Daily Talmud

Today’s Talmud Page: Bechorot 14 - 2 Kislev 5772

Rabbi Jonathan Freirich — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:28:11 +0000

In today’s page, or daf, on Bechorot 14a, the Talmud discusses the different categories for an object and the monetary value of that object once sold.

The money derived from an object is still connected to its source, according to the Talmud.

That’s right, from the Talmud’s perspective, there is no such thing as “money laundering”!

Text of Bechorot 14

Today’s Talmud Page: Bechorot 13 - 1 Kislev 5772

Rabbi Jonathan Freirich — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 19:33:53 +0000

In today’s page, or daf, on Bechorot 13a, the Mishnah, the source text for the Talmud, discusses a number of cases where the Torah advises two different paths of commandments in a given situation.

The Mishnah sets up methods for determining priorities in these situations - after all, a law that doesn’t prescribe a single option causes confusion.

Text of Bechorot 13

Yesterday’s Talmud Page: Bechorot 12 - 29 Cheshvan 5772

Rabbi Jonathan Freirich — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 18:57:52 +0000

In yesterday’s page, or daf, on Bechorot 12b, the Talmud asserts the importance of not allowing a Kohen, a member of the priesthood, to oversee the redemption of his own tax collection.

In other words, we must have transparent oversight of the beneficiaries of public funds so that they are appropriately used.

Yes, government transparency has been an issue for a long time!

Text of Bechorot 12

Today’s Talmud Page: Bechorot 11

Rabbi Jonathan Freirich — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 13:03:52 +0000

In today’s page, or daf, on Bechorot 11a, the Talmud teaches that given an indefinite law, generous, stingy, and average people will follow it according to their characters.

A good teaching about what to expect from people - unless making requirements explicit, people will act according to their character. We should not expect people to surprise us when it comes to expressions of their basic personalities.

Not a bad thing to keep in mind in the season of family gatherings...

Text of Bechorot 11

Also not Today's Talmud Page: Bechorot 5 - November 19, 2011 / 22 Cheshvan 5772

Rabbi Jonathan Freirich — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:55:44 +0000

Today’s Talmud Page: Bechorot 5 - November 19, 2011 / 22 Cheshvan 5772

In Saturday’s page, or daf, on Bechorot 5a-b, we find a detailed discussion of currency values, still something of relevance today, as Greece faces what might happen should it have to leave the European Union, and the Euro, behind.

There is no official option by which to do this, and the historical precedents are frightening - listen to Planet Money’s episode on dissolving currency here, for all the details.

The Talmud, always “current”!

Text of Bechorot 5

Still Not Quite Today's Talmud Page - Bechorot 4 - 21 Cheshvan 5772

Rabbi Jonathan Freirich — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:17:57 +0000

In last Friday’s page, or daf, on Bechorot 4a, the rabbis describe an exception to a rule based on a textual anomaly - the word for Aaron in the Book of Numbers, chapter 3, verse 39, is written in the Torah scroll with dots over each letter.

This could mean anything, we have only our oral traditions to understand this written custom. The rabbis of the Talmud explain that this points to Aaron not being included in the census of the Levites, and therefore he is personally liable for the laws of the first born that his descendants, the High Priests and also Levites, are exempt from.

We will naturally use unusual occurrences to explain things without apparent connections.

Text of Bechorot 4

Not Quite Today’s Talmud Page: Bechorot 3 - 20 Cheshvan 5772

Rabbi Jonathan Freirich — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 15:45:14 +0000

Catching up on Daily Talmud, I hope to be caught up by end of day today!

In Thursday’s page, or daf, on Bechorot 3a, the rabbis assert that “on all uncommon matters, the rabbis did not issue decrees”.

Considering the depths of minutiae attended to in the Talmud this seems odd, and yet it is a good reminder that we need not have rules for things that seldom if ever come up!

Today's Talmud Page - Bechorot 2 - 19 Cheshvan 5772

Rabbi Jonathan Freirich — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:49:52 +0000

Bechorot, the new Talmud tractate that we begin today, concerns itself with the laws of the first born, the bechor, in Hebrew.

Due to the saving of the first born in Egypt from the final plague, special treatments are determined for the first born of Jewish people and certain animals.

Considering Judaism's upending of first born's rights, this makes for an interesting idea!

Today’s Talmud Page: Chullin 142 - 18 Cheshvan 5772

Rabbi Jonathan Freirich — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 02:17:04 +0000

In today’s page, or daf, on Chullin 142a, the rabbis tackle the concept of reward and punishment and remind us that such a theology doesn’t exist in reality.

Judaism accepts that, as the Talmud states today: “there is no reward for precepts in this world.”

Furthermore, we do not teach that there is reward in the next world either. Rewards are in doing the good deed itself.

Full text of today’s page.

Today’s Talmud Page: Chullin 141 - 17 Cheshvan 5772

Rabbi Jonathan Freirich — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 02:05:10 +0000

In today’s page, or daf, on Chullin 141b, the rabbis remind us that we shouldn’t try to skirt laws.

The laws under discussion have to do with the letting go of mother birds - one shouldn’t clip the wings of the bird before letting it go so that one can go and catch it again.

Abiding by principles means abandoning attempts to slip by on technicalities.

Full text of today’s page.