Talking Talmud

Blowing shofar in a pit or elsewhere with an echo - distinguishing between who fulfills the obligation and who does not. Plus, a Gemara revision. Also, what happens if one hears part of the shofar blast in the pit and part out of the pit...or if it's just at the break of day... And can a tekiyah be divided to count for two? Bringing us back to the question of intent, which is most discussed in the...

First, a comment on the maidservant from yesterday's daf. Then, more on the trumpets and shofarot, and why we blow a longer blast on the shofar when it is accompanied. How do we relate to sound, and our experience of listening. Also, a new mishnah on both the physical shofar and its sound. A cracked or broken shofar is invalid for the mitzvah of shofar. Also, one who blows from the bottom of a pit...

The key mitzvah of Rosh Hashanah: shofar! And we start with the "instrument" itself. And why the horn cannot come from a cow. Plus, a lot of word play and puzzlement regarding unusual terms that are then defined by R. Yehudah HaNasi's maidservant. Also, the different types of shofar used at different times of year - from different animals. And chatzotzrot vs. shofarot.

Parallel to a story in Berakhot, the mishnah here has an episode starring R. Gamliel and R. Yehoshua, about new moon testimony. Where one day's testimony seems contradicted by the next day's experience. How do we handle the human capacity for error? Also, how we can't compare courts, especially across generations, with biblical examples (it's not an insult to today; it is about authority). Plus, a...

The court asks witnesses about what they saw, regarding their testimony about the moon - and the celestial bodies change position over the course of a year, so the answers really would be different. How the sky actually looks makes a difference for the sake of accurate testimony. Plus, the formal sanctification of the new moon: Mekudash! But how critical is that part. Also, using a pre-fab poster,...

Burning wood for the Rosh Chodesh torches, including from coral wood, which leads to a tangent, including a story about diving, and sinking a ship to get down there and pull up the coral. Plus, individuals contributed to the torch notifications. And a discussion about blocked roads making the way longer to travel in Babylonia. [And some brief audio wonkiness, with our apologies - nothing was off w...

Father and son who saw the new moon should both go to testify, even though it's not clear that they can be paired together as witnesses. Which leads into a discussion about who can't be witnesses. Including the discussion about women. And what can be done on Shabbat to facilitate the witnesses' travel to the Beit Din. Also, the second chapter of the masekhet: How important is it that the court tru...

What happens if a community misses the notification about Rosh Chodesh? One can keep track to some extent to which months would be "full," and which incomplete. Plus, Levi's trip to Babylonia. Also, the connection to the second day of yom tov, and how this sanctification of the new moon affects Tishrei and Nisan. Also, desecrating Shabbat to get to the court to testify about the new moon. And gett...

Ulla traveled from Eretz Yisrael to Bavel, and he told the Babylonians how the Beit Din in Israel had added a day to Elul, which would insert a weekday between Rosh Hashanah and Shabbat, which would be so great for them in Babylonia. The questions are: why having that extra day would make a difference, and why especially in Bavel. Also, how are those witnesses treated? Namely, a process of intimid...

Update with information on the 17 Tammuz (clarification on yesterday). On the holidays that are written in Megilat Taanit, as compared to other holidays... It seems that the Torah holidays have fewer stringencies around them as compared to the rabbinic ones found in the megillah. Why?

Is one's judgement or sentence mutable? The Tannaim dispute this - in a concrete way, regarding two people who had the same circumstances, yet one was saved and the other was not. What was the difference between them? Perhaps the way they prayed. Perhaps the timing of the decree against them. Plus, the same concerns for the collective, as compared to the individual. Also, a decree against Eli's de...

Those who sin against God in a variety of ways go down to Gehinnom, and what happens after that (how long and for what degree) depends on the sin. With all the fear that that induces. Plus, a dig by Rava at Mehoza as sinners. Also, and acknowledgement of God's kindness, and His tipping the scales with mercy, when possible. Plus, leaders who inspire fear for the wrong reasons, and their comeuppance...

The second mishnah of the masekhet: 4 judgements of the year, on grain, fruit, water, and people. Which leads into a greater discussion of the judgement of each, including the timing of that judgement. Also, the call out to God, whether via water libations or the voice of the shofar. Indeed, why the shofar? Why the blasts that we know well? Including the concern of confusing the Satan, and what ha...

More on the new year for an etrog... Specifically, on etrogim that are from the 6th and 7th years of the shemitah cycle. And the 8th year. Including the concerns of removing the produce from your possession, as needed. And the ongoing efforts to puzzle what's required for each year. Also, trees that bear fruit twice in one year. And those trees that bear fruit before the 15th of Shevat - specifica...

Tracing a sugia... on the specifics of tithing produce that takes root before Rosh Hashanah, and the question of tithing produce that is "mixed." Can the produce be combined for the purpose of tithing? Which question opens up reason to delve into Shmuel's position, and that of R. Shimon Shezuri. For example, how solids and liquids may not be the same with regard to mixtures. Also, the new year for...

The Gemara's premise have a tradition that grain that has reached 1/3 of its growth before Rosh Hashanah, and is then harvested on Sukkot, is credited to the previous year. But how do you know when it has reached a third of what it will come to grow? But R. Zeira stipulates that the sages were precise and exact and always correct in their measurements. Which is a strong statement, that needs some...

When do we start counting the date for vegetable ma'aser? And does that date work? [What's What: Terumot and Ma'aserot, an overview] Also, nedarim - taking oaths, to swear off something - and how they are counted against a yearly calendar. Namely, is that year counted according to Nisan or Tishrei? (There's no machloket, as it turns out).

When is the future redemption going to happen? Tishrei or Nisan? It's a machloket! Which basically means 2 models of redemption, going beyond timing. Plus, a study of the creation of the world, and how that worked - specifically, or especially, how the fruit trees came to have fruit, and what that means about the way we relate to and experience God in this world. Also, regarding that cancellation...

If one plants or grafts in the time right before a shmitah year can affect the timing of orlah. 30 days before Rosh Hashanah may count as a year, but what if the coming year is a shemitah year? And what if it's less than 30 days before Rosh Hashanah? Also, how far can one day be extended? Does it count for a year or only for a month? Plus, the position that the world was created in Nisan, not Tish...

Adding from the profane to the holy - specifically in the realm of time. Specifically, adding to the sabbatical year on both sides, before and after. A biblical verses teaches to cease plowing in advance, and refrain from harvesting afterwards, according to R. Akiva. [What's What: Apparent biblical repetition teaching new details] In this case, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yishmael learn different halakh...

Ma'aser Behemah - tithing the animals. With joy. On the first of Tishrei, as interpreted from the biblical text. Which of course yields a dispute. And doesn't involve the facts on the ground, somehow. Though it does entail the cycle of time, and why it's important to mark the calendar. Also, a day of judgement in Tishrei! With a "covering" hiding the moon. Plus, the power of the process of Rosh Ch...

On the first of Nisan as a "rosh hashanah," going beyond the original mishnah. Pus, sources from verses - though they weren't stipulated as such from the beginning! [With apologies for some wonky audio - that does smooth out soon enough... mostly.] Plus, Rosh Hashanah for Shekalim - purchasing by the end of the old year before this date. Communal offerings are to be paid for from the new contribut...

More on neder/nedavah offerings - specifically when a person must replace a lost or stolen dedicated item. Note that tzedakah vows don't have the year (as discussed) grace period to fulfill the donation. Also, issues of the calendar that emerge from that grace period of 3 festivals - namely, how a year may not include all three festivals! Which is exactly how the calendar came to be established wi...

More on the timeliness of offering consecrated items. But why does the Gemara need to get just this granular in detailing the Korban Shelamim brought on Pesach? Could it be like the Korban Pesach?! Also, the distinction between a vow to give a gift (to the Temple, as consecrated) and the offering of a gift-offering? It's all in the discussion of a replacement or substitute.

On the corruption or lack thereof of Koresh (Cyrus). Is Koresh commissioning sacrifices and so on for his own selfish purposes? But isn't prayer often selfish in that same way? Or was he plotting to burn down the Second Temple as it was being built? Also, the prohibition against missing the timeliness of certain korbanot and other mitzvot. The 3 pilgrimage festivals have their own timeline to dete...