Monthly Archives: October 2023

We pick things up on דף ע״ז עמוּד ב, and the default topic in מַסֶכֶת קִידוּשִׁין: sex with a partner other than one’s wife, and its consequences. Here we begin with an incestuous relationship and how that renders the woman … Continue reading →

Part One ended with the open-ended question of what Phillies ownership might do differently next season to reverse the trend of flaming out in the post-season. As I pointed out early and often after the D-Backs debacle this year, 2022 … Continue reading →

We’re up to the Mishnah atop דף ע״ז עמוּד א, which addresses the concept of a חָלָל. As Rabbi Stern notes, the term “חָלָל” is used specifically to designate the child born from the relations between a כֹּהֵן and a … Continue reading →

We begin on דף ע״ה עמוּד ב, embroiled in a debate over whether a Jew can marry a Cuthean [כּוּתִי], which extends into a discussion about intra-Cuthean marriage. Before proceeding, let’s remind ourselves why the כּוּתִים were so controversial. When … Continue reading →

We’re going to begin toward the bottom of דף ע״ד עמוּד ב, predicated on the question of when a boy attains the age at which his act of intercourse is considered a sexual transgression. You’ll see why in a moment, … Continue reading →

Rabbi Stern opened today by backtracking to a Tosafos on דף ע״ג עמוּד א, pertaining to this piece of Gemara: אָמַר רָבָא, דְּבַר תּוֹרָה: אֲסוּפִי – כָּשֵׁר. מַאי טַעְמָא? אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ – בְּבַעְלָהּ תּוֹלָה. מַאי אִיכָּא? מִיעוּט אֲרוּסוֹת וּמִיעוּט שֶׁהָלַךְ … Continue reading →

We’re gong to reference this chart today, available online at Kollel Iyun Hadaf prepared by Harav Eliyahu Atiyah. לר’ יוסי – גרמותר בממזרת לר’ יהודה – גר אסור בממזרת לביאור א’ לביאור ב’ לביאור ג’ לֹא יָבֹא מַמְזֵרבִּקְהַל ה’ לאסור … Continue reading →

I could have let the sting of the loss last night percolate, but then I wouldn’t have had the energy to write this now with the verve that Pete Townshend has as he does his whirley-bird guitar moves. Which kind … Continue reading →

We begin on דף ע״ב עמוּד א, with geographic bragging rights about which towns are considered more “yichusdik” in בָּבֶל: אָמַר רָמֵי בַּר אַבָּא: חֲבֵיל יַמָּא – תְּכֵילְתָּא דְבָבֶל. שׁוּנְיָא וְגוּבְיָא – תְּכֵילְתָּא דַּחֲבֵיל יַמָּא. רָבִינָא אָמַר: אַף צִיצוֹרָא. תַּנְיָא … Continue reading →

We begin on דף ע עמוּד ב with a thought about the שְׁכִינָה, the Divine presence. Does it truly dwell in all created beings? אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא: כְּשֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָתוֹ – אֵין מַשְׁרֶה אֶלָּא עַל מִשְׁפָּחוֹת … Continue reading →