Shallow Dive Daf Yomi: Recent Episodes
Eliyahu Weisman
When should the blessing borei peri hagafen be recited over wine dreg extract? • What types of wine should not be used for libations but may be used for kiddush, consecration of the hallowed day?
When is it permissible to repurpose and maintain a faulty measure? • Limits on altering measures and currency values • Limits on profit margins • No intervention can be more effective than a calculated intervention towards maintaining lower prices in the longer term • Restrictions on exports of basic necessities when supply is tight help maintain local affordability
The Talmudic debate about what King Solomon sought, yet was denied • Man's potential and the Messianic era
When selling a group of trees, when is the land between them included? • Four types of transactions: When can the Seller, Buyer, neither or both back out?
King Solomon, master of learning and sharing wisdom, was fueled by relentless drive • When is self-promotion appropriate?
What type of Kinyan, symbolic act, can effect the transfer of a boat, or an animal, or a prommisory note?
The tragic dissolution of man • Look critically at the opportunity costs of following every impulse and desire
A detailed examination of the process by which a non-Jew sells his real property to a Jew • Dina d'Malchusa Dina; when do governmental regulations override the defaults of Jewish law? • Laws pertaining to two adjacent fields owned by the same owner
Death: the temporary divergence between body and soul • What happens to the body and soul after death? • Resurrection is by Divine invitation to ascend from the grave
Why is a sale binding when there are elements of coersion exerted upon the seller? • Willingness comingled with coersion in bringing a sacrifice or granting a bill of divorce • What happens when the groom forces the bride to accept his proposal?
Remember God while articulate, and of sound mind • King Solomon guides the nation in sweeping terms to serve God in a state of cohesive vigor, before malaise and societal decay set in • If we had listened to God, Nevuchadnezzar would not have been goaded to destroy the temple
Establishment of possession requires a rightful claim • The squatter's mindset • Mistaken forgiveness • Consensus within contradictory testimony • What circumstances would invalidate the establishment of presumed possession?
Don't delay teshuva; at advanced age, a person might block out their recollection of their misdeeds, preventing adequate remorse • How to tell if someone has a share in the world to come • Is it important to be missed? How to be a wise servantand avoid putting off doing teshuva
From how far away does does a tree take up nutrients? • If a tree is planted near a neighbor's property is the tree owner stealing, and may first fruits be brought? • If branches from a neighboring tree overhang into your property, how much may you chop?
How does King Solomon view retirement? • It is common to be easily stirred from sleep as the slumber of death approaches • What is the significance of decreased musical sensitivity as we age?
What objects can constitute a barrier that prevents ritual impurity spreading from one house to another through a shared window? • Must one bury a stillborn? • Distancing a mill from a wall owned by a neighbor • When one neighbor takes steps to establish property usage that would curtail his neighbor's usage rights if firmly established by precedent, the Gemara is uncertain if the restrictions already take effect • How Does the Vilna Gaon explain the disagreement between the Rambam and Rosh about how to rule in practice? • Residential zoning protections • Why is the second tithe extraordinary among commandments?
Equitable division of complex property • May one partner force the dissolution of a partnership, and if so, how? • When and why is a master required to free his slave? • When are mutually agreeable partners nonetheless barred from dividing their property?
Confronting systemic decline begins with awareness • Realistic assessment of one's weaknesses should inform the challenges one engages • Appreciate and utilize fleeting gifts • Dietary recommendations shift as we age
Is a dubious claim given credence if a more credible lie could have been crafted? • Above and beyond: when is one required to pay for a full half of a taller than necessary wall built by his neighbor? • The versatility of conveyed property easements • What facets of a property may be utilitzed by a tenant of a room in a large house? • The time to establish the presumtion of a property easement depends on the usage • Ensuring privacy between parallel rooftops • Ensuring privacy between adjacent courtyards with different elevations • Do property easements require a claim of explicit conveyance or merely a lack of protest to be established?
If a rented second story is damaged, when may the upstairs tenant move in downstairs with the landlord? • How do the Rambam and Rosh differ in their respective approaches to an unresolved question between Landlord and Tenant? • Who is responsible for repairing a leak that runs from the upper floor and damages the lower floor? • Does the right to build a second story include rights to utilize the ground directly?
Adjudicating ambiguous lease agreements • Chazaka, established possession does not confer "squatter rights" • Do creditor rights to foreclosure include property improvements made subsequent to the lien? • The Torah obligation to pay employees in a timely manner • The rabbinic obligation to pay beyond the biblical time frame
Landlord rights • Borrower rights • Primacy of established custom • When is a tenant entitled to a reduction in rent?
What liabilities apply to atypical borrowings? • What core facets of a borrowing transaction are required to generate the Torah's default liabilities upon borrowers? • Ba'alim Imo: exemptions from liabilities when the lender is employed by the borrower • Could a rabbinic court be liable for an inadvertent embezzlement of consecrated properties brought about by their enactment? • A borrower's exemption of Maysa Machmas Melacha, normal wear and tear and damage resulting from responsible use • Is the borrower liable for a borrowed cat killed by a group of aggressive mice? What if the cat overdosed on mice and died? • For the exemptions of Ba'alim Imo, when is a teacher considered an employee of his students and when are they considered to be employed by him?
Workers' rights to eat from produce they are cultivating • The Torah prohibits muzzling an ox while he is threshing; what are the implications of Man's shared identity with other creatures? • Strategies for employers and employees to enhance their respective profits • By fixing terms of consumption with his employer, the employee's baseline rights can be eclipsed, with tithe implications
When a lender takes collateral for a loan, what liabilities does he become responsible for? • When may a lender rent out the collateral to reduce the principal of the loan without permission?
Commodity loans • Permitted pseudo-interest loans between Torah scholars • Pseudo-interest loans between family members can lead to usury • One may not pay interest even with mere words • To avoid stumbling, witnesses and documentation of a loan protect both lender and borrower • Remaining in a locale with sustained hardships instead of moving away is tantamount to self inflicted suffering
May a lender enjoy an undermarket lease granted by the borrower? • A secured loan gives the lender the status of Bar Metzra, with the first right of refusal upon sale of the collateral • A passive investor with security on the principal must offer additional compensation to his borrower/business partner beyond simple profit-sharing to avoid the prohibition of interest
What are the implications of Man's waning resilience? • Mortality is a process • Each stage of life presents unique opportunities
Prohibited forms of usury • Stealing money with noble intentions • Prohibited deceptive practices • You won't eat bugs and you'll be happy • Inherited usury • Your own life comes first
How is Chomesh, an additional charge for the owner's redemption of his second tithe, calculated; is it 20% or 25% of the principle value? • Assymetric bidding wars for redeeming consecrated assets • When can Chomesh be charged on a prior Chomesh assessment?
The bill is coming, or is it? Rav Mordechai Elefant's formative experience • Strategies to remember your Creator in youth • The Steipler explains that by abandoning God, a person is engulfed in a spirit of impurity which leads him to embrace outlandish folly
Can one effect a barter transaction with money, or only engage in a sale transaction with money? • Transactions with grey market money • When can the transfer of money be utilized to effect a transaction without the purchaser also doing Meshicha, drawing the acquisition towards himself? Who provides the token object to effect a Chalipin exchange, the recipient or donor?
Claiming an inheritance as a long lost brother • Wicked mice have block parties • Healthy profit margins • Buyers and sellers negotiate
Divine glory is strikingly manifest on earth through His wondrous salvation of His people in the merit of deep focused Torah study, integration of Torah enlightenment in our lives, and supporting Torah • By observing His wondrous protection of Israel, those engaging in violence, defamatory rhetoric, and disingenuous vengeful posturing are encouraged to realign themselves with God
Preventing harmful human strife takes priority over reducing animal distress • How should one prioritize the returning of objects lost by oneself, by one's rebbe, and by one's father? • What should one prioritize in Torah study? • The culpability for sins committed willfully yet in ignorance is less than the culpability for issuing erroneous rulings borne out of inadequate study • Does the owner or the guardian of an object that was stolen receive the fine levied against the apprehended thief?
Laws pertaining to a lost object hidden in a wall • Finding an object in an Airbnb • Mordechai 258 silver plated tin: sold or found?
When should a lost bill of divorce, bill of emancipation, will, promissory note, or documented gift be returned to the beneficiaries?
What causes Amalek to agitate against Israel, and what causes them to escalate their aggression to violent attacks?
Acquisitions of movable property through one's courtyard • When does a lost object picked up by one's son, daughter, slave, or wife become the property of the father, master, or husband?
A hero's compensation • A peaceful lion and Rav Safra's donkey • A failed hero's compensation • Standing up against bandits: How are the salvaged items divided? • A moser (informant) must pay for having caused his friend financial loss
When does one bring a guilt offering for having stolen? • What happens if the victim was a convert without heirs? • What happens if the Kohen stole from the convert without heirs?
Torah infuses the Israelite with ideal form, and its absence yields degeneracy • Racial substrate provides a constellation of qualities suited to fulfillment of purpose
How and when does Takanas HaShavim, an enactment for returnees, help a robber come clean? • Is a son obligated to honor his wicked parent? • In addition to returning the stolen sheep, must a robber return appreciation, such as wool? • What restitution must be made if the stolen property has depreciated?
Continuing in the path of Abraham, the father of a multitude of nations • The tragic genesis of exile towards fulfillment of our purpose • Maintaining a distinct identity among the nations requires powerfully delving into Torah
Can a Canaanite slave or convert testify? • If recognized as "your brother," why may we not appoint a slave or a convert as king? • If a woman transferred ownership of her dowry to her son and then predeceased her husband who enjoys lifetime usufructuary rights, who rightfully owns the dowry - her husband or her son?
The ten conditions of Joshua for inheritance of Israel • Within the annual cycle, what is unique about the day God chose to begin the Deluge? • Why is it not theft or damaging to defecate in a fellow Jew's yard nor a violation of Shabbos to take a stone from his wall for personal hygiene?
Are neutralized witnesses eligible for liabilities upon becoming vilified witnesses, or has their neutralization precluded further liability? • Are vilified witnesses required to compensate for money that their victim could have successfully grabbed, though it was never awarded by the court? • When does the admission of culpability create and maintain exemption from liability?
Can a stolen object be acquired by the thief through its physical transformation? • Can a stolen object be acquired by the thief through the owner's despair of ever recovering it? • Can a stolen object be acquired by the thief through a change of the object's name? • Can a thief designate a tithe or consecrate a sacrifice from what was stolen?
Liability for damage caused by one's fire • The righteous are duty bound to help the wicked return • Calculated risks: How to avoid dangers in various scenarios • May one save one's life through theft with reasonable intent to repay? • May one save one's property through theft with reasonable intent to repay?
Liabilities for damages caused by one's pit • Liabilities of multiple damagers • Limitations to liabilities for damages caused by one's pit
Does the responsibility to protect against damage exceed liability for damage? • Why does the burden of proof to extract money surpass the proof necessary to convict for capital offenses?
To what degree are irresponsible parties exempt from liability when their properties damage? • Tosafos presents a radical perspective on ownership as a function of practical accessibility • When do courts appointed guardians result in liability for the owners?
Liability for damages while on the road • There is greater liability for inadvertent physical harm than for inadvertent property damage • When is speeding permitted and exempt from liability for property damage? • One who engages in gross negligence is liable for physical harm and exempt from exile if it resulted in death
No bulk discount for sins • For the free bird, envy of a caged bird being fattened for slaughter is myopic • Justice is a consequence of choice; if one is too lustful to commit, he will perforce grow old alone
If one's aggressive ox damages in the victim's domain, how great is the liability? • Dai'o: mitigation of Kal V'chomer (a fortiori) reasoning
King Solomon ruffling Rabbinic feathers • The quizzical parable of God represented as a chef tasting his way to culinary perfection
Tzroros: liability for damages caused by one's animal that kicked pebbles • Chicken dance damage
Welcome to adulthood: Enjoy life responsibly • Follow the pathways of your heart with genuine humility • A dangerous thought experiment: One must consider the siren's song to truly reject evil and consider the consequences until you know their bitter end • Rational thought is a powerful tool leading to goodness • Know the Judge whose Will you toil to understand, and actualize your knowledge with good deeds
Subsequent to their damage, the victim receives the damaged goods and additional compensation to restore the financial loss • What happens if the damaged goods depreciate prior to their court appraisal? • Who is required to extract the carcass from the pit? • Is a guardian allowed to transfer his charge to another guardian? • Will the first guardian remain liable for damages? • Who has a claim against the second guardian?
Primary categories of damage • One is exempt from liability for damage caused by one's slaves
Women of what status are restricted from marrying Kohanim? • When do violations of kohanic status warrant the administration of lashes? • Is a father believed concerning the status of his presumed son? • Kiddushin: DIY and agency
Our relatively brief opportunities to improve should imbue us with drive and urgency • Cherish the Torah of our long and dark exile, yet anticipate the illumination of Messianic Torah, which will guide us toward more complete perfection
Purity of familial lineage • When to speak out and when to be silent about a blemished pedigree • Divine providence keeps the Jewish nation pure • Characteristics indicative of pure ancestry
When is a father believed concerning his daughter's status? • When is a husband believed concerning his wife's status? • What are the consequences of mildly ambiguous kiddushin and vows?
The future purification of Zion and Jerusalem • Addressing the evils we are confronting
Laws of gouging • Agency for sin • Multiple defenses for the Snake in Eden • Can agents act as witnesses?
Teshuva for non-Jews • Teshuva for minors • Two facets of repentance: Mitzvah (command) and Chovah (obligation)
What are a father's obligations towards his son? • Is a mother obligated to circumcise her son? • Is a man commanded to circumcise himself? • Can a minor be obligated to teach himself Torah? • Which stage of development is ideal for getting married?
Unsavory relationships: May a Kohein have relations with a Cannanite slave woman or a captive of war? What forms of marriage are recognized by the Torah? Is consent required? How do Targum and the Rambam understand the prohibition of fornication?
How can one acquire a Jewish slave? • Differences between a Jew being forced into slavery by the court to pay for his theft and a slave by choice
Synesthesia in the Torah • Cultivate the infinite good latent within each finite moment • Toil to do good, not for what looks good
For an effective symbolic act (Kinyan) that creates a binding marriage agreement of Kiddushin, is an appraisal of the consideration necessary? • Why was Rav Kahana able to effect the redemption of the firstborn? • Sliding scale values: an object can be worth more than the market value to some individuals • Discerning through context the acceptance or rejection of a suitor
When is divorce permitted? • When is divorce obligatory? • When does the alter cry over a man who divorces his wife?
Can a husband qualify the scope of divorce and leave his wife married to him as it pertains to a particular individual? • Can a husband qualify the time when the divorce will continue to remain in effect while giving the bill of divorce?
How must a condition be structured to be binding? • When do a series of conditions present multiple options for validation, and when does a subsequent condition negate a previously offered option? • When is a condition understood to be effective retroactively? • Defining a vague grace period; how much time is meant by after the sabbatical year, after a year, after Shabbos, or after the festival?
Concessions that allow risk taking for pure tithes to those making a living • Guidelines of interfaith peace • Agencies to deliver and receive a bill of divorce
The requirements of a valid divorce: What are the minimum methods of fulfilling the requisite that the woman be sent away without returning • Restoration and restitution of theft • Rabbinic response to Kohanim on strike • The limits of Rabbinic jurisdiction • The Campaign of Titus and the varying prices of Jewish blood • Healthy fear • Unhealthy tolerance
Who brings the first fruits, and who makes the appurtenant declaration? • The halachic forest cannot be lost to accommodate the technicalities of an halachic tree
Taking appropriate risks is necessary to succeed • Living in accordance with God's commands is the ultimate imperative; leave results and consequences to Him • By following the Lubavitcher Rebbe's advice, Ariel Sharon was spared from boarding a plane that was hijacked
For Tikkun Olam, the court requires a creditor with a lien on a slave who was subsequently freed by his master to additionally free him as "shidduch insurance" for his children • The master who frees this slave must compensate the lien-holder for impairing the debt • When are small sins warranted to prevent great sins? • When will the court require one to sin? • Is there a mitzvah in participating in a Minyan? • The Magen Avraham is puzzled by the Ran; if self-interest motivates the emancipation, how is freeing a slave for a Minyan sinful?
Does voting matter? • As a rain cloud showers the earth, be generous with your blessings • Is anything random?
Nullification of a bill of divorce • When is coercion valid? • The inclusion of aliases in bills of divorce • The tragic consequences of a well-intentioned false oath
Be optimistic in your generosity, yet conservative in your risk assessments • Honor even the seemingly unworthy who are fortuitously propelled to power; this too is Divine providence • Embrace God's Will as revealed through creation and revelation
After a bill of divorce has been lost and found, when does it remain valid, and when is it disqualified?
What differentiates a prank bill of divorce from a concern that a valid divorce has occurred? • Writing a Get on something that may not be utilized for one's benefit • What forms of writing are included in the Torah's definition of writing? • To effect a valid divorce, the ownership of the Get must be transferred
The personal benefits of kindness • Kindness is never lost • Be generous with your bounty, be it physical or spiritual
Limits of empowerment to give • Ma'amad Shelashtan: How, when, and why can a transfer be accomplished without a symbolic act, simply by means of a declaration without a kinyan?
What must one know to assert that a bill of divorce was written properly? • Even when unnecessary, asserting that a Get was written properly is advantageous • A scathing critique of Babylonian yeshiva culture • From one couple's bickering to a civil war • Scrutiny of great men
The reward of Balak • The tragedies of Gehazi and the Nazarene • The mitzvah of Teshuva is independent of its effectiveness • The atonement ritual for mysterious murders • The unraveling and decay of Jewish civilization in antiquity
Money talks • Rav Moshe Feinstein on money in the Messianic Era and Meir Kahane • Appreciation of one's Divinely gifted agency is important
Should verses be uttered by the congregation during the Priestly blessings? • Humility in action • How should rabbinic appointments be made? • Modim DeRabanan: The fundamental centrality of gratitude • Awe of the upstanding community • Should one accord honor to a student in the presence of his master?
In what languages may Shema, Prayers, and Grace after meals be articulated? • Is the communal Torah reading a biblical requirement? • The unique potency of communal prayers • The location of Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Eval
Does a pregnant woman drink the bitter waters, or does she wait until after she gives birth? • Coercion to sin is exempted from punishment, so why might a woman who has been exonerated by drinking nonetheless suffer if she was coerced into infidelity? • According to the Bach, an intermarriage is recognized as a common law marriage by the Torah, so if a gentile husband dies, in what way is his Jewish widow not considered halachically widowed?
Much labor is needed to orchestrate a joyous experience through feasting and drinking, so don't be lazy • Pathological acquisitiveness poisons society
The processing of the Sotah's meal offering • The sequence of drinking the bitter waters in relation to the processing of the meal offering • When is coercion to drink employed? • Tentative exoneration
Consequences of haughtiness and humility • The concerned husband's warning to his wife, how it can be violated by her, and the consequences
When quoting a sourced tradition, the middle link may be omitted • When may a fortiori logic be employed within halacha? • How to manage two Nazirites with a questionable status of impurity • May a man shave the peyos hairs of minors? • May a woman shave the peyos hairs of males?
Brave the long short path to the city • The lad king and his cronies undermine a country • Justice is the primary objective of government • Even an inept leader can cause much harm if he is frivolous
Comparing and contrasting paternal and maternal relationships • When and why is following the majority not applicable • Yeshiva rivalry • What forms of ritual impurities require the Nazir to restart his Nazirite vow
The fool expends his precious and fininte energy on follies, leaving himself exhausted and unable to invest in worthy endeavors • Absorbing the influence of a wise city, not just a wise individual, is the best means of recovering from foolishness • The fool's burden of endless and aimless choices are alleviated through foundational commitment to Torah
Deriving the general rule of treating the majority as the entirety and the exception of Nazir • The Nazir's mitzvah of shaving with a razor • The Nazir's restrictions of hair removal by other means • Multiple violations and liabilities
Examining Torah hermeneutics • Consuming prohibited foods combined with permitted foods: two modalities of liability; a single hybrid consumption of an olive's volume, and the more broad liability for consumption of a full olive's volume spread out among other foods within a limited time frame
The fool's idle chatter creates an echo chamber clouding his ability to accurately perceive genuine natural consequences • Unlike the fools, give yourself the gift of silence • Silence: a protective guard against harmful speech, and a critical component of cultivating proper understanding • Alexander the Great would like to know, Who is wise?
Until when can a husband neutralize his wife's Nazirite vow? • May married women cover their hair with a wig? • A father may impose a Nazirite vow on his minor son, with caveats
Holistic grace is the impression of wisdom, whereas the fool's message is the madness of incoherent reductionism • The trajectory of foolishness is the spiraling descent into the most abhorrent evils
The mechanisms and time limits of extending the Nazirite vow from one person to others • Are Nazirite vows by means of synecdoche valid? • Examining the intriguing scope of Hafarah, the neutralization of a woman's vows by her husband • Sinful asceticism
The intersection of overlapping nazirite vows • Can a nazirite vow begin without the potential to be completed?
How to interpret the span of a Nazirite vow • Why are the hairs of one's head considered indeterminate? • Divisions of time are constructs superimposed upon the nature of time's continuous flow • Interpretation of superfluous verbiage • Access to one's property from the air doesn't require an easement
The vicious cycle of exile • Understanding the roots of harmful predatory attacks and their absence in the messianic era
Can Hafarah, vow negation, be done before the woman's vow takes effect? • Are there differences between the scope of the father's and husband's jurisdictions to negate vows? • Can Hatarah, vow annulment, be done before a vow takes effect?
The informer, like the snake, bites gratuitously - yet unlike the snake, is not subject to inhibition • Wisdom can sharpen one's focus to be effective where appropriate, as well as avoid exertion on doomed endeavors • When is rebuke a fool's errand?
What types of vows are subject to Hafarah, neutralization by the father or husband? • Hafarah neutralizes the vow from that point and on, unlike Hatarah, which truly uproots the vow retroactively • Does abstention from contact with the dead cause a sense of distress?
The wicked snake charmer may not endanger others even as he seeks to abandon the occult art • When might otherwise forbidden rebuke be appropriate? • May one commit a small sin to save others from a great transgression? • Are non-Jews permitted to engage in witchcraft or snake charming?
The Kol Nidrei controversy • Pseudo Kal-Vachomers • The window of Hafarah: calculating when the husband can negate his wife's vows
The student must persevere in placating the teacher, the responsibility to absorb Torah is his • Review can restore clarity • The tyrannical abuse of power is instigated by a whisper from Heaven • Inconspicuous toiling in Torah is imperative and protective • Hushed slander can harm from great distances • An interview with the Snake • The Four Rivers going forth from Eden symbolize the four dominating kingdoms
The father and husband of a betrothed maiden may validate, or in partnership negate her vow • If the father alone negated her vow, and the husband dies, according to Beis Hillel the vow is impaired, meaning the restriction is in force, yet there are no lashes for violation • May one annul the validation or negation of a vow? • What happens when validation and annulment are in conflict?
With foresight, one sharpens the blade to achieve success with it • Organizing the ideal form will yield the ideal function, from preparing the individual mind to perceive Truth, to healing a broken society, and redeeming the world • Why should gentiles care if Israel follows the Torah?
Seasonal vows • No free lunch; taking something that's ownerless can be risky • Exploiting the crown of Torah vs legitimate benefits of Torah scholars • What are the parameters of the prohibition against causing non-Jews to stumble?
Examining the parable of the quarryman: he is the sum of his stones • Consider the paradox of the quarryman's toil that he perceives as his leisure • Examining the parable of the logger: he is warmed immediately through his labor and reaps the primary warmth from the firewood much later • The occupational hazards of Torah • Our strength is rooted in Abraham and additionally in Joseph as expressed in the miraculous splitting of the sea
Analysis of various terminologies used to restrict oneself from consumption of grains • The hotly contested interpretation of an endowment • Humility is crucial even for one whose grasp of Torah is profound • Rabbinical guidance should be sought with the genuine intent to accept it • Before eating cooked mushrooms, what is the correct blessing, and what is the incorrect yet passable blessing? • Context, in addition to linguistics, determines the binding parameters of vows
King Menashe and his apostate brother Ravshake • Whether for good or evil, man toils and experiences the results • Much toil goes into actually achieving even simple sounding goals • With forethought, one can avoid unintended consequences
How restrictive vows are manifested or circumvented depending on various ownership structures • What is necessary for a limited gift to be valid? • Analysis of pass-through ownership
Political deceptions tend to backfire • Be careful what you wish for; depraved desires can arouse lethal Divine judgement • Divine providence guides matters great and small • Freedom from sin requires Divine assistance • Enhance the community, even for pay
Basic necessities • The purifying effects of healing • The toll of illness • When the time for death comes one is vulnerable to even the most innocuous messenger • One visiting the sick must alleviate their plight, not burden them • Practical applications and limitations of vows restricting benefit from another: physician services, veterinarian services, sharing a bed, bath, and beyond
Destroying barriers can have consequences: demolishing a wall might invite snakes to dwell in the rubble and bite the destroyer • The authority of the Sages to enact Rabbinic legislation for Jews is Biblical • Non-Jews are not bound to uphold Rabbinic legislation • Rabbinic legislation can impact non-Jews
May one who disavows benefit from another derive indirect benefits from that person? • Can one who spends money to "scare away a lion" demand compensation from the beneficiary? • Laws of illicit derivative goodwill benefits from consecrated property
The absurd consequences of sin • Rebbi Akiva and the royal eunuch debate: Is the measure of man merely a function of his dominance?
When does mild duress counter a vow? • When is a conditional divorce valid in spite of duress? • When may one make a vow to prevent exploitation? • Who is a legitimate tax collector from whom tax evasion constitutes theft? • Are progressive taxes legitimate?
The dangerous power of words • The strange world of politics • The tension between Divine providence and fortune
Four types of vows are automatically invalid • Exploring the process and limits of vow nullification
Don't allow attainment of power to undermine humility before God • Strive to engender humility even for ulterior motives • Acceptance of Divine wrath brings Divine forgiveness
Must "handles", incomplete articulations, be unambiguous to effect vows, marriages, and the Pe'ah tithe? • Can the declaration effecting marriage take place immediately after the ring be given? • Can one designate his entire crop as Pe'ah for the poor?
From what types of borrower owned properties may debts be satisfied? • Debt collection from orphans • Resolving domestic discord about where to live • Is there a mitzvah to dwell in the land of Israel today?
The Kesubah affords the widow's prior lifestyle maintenance • Rebbi's last will and testament • Rebbi's temporal life after life
How Lot's "choices" were explained to him • The oblivious fool provides ample warning for the wise to neutralize his plans • The fool perceives others in the mold of his own foolishness, though in reality everyone else is wise concerning him
Debt collection dynamics • Can a woman reneg on her quitclaim deed and demand Kesubah payment from the property her husband sold? • What does the Raavad consider to be the Rambam's greatest error?
Justice: Balancing the ability to collect while ensuring the debtor is not taken advantage of • Writing a receipt • From when does a husband inherit his wife?
What is the gift of Divine Enlightenment from God's right hand? • Why are the wise held to a higher standard for misdeeds? • The advantage of the wise-hearted is cumulative
Levirate inheritance • A match made in heaven • Shidduch crisis averted by Shimon ben Shetach
We mold ourselves and the world through our choices • Foolishness can tarnish one's reputation among men and more importantly before God
When can vows and blemishes on a woman interfere with the act of kiddushin, marriage? • How do men and women tend to relate to marriage differently? • Marriage typically entails near constant communication between husband and wife
Is one ever permitted to give more than 20% to charity? • When may a person accept charity? • How much money from a man's estate should be distributed to his daughters for their dowries?
Channeling one's drives is more effective than suppressing them • Wisdom can supplant the need for weapons or enhance their utility when necessary • The benefits of wisdom are shared by many • The harms of foolishness are borne by many
When trying to impact oneself, employ hushed and gentle words of wisdom to engrave truth in one's heart
Can the obligation of mezonos, to sustain a woman and her daughters, stand independently of the basic kesubah obligation? • Who is empowered to conclude the fulfillment of the kesubah and terminate continued mezonos payments, the widow or heirs? • Tosefes kesubah, additions to the kesubah are broadly considered like the kesubah itself
Explore familial relationships through diverse contexts in the parsha • The enticer par excellence; constructing a defense of the snake through Tosafos
What rights does a father have concerning his daughter? • What rights and obligations does a husband have concerning his wife?
At what ages are fines for assault issued? • At what ages may a father legally indenture his daughter? • When are confessions admissible? • Vigilante justice
The power of one witness • The power of casual talk • The Levites were fined by Ezra for not ascending to Israel • The marital status of a woman redeemed or ransomed
Witnesses may not alter their testimony once they have spoken • Can signatories authenticating a document ever undermine the validation of the document through subsequent testimony? • Must one be willing to give up his life rather than sign a false document which could then be used to rob another of his assets?
Tactics to combat oppression of women • Judean trickery • The priestly courts' alterations of kesubos • Do we believe the woman's claim to the detriment of her husband? • Do we believe the woman's claim of paternity? • In monetary matters, do we give greater credence to a claim of certitude or possession?
When should marriages take place? • When are various seemingly mundane discussions permitted on Shabbos? • Why doesn't the Rambam codify directly the obligation to teach one's son how to earn a livelihood? • The great debate about Psik Raisha between the Aruch and the Ri: must the concurrent consequence be beneficial to be prohibited?
Welcome to the bizarre world that we all experience • Wisdom can prevail against all odds • Succumbing to the evil inclination will never bring peace
When a man and one of his wives travels abroad and dies, what is the widow to do? • Evaluating unknowns: When are we concerned about new developments that would alter the status quo? • When are we concerned for the minority? • Are we ever concerned about spiteful testimony?
Knowledge is power • The ability to do something can be seductive • Orienting oneself towards righteousness is critical to avoid stumbling
Biblical, rabbinic, and invalid marriages • Guardianship for the incapacitated • Can a minor ever set aside tithes? • Can a non-Jew ever set aside tithes?
What makes the angler's hook an evil snare? • By which plague did the spies die? • The perverse depravity of channeling one's humanity to speak with an evil tongue • Atheism underlies speaking ill of God, the righteous, and nature
Can a minor Yevamah do Chaltizah? • How should a person direct his eyes and heart during prayer? • The dangers of humiliating a Torah sage • When can Chaltizah performed under false pretenses be effective and even encouraged? • When can one reneg on an offer? • When and why can coercion of a divorce be effective?
Converts familial relationships within halacha; restrictions in marriage and testimony • What defines halachic maternity? • If a pregnant woman converts, is she related to her son biblically?
Men, like fish and birds, are vulnerable to the shockingly unexpected • This realization should weaken our confidence in schedules, and embolden us to be more opportunistic about actualizing our priorities
There are circumstances when the marriage was permitted yet the levirate marriage is prohibited • There are circumstances when the levirate marriage is permitted yet the initial marriage was prohibited • There are circumstances where both are permitted, and where both prohibited • A Kohenes may marry a Chalal, a disqualified Kohen• A Kohen should try to marry a Kohenes • Men and women are typically subject to the same prohibitions, with three exceptions
As descendants from Ruth the Moabitess and Na'amah the Amonitess, why is the Davidic monarchy legitimate? • What is the quintessential trait of King David and his royal line? • What differentiates the sword of Esau from the scimitar of Yishmael? • May the daughter of an Amonite convert and an Israelite woman marry a Kohen? • May the daughter of a gentile and an Israelite woman marry a Kohen?
Priestly tithes may not be consumed in a state of ritual impurity • What type of uncircumcised are prohibited from consuming priestly tithes? • Does your boss own you?
The counterintuitive contrasting experiences of Jacob, Job, Joshua, and Moses • The Chofetz Chaim's prayer experiences
Marriage and land ownership are fundamental to Man's fulfillment • Domestic violence from Eden until today • Is domestic violence ever tolerable? • Businesses are more lucrative than farming • The ideal of being a gentleman farmer • What is the true role of the Jewish nation in all human punishments? • Horrors of terrible spouses and advice for coping • The supreme bliss of the good wife
Wisdom and wealth are not necessarily correlated • Leadership means service to the community
Solomon's longstanding perspective from the vantage of the throne • What can man truly accomplish? • How should Solomon's perspective impact our regular prayers?
In what ways are inferior relations effective for Levirate marriage? • Does Yibum require witnesses? • Why is Yevamos before Kesubos? • Would Jewish courts coerce a recalcitrant man to marry? • A woman's infidelity renders her prohibited to her husband • This prohibition of defilement requires the testimony of two witnesses to warrant administering lashes to the husband
Why do converts suffer? • God rewards goodness so why did Boaz bless Ruth that God reward her fully? • Mamzeirus: Which illicit relationships bar the resulting progeny from marriage among the Jewish people? • King Menashe's trial and execution of Isaiah the prophet
After a man dies without children, how long must the surviving brothers and widows wait before consummation or severance of their Zika bond? • If they did not wait and engaged in Yibum or Chalitzah, what are the ramifications? • If the widow has an ectopic pregnancy may she immediately sever the levirate bond? • How must a will be structured to be halachically valid? • Fructus rights in halacha
While still empowered, exert yourself to fulfill your Maker's Will • Good deeds and charity are all that help after death • Within the framework of your Divine gifts, accomplish as many mitzvos as possible, take pleasure as much as possible • The measure of one's success is entirely dependent upon one's potential
The rabbinic prohibition of Achos Zekukaso, levirate bonds between two widows who are sisters and their surviving brothers-in-law • If the prohibition was violated, may the new couple stay married? • Various cases where widows who are sisters may both have levirate marriages • When both are necessary, why must a bill of divorce be given before Chalitzah is performed?
See to it that you make a good life for yourself • Pursue peace and avoid strife with your wife • Toil in Torah and livelihood • Channel your desires toward their highest fulfillment within the path of Torah to cultivate eternal life • Actualize your eternal bliss through mastering your fleeting days • Man and woman together were created in the Divine likeness
The bizarre case of quasi-levirate marriage • Chalitzah (severance of the levirate bond) is not considered an imperative in relation to levirate marriage • How do we know that second degree relatives, Shniyos, are prohibited from a biblically derived tradition? • How does the Maggid Mishnah prove the paradoxical nature of forbidden incestuous relationships? • In what manner is the violation of deceptive weights and measures more severe than illicit relationships? • Is one's father-in-law's wife always prohibited? • May stepchildren marry? • May a king's wife remarry?
How can we prime ourselves to be receptive to God's blessings? • Preparing for the king's invitation • How can one channel Divine illumination?
What are the parameters of the prohibition of dividing into factions? • Is Lo Sisgodedu a biblical or rabbinic prohibition? • Is it permitted for residents of walled cities to read the Megillah on the 14th of Adar? • Is making an unnecessary blessing a biblical or rabbinic prohibition? • What is a Bas Kol, heavenly voice, and its role in Halacha? • Is one who considers something permitted nonetheless required to help another avoid doing something that would be prohibited based upon that person's stringency?
Solomon's prophesy • By doing good, the pleasures of life can be experienced with deep satisfaction • Asceticism is inappropriate for one whose deeds are good and straight
Courts are biblically prohibited from administering punishments on Shabbos • Are other facets of judgement restricted? • May a murderer serve in the Temple? • May one bury an unidentified corpse on Shabbos?
Sensitivity towards those who have passed includes not flaunting our ability to fulfill God's commands • Idolaters cut themselves off from their Father, the Creator, and therefore do not benefit from their children after their demise
Rabbinic leniencies within their stringencies against trusting an ignoramus regarding purity • Jerusalem may not have kilns burning so as to restrict smoke pollution in the city • The Jewish nation as a superorganism: The Torah guides us to treat each individual from among the enire people as trustworthy when gathered together • How do we relate to their individual actions after their dispersal? • As a form of endearment, the Table in the Temple was displayed on the pilgrimage festivals • How do we derive that it was eligible to become ritually impure and needed protection? • In the Temple, the Altar brought atonement; today our generosity at the table with those in need effects atonement
The righteous love life and hone their sensitivity to learning the pitfalls of evil from the wicked • The wicked are stultified, inhibiting their receptivity to learning goodness and choosing to heal • The knowledge of death can help crack the monotonous inertia of sinfulness, facilitating our return to God
Purification for non-sanctified purposes does not require intention; the inadvertent act of immersion is sufficient • Why is an immersion within a rainwater waterfall unable to purify? Why does a detached wave from the sea need 40 se'ah to purify a person according to the Shach, Taz, and Meiri? • What type of incidental water contact with fruits engender their susceptibility to ritual impurity? • Can one have intentions to achieve specific levels of purification while no longer immersed? • Is the first tithe equivalent to unsanctified products or does their higher level of sanctity require specific intentions to permit their handling?
Freedom to choose eternal life is a gift inherent in each moment of our lives • We may elevate ourselves to become angelic • Was Hadrian superior to Moses?
Free will is a lifelong gift that overshadows the ever shifting influences of fortune and circumstance • Through immersively pursuing knowledge of the Divine Will one can have confidence in finding the path to cultivate eternal intimacy with God
The Lubavicher Rebbe asked Rav Moshe: does the command of ascension to the temple on pilgrimage festivals include the act of ascending, or is it merely a practical requirement to fulfill the command of placing oneself there? • Who is exempt from the command of ascension and how are the various exemptions derived? • Can spiritual bureaucratic errors happen? • Can a person merit additional years to his life?
When is one required to rend their garment? • After his ascension, was Eliyahu HaNavi's rebbetzin permitted to remarry? • Were the eighty men on their way to Jerusalem after Gedalia was assassinated permitted to gash their flesh? • Was Rabbi Akiva permitted to strike himself until he bled after Rabbi Eliezer died? • Is one required to inform a would-be mourner of his loss?
All men know they are subject to death and yet experience the illusion of physical immortality - how shall we be judged for our resulting errors? • The believers in pure random fate who deny Providence and Justice shall inexorably lose their grip on moral living under the seductive pressures of evil • To survive, all men must pursue their physical sustenance, yet to endure, all men must pursue their spiritual sustenance • Pursuit of the latter without the former yields to failure in both domains
Are Tefillin required or prohibited during the intermediate days of the festival? • Are there any restrictions on how to make tzitzis for oneself during the intermediate days of the festival? • Biblical and rabbinic aspects of mourning • May a mourner comb his hair? • May a mourner take a hot shower before the festival?
It is the thought that counts • Successful results are not a function of righteous intent, but rather depend on the resonance of our strivings with the Divine Will • A degenerative consequence of the tragedy of Adam and Eve, exacerbated by the tragedy of Cain and Abel, was the engenderment of spiritual blemish warranting mortality to become a ubiquitous human experience to achieve rectification
What activities are prohibited during the intermediate days of the festival? • Understanding the prohibition of breeding a first born animal and other invalidated sacrificial animals • Is working during the intermediate days permitted to prevent losses? • If a person did prohibited work during the intermediate days, are his inheritors similarly restricted from benefiting from that labor?
From our perspective, there is no reliably discernable congruity between fortune and worthiness, misfortune and guilt • When is it permitted to become an informant?
What types of renovation and construction projects may be done on Chol Ha'moed? • Road maintenance is a high priority public need • We are encouraged to pray for divine mercy for suffering penitents • How do we know that various sites transmitting Tumas Ohel (ritual impurity engendered through sharing a covered enclosure with a corpse) must be marked? • Laws pertaining to fields with a grave whose precise location can no longer be identified or has been plowed over • When are we required to take communal responsibility?
Fortune is decreed from heaven • In this world the righteous and wicked can share the same fate • Their divergence of experience becomes apparent in the World of Truth
Who interrupts Torah study to accompany a bride to the wedding canopy or a body to the grave for burial? • The Divine Presence dwells among the Jewish nation even in exile • The sanctity of synagogues and study halls • The four special Torah readings before Passover
How many people ascend for the public Torah reading on fast days? • What restrictions on work are in force on Rosh Chodesh? • Various forms of bowing and prostration and their appropriate expression • May women and children ascend for public Torah readings?• May women and children be included in the quorum of ten for public Torah and Megillah readings?
When is rejoicing praiseworthy? • How can a person enhance their resilience? • How can one cultivate satisfaction with one's lot? • One's toil to fulfill God's Will is a continuous source of protection
How was it permissible for Yehoshua to marry Rachav, a Canaanite convert? • Who were the four most beautiful women in history? • Can God be a crown for the righteous? • Why did Esther invite Haman to her party?
True unmitigated good is not the experience of the wicked • Living without the fear of God is at the root of every branch of evil • Good deeds that are done without the fear of God are inherently inferior, and are rewarded accordingly
Differences between restrictive vows • Differences between various impure discharges • Differences between a quarantined Metzorah and a definitively pronounced Metzorah • What languages and alphabets may be used in Sifrei Torah, Nevi'im, Kesuvim, Tefillin and Mezuzos?
God does not necessarily punish in this world • His patience ensures free will, and affords ample opportunity to repent • Only those who fear God and fulfill His will shall experience the ultimate pleasure
What types of meats and wines are prohibited in the final meal preceding Tisha B’Av? • Why is Tu B'Av such a great celebration? • Sensitivity in the shidduch process • Marketing of shidduchim
Our choices have the power to sanctify or debase even inanimate objects • True Justice and The Judge are temporarily obscured to endow us with free will in this world
The potency of prayer • Sometimes what we perceive as the obstacle is not the problem • One should generally abstain from praying for and benefitting from open miracles • Special donkeys
There's no silver lining in sinfulness; the miser will go broke pursuing his passions • Human brutality often cycles viciously, falsely elevating might to right
Of all the actions incorporated in a fast day, the active ingredient is Teshuva • May Kohanim drink wine today? • May Kohanim allow their hair to grow long today? • Which people serving in the Temple are granted the dispensation to take care of their hygiene on Thursdays?
This world is filled with choices, the next world is filled with experiencing the realization of those choices • Generalizations about consequences can be easily surmised, accurately teasing out the details requires true depth of perception
How cramped is Purgatory? • When should we pray for rain? • When do we fast over drought? • Travel etiquette • The importance of solidarity with the community
Temporal government powers reflect the metaphysical channels of Divine power of their time • A world emperor reflects Divine power in a manner that commands radical obeisance • Divine service is not subject to the filter of human reason • Absolute fidelity to the Almighty's Will can never be a catalyst of misery
We are required to articulate praises to Hashem for phenomena that are subject to fluctuations; blessings and curses • Various rains offer varied benefits • The power of God's fiery word imbues the Torah scholar with discipline and resolve to be tough as iron, with freedom from the domination of the iron-like evil inclination • A righteous father may be confident that only worthy suitors approach his daughter if she masters the quality of modesty
Do not rebel against legitimate authority; God is the ultimate Authority • Do not pray in a state of confusion, the potency of prayer demands that in times of Divine wrath, one offer focused supplication in beseeching Divine mercy • All Divine commandments are inherently meaningful • Accept Divine rebuke, for His sake; anything less is akin to cursing God
When can the Shofar be blown on Shabbos? • The Lulav is taken seven days of Succos as a unique rabbinic enactment in memorial of Jerusalem • Bringing the Omer offering permits consumption of the new crop, what about after the destruction of the temple?
How can the righteous mediate Divine patience? • Why are the deaths of the righteous and the charitable sustaining of wayfarers comparable to sacrifice? • How can the death of the righteous be the harbinger of suffering? What type of sin requires sacrificial atonement?
A false witness telling tall tales has important messages to share • The procedures of sanctifying the new month changed when rogue forces sought to sabotage the truth • Coral harvesting • Teaching Torah in a spiritual desert is precious
The riddle of Eden according to the Seforno • Wisdom is powerful and transformative • The fear of Heaven is critical to safely harnessing wisdom
When and how are we judged? • How can this knowledge be applied to benefit farmers or commodities traders in their investment strategies? • When can prayers annul a decree?• How do God's commands coincide with His judgements to our benefit? • What activities can recall one's sins before God? • Teshuva is a critical factor in overturning an evil decree. What other factors can be effective? • According to the Arizal, how does judgement affect us here in this world?
God created man to serve Him as perfectly as the ministering angels. In collaboration, man influenced man to pursue error • What underlies King Solomon's observations on the rarity of Righteousness, and what differentiates men and women in this regard?
King Solomon's search: finding a man, a social creature, who stands up against broadly supported societal evils is exceedingly rare; finding a woman, a supportive being, who stands up against her husband's evil is even more rare • Seek guidance from one who can reliably oppose you • Never underestimate the evil inclination; it is a force that can overwhelm the natural order
From where do we derive the imperative to add from the mundane to the sanctified? • What features of the Jubilee year are most critical?
The Mishnaic imperative of dating bills of divorce according to the years of the local reigning government is no longer necessary - why not? • How can the 3 years of Orlah be as short as 2 years and 44 days? • What is the crown worn by an Eved Ivri, Jewish slave, between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur of the Jubilee year?
Baking with unkilned tiles on Yom Tov: are we concerned about unnecessary exertion or completion of a vessel? • May one shecht animals likely to be mortally wounded on Yom Tov? • May one use a bellow or blow on a fire to fan flames on Yom Tov? • May one use matches on Yom Tov? • What is required to redesignate drying fruits for consumption on Shabbos or Yom Tov?
One must utilize the unconsecrated to discharge specific sacrificial obligations • Which offerings require Semicha, leaning one's full weight upon the sacrificial animal prior to slaughter? • Dicey halachic tactics in the struggle between Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel • The Etiquette of Deprecation: avoid unnecessary escalation • Vow offerings on Yom Tov
Burial on the first and second days of Yom Tov • Is an egg laid on the first day of Yom Tov Muktzah or not on the second day? • Are featherless chickens kosher?
The constellation of our unique circumstances offer the wise clues about our ultimate choices • The human super-organism is judged; each deed of the righteous and the wicked within a society as one • Divine enlightenment is perfectly straight; to fully integrate its truth requires straightening the crooked, which can be painful
How many Chatzotzros (bugle-like) blasts were performed in the Temple, and when? • May we adjust the Jewish calendar due to pragmatic considerations?
Toxic femininity: the pathological anti-helpmate buries her man alive, embittering him more than death • Death is temporary, yet the snare of dangerously false convictions can scar a soul forever
Do we sit in the Sukkah on Shmini Atzeres in the diaspora? • Do we make a Shehechiyanu on Shmini Atzeres? • If one only mentioned Sukkos in the prayers of Shmini Atzeres must he repeat the Amidah?
Acquisition of all wisdom is beyond even the most gifted individual's capacity • Cosmogony is elusive; Divine wisdom of creation qualitatively transcends human wisdom • Understanding the present requires tremendous depth • Government tends to be lumbering and frivolous - yet essential
In Mishnaic parlance, who can be called a friend? • When do we calculate Sabbatical year restrictions applicable to palm fronds and citrons? • What may one do with Sabbatical year produce? • How may the sanctity of Sabbatical produce be transferred?
Man is not unfailingly good; through Teshuva perfection is achievable • Be judicious in what you take to heart • Don't indulge your slave, the evil inclination, as it is never appeased only emboldened to subjugate you • Don't feel crestfallen by criticism, it can often be a reflection of our own negative judgments of others
Myrtle branches with snipped tops may not be taken as part of the four species • Regeneration through a budding berry from the snipped top can restore the myrtle's eligibility • Binding the four species: by strand according to Rabbi Yehuda, and even by hand according to the Rabbis • Too many ripe berries ruin the branch • Willow branches don't need to grow on the bank of a brook to be eligible
The fear of God will temper the tendency to be overwhelmed by terror, and ensure that one is sensitive to the experience in as much as Divine providence orchestrated it • The fear of God enables one to balance the pursuit of spiritual and physical attainments • Wisdom is more powerful for the wise than the influence of custom or habit
Who is exempt from dwelling in a Sukkah and why? • While engaged in fulfilling a mitzvah, may one switch to another? • Other than Tefillin, a mourner on the first day is obligated to fulfill most mitzvos - why isn't this obvious? • A mourner is not obligated to suffer • Why are a groom and his revelers exempt from Sukkah? • Why is an orchard watchman exempt from Sukkah?
Even typically righteous acts taken in excess can become destructive • Don't allow terror to dominate, yet allow yourself to feel healthy fear; longevity depends on the balance • Invest your limited energies judiciously; prioritize understanding what you must, and hold back from the allure of knowledge that is beyond your capacity to understand
Can a wigwam be a Sukkah? • What types of mats may be used for Schach? • What types of mats are subject to ritual impurities?
Enjoy fully and graciously all of God's gifts to you • Pain is rooted in error, sift through your past choices and abandon error - and true healing will begin • Divine justice is fundamentally comprehensible to man
Where do heaven and earth meet? • What minimum height must the sukkah walls have? • What are the dimensions of the Holy Ark? • How was the Tzitz (golden plate) made? • What size amah (cubit) was used in construction of the Temple's vessels? • The fruits of Israel are uniquely treasured as they illuminate various Torah measurements
How do we know that one should violate Shabbos to save a life? • Was Tziporah required to circumcise her son? • How we achieve atonement depends on the sin • What causes a desecration of God's name? • Why do we address God as our Father twice in the Amidah?
Wisdom and wealth can accomplish goodness synergistically • Man's stewardship entails cultivation and protection of our world • God is uniquely capable and committed to repairing our world marred by human destructiveness • Safeguards against sin include experiencing love and gratitude towards God
Wearing wooden shoes on Yom Kippur • Prosthetic limbs on Shabbos • Children wearing leather shoes and other restrictions on Yom Kippur • What helps children grow? • How much food must be eaten to be liable on Yom Kippur?
What makes for a wise question? • Divine justice is inviolable; appearances to the contrary tend to reflect changes in the judged • Wisdom and financial independence enjoy a symbiotic relationship
Appropriate forms of address depend upon the context of the meeting • How do sages take leave of one another? • The predilection of Torah scholars is for the finest wines • The honor due Torah scholars exceeds the honor due the High Priest on Yom Kippur • Who may seek Divine guidance through the High Priest enquiry of the Urim V'Tumim? • Priestly garments must be fashioned in precise ways
Actions engender moral knowledge that cannot be induced by intuitions of thought experimentation alone • The wise anticipate results and eschew gifts that would ultimately be burdensome • There are times when anger is necessary • Patience is an aspect of kindness • Acceptance of Divine Judgment brings atonement
Is the he-goat that is pushed off the precipice considered slaughtered? • Once living creatures are temporarily unfit for sacrificial service, can they ever be reinstated? • How can the offering of sacrificial limbs from a blemished animal ever be pleasing before God? • Can tzitzis that weren't made lishmah (with the requisite intentionality) be nullified and rendered kosher if lost in a larger group of kosher tzitzis?
The crackling of burning twigs under a pot, like a cackling fool make much ado about nothing • The deplorable misuse of wisdom to swindle will ultimately rob the mastermind of his wise heart • Caution: the fool's rant can infect even the wise • Ingratitude is like denial of God • Generosity in kindness brings a person towards God, and ensures receptivity to Divine Kindness
How should the High Priest proceed if he forgets which vessel holds the bull's blood and which vessel holds the he-goat's blood? • Which factors determine whether or not remaining blood should be poured onto the base of the Alter, or drained? • What constitutes a barrier that invalidates the service?
Thinking about our own mortality liberates us to prioritize our true goals • The growling rebuke of the wise might sting, but it's illumination is better than the soothing crooning of fools laced with frivolousness • The mosaic that is our soul is most refined when under the general guidance of the thriving neshama, in a balanced manner
Is the Yom Kippur Bull Offering of the High Priest subject to unlawful substitution/Temurah? • Which sacrificial features are unique to a Zevach and which are unique to Temurah?
Confronting mortality can be a catalyst for self correction • In giving the final kindnesses to the dead, we recognize our own dependence on the kindnesses of others • If one feels targeted by Divine Judgment, instead of feeling discouragement, perceive it as a manifestation of Divine Beneficence to stir improvement
Who may slaughter the red heifer? • Who may perform at each step of the process? • In what manner was the first red heifer different than subsequent ones? • How must the red heifer go alone?
Good oil can be a source of valuable illumination, but even better is a good name that provides an illuminating example for the world • The day of death for the righteous is better than the day of birth for the wicked
Priestly vestments: the finest - to a point • Accountability for Torah toil: even the poorest, richest, and most handsome are included • Leaning one's weight and slaughtering the holiest offerings must be done on the northern side of the Altar • What sins can an Elevation Offering atone for? • Is there a biblical obligation to give tereifa meat to a dog?
Second order thinking: investing our energies in alignment with our desired outcomes • Perception of the fleeting shadow of life helps us focus on what is truly important
The Temple Service at dawn • Mincha of the Patriarchs • Learning Torah in yeshiva brings the illuminating Divine Presence to a person • Can a Mussaf offering precede the Tamid Shel Shachar?
Miracles of the first and second temples • Six types of fire • Different winds and their economic impacts • Temple service treachery and trickery: racing competitions and lotteries for the privilege of serving
Strive for the intrinsically valuable albeit ethereal over the tangible yet utilitarian • Our most deeply intuitive knowledge of humanity may elicit surprise at God's design, yet with rational humility we submit that He knows best
What services does the Kohen Gadol fulfill? • What is the order of the daily service? • The incense lottery to become wealthy • Kvatter and Sandak parallels to the incense service • Make the Rosh Yeshiva wealthy
Consider the power and limits of exertion • When are the wise better off than the fools? What should the pauper do to enrich himself?
How do we consider communal sacrifices that coincide with ritual impurity? • When does the Tzitz elevate an impure sacrifice to be considered acceptable? • When and how are we commanded to avoid distractions from Divine names? • Seven day Sequestrations of the Priests prior to Yom Kippur and burning of the Red Heifer • The tragic decay of the high priesthood, and its deadly consequences • Rabbinic sensitivity in alleviating onerous price controls
Although pitiful, the stillborn's ignorance is blissful, whereas the gifted who toil without gain are tragic • A fulfilled life requires pursuit of enlightenment, justice, and charity • The soul is like a refined princess for whom coarse pleasures bring no satisfaction
Temple curtains: The mind altering impact of beauty • Blessings over striking aesthetics require the element of novelty • How the artistic curtains facilitated experiencing heightened awe for God in the Temple Mount • Guzma: Does the perfect Torah ever express anything imprecisely? • Where should impure sacrificial meat be burned? • Sanctification in a post-temple world
Experiencing appreciation for one's gifts is critical to maximizing them • A glamorous life brimming with pleasure falls short; each individual must strive towards the fulfillment of their purpose
God gives us all the wealth we need to thrive from here and now to eternity • Be good humored about your toil • Value each day as the precious gift that it is • A Divine Whisper: allow your heart's satisfaction from doing good to resonate and bear witness to its eternal worth
How are Jews are meant to relate towards idolaters? • The requirement to engage in peaceful overtures towards idolaters • Divine abhorrence for duplicity • Is God concerned with the human dignity of idolaters?
To eat or not to eat: drifting in and out of sleep as the Seder winds down • When may the Pascal Offering be eaten? • The blessings over the Pascal and Chagigah Offerings • Blessings over the Redemption of the Firstborn • Afikomen in commemoration of the Pascal Offering: what happens if it was forgotten? ~ Who is the real leader of the Seder?
A life focused on blindly amassing wealth is a tragic existence • A person's mazal incorporates the secrets of his purpose - embrace it! • Each day is a counted gift from God, every choice should consider the economy of time • As food and drink sustain our bodies, Torah and good deeds sustain our souls • What strategies work to help us achieve our long-term goals? • How to console a mourner • Even a great Torah scholar can wither in blissful solitude
Whom does God love? • Whom does God dislike? • Whose life is not experienced as living? • When is the prohibition against harboring hatred towards a fellow Jew permitted? • When and how must we hate a fellow Jew? • The lost art of rebuke • In what order do we make the blessing over wine and the blessing of sanctification of the day? • When if ever is a heavenly voice relevant to halachic discourse? • Charoses: A mitzvah without a blessing
The blessing of wealth can foster arrogance and destruction, a sickening evil • A festering illness: wealth that is acquired but not utilized for good • Illusion of security: wealth is always moving • Bright or bleak? A glimpse into a world ripe for redemption • Teshuva & good deeds: the path towards redemption is in our hands
When is it permitted to wash one's hands before kiddush? • When may one wash with intent to eat bread hours later? • May one make kiddush or havdalah on beer or bread? • May one use tasty beer that causes digestive problems for kiddush? • May one make a blessing over unhealthy foods? • How much of the cup of benediction must be imbibed to discharge one's obligation?
How does eating matza with gusto beautify the mitzvah? • Why should a pauper be exempt from eating while leaning? • Poreis mapah u'mekadeish: when transitioning from a weekday meal to a Shabbos meal, should Hamotzei be repeated?
Jewish eschatology: a culmination of Derech Eretz • The redemption is non-linear • Jewish cosmogony: the Foundation Stone is the nexus of cosmic beauty • Relate to God as your redeemer
If Pesach Rishon was forfeited, a second opportunity to bring the Pascal offering on Sheni is given • Is this forfeiture irrevocable, or can Pesach Rishon be salvaged? • How do women relate to Pesach Sheni? • Kareis, spiritual excision, is only applicable to willful violations of certain laws • When is Kareis applicable to Pesach Rishon and Sheni? • One who becomes an adult between the Pesachim and participated in Pesach Rishon is not required to bring on Pesach Sheni • What is the halacha for a minor who has eaten matzah and then becomes an adult during seder night, must he eat more matza?
Understanding the prophecy: "So says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men of diverse languages of the nations shall grasp the corners of a Jewish man's garment declaring, 'We shall go with you for we have heard that the Lord is with you!'" (Zechariah 8:23)
Understanding borders of sanctity • Where is Hallel sung after the Pascal offering is consumed? • Most rarified visitation: the attic above the Holy of Holies • Protocols for artisans to avoid embezzlement of Hekdesh • Pesach groupings and location restrictions • Etiquette: titling oneself, taking the seat of honor, how to drink, when to disregard the host's directives, tipping
Semicha: classical rabbinic ordination • Modern rabbinic ordination • Rivash 271 • Reb Chaim Soloveitchik on rabbinics
Uniquely, the purpose of pascal offerings is for consumption • When the nations allow the rebuilding of the Temple, with the construction of the alter, sacrificial services may resume • If the majority of Jews are ritually impure, the pascal offerings may still be brought • Is this permission a nullification or a limited exemption from the prohibitions? • How does this issue impact the parameters for violating Shabbos to save a life? • What is the law if the congregation is split evenly? •
Last and least: The Lazy Crew brings their Pascal offerings as a third group • Why does Rebbi assert: Fortunate is one whose children are males, woe to one whose children are females? • Is sweeping or mopping permitted on Shabbos? • Why was the blood in the Azarah deliberately pooled on Erev Pesach? • What is the significance of carrying home the Pesach, slung over one's back, like an Ishmaelite merchant?
When is the Afternoon Tamid offering brought throughout the year? • When is the earliest time we may pray Mincha, the afternoon prayer? • Avraham, with his astronomical precision and alacrity, prayed Mincha from noon • Why is the Pesach brought after the Tamid?
One who loves Mitzvos will never be satisfied with them • Accumulation of wealth will not increase consumption, merely the flow of money through one's hands • Doing good brings blessings to all people and is pleasing to God • Sleep is sweet for one dedicated to serving God
When and why is boat travel prohibited due to Shabbos? • When and why is there a correlated custom to refrain from traveling by ship before Shabbos? • Why and on whom is this custom binding? • May one substitute a custom of leniency to embrace a custom of stringency? • When must one conform to the local custom? • When may one maintain and encourage a leniency against the broader custom, for themselves, their family and their followers? • Why is the custom of Yom Tov Sheini so strict?
The fulfillment of a human being necessitates social collaboration • An insightful lense to evaluate the merits of an occupation is the degree of ubiquitous benefit it brings offers • Civil stability is the ubiquitous benefit offered by a good ruler • Without the labor to bring forth the land's bounty a king and his kingdom are doomed
When can permitted substances complete the volume required for liability of prohibited substances? • How quickly must a food be eaten to qualify as a substantial consumption? • When is flavor adequate for liability?
Torah Sages: agents of enlightenment and peace • The eyes: powerful gates to the universe • Glimpse the framework of Divine judgment
May one bake thick loaves on Pesach? • May one bake more than needed for Yom Tov? • Can one eat bran matzah to fulfill their obligation on Pesach? • May one mold matzah into shapes before baking? • What types of dough are exempt from the mitzvah of separating challah? • May one eat underbaked matzah? • Ma'aser Sheni: does dough from the second tithe require that challah be taken? May one eat such matzah to fulfill their obligation on Pesach?
Strength in unity: a tzibur is not subject to spiritual excision • Learn meticulously: errors of speech lead to sinful deeds • Transcend your fears by strengthening your fear of God
Nullification of prohibitions: within homogeneous mixtures, heterogeneous mixtures, chametz and prohibited wine • Bread must be baked neutral, not containing dairy or meat, unless certain steps are taken • Does this prohibition apply to wines? • May one use an oven for meat then dairy? • When can earthenware be kashered? • Which cold use earthenware may not be used on Pesach? • When is chametz collateral permitted or prohibited?
Harness emotion to align with what is right • The power of peace • The prohibition of promoting strife is rooted in the prohibition of self-mutilation • Distinguishing between true peace and pseudo-peace • Deferred payment of vows can be catastrophic • Nullification of vows may exempt one from the letter of the law, yet a residue of liability may remain
Understanding how the Torah conveys prohibitions of eating and prohibitions of deriving benefit • Is Orlah restricted if grown for the public? • Jews may derive benefit from Trumah; why does the Gemara equate Levites to Israelites regarding giving gifts to Kohanim? • One may not eat sheratzim, forbidden creatures, but one may sell them if obtained inadvertently • Chametz on Pesach may not be eaten, may one derive benefit from it? • One may derive benefit from Cheilev, forbidden fats. Does it transmit ritual impurity? • May one derive benefit from the sciatic nerve? The answer hinges on a debate of logical deduction • Non-sacrificial meat slaughtered in the temple: a biblical or rabbinic prohibition?
Safe prayer must embody humility • Vows: The astounding power of human speech • How we relate to God impacts our sense of morality, and how society develops • Pathological selfishness leads to self-destruction • Love man, and ascend the path to draw close to God
Can liquids contract ritual impurity? • Can liquids transmit ritual impurity? • Are sacrificial liquids different? • The blood of slaughtered beasts and birds facilitate the ability to contract ritual impurity - is this biblical or rabbinic? • What types of blood are prohibited to consume? • When does the high priest wearing the tzitz ameliorate errors of the sacrificial service? • Chagai the prophet's pop quiz
Be sensitive to your friends, and if you detect any faltering, find ways to support them with dignity • Humility is a natural consequence of apprehending reality • Prayer: manage the risks of a dangerous art
What concerns factor into the obligation to search for chametz? • Ritual impurity of Jewish and non-Jewish corpses • The natural confluence of idolatry and murder • Explore the interplay between certitude and doubt • When can wishful thinking be useful?
Why is the tractate Pesachim plural? Why are many tractates plural? • Why must we search with a candle, and does a flashlight qualify as a candle? • When must we search for chametz, twilight or night? • Why did the Rabbis require us to search for chametz before Pesach? • Black holes: A biblically revealed phenomenon • Why did the Sages call it Pesachim instead of the Biblical name, Chag HaMatzos?
Exertion to honor the wise imbues one's children with refinement • Exertion to honor the poor imbues ones children with receptivity to Torah and mitzvos among the Jewish nation • Cleaving to the wise until their burial confers immortal blessings of peace • Meteoric growth typifies the human condition • Appreciate the benefits of any government, yet recognize that even good leadership is limited • Even for the righteous, wisdom dispels the contagion of evil • Wisdom leads to life best lived, therefore don't be reluctant ~ do what's right joyously
Remote transportation • Relieving oneself and spitting across domains • Drinking across domains • Collecting rainwater across domains • Phantom structures: heaps and barriers that might move • Utilizing tree branches and roots on Shabbos
Restraining oneself from evil speech fills each day with peace • Chutzpah towards acknowledged superiors corrodes healthy social interactions • Punishment by proxy: human collateral • God reaches out to us as a father, brother and friend • Raw drive makes for foolish leadership • Widen your perspective to make better choices • Deep learning can thrive by seeking out fresh perspectives
Transport of vessels between rooftops, courtyards, and enclosures • The extent of rabbinic legislative power • Explore the multifarious implications of a one-sided partition: for eruvin, agricultural laws, divorce, and prayer
Avraham Avinu, paragon of love: faithfully balancing the embrace of humanity and intimacy with God
When can one party's usage of property encroach upon the usage of another party? • Proper placement of Eruv to merge courtyards and join alleyways
Blessings abound for one going the extra mile to do what's right • The Angel of Death sports a cape; does mortality command our submission? •
When may two adjacent courtyards make a joint eiruv? • The mystery of Rashi and the hypotenuse of a right scalene triangle • Which ladders may constitute an entryway?
Restraining oneself from good deeds can cause a premature meeting with the Angel of Death, resulting in the loss of future opportunities • Explore the intersection between divine providence and injustice • Seeking Divine wisdom and living by it augments ones life, increasing future opportunities.
Understanding the mechanism of inheritance, and the implications for Eruvin • When may one member of a courtyard nullify his share to permit carrying in the courtyard? • When do business partnerships obviate the need for Eruvin? Do the same members of a shared courtyard and alleyway need to effect both a merger of the courtyard and a partnership in the alleyway, or may they rely on one procedure?
Rejoice in cleansing • Generosity in giving • Rage of exile • The pauper's meal offering is more dear than the high priest's fistfuls of incense
Bringing God satisfaction through our choices • Choosing quality over quantity • Better together • Time management - work, learn, and do
The wonders of kindness • Understanding Hachnassas Orchim • Protecting your wife's honor
How must precision is necessary to establish one's center for Shabbos travel? • The ability to establish simultaneous statuses depends upon the possibility of effecting those statuses sequentially • With whom may we legitimately argue? • Leading the blind
Keeping it real each day: Affirm your recognition of the Unique Divine, precipitating love for Him, arousing essential and absolute devotion to actualize concrete expression of His Will through you, His creation. What we do as individuals and collectively matters. Consider your needs, and approach Him in prayer - be kind to your future self • Jealousy can motivate, but it breaks one's spirit; live your own life by being true to your own will • Exertion is required to succeed
Facilities and bathhouse etiquette: disrobing modestly and conscientiously • Ingress and egress: which patron has the right of way? • Being victimized should not cloud one's identity • Calcutated emotion: engendering love, aloofness, and humility in the pursuit of wisdom, wealth, and life • Top dog: life offers opportunities to choose • Social connections: how they orient us towards hope & impact us - it is our choice how to actualize the impact • The dead have nothing to lose, praise them for their eternal good
Questionable eruvin: If, how, and when they are effective • Retroactive eruvin • Justification for setting up eruvei techumin: why run away from the chazzan?
Through service of Torah scholars one can increase exposure, breadth, depth, and impact of Torah learning; gadol shimushan m'limudan • In the world of Truth, righteous children can mount a successful defense for wicked parents to join them by broadening their identity
Eruvin: Understanding King Solomon's fence around the Torah • Eruvei Chatzeiros : Halachic elimination of private property • Shitufei Mavo'os: Privatization of communal property • Enough food for two meals: hops, wheat grass, Brussels sprout stalks, wine, beer • Rava taps his inner Ben Azzai: Can apples be used for eruvin? Tithe of the poor: give each individual substantially and to satiation • Spices may be used as Eruv food according to Rambam, Tur disagrees • The Onion: Dead serious • Eruv beer: Oktoberfest or a half-pint? • Folk remedies for anxiety and a weak heart
Pasi Bera'os: minimal enclosures for private domains • Calculating the techum from the city's outskirts • The Torah is 3,200 times greater than the universe • The completely wicked have hope! All are instruments of the Divine Will • Rabbinic legislation: an organic flowering drawn from the intimate interface between the oral law and mortal experience
The structural changes needed to permit carrying in alleys with narrow entryways • Sharpening the mind: a bit of disorientation dislodges dulling assumptions • May vitriol or iron sulfate be added to scribal ink? • Conscientious writing as required for valid bills of divorce and Parshas Sotah for the suspected adulteress • Words of the Living God: Legitimate conflict • Humility: the secret to grasping Truth • To be or not to be, no longer a question
Public domains can be converted to other domains yet are impervious to eruvin • Enclosing alleyways to convert them to private domains • Conflicting halachic opinions yield chumros & kulos (leniencies & stringencies): proceed with caution • Striving for internal consistency
Humility brings forth truth • Choose life: follow the guidance of our sages • Subjective observer: humans perceive through personal filters • Lost opportunity costs • Oppression: keys to break the cycle
Hand washing before meals through the lens of Judeo Christian debate • Meal time etiquette: a matter of life and death • Enjoying the fruits of one's labor • Focusing our efforts towards the highest good • Reish Lakish: rogue to rav • The ascendancy of action • Tzeddaka: a superior investment
Lotteries on Shabbos • Gambling • The ramifications of causing another's punishment • Nebuchadnezzar • Taking care of one's business on Shabbos • Thoughts and speech in Halachah: Business on Shabbos, Amira L'nochri, Torah, Shema • Articulation of transactions for Heaven are permitted
The destruction of Jerusalem: Healthy social inhibitions mark the precipice of societal oblivion • Obligatory Protest: For the protester, sharing one's humanity towards healing is more crucial than achieving change • Bar Cokhba as a false Messiah: destructive power unleashed silences the voice of Jacob
How to handle a Muktzah pebble on a barrel • Washing leather on Shabbos • Borrer/ acute selection on Yom Tov • When may a loaf or infant override the prohibition of Muktzah • Clearing the Shabbos table
Healthy inhibition: a quintessentially Jewish trait • Crushing suffering is designed to stir man's return to God, to be forgiven and to be healed • Man's inalienable dignity
Sin makes one fearful • Lack of sin engenders awe • The supreme value of internalizing God's Word • The Declaration of Independence: A Jewish Perspective
Muktza: Raw meat and fish • Guiding animal movements • The imperative to alleviate unnecessary animal suffering • Birthing on Shabbos • Postpartum healing stages • Bloodletting
Graf Shel Re'i • Pikuach Nefesh • Trampling mildly dangerous creatures• Debt collection on Shabbos • Benefitting from Non-Jewish labor on Shabbos
Empathize: experience each person's perspective • Look deeply and perceive the Divine Image • Why can't blemished Priests serve in the Temple? • Good advice should be personal • Be forgiving to be forgiven • Nimrod: the first king and his contribution to civilization • Cosmic Justice: The wicked judge the righteous, and the righteous shall ultimately judge the wicked
Preparing vegetables for after Yom Kippur • Grinding and chopping finely on Shabbos • Saving holy writ from fire on Shabbos • How the Ritva defends the common practice to extinguish fires, even without clear danger to life
Honoring the wise • The beauty of silence • Is mortality inevitable? • Divine Justice: God seeks the downtrodden • אין מוקדם ומאוחר בתורה God is not bound by time
Transport: The living carry themselves • Creative activity as done to construct the Mishkan • Selling animals to non-Jews • Removal of Tzora'as blemishes must be through Teshuvah, not merely external • Cutting hair and nails on Shabbos
• Wisdom and Refinement: seven traits to cultivate • Human nature primes us to perceive and achieve elements of the Divine Symphony • The beauty of God's timing • What is a satisfying life well lived?
Daf Yomi • Transport on Shabbos: how much parchment, ink, makeup, wax, tar, glue, and cement must be transported to become liable • Range of modesty standards • Klaf, Duchsustus, and Gvil; Writing Torah, Tefillin, and Mezuza
Compassion requires sensitivity. Six days each week~ creative labor makes us receptive to God. Money: approaching God in power, dependence, and gratitude. Omniscient Benefactor: Builder and Destroyer of worlds.