose of sin! God allows sin to happen so that future sinners can repent. Consider the story of King David with Batsheva, with the implication that David wouldn't have done the sin were it not for his later repentance. Comparably, the sin of the Golden Calf. When an individual sin, we encourage reflection, repentance, and atonement. A group sin is a little more complicated, but the same principle stands. Plus, the differences between humans and angels, including, or especially, ...
Jun 23, 2025•22 min•Season 27Ep. 5
More on Jews and non-Jews -- how does God anger and how does He mete out punishment? Also, God's indignance during the day, which only Balaam the prophet knew how it was timed. Plus, the donkey gets the better of Balaam when he wants to hide the degree to which he relied on the donkey.
Jun 23, 2025•15 min•Season 27Ep. 4
On the special relationship between God and the Jewish people, there's a recognition of the Jews as having kept the Torah -- and criticism by the non-Jews that perhaps the Jews hadn't actually been keeping the Torah. God is willing to testify on their part, but His testimony isn't considered legitimate because of God's bias, as it were, for treating Israel as a son. So God calls the heavens and earth as witnesses -- but they are also considered suspect. Finally, God points to the non-Jewish nati...
Jun 21, 2025•20 min•Season 27Ep. 3
A new tractate! A lot of material that is relevant when Jews live among non-Jews -- without delving into idolatry necessarily per se (though it will come up in the tractate, certainly). A new mishnah: For 3 days before the festivals of non-Jews, Jews are not supposed to do certain things that would make the non-Jews happy, lest they express gratitude to their pagan gods as part of the holiday. Which opens the question of whether a Jew could collect money - which might be painful, but also joyous...
Jun 20, 2025•17 min•Season 27Ep. 2
The last daf of the masekhet! And, interestingly enough, a new chapter (8)! With a new mishnah delineating the levels of responsibility for each of the 4 guardians, depending on the potential conflict (and need for an oath) with the original owner. Also, Gemara on the cases of the mishnah, including the disputes about how and when the guardians would take an oath.
Jun 20, 2025•26 min•Season 26Ep. 49
Cases from the mishnah - when a customer asks the shopkeeper for X amount of produce. And then they dispute whether the customer every actually paid for the produce. Plus, a similar case with a money-changer and smaller coins for a dinar -- but did the customer hand over the dinar? Both cases are necessary. Also, orphans inheriting debt/payback from... orphans, instead of the original lender/borrower -- that is, pay close attention to who dies in which order.
Jun 18, 2025•16 min•Season 26Ep. 48
If one or both parties to litigation are suspect with regard to oaths, they can't take oaths, so they divide the funds and carry on. But Rav Nachman said he didn't know the halakhah in this case - which was surprising, perhaps, but when push came to shove, he did determine this to be the practice too. Also, contradictory witnesses - 2 pairs - which are understand differently by Rav Huna and Rav Hisda.
Jun 17, 2025•13 min•Season 26Ep. 47
Rabbi Yehudah's opinion is that a worker could take an oath for an employer (and collect the funds), and the Gemara works to figure out the source for this halakhah. But that kind of dispute can't be about wages... Also, in the name of Rabbi Yehudah - when someone leaves another home with objects concealed beneath his clothes - that's suspect (when he says he bought the items), unless it's actually not suspect for a whole host of potential reasons.
Jun 17, 2025•13 min•Season 26Ep. 46
A very long mishnah beginning on the previous daf to open chapter 7 -- about oaths that are rabbinic in nature. Also, some Gemara on the mishnah - that on who takes the oath gets out of paying - with a sourcetext in Exodus 22.
Jun 16, 2025•23 min•Season 26Ep. 45
What happens to a loan on collateral if the collateral is lost? A discussion that leads into an application of Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Eliezer to Shmuel's position - which seems counter-historical in terms of how the Gemara is put together. Also, does the shemitah year cancel the debt that is loaned on collateral? Perhaps that depends on whether it's symbolic or covering the loan.
Jun 15, 2025•14 min•Season 26Ep. 44
In the interest of catching up, we're foregoing the description here... (this daf was (is!) for Friday, and we appreciate your cooperation and forbearance at this complicated time)
Jun 14, 2025•14 min•Season 26Ep. 43
In the interest of catching up, we're foregoing the description here... (this daf was for Thursday, and we appreciate your cooperation and forbearance at this complicated time)
Jun 13, 2025•20 min•Season 26Ep. 42
NOTE: We are still dedicating our study of daf yomi to the speedy and complete recovery of בילא פריידא בת העניא מינא - Baila Freyda bat Henya Minna (with apologies for any mis-transliteration). NOTE: The app we use to record has updated itself and is blocking the recording of some of the Hebrew/reading from the Talmud. We apologize for this and are looking for a solution in the next few days. Biblically mandated oaths vs. rabbinically mandated oaths - which leads into the question whether the de...
Jun 12, 2025•18 min•Season 26Ep. 41
When person A claims that person B owes him 2 things, and person B agrees that he owes part of the claim, but not both parts - which brings us to the claim of "modeh be-miktzat," and the need to take an oath to avoid having to pay back. With variations on the theme in trying to determine the way to put this kind of law into practice. Also, 3 related rulings, including regarding intention.
Jun 11, 2025•15 min•Season 26Ep. 40
