Talking Talmud

5 people who each had a trait that was to their credit, but they ended up brought down because of that same trait. Not surprisingly, beginning with Samson. Plus, a king's gout. Also, a deep dive into the story of Yehuda and Tamar.

The sages teach that the sotah-woman gets her just deserts, in alignment with her own actions. She doesn't get what she wanted, and what she had is taken from him. Likewise, other creatures in Tanakh have the same comeuppance - beginning with serpent of the Garden of Eden and carrying through several personalities, especially in King David's orbit. Plus, following the actions of the sotah-woman wi...

The kohen takes hold of the clothing of the sotah-woman, and uncovers (or dishevels) her head. There was concern that a particularly attractive woman would be overly on display for such a process - with comparison to another case where the sides of the dispute about this seem to reversed. Plus, a woman who wore white garments would be re-clothed in black, and if she looked good in black, she'd the...

The daf has a Mishnah describing how how the Sotah is brought to Jerusalem and how the public participated. The daf also explains what biblical stories were taught to the Sotah so that she may learn that a confession is admirable.

A new mishnah! At what point is a woman who's a sotah not permitted to eat terumah? Plus, a list of the women who are not allowed to eat terumah. Also, R. Sheshet's position on the case of a woman who was thought to be a sotah, but then two witnesses to her infidelity answer the question of her status, and the water she drinks isn't determining her innocence, because the witnesses confirm it indep...

Learning from the Divine, and God's choice of the lowly bush and the lowly mountain - against arrogance, and in favor of humility. But maybe some "arrogance," or comparable trait is necessary, at least for Torah scholars. Also, a halakhic discussion regarding the point at which the warning the husband gives his wife kicks in to have impact in their marital life.

How long is the seclusion that counts as suspect, for the husband to bring his complaint against his wife? The ways the Gemara measures time are far from the question of intimacy, though that underlies the discussion. Plus, the handling of a dispute between R. Akiva and Ben Azzai, or so it seems. [Who's Who: Ben Azzai] Also, a focus on Netilat Yadayim, and why the little things matter.

On the warning the husband gives his wife - and the multiple levels of anger in the process. Including the private/public dynamic of this accusation and sotah altogether. Plus, the focus on relationships. Also, the insidious destructive power of bringing licentiousness behavior home, or anger for that matter. With a recognition that there are different expectations for men and for women. Plus, Jos...

Introducing the sotah-woman, a unique Torah status that isn't in play in the absence of the Temple. From the verses to the rabbinic focus on witnesses to what appears to be unfaithful behavior on the wife's part as accused by the husband. Plus, the connection between a Nazir and a sotah, and the order of the tractates. Also, the way the husband gets the process underway. Plus the debate over wheth...

The Gemara goes on in its discussion about seminal emissions and various stages or levels of impurity. Including the "zav" status of a convert. A final mishnah: on Shmuel the prophet - was he a nazir or not?? (Does "morah" in the text mean razor, as it does in the context of Nazir, or "fear," which would make the man fearless, in a powerful re-read of the text). Also, the case of sages bentsching...

A new mishnah: One who finds a dead body that is lying in the manner of Jewish burial, and takes it from there, together with some of the dirt... Likewise, if he finds two bodies. But if he finds 3, what he's got there is a cemetery. Which in turn gives "legs to the matter," a halakhic concept regarding likelihood that we've seen before. Also, another mishnah: Regarding the likelihood that someone...

The status of floating impurity... the puzzles of the circumstances when it would extend impurity and when it would not. Plus, the implications for purification, as needed. Also, a nazir and a person busy preparing a Korban Pesach walk together by a "an impurity of the deep" (tehom)? Now what? Well, it depends on the point of their process of purification to begin with. Which leads to what might b...

A Nazir who has reached the point of shaving, and then encounters impurity - depending on the kind of impurity, he might need to cancel the nezirut days. But if it was utterly unknown (tehom), he doesn't redo the nezirut. Plus, the case of a person who goes to dunk in the water of a cave, and while there, encounters a dead body - he may or may not encounter impurity. Potentially depending on what...

Developing the principle that "erkhin," valuation of people, doesn't apply to non-Jews, including the exegesis from the verses on valuation. Also, 2 mishnayot on amud bet: regarding the stringency of the slave, in contrast to the woman's nezirut. Plus, more on the slave's vows, and how they are intertwined with the requirements of the master.

The nazir's hair removal by a razor, specifically.... plus the metzora's shaving: 4 shavings from impurity. Also, the new (and final) chapter, 9: The laws of nazir do not apply to non-Jews, but women and slaves can indeed become nezirim. And the woman's nezirut is more stringent than that of a slave. Plus, the Gemara explains the exclusion of non-Jews from nezirut.

A new mishnah - with a nazir who may have come in contact with a dead body, and who also may have been a Metzora. What is his purification process going to be? How many days must he wait to purify from each of these possible impurities? Also, how the shaving and sacrifices will have impact on the person with these 4 competing possibilities of nezirut.

Continuing the question of a man shaving the body parts that were usually shaved only by women, in violation of the verse that prohibits men and women from wearing the garments of women and men, respectively. The discussion shifts to focus on the garments of one sex prohibited to worn by the other, and the abomination of that practice. Plus, the question of girls and women wearing pants (trousers)...

A discussion of tzitzit! In the context of shaving, and the mechanisms by which these positive and biblical commandments work. Plus, sha'atnez. And tekhelet. Also, a person can remove hair from his body with a razor - except for the so-called corners of the face. But then why is there mention of the person who does this getting lashes? How can that be?!

Opening with questions about the nazir's status - pure or impure? Namely, a third party observed one of two nezirim come in contact with impurity, but he's not sure which. They both have to take action (including sacrifices) accordingly. Also, addressing the general practice of doubtful impurity - which is derived from the case of the sotah woman, as per the private domain.

More on the counting of the nazir and R. Hisda's ruling. Plus, the impurity from a dead body - that would require shaving for a nazir - would be a violation if one entered the Temple. The transmission of the teachings of some details here is ascribed to specific heritage - a direct line of passage down from one to the next, without always mentioning all the people along the way. Also, the question...

If you leave the Land of Israel in a box, will you become impure? It's a machloket. Also, how to continue counting the days of nezirut after purification.

A new mishnah with the impurities that do NOT make a nazir need to shave - despite his contact with the impurity, it doesn't negate his nezirut. Also, focusing on the ritual impurity of all the lands outside of the Land of Israel: is the issue the land itself, or the air of those lands?

Insight into how the rules regarding purity and impurity changed over those early generations. Also, a dispute between R. Yochanan and Resh Lakish regarding the impurity of a limb that is separated from a body (whether live or dead), that doesn't have a measure of flesh on it.

Creepy-crawlies and the impurity of them leads to the question of what happens if you eat portion of the creepy-crawly, and not its entirety? (in terms of impurity, not kashrut). Plus, the apparent "souls" of the creatures. Also, R. Akiva is at odds with the sages (though he comes around eventually) for 6 ways if being impure (or not, if you're the sages). Plus, a story of a box of bones which did...

More with the gore. When does the dust from a decaying corpse impart impurity? Also, what about substances within a woman's body that are not of her body, and are also impure - will those substances combine for impurity or not? NOTE: Potentially disturbing - discusses a woman who has died and her unborn child too.