Talking Talmud

More on the interactions between Jews and non-Jews -- specifically in the context of shemitah. How much encouragement can a Jew give a non-Jew? Plus, how a Jew must avoid a double greeting Plus, a story with Geneivah, the sage who causes some consternation, including now, using a double-greeting. Also, a new chapter (6), with a new mishnah, and a return to divorce and messengers bringing bills of...

On the interactions between Jews and non-Jews. Also, a new mishnah, on lending utensils to this who are not careful about Shevi'it. Also, the case of a mother-in-law, a son-in-law, and demai (food that may not have been tithed). Note the lack of "cancel culture."

The people who lived in the Galil wanted to know if they could read from the Torah for public reading from a chumash (a scroll of only one of the 5 books of the Torah). Turns out, it wasn't an easy question. Plus, can a scroll of one parsha be written for the sake of teaching children? The answer depends on whether you think the Torah was given as a while or piecemeal. Plus, Queen Helene's sheet o...

The daf describes the continuity of leadership from Moshe Rabbenu to Rebbi to Rav Ashi. Two mishnahs and the Gemara introduces the idea of Darchei Shalom.

Wrapping up the dapim about the destruction of the Temple. First, on a beautiful (Jewish) child in prison in Rome, as visited by R. Yehoshua ben Hananya. [Who's Who: R. Yishmael Ben Elisha] Plus, another story of destruction, as siblings who were separated and enslaved were nearly forced to marry each other for the sake of their beauty. Also, a story to illustrate a verse from the prophet Mikhah,...

On Onkelos -- the famous translator, who converted to Judaism. The Gemara here presents his investigations prior to conversion, wherein he consults some dead and ostensibly wicked non-Jews: Titus, Balaam, Jesus. Titus advises him to fight the Jews, not join them. Also, concern about the small size of the Land of Israel, and the way it's going to expand as needed. Plus, other famous converts -...

Another very long daf with the stories about the destruction of the Second Temple. Encountering some of the personalities of that era... During the time described, there was a serious famine, which is important backdrop. Also, Rabbi Tzadok fasted for a very long time in his prayer for the salvation of Jerusalem. Which brings us to the story of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, and how he fundamentally sa...

NOTE: Apologies for the late release. This time, massive machine error, in a complicated way. Hopefully now resolved... A new mishnah - a deaf-mute woman who was married off by her father when she was a minor... Can she get divorced? What happens with regard to terumah? Plus, a beam is stolen and used in the construction of a building... Which leads us to Takanat HaShavim - people can pay money ra...

A long discussion comparing R. Meir and R. Yehudah, on damages, when committed inadvertently. Plus, what if a man paid another back with terumah? Where is the penalty for one who acts be-shogeg? How does the dispute play out? The penalty? Also, what happens when there's pigul at the hands of the kohen?

A new mishnah! One who renders another's produce impure or mixed in ways that it can't be used... Plus, unrecognizable damage - is it tested as damage for payment or not? Also, a talmudic treatment of the dispute between Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yehudah, over when one is penalized for a violation, for example, of unrecognizable damage, or even Shabbat. And the Gemara's resolution of that apparent cont...

Orphans who rely on a caretaker - with implications whether that caretaker is appointed him by the father, by the court, or no formal appointment, as yet. That person is responsible for making sure that their fields are tithed appropriately. Plus, the apotropos needs to swear that he hasn't taken anything he shouldn't have. Plus, the responsibility when it comes to mitzvot. [Who's Who: Rabbi Meir]...

A case of a person who has 2 daughters and 1 son as heirs - the case has its own complications, but the crux of the matter is how much of a given was it that the daughters would inherit from the estate to provide for the daughters' dowries? Also, when one volunteers to return lost property, the finder doesn't have to swear that he's returning everything he found (or who would ever return anything)...

How to handle different kinds of people who are owed money, one of which is a woman collecting her ketubah, in a case where heirs also want to connect their inheritance. Also, what happens when property has a lien on it and the debit still wants to pay someone else back or make a gift. Plus, death-bed legacies.

More on collecting compensatory damages from the best quality of land. Plus, the comparison to paying for damage done to consecrated objects, which sounds like an obvious case of "paying from the best," but it's not that simple, after all. Also, a focus on why paying the ketubah from ziborit, the worse quality of land, is tikkun olam, and actually a protection for the woman. Plus, how much comment...

One who purchases a field from his father, but then the Jubilee year complicated the issues of inheritance vs. purchase. Which leads to a dispute between Rabbi Meir and R. Yehudah with R. Shimon. Also, a new chapter: paying compensatory damages must be paid out of the best land, while loans and IOUs are paid from intermediate land, and the ketubah is paid from the worst quality of land -- establis...

If one sells oneself and one's children to non-Jews, the children can be redeemed after the father dies, which leads into a famous story about Resh Lakish and his origins as what is often translated as a gladiator, perhaps a brigand. And how he came to be a great chavruta/bar plugta (regular arguing partners) with R. Yochanan. Plus, the way Resh Lakish died basically destitute. Also, a new mishnah...

3 mishnayot - on tikkun olam. 1. A man who divorces his wife because of a bad reputation, which turns out to be false - they still can't remarry. But what happens if the divorce is because of a vow? 2. A husband who divorces an aylonit - what happens when she remarries and has children with the second husband? 3. One who sells himself and his children into slavery to non-Jews, is not to be redeeme...

A slave ran away from his owner in the Diaspora and made his way to the land of Israel, where the owner pursued him to bring him back. Does that work, or does he need to free the slave? Plus, the story of Abaye who has lost his donkey and identifies it only by its white belly, which is accepted as an identifying mark only because of who he is, not because it's that specific, as so many donkeys hav...

A slave owned by a Jew who is sold to a non-Jew, never mind the penalty in place from the mishnah (on yesterday's daf). The Gemara provides different reasons for why a slave might end up with a new non-Jewish owner - including a Jewish owner trying to pay off debt, or the Sicarii taking the slave as property... Plus, the question of tithing in the context of another taking the property - what happ...

What happens when a half-slave gets betrothed to a fully free woman? Or vice versa? Plus, does a half-slave have heirs? Also, playing out the halakhah of a contradictory mishnah. Plus, a new mishnah - with a penalty to one who sells a slave to a non-Jew, and the factor of the Diaspora.

A person who is still half a slave and half freed, as done by the master... Can he aquire himself for himself? What about when a master gives his property to two slaves? Can they free each other? 2 beraitot establish a dispute on the issues. Also, what are the limitations on the case of the slave - specifically, of course, terumah.

2 mishnayot: 1. A slave whose owner uses him as a payment of debt to another person, but then is freed before he functions as that payment. What happens?? A tikkun olam decree to keep the peace - and ensure that the slave remains free. Plus, rereading the mishnah by the Gemara - in two ways (by Rav and Ulla). 2. A slave who is half-freed and half-slave... an in-between status that is not easily re...

When a slave-owner's conduct has impact on the slave's status. To what extent can a man free a female slave in order to marry her? Plus, the stories of R. Dimi, who traveled between Israel and Babylonia - to address the case where heirs are pushed to free the slaves if their benefactor. Also, a slave owned by 2 people, one of whom frees his half of the slave, but the other owner does not go along...

When one renounces ownership of a slave, the slave goes free, but still needs a get shichrur, bill of manumission - and then he can marry a Jewish woman. Plus, what happens when a death leaves slaves without clear owners. Also, why there is a "get" for divorce and also a "get" to free a slave.

An uncomfortable daf, given our modern sensibilities regarding slavery. Note that the Amoraim themselves owned slaves; it wasn't just a biblical practice. Note also, these are "avadim Canaanim," non-Jews who come to live among Jews, and are required to keep some Jewish practices (or perhaps shouldn't be kept as a slave). Some stories, and the halakhic positions that emerge from them. Plus, what if...