With today's Daf and half of tomorrow's we conclude our review of how the basest, most scatological of our bodily functions affects our ability to pray. The reading can be…
Month: January 2020
Women’s Sexuality and the Talmud – Berakhot 24
In order to recite the Shema, we must concentrate on the words of the prayer. The Rabbis are concerned about behaviors and circumstances that will distract us while we (men)…
The Toilet and the Talmud – Berakhot 23
If I am in synagogue and I need to go to the bathroom, I walk out of the sanctuary and go to a clean bathroom with indoor plumbing and then…
Confessions – Talmud Berakhot 22
I have had to start and stop a post on this Daf several times. I am uncertain what to say and that has caused me to fall behind. As I…
Praying With the Community – Berakhot 21
In Jewish prayer practice, certain prayers require a Minyan (historically ten adult males). Today's Daf will find the biblical proof for this practice. There is an emotional side as well.…
Women, Slaves and Minors – Berakhot 20
Yesterday, we learned about the debate as to whether a person can violate a negative commandment to preserve human dignity. Today, we will resolve that debate: we cannot violate prohibitions…
Human Dignity and the Talmud – Berakhot 19
Today’s Daf addresses an extraordinarily sensitive and fundamental question – do we let considerations of human dignity overrule even a biblical prohibition or do we sacrifice human dignity to observe…
What the Dead Know – Berakhot 18
In yesterday's Daf, we ended with a new Mishnah discussing from which commandments mourners were exempt. Today, we will spend much of the page debating what the dead know or…
I Was Tricked – Berakhot 17
I ended my post on Berakhot 16 by noting how much I loved Rav Safra's personal prayer for peace because of its simplicity and conclusiveness. I should have turned the…
Labor Relations and the Talmud – Berakhot 16
In yesterday’s Daf, I was disturbed by the Rabbis’ beliefs about the disabled. Today, we learn something of the Rabbi’s beliefs about labor relations, whether those are a person working…