Ulla traveled from Eretz Yisrael to Bavel, and he told the Babylonians how the Beit Din in Israel had added a day to Elul, which would insert a weekday between Rosh Hashanah and Shabbat, which would be so great for them in Babylonia. The questions are: why having that extra day would make a difference, and why especially in Bavel. Also, how are those witnesses treated? Namely, a process of intimidation that was employed judiciously, based on how the court wants the date to fall out, with regard ...
Oct 29, 2021•23 min•Season 9Ep. 20
Update with information on the 17 Tammuz (clarification on yesterday). On the holidays that are written in Megilat Taanit, as compared to other holidays... It seems that the Torah holidays have fewer stringencies around them as compared to the rabbinic ones found in the megillah. Why?
Oct 28, 2021•22 min•Season 9Ep. 19
Is one's judgement or sentence mutable? The Tannaim dispute this - in a concrete way, regarding two people who had the same circumstances, yet one was saved and the other was not. What was the difference between them? Perhaps the way they prayed. Perhaps the timing of the decree against them. Plus, the same concerns for the collective, as compared to the individual. Also, a decree against Eli's descendants... How it was averted and when it was not. Also, the new mishnah - moving on with the cale...
Oct 27, 2021•26 min•Season 9Ep. 18
Those who sin against God in a variety of ways go down to Gehinnom, and what happens after that (how long and for what degree) depends on the sin. With all the fear that that induces. Plus, a dig by Rava at Mehoza as sinners. Also, and acknowledgement of God's kindness, and His tipping the scales with mercy, when possible. Plus, leaders who inspire fear for the wrong reasons, and their comeuppance. Also, a strange story of R. Huna and R. Pappa, and recovery from near death, and an encounter with...
Oct 26, 2021•22 min•Season 9Ep. 17
The second mishnah of the masekhet: 4 judgements of the year, on grain, fruit, water, and people. Which leads into a greater discussion of the judgement of each, including the timing of that judgement. Also, the call out to God, whether via water libations or the voice of the shofar. Indeed, why the shofar? Why the blasts that we know well? Including the concern of confusing the Satan, and what happens when we do not confuse him. Plus, how God judges us, knowing our future too. Also, 4 ways to t...
Oct 25, 2021•26 min•Season 9Ep. 16
More on the new year for an etrog... Specifically, on etrogim that are from the 6th and 7th years of the shemitah cycle. And the 8th year. Including the concerns of removing the produce from your possession, as needed. And the ongoing efforts to puzzle what's required for each year. Also, trees that bear fruit twice in one year. And those trees that bear fruit before the 15th of Shevat - specifically, olives, dates, and carob - which are disputed whether they are counted according to the time of...
Oct 24, 2021•25 min•Season 9Ep. 15
Tracing a sugia... on the specifics of tithing produce that takes root before Rosh Hashanah, and the question of tithing produce that is "mixed." Can the produce be combined for the purpose of tithing? Which question opens up reason to delve into Shmuel's position, and that of R. Shimon Shezuri. For example, how solids and liquids may not be the same with regard to mixtures. Also, the new year for the trees! When does the winter season really begin? Plus, the story of an etrog that was picked at...
Oct 23, 2021•24 min•Season 9Ep. 14
The Gemara's premise have a tradition that grain that has reached 1/3 of its growth before Rosh Hashanah, and is then harvested on Sukkot, is credited to the previous year. But how do you know when it has reached a third of what it will come to grow? But R. Zeira stipulates that the sages were precise and exact and always correct in their measurements. Which is a strong statement, that needs some unpacking. Also, following a sugiah through the daf (the growth of produce for the first third of it...
Oct 22, 2021•17 min•Season 9Ep. 13
When do we start counting the date for vegetable ma'aser? And does that date work? [What's What: Terumot and Ma'aserot, an overview] Also, nedarim - taking oaths, to swear off something - and how they are counted against a yearly calendar. Namely, is that year counted according to Nisan or Tishrei? (There's no machloket, as it turns out).
Oct 21, 2021•18 min•Season 9Ep. 12
When is the future redemption going to happen? Tishrei or Nisan? It's a machloket! Which basically means 2 models of redemption, going beyond timing. Plus, a study of the creation of the world, and how that worked - specifically, or especially, how the fruit trees came to have fruit, and what that means about the way we relate to and experience God in this world. Also, regarding that cancellation of oppression and labor in Egypt... in Tishrei - which seems to include a long time lag before redem...
Oct 20, 2021•22 min•Season 9Ep. 11
If one plants or grafts in the time right before a shmitah year can affect the timing of orlah. 30 days before Rosh Hashanah may count as a year, but what if the coming year is a shemitah year? And what if it's less than 30 days before Rosh Hashanah? Also, how far can one day be extended? Does it count for a year or only for a month? Plus, the position that the world was created in Nisan, not Tishrei.
Oct 19, 2021•16 min•Season 9Ep. 10
Adding from the profane to the holy - specifically in the realm of time. Specifically, adding to the sabbatical year on both sides, before and after. A biblical verses teaches to cease plowing in advance, and refrain from harvesting afterwards, according to R. Akiva. [What's What: Apparent biblical repetition teaching new details] In this case, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yishmael learn different halakhic details from the same verse. R. Yishmael learns the "extending the holy time into the profane" fr...
Oct 18, 2021•22 min•Season 9Ep. 9
Ma'aser Behemah - tithing the animals. With joy. On the first of Tishrei, as interpreted from the biblical text. Which of course yields a dispute. And doesn't involve the facts on the ground, somehow. Though it does entail the cycle of time, and why it's important to mark the calendar. Also, a day of judgement in Tishrei! With a "covering" hiding the moon. Plus, the power of the process of Rosh Chodesh, and the human decree that defines Rosh Hashanah. Including judgement for the whole world (wit...
Oct 17, 2021•13 min•Season 9Ep. 8
On the first of Nisan as a "rosh hashanah," going beyond the original mishnah. Pus, sources from verses - though they weren't stipulated as such from the beginning! [With apologies for some wonky audio - that does smooth out soon enough... mostly.] Plus, Rosh Hashanah for Shekalim - purchasing by the end of the old year before this date. Communal offerings are to be paid for from the new contributions from the very first of Nisan. Though the offering counts if it was funded from the previous yea...
Oct 16, 2021•17 min•Season 9Ep. 7
More on neder/nedavah offerings - specifically when a person must replace a lost or stolen dedicated item. Note that tzedakah vows don't have the year (as discussed) grace period to fulfill the donation. Also, issues of the calendar that emerge from that grace period of 3 festivals - namely, how a year may not include all three festivals! Which is exactly how the calendar came to be established with months of differing lengths. Plus, women and the festivals and positive time-bound commandments.
Oct 15, 2021•16 min•Season 9Ep. 6
More on the timeliness of offering consecrated items. But why does the Gemara need to get just this granular in detailing the Korban Shelamim brought on Pesach? Could it be like the Korban Pesach?! Also, the distinction between a vow to give a gift (to the Temple, as consecrated) and the offering of a gift-offering? It's all in the discussion of a replacement or substitute.
Oct 14, 2021•12 min•Season 9Ep. 5
On the corruption or lack thereof of Koresh (Cyrus). Is Koresh commissioning sacrifices and so on for his own selfish purposes? But isn't prayer often selfish in that same way? Or was he plotting to burn down the Second Temple as it was being built? Also, the prohibition against missing the timeliness of certain korbanot and other mitzvot. The 3 pilgrimage festivals have their own timeline to determine when vows kick in (eg, starting with Pesach and counting 3 festivals, or maybe just the one fe...
Oct 13, 2021•18 min•Season 9Ep. 4
Counting the years for kings... How does the mishnah know that the kings' rule is counted from Rosh Chodesh Nisan?The Gemara tracks through biblical verses... Twice. Once, via a beraita. Plus, the fact that non-Jewish kings' rule is counted via Tishrei, and why that is. But what about Koresh (Cyrus)? He's a non-Jewish king whose rule seems to have been counted according to Nisan. Ah, but he was good! Or was he? Plus, the Gemara conflates him, Daryavesh (Darius), and Artaxerxes as one - which may...
Oct 12, 2021•17 min•Season 9Ep. 3
Some introduction to Rosh Hashanah, and why we mark time. The term "Rosh Hashanah," meaning the head of the year, is not really used in the Bible, yet in the rabbinic literature, there are 4 "new years." Some time is marked by astronomy (and math) - imposing structure from the outside - and others are based on the physical reality of growth and development. Diving in to the first mishnah, we find 4 different heads of the year to mark time counting different things. The first of Nisan and the fir...
Oct 11, 2021•18 min•Season 9Ep. 2
If someone has someone who owns produce in another city can make an eruv techumin to be able to have his produce brought to him - but that is not allowed. Rather, he needs to make his own eruv techumin. Likewise, guests who live beyond techum shabbat and couldn't get home, so they made an eruv. (the audio for Anne is a little wonky, but please bear with - the points are clear and then the audio settles down... And frankly, Yardaena's closing to the tractate is more important today - AG). Also, t...
Oct 10, 2021•19 min•Season 8Ep. 40
2 mishnayot on the daf. First, if one borrows a coal on yom tov, the coal can only be taken as far as its original owner - in contrast to flame (a similar parallel to consecrated items vs. flame). 5 different teachings were said about coal... and how a flame has to be burn something to exist altogether. Second, a pit or well that is owned privately - the water within it can only be drawn and carried as far as its original owner can go. If it's communally owned, then the limitations are as far as...
Oct 09, 2021•20 min•Season 8Ep. 39
R. Abba left Babylonia for the Land of Israel, and he prays that he (and his words of Torah) will be well-received. When he sits among the sages, they discuss our mishnah (from the previous daf). And the notion that secondary ingredients can be nullified with regard to carrying, etc. But the other sages do laugh at him. The question of what can be nullified depends on whether the different items of are the same type of thing or not (min be-mino). The Gemara does not explain why which ingredients...
Oct 08, 2021•16 min•Season 8Ep. 38
The practices that are prohibited on yom tov, as on Shabbat, whether because they are optional for that time or mitzvot - beginning with yibum and halitzah, as well as sanctifying produce and other to the Beit HaMikdash. Because what if one comes to write? What if it appears to much to be business practices? Also, how terumot and maaserot "fix" produce, and how this can become an issue on yom tov (challah, cough cough). Plus: A new mishnah, on the travel limitations on Shabbat or yom tov, and wh...
Oct 07, 2021•20 min•Season 8Ep. 37
Spreading a mat over a beehive to protect it from the weather - the mishnah says it's acceptable; the gemara raises questions as to when and to what extent that is the case. The Gemara also makes it clear that the focus is the needs of people - to protect the honey, for example, whereas when there's little or no honey to be found, the question of the permissibility of protecting the beehive becomes sharper. Also, the muktzah that is set aside because it's disgusting. Abaye asks what to do, and t...
Oct 06, 2021•23 min•Season 8Ep. 40
A long discussion on R. Nachman's position from the previous daf regarding how one demonstrates intent to tithe. Including timing. And the manner the fruit is used (dried vs. fresh). Which converges on "demai." And when we say food is ready to be eaten, before which point, the requirement for terumot and maaserot doesn't kick in. Also, a new chapter: one who dries fruit on the roof and then lowers it into the home through a skylight (for those for whom that was the particular architecture), that...
Oct 05, 2021•24 min•Season 8Ep. 35
A series of halakhot of what is permitted and not permitted on yom tov. Beginning with some details of shechitah - with concern that it should not appear to be done in the same way as during the week. Also, handling of an urn. And a baker's oven. How much apparent labor did they do back in the day on yom tov itself?! Also, when produce has been set aside, making it muktzah, but it's a shemitah year, and there's no tithing, then one can plan to use from that produce on yom tov. Plus, children who...
Oct 04, 2021•18 min•Season 8Ep. 34
A couple of puzzling aspects to the daf today: a woman should not enter a storage place for wood to take a firebrand. But this formulation is a little unexpected. Also, a new mishnah: A person can remove a small piece of wood to use as a toothpick. Likewise, items in the courtyard may be considered already prepared for use - or not, as compared to the items in one's home. Plus, the gemara on this mishnah - which doesn't address the mishnah directly. But releasing scent from branches is debated. ...
Oct 03, 2021•14 min•Season 8Ep. 33
Two mishnayot on the daf. First, one cannot hollow out clay to make a lamp because that is making a vessel. Ditto making charcoal or a wick. Plus, Bar Kapra - all kinds of laws about wicks! Also, Rav Nathan bar Abba on several things cited in his name, including commentary on the Jews of Babylonia. [What's What: The eruv rav] Also, you can't cut paper to roast fish. And you can't set up barrels to provide a base for a pot to cook over a fire between the barrels. Among other such cooking issues. ...
Oct 02, 2021•16 min•Season 8Ep. 32
First, a couple of announcements. || A new mishnah: gathering (already chopped) wood for firewood is acceptable, depending on where you are gathering it from. How open to the public or wild is the space? In the end, of course, it's a machloket. Also, you can't chop wood on the holiday itself, or not with a tool that would regularly use for that purpose. This seems to contradict itself - so the Gemara concludes that text is absent from the mishnah. The issues are then divided into one of muktzah ...
Oct 01, 2021•16 min•Season 8Ep. 31
One who carries wine jugs from one place to the next cannot do so in the usual, everyday way of carrying, but can in other ways. Likewise, wood and straw. But if there's only way to carry the thing, you can manage that way. The Gemara shifts to a discussion of women in particular singing and dancing and playing musical instruments when they really were prohibited to do so, but they weren't rebuked or stopped, lest they continue to do the wrong thing, and then do so intentionally instead of unwit...
Sep 30, 2021•17 min•Season 8Ep. 30
