Daf Yomi for Women - Hadran

This month's daf is sponsored by Minneapolis Hadran group in memory of the father of their organizer Shira Krebs. "Shira's father Jerry Katz, Gershon Pinya ben Yitzchak Lev haCohen z"l, loved learning and family beyond all else. He raised three daughters and a son to be dedicated to Torah learning, And his legacy lives on not only through his family, but through our Hadran Minneapolis group as wel...

Abaye is jealous of Abba the bloodletter and sends messengers to test him and see if he is really as good a person as he seems. Rava was jealous of Abaye as he heard from the yeshiva in the heavens once a week and Rava only once a year. Rabbi Broka meets Eliyahu in the market and asks him to point out people who are going to merit life in the World to Come. Eliyahu points out people who don't exac...

Rabbi Yochanan and Ilfa struggled with trying to learn in the Beit Midrash and also make a living. Ilfa chose to leave the Beit Midrash and get a job and Rabbi Yochanan, after overhearing a conversation among angels, decided to stay in the Beit Midrash. When Ilfa returned to the Beit Midrash, Rabbi Yochanan has become the head of the yeshiva and Ilfa wondered if he made the right decision and came...

Today's daf is sponsored by Deborah Aschheim Weiss in loving memory of Sara Yehudit Sharf (Sara Yehudit bat Sarah Imanu) on the Shloshim. "You inspired many with your commitment. You chose the Jewish Nation as your people, Hebrew as your language, and the land of Israel and Yerushalayim as your home, studying intensely along the way and marveling at the privilege. You touched the lives of so many...

If a calamity befalls a city or rain doesn't fall, does the nearby city also need to fast and blow the shofar? On what does it depend? When is something considered a plague on account of which fasting is needed - how many deaths in how many days? For what types of calamities can the community cry out in prayer even on Shabbat? One can pray for all sorts of things except if too many rains come and...

A number of aspects regarding the days mentioned in Megillat Taanit in the month of Nissan need clarification. Why is there an overlap of days? Regarding the debate in the Mishna about whether the days before or after are also days on which one cannot fast, who do we hold like? Different opinions are brought. Rabbi Yochanan is quoted as ruling on this issue like Rabbi Yosi. However, this seems to...

This week's daf is sponsored by Rivka and Martin Himmel for the week of Chanuka.  Today's daf is sponsored by Carol Robinson and Arthur Gould in loving memory of Carol's father Louis Robinson, Yehuda Leib ben Moshe, z"l. "Today – the first day of Hanukah – we mark his 22nd yahrtzeit. Lou was devoted to his family and his synagogue. We love him and miss him very much." The language of some of the b...

Why is the Ark taken out to the streets? Several answers are given. Why are ashes placed on the heads of the leaders and on the heads of the people? If there is no elder, who makes the speech to encourage people to repent? Does an elder mean someone who is also a scholar? The speech includes mention of the people of Ninveh who repented. How did they repent? If someone repents without changing one'...

How do the prayers work during the last set of fasts? The Ark is taken into the street - why? Ashes are placed on the heads of the leaders and then the people also put on their own heads. An elder gets up and stresses how God isn't interested in our fasts and sackcloth but in our actions. There are criteria for choosing who will lead the prayers. An extra six blessings are added into the shmoneh e...

The question against Rav Yitzchak's opinion regarding an individual who says the ' aneinu ' prayer adds it in the blessing of ' shomea tefilla ' is resolved. Do we hold like Rav Yitzchak? Do pregnant and nursing women fast on public fasts? When it says in the Mishna that on the third set of fasts, ' matri'in ' - does that mean to blow the shofar or to pray ' aneinu '? In the time of Rabbi Yehuda N...

Study Guide Taanit 13 Today's daf is sponsored by Bill and Shira Futornick in loving memory of their grandmother and great-grandmother Ruth, Rivka Rach bat Chaim Tzvi z"l, on her 39th yahrzeit. "She lost her husband at an early age and raised two daughters as a single mom. Grandma Ruth was the embodiment of kindness and chutzpah." Today's daf is also sponsored by Naama Livner in loving memory of G...

Study Guide Taanit 12 What does "fasting for hours" mean and how does Rav Chisda define this? Is it considered fasting if one does not fast until sunset? Rav Chisda held that it is not a fast and the Gemara brings three sources that raise a difficulty on his opinion. Shmuel says one who accepts upon oneself to fast should accept it beforehand. When? Shmuel says in the mincha prayer and Rav says du...

Study Guide Taanit 11 Today's daf is sponsored by Jason Friedman in honor of Danielle Novetsky Friedman's birthday today. Wishing you all the best on this special day. Happy birthday!  One who is traveling should eat small amounts of food either because it is not good for one's intestines or because the food will run out. In what cases will there be a difference in practice between these two reaso...

Today's learning is dedicated in memory of Eliyahu Dovid Kay who was murdered yesterday in the Old City. Today's daf is also sponsored anonymously for a friend for a full and speedy recovery. The Gemara brings several statements about the uniqueness of Israel as compared to other countries in the world. A braita is brought regarding the rainwater and it is attributed to Rabbi Yehoshua as it assume...

This week's daf is sponsored by Pamela Kaplan in loving memory of the 17th yahrzeit of her father, David Kaplan, David Abba ben Aharon. Today's daf is sponsored by Betsy and Tevie Mehlman in loving memory of Gitel Leah bat Moshe David (Gloria Mehlman) on her yahrzeit yesterday (16th Kislev). May her memory be blessed. Today's daf is also sponsored anonymously in loving memory of Avraham ben Victor...

Today's daf is sponsored by Racheli Mendelson in loving memory of her mother Shoshana bat Shraga feibel and Rivka. "Studying was a big part of her life right until her last moments. She learned Gemara even when women did not think about studying Gemara and taught us to love Torah. May her memory be a blessing." After connecting a verse from Kohelet 10:10 to rains not coming, another explanation is...

Study Guide Taanit 7 Today's daf is sponsored by Meir & Ahuva Balofsky in loving memory of Meir's father, Yosef Menachem ben Reuven v'Shoshana. Today's daf is also sponsored by Rabbi Lee Wax in loving memory of her beloved mother's first yahrzeit, Myrna Wax z"l, Merna Miriam bat David v'Tzipporah. "Her stone-setting is also today. A woman of strength, courage, wisdom and love, who I miss. May her...

Study Guide Taanit 6 Mazal tov to Daniel and Sara Berelowitz on the birth of a grandson - a son to Eliyahu and Hadar. What is the source of the word " yoreh ", the first rains?  Does it comes from " moreh " meaning teaching (to prepare for the rainy season), " marveh " meaning saturating the ground, or from " yored " meaning it comes down softly. Since the phrase yoreh comes together with the word...

Study Guide Taanit 5 Today's daf is sponsored by Rhona Fink in loving memory of her brother Elliot Laxer, Yisrael Tzvi ben Malca v'Chayim whose 13th Yartzeit is today. May his memory continue to be a blessing.  Today's daf is also sponsored by Audrey Mondrow in loving memory of Irving "Poppy" Mauskopf. Yechezkel Ben Avraham and Rachel. "A man who exemplifies 'Who is rich? One who is content with h...

Study Guide Taanit 4 Today's daf is sponsored by Mitzi Geffen in loving memory of her father Jack Lock, of Harrisburg PA, who passed away one year ago, 3 months shy of his 100th birthday. "He was an avid Zionist and so proud that all 4 of his children made Aliya to Israel, and that his "tribe" grew during his lifetime to nearly 100 family members, spanning 3 generations all in Israel. He was a gen...

Study Guide Taanit 3 What are the different possibilities to derive the source for the water libations on Sukkot? In the Mishna in Sukka, it says that we are obligated to do the water libations all seven days. That doesn't seem to match any of the opinions in the braita which lists the possibilities for what day we begin to mention the rains in our prayers. Is the Rabbi Yehoshua quoted by Rabbi Ye...

Study Guide Rosh Hashanah 35 The Siyum is sponsored by Valerie Adler to honor her niece Dr. Ayelet Libson "who we all admire and to Rabbanit Michelle for all the inspiring dapim so far. Mazal tov to all." Rabban Gamliel and the rabbis disagreed as to whether a chazzan can fulfill one's personal duty to pray (Rabban Gamliel) or does each and every individual need to pray? It is said that Rabbi Yoch...

Study Guide Taanit 2 Today's daf is sponsored by Diana Bloom in loving memory of her grandmother Ita Rosa Marmurek "Her intelligence, strong character, and independent nature are a constant inspiration to this day". Today's daf is also sponsored by Julia and Arielle in honor of Marian Frankston's birthday. "We are so impressed by your commitment to Torah learning, thank you for being an amazing ex...

Study Guide Rosh Hashanah 34 Today's daf is sponsored by Rochelle Cheifetz in loving memory of her father Shragai Cohen, Shraga Feivel ben Avraham Ben-Zion Halevi, on the occasion of his 19th yartzeit. "He would be both bemused and proud that his daughter is learning daf. You are terribly missed," and also on the occasion of her maternal grandparents, Rav Moshe Mashbaum, Rav Moshe ben Rabbi Yehuda...

Study Guide Rosh Hashanah 33 Today's daf is sponsored by Judy Tychman Shapiro in loving memory of her father, Albert Tychman and her mother-in-law, Margaret Shapiro in the hopes that "the efforts at Torah learning and Tzedaka by their children and grandchildren are helping to raise up their neshamot." Today's daf is also sponsored by Lesley Glassberg Nadel in loving memory of her sister Ruth Lewis...