Talking Talmud

Different opinions about the oath of testimony on monetary matters and monetary matters only. Note the example of camels and their propensity to bump into each other and even kill other animals, apparently during the mating process. Plus, the question of the degree to which circumstantial evidence would be accepted. Also, the question of liability for a false oath - in monetary claims. And Rabbi S...

2 mishnayot! The administration of witnesses taking a false oath of testimony, apparently along with an oath that they know nothing about what they're being asked to testify about - perhaps swearing falsely, which may or may not entail an offering to atone for it. That requirement may depend on the specifics of the oath. Also, what about testimony about one's status -- and the oath taken in that c...

When 2 potential witnesses deny any knowledge of the event(s) they're asked to testify about, the claim is that they need to deny at exactly the same time. And since that precise of a time is not possible, perhaps they weren't really liable... (this is the view of R. Yosi HaGlili, who says they could have spoken at "the same time," with a certain amount of time to make a short ut...

After 4 ways to keep yourself away from falsehood on yesterday's daf, we have another 9 ways here (13 in total) - and all of them fall under this category. Also, who is intended in the category of "those who are not fit to testify" when there's already been a list of those who are not fit to testify!?! Perhaps a king. Perhaps the one who plays with dice. Also, a new mishnah: defining the oath of t...

Chapter 4! On the "oath of testimony" - the witness swears on the Bible that his testimony is correct, as rooted in a verse in Vayikra/Leviticus, as formal court proceedings. A new mishnah: This oath of testimony is only issued to men. An other points of trustworthiness. But how valid is that testimony? Also, note that this "men" is specific - to exclude women, as compared to o...

2 mishnayot! 1 - If someone swears that something is factually incorrect is in fact true, or if someone swears about something that is impossible to have seen. But what if he's swearing to something as he understands it? There's concern about the plain meaning of words as people understand them. 2 - Oaths that one takes to confirm that one's statement is true - shevuat bitui - in contr...

What about conditional oaths? That means one oath forbids something, but the second may not. Unless he engineered the events of the first one, and neglected the second one. Also, the story of the brothers Eifa and Avimi, and their learning of Shevuot in the beit midrash.

A new Mishnah! With exceptions to the basic laws of oaths - for example, if one swears not to fulfill a mitzvah. Rabbi Yehudah ben Beterah says that one who makes an oath that you're not allowed to make would still entail a violation, but the Tanna Kama seems to think that it wouldn't count as violating. Likewise, an issue to swear on a mitzvah to keep it. Plus, another new mishnah! Differ...

More on the tannaitic dispute of the previous daf. Delineating the logic of amplification - ribui u-miyut vs. kelal u-prat u-kelal. They're two different schools of thought, and the rationale holds across the Talmud, for each of them. But they're also very similar. Plus, taking an oath in an unavoidable way. Also, one who took an oath, but he forgot about the item he had foresworn... Likew...

A new mishnah! Taking a false oath about the past, or an oath about the future, which is not upheld, which turns it into a false oath, about tangible or intangible matters, means a sliding scale offering. Likewise, if it pertains to other people. Plus, the stringencies of oaths (shevuot) vs. vows (nedarim), with regard to each other. Also, if a person swears about another party - falsely - either...

What if one takes an oath not to eat, and then ingests non-food items, does that break the oath? What about eating non-kosher food? The key is the "isur kolel," an inclusive prohibition. For example, not eating on Yom Kippur is more inclusive than not eating non-kosher food. Also, more extensive prohibitions -- prohibited in the kind of food and the circumstances of eating (for example,...

When we talk about eating and drinking - is drinking included in an oath about eating, or not? With practical implications for whether offerings would be required after violating the oath (or perhaps not). Also, the case of one who takes an oath not to drink - without specification - and then drinks many things - he still is liable only for one offering. What if he gives a list of things he won&#3...

A discussion about speech and eating. Which includes defining when one's speech incurs a requirement to bring an offering -- like the blasphemer? A nazir? Plus, "konamot." And oaths about eating that do not specify the details or amounts of prohibition... the Gemara specifies the inferred amounts, when nothing is stated. What about non-food? Does dirt count as eating? What about grap...

Rabin brought the Torah of Rabbi Yochanan in Israel to Babylonia to establish the difference between a false oath, not keeping one's word, and swearing in vain (with 3 different verses in the Torah that establish the prohibition). Plus, every negative commandment that has an action - gets lashes. But if there's no action, no lashes -- except for the exceptions, where lashes would be incurr...

Starting chapter 3 with a Mishnah - and the new topic of uttering oaths. Plus, the question of taking oaths, and getting tripped up by them. Something that is obvious that it's impossible... maybe could have ben done better. Note: Oaths of utterance, oaths that are explicit in the verses, and the "before/after" factor.... If someone takes an oath not to eat - a certain amount, or any...

Finishing chapter 2! If there are 2 paths, one with a known source of impurity and the other ostensibly pure, and you don't know which is which, and he walked both paths, he was definitely impure, but it's not known when he became impure. But what if he forgot where he walked? How does he track when he became impure? Also, what about a person who did the same transgression where it entails...

The case of a couple who are engaged in sexual intercourse when she realizes she has begun menstruating -- which makes their intimacy a violation of niddah. The question, of course, is what are they to do? With extenuating factors in whether the man is a Torah scholar, for example. Also, some aggadata on the daf: the consequences - on a metaphysical level - if the couple don't separate. And if...

One who discovers that he is impure after entering the Beit HaMikdash needs to depart as quickly and/or directly as possible. But what if he used the shortest route, but took a long time to walk it (or a long route quickly)? Also, one who enters a home that is impure because of tzara'at, that same person stays pure - if he walks in differently from normal. Plus, the kohen's check of the ho...

More on adding to the city of Jerusalem or the Temple courtyard - where Rav Nachman says one of the factors listed in the mishnah is necessary (as compared to all of them). With the question of lasting sanctification or resanctification, in the time of Ezra and Nechemiah's return to Zion. Note differences between the First Temple and the Second Temple. Also, the question of shifts in status (in te...

Sourcing the process of adding to the city of Jerusalem and/or the Temple's courtyard -- in verses. With discussion of whether Moshe's sanctification of Temple vessels lasted for the generations or whether they needed new anointing... and what implications are there (if any) from the vessels to the area? Also, the song to accompany the expansion of Jerusalem or the Temple courtyard - also,...

The end of chapter 1! Does the goat that is sent to "Azazel" atone for kohanim? Unclear, but they have other means of atonement. Plus, the dispute between Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Shimon on atonement. And, with the new chapter, a long mishnah, beginning with the case of a person who touches an impure thing and then enters the holy (or handles the holy foods) - but inadvertently (namely, t...

On Yom Kippur atoning for sin, regardless of a person's regret. With a dive into Rabbi Yehudah vs. Rebbe (Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi), as to the extent of the atonement and what happens with unrepented sins. And which view underlies or agrees with the mishnah? Also, the sacrifices atone - but only with repentance, so isn't that going to be the case with Yom Kippur too? But even if Yom Kippur doe...

What can be done with an animal designated for offering that is no longer needed for whatever reason (that does not include a blemish to the animal)? For example, if the owner (the one who sinned) died...so he can't carry out the plan for atonement? Several possible solutions are considered. Also, going back to the atonement of Yom Kippur and all the kinds of transgressions it applies to. Incl...

More on the animals that were consecrated for a year, yet not used within the year, and now what? The case of grain offerings is brought to determine what happens in the case of "t'vul yom," someone awaiting the end of the day for his dunking in a mikveh to take full effect. Also, physical sanctity of communal offerings can be conditional. As with the first case, what if the item isn...

Parsing the specific goats - Rosh Chodesh, festivals, Yom Kippur - where each atones for specific things, and is where each thing can't usurp the atonement property of the others, or be used for other things. The particulars of the offering of the goats also make the difference in how and for what they each atone (sin-offerings have different procedures, including different locations of offering -...