Talking Talmud

Two mishnayot: Several parties are prohibited from marrying those who are born Jewish, but can still marry converts to Judaism or freed female slaves. Beginning with a male with damaged genitalia and shifting to the Givonim, who have a rabbinic decree against them, or at least those who are capable of having children. Also, converts from Ammon and Moav are forever prohibited from marrying women wh...

Some opening audio issue, but it resolves quickly. Why do we need 3 verses to teach us about terumah? The Gemara explains why we need all 3. Also, the next discussion of wounded or crushed testicles, and the implications for not only marriage, but also eating terumah, and so in. With some extensive discussion about the possible nature of the injury, and what happens if it's congenital.

Resh Lakish's explication of the text, in providing the source for ma'aser sheni becoming impure and then available for use to anoint one's body. Which aligns with what is done for the living and the dead in the same way. Plus, the various interpretations of the biblical term that accounts for the above as well. Also, another derivation from a verse - about impure kohanim who must purify before th...

A detour to some agricultural mitzvot, albeit still as compared to terumah. Ma'aser sheni, bikkurim, etc. Plus, a person in the acute period of mourning - an onen - who is exempt from mitzvot: prohibited or permitted in ma'aser sheni and/or bikkurim? Plus, the value of a mnemonic.

On not circumcising in the Midbar, after leaving Egypt. Categories of those with physical issues that may prevent one's eligibility to eat terumah.

A classic dispute between R. Akiva and R. Eliezer, with regard to explication of the biblical text. Also, delaying a sick baby's brit milah for 7 days, which has implications for the Korban Pesach, which is its own conundrum. Plus, 7 days on the calendar vs. 7 periods of 24 hours. Also, the uncircumcised and the purification sprinkling of the parah adumah, and the implications for Pesach, as well...

Closing the 7th chapter... On a strange situation where the difficult status grandson permits the grandmother to eat terumah, but the kohen gadol grandson disqualifies her, bringing some emotion into the scenarios. Chapter 8: An uncircumcised kohen cannot eat terumah, nor those who are ritually impure. A kohen who has injuries to his genitalia, but after circumcision, can eat from terumah, but the...

Those kohanim whose progeny are to be disqualified from eating terumah will disqualify their mother - according to R. Yosei. The machloket here pertains to how many generations after conversion the newcomers from select nations must wait to be considered full Jews (nations that have less than ideal history with Bnei Yisrael, as it happens). Plus, a very long mishnah of cases of sexual liaisons by...

About that 9-year-and-one-day-old boy, in the case when he has questionable status - his child cannot marry into the kehunah (with some machloket on the issue). The question of converts from various nations is a prominent concern here. Also, linking of halakhot to various verses, with different methods for doing so, specifically the explication of the "vav" in the verse.

A new mishnah - a bat Yisrael whose husband is a kohen, and he dies while she is pregnant - a case that raises all kinds of questions about the status that the pregnancy itself changes or doesn't. For example, who can eat terumah may be dependent on the phenomenon of her pregnancy. Which leads into a discussion of the pregnancy, and its impact. Plus, a second mishnah - on the forbidden relationshi...

Chapter 7! And a new mishnah: Who can't eat terumah, even once married to a kohen? Plus, defining nichsei m'log and nichsei tzon barzel. And the real-life ramifications of these properties coming into a marriage. Plus, the story of nichsei tzon barzel that weren't returned to the wife (widow) after all - but why not?

More on p'ru ur'vu... A man is commanded in this mitzvah, and women are not, according to the Tanna Kama, but R. Yochanan ben Beroka says women are obligated too. Which means the Gemara needs to figure out why his position is not upheld by halakhah. Plus, reading the text of the Torah without vowels. And the the Gemara tries to line up R. Yochanan with the opinion of R. Yochanan ben Beroka, but R....

More aggadah - familiar interpretations of Genesis, for example...where Avraham takes Hagar to wife after 10 years of no children with Sarah. The man's obligation of p'ru ur'vu becomes an issue only when he has not had any children for lo those long 10 years. She can remarry too though; it might not be her issue. Also, the Gemara's cases of problematic circumstances that don't require "chazakah" t...

A daf of aggadah...5 statements of R. Eliezer, including about the creation of Woman, and Adam's extreme means of recognizing her as his mate. Also, a statement if theodicy, perhaps, that the tribulations that other nations have caused Bnei Yisrael as a negative model for them. Plus, some characterizations of the sages and their wives. Also, decrees that seem to be against Jewish celebration of Ba...

Be fruitful and multiply - 2 interesting aggadot involving R. Yochanan. Do children born prior to one's conversion to Judaism count for the mitzvah? Also, recall R. Yochanan's 10 sons who died.... Plus, R. Akiva on learning Torah in one's old age, as compared to doing so in your youth. And what happened to his own students.

4 mishnayot! Practical details about kohanim and whom they can marry. For example, a kohen who is betrothed a widow, and is later appointed to be the kohen gadol, he's fine, they can marry. Plus, a story to make the point: R. Yehoshua ben Gamla. Also, how the kohen gadol cannot do yibum, only chalitzah. Also, the case of the aiylonit and the kohen gadol and the mitzvah of p'ru ur'vu. Plus, the koh...

A kohen whose sister dies... Recognizing that kohanim don't become impure in mourning anyone other than the 7 relatives, but the sister seems to be an exception, that her status has impact on his becoming impure on her behalf. Why her status makes a difference is not clear. Also, the case of a convert before the age of 3 years and one day, who is considered fit to marry a kohen, whereas older conv...

A new mishnah - this time, on the marriage restrictions on the kohen gadol, the high priest. He is not permitted to marry a divorcee... Nor a grown woman, which of course needs a lot of unpacking... Nor a woman whose hymen is not intact - the focus here is most definitely on virginity. What was the reality of all this for the kohen gadol? And to what degree did the sages expect any of these cases...

Issues of relationships (betrothal, for example) that are inappropriate with a kohen, but now she's in one - and even if she's the daughter of a kohen - can she eat terumah? What is the dispute here between the tannaim over the impact of the stages of marriage on her partaking of terumah? Also, applying the discussion to cases of yibum and ma'amar. And expanding the discussion on terumah.

Disqualifications for marriage - with a focus on a "patzua daka," a man with crushed testicles, and the ramifications of this status, especially if the man is a kohen - can his wife eat from terumah, for example? Also, the eligibility of a 3 year old girl for marriage (wait, what?).

When a bat Yisrael marries a kohen, is then entitled to eat terumah, and he is then excluded from being able to eat terumah - what about her? What if he dies, and they have no children? May she continue to eat terumah? Plus, the implications for her. Also, in the case of a wife of a kohen who is raped.... What happens to their marriage? Is the issue the second man (unwanted though he was)? What ab...

The punishment for "all the prohibited sexual relationships" is stated as karet, and then the punishment for prohibition of one's sister is separate. Why? What if they were all violated "be-he'elem echad," in one time period of forgetting. Also, how do we know that a woman (not yibum) would be betrothed via sexual intercourse? The answer relies on the Torah's use of the same term in disparate case...

A little sexually explicit... as is technically reasonable, given the essence of yibum. To what extent does yibum take place if either party is asleep? What if sexual intercourse takes place in other ways without intent? Also, beginning the act of intercourse, as compared to completing it - what are the implications for yibum? Plus, what if the woman is in niddah (where even an initial stage will...

When a yavam and a yevama consummate the relationship, that's yibum and now they're married. If they do chalitzah, they're done. But that seems to be only when either action is taken initially, and when not complicated by other actions. 3 divergent opinions on the different permutations here. Also, a new chapter, and the unexpected cases of a man who sleeps with a woman without knowledge or intent...

What happens when the couple that has ma'amar between them sleep together before they formalize yibum? A discussion of lashes - makat mardut and the other times the sages imposed them. Also, the specifics of ma'amar - perhaps making yibum a little more tasteful.