Matmonim: Daf Yomi by Rabbi David Lapin

Showing up at our best sets the tone for what comes afterwards. Sources

Worrying about what we might be losing is one of the most destructive forces of joy as it removes one’s mind from the present. Sources

What people think of us is a factor that we need to consider even when we are doing nothing wrong. Our behavior needs to be exemplary to others. Sources

We are not as attached to assets that came to us freely as we are to the things we work for. We have ownership in those things into which we have invested. Sources

Trade and business require a level of focus that can distract from the joy of YomTov. However, if people are forbidden from protecting their assets from loss, this could also damage the joy of YomTov. How do we balance these two considerations? Sources

Real joy comes from closing the gap between the struggle and its resolution – both in learning and in life. Sources

Protecting oneself from sadness sometimes requires that we foresee potential hijacks of our emotions and prevent them. How is this done? Sources

Joy is an inner energy to be accessed. Doing so however, requires that we actively insulate ourselves from sadness – especially on Yom Tov. Sources

There are many positive things the animal world can teach us, but we should also learn from animals which behaviors are not human and we should avoid. Sources

Almost every new regulation entails a downside. What gives the rabbis the authority to legislate even in the situation of such downsides? Sources

Often our prayers focus on the quantitative dimensions of that for which we are asking. However the qualitative dimension is no less important for our wellbeing. Sources

Having established the need to create space to experience joy, we now learn that this space should be created before the time it is needed rather than at the last minute. Sources

Routine distracts us not only from feelings like pain and loss but also from joy. This masechet deals with changes to routine that create the space for these feelings. Sources

Being inspired is not a right, but inspiring others is a duty. Many people are more taken with what they say and do than with how they inspire others to say and do good things. Inspiration is where our focus should be. Sources

Sometimes circumstances make it impossible to do certain things. There are other ways to get the benefits of actions that cannot be completed. Sources

We have a lot of energy when we initiate something new. The danger of failure lurks in the ongoing maintenance and detailed execution of lofty ideas. Sources

When two things cannot be done simultaneously, the way we sequence them expresses our system of values. Sources

Our success depends largely on the quality of our relationships. Relationships are built on what we give, not on what we take. עולם חסד יבנה Sources

Sanctity in Jewish life is not theoretical it takes on an almost tangible reality with a multitude of subtle variations which we can detect and respond to. Bring sanctity into your living space. Sources

Just as we cannot change the past we often cannot change our current or future circumstance. However, just as we are masters of our attitudes (see Matmonim on Megila 25a) and these attitudes impact our circumstance, so can we master our attitudes to our pasts and change the impact the past has on us. (Compare Matmonim Yoma 12a). Sources

We expend untold amounts of energy trying to control things that in truth are beyond our control. In the process we ignore the one factor that is entirely within our control and that can influence every other aspect of our lives. What is this factor and how do we control it? Sources  

Others experience our thoughts and feelings through our voice, pronunciation, and the clarity of our articulation. With speech as the essence of our humanity and the divinity of our souls, we need to be particular about how we talk and sound, especially in public. Sources

We explore the origin of the custom to read the Haftarah – a portion from the Prophets – after the Torah reading on Shabbat and Yomtov. Sources

The Jewish calendar celebrates a “women’s day” every single month. How do women observe it? Sources

By learning two different approaches to the same question, we discover the energies of time. Sources