Take One Daf Yomi

Today’s Talmud page, Bava Kama 68 discusses the consequences for a kidnapping, as no one will ever be able to get over the despair of being kidnapped, or to have a loved one kidnapped. During a recent recording trip in Israel, Take One producer Elie Blier visited Kidnapped Persons Square to spend some time with the friends and family members of those held captive. This is the audio of his experien...

Today’s Talmud pages, Bava Kama 66 and 67 tells the story of a question that could not be resolved for twenty-two years, until Rav Yosef was made the head of the Yeshiva, at which point he was easily able to resolve the matter. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to discuss what it was that allowed Rav Yosef to finally answer such a question, and that the answer that he gives relates directly to the re...

Today’s Talmud pages, Bava Kama 64 and 65 discuss the difference in penalties that must be paid by a thief in the case that they admit their actions on their own, versus when they are confronted with witnesses who can confirm their thievery. The difference in penalty is based on the lying that the thief commits before admitting to their transgression. To further explore the power of lies, we are s...

Today’s Talmud page, Bava Kama 63 is an intricate treatise on the principle of “a generalization, a specific detail and another generalization”. In Jewish text, when you see such a formulation, you should always focus on the detail between the two generalizations. This focus on the detail may seem comical, as it ignores the larger themes, but perhaps it teaches a deeper story. Does Jewish text inf...

Today’s Talmud page, Bava Kama 62 is all about real estate. In the page, the Rabbis discuss the difference between two people who take a piece of land from another. Both take it against the will of the original owner, but for one, the owner finally agrees to the sale, and for the second, it is against their will. Are these two types of purchasers the same, or is there a difference between these tw...

Today’s Talmud page, Bava Kama 61, tells of David who instructed not to honor those who were killed to defend words of Torah in order to keep others from doing the same. While this may appear like an ancient idea that does not impact our lives today, however it teaches something important for us in modern times as well. It teaches us that in msome ways martyrdom is easy, but sticking around to fig...

Today’s Talmud pages, Bava Kama 59 and 60, tell the story of a man who was wearing black shoes to mourn the destruction of the Temple, and found himself imprisoned for his choice of footwear. Tevi Troy returns to discuss another man who showed arrogance in his words and actions and the lessons that can be learned by both. What are the two words that are worth a ten thousand dollar invoice? Listen...

Today’s Talmud pages, Bava Kama 57 and 58, shares two different penalties give by two different courts based on the same act of cutting a date palm. The difference in penalty is a result of the difference in the overall size of the area being considered. This is one more moment where everything depends on conext. The world today is filled with questions whose answers depend on context. While some...

Today’s Talmud page, Bava Kama 56, discusses the differences between being liable according to human laws and being liable according to the laws of heaven. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin returns to discuss the secondary responsibility of being good when you live a religious life, having to ensure that you are living according to both the local laws of where you live, but equally importantly to the divine l...

Today’s Talmud page, Bava Kama 55, discusses the levels of security that one must put into place to protect their animals in order that they are not responsible if the animal causes harm. Rather then focus on animals, today we welcome Tablet Studios show-runner, Courtney Hazlett to discuss what we can do to ensure that our children are protected from harm, and how to deal with the knowledge that r...

Today’s Talmud page, Bava Kama 54, share a story where the Rabbis of the Talmud discuss exactly what words are on the tablets of the ten commandments. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to discuss the differences between the first set of tablets that were given and then destroyed and the second set which have endured. The differences between the two sets can teach us to better understand what is holy...

Today’s Talmud pages, Bava Kama 52 and 53, asks what it takes to take ownership of a home. Our personal real estate expert Scott Harris joins us to discuss what is behind the key that one gets when they purchase a home. While the key is merely a symbol of the home, it serves more deeply as a sign of the spiritual possession of a home. While this is true for your personal home, it also serves as a...

Today’s Talmud pages, Bava Kama 50 and 51, teach a lesson about God’s mercy. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin returns to help us explore what it means to live in dialogue with the divine. While God may not always be in direct communication, our living a life connected to God, we are brought closer to God, and they care about the details of our lives. How and when should we look for signs from God? Listen and...

Today’s Talmud page, Bava Kama 49, asks if we are worth more once we have children. Unorthodox co-host Stephanei Butnick returns to share how life for her has changed from pregnancy through the years since her daughter was born. The way that people treated her when pregnant, to the knowing glances she receives and send out as she walks down the streets, to the ways in which she must organize her t...

Today’s Talmud page, Bava Kama 48, discusses when we are and are not responsible for our actions. Tevi Troy joins us to discuss the politicians in our past who have and have not taken responsibility for their actions, from President Truman who popularized the phrase “the buck stops here” to President Clinton who wouldn’t take responsibility for his golf score. What can we learn from our leaders ab...

Today’s Talmud page, Bava Kama 47, shares a discussion about who is responsible for an item when it has been allowed onto your property, but it has not explicitly been stated that one will take responsibility for the safety of the item. Rabbi Diana Fersko joins us to discuss what consent means, and how we should consider the legal issues of consent, but also of the larger issues of responsibility...

Today’s Talmud pages, Bava Kama 45 and 46, asks who can be safely tasked with the care of our animals. This is a question that may seem odd today, but was an important question in the agrarian society in which the discussions were being had. This conversation, though seemingly out of place, is an important one as we consider the additional security that Jewish institutions and places of worship mu...

Today’s Talmud pages, Bava Kama 43 and 44, asks what happens when an ox or a person intend to kill another animal—or another human—and end up killing someone else by mistake. This piece of Talmud reminds us of the need to consider intent when thinking about the killing of another, that there is a difference between killing someone by mistake and doing it intentionally. This concept brings to mind...

Today’s Talmud page, Bava Kama 42, explains that if a woman is killed by an Ox, the payment for the injuries is not paid to the woman’s husband, but rather to her heirs. Ahuva Warburg Halpern joins us and introduces us to her newborn daughter Mindy Bracha Eden, and explains the importance of each of the babies names, and how they were passed down from other important women, both from her family an...

Today’s Talmud page, Bava Kama 41, explores what can and cannot be done with the carcass of an ox that has been stoned to death, indicating that you may give it as a gift to some, but must sell it to others. Producer Josh Kross joins us to share his experience of being treated differently than others while going through airport security, and discusses the very Talmudic ways that El Al security con...

Today’s Talmud page, Bava Kama 40, asks the question of how you can put a price on damages done. This page asks the eternal question of how difficult it is to put a price on damages. The Rabbis indicate that a ransom, or restitution, is the monetary value for the damage caused. How do we pay for the damages we cause? Listen and find out. Like the show? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Send us a...

Today’s Talmud pages, Bava Kama 38 and 39, tells the story of Rabbis who teach the Torah to Roman officials, who upon hearing it for the third time, comment that while they can appreciate what is in the Torah, they are not happy with the statement that there are different punishments when an ox gores another ox that is owned by a jew versus when it gores one owned by a non-Jew. Rabbi Dovid Bashevk...

Today’s Talmud pages, Bava Kama 36 and 37, tells the story of Hanan, a wicked man who is punished for slapping someone. When no one will make change when he comes to pay restitution, he goes ahead and hits the person again so that no change would be necessary. Tevi Troy returns to the program to share the stories of some of American politics most “Hanan-like” characters. Is there a time to be like...

Today’s Talmud page, Bava Kama 35, discusses who is liable for the injury when one ox hurts another when there are no witnesses to the injury. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to explore the importance of this page in understanding fundamental rules when it comes to monetary law in the Talmud. How can we better understand the laws of ownership? Listen and find out. Like the show? Subscribe to our we...

Today’s Talmud page, Bava Kama 34, teaches us a lesson in sustainability. Why would the rabbis bother arguing about the value of an animal's carcass? And what lesson does that teach us about the evils of industrial farming? Listen and find out. Like the show? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversati...