Today's Daf has several teachings famous sages gave their children, but it also has a beautiful passage about how we treat the elderly. If you remember Exodous, Moses ascended a…
Year: 2020
Do I Deserve Suffering Redux – Berakhot 7
I was troubled in a previous post when the Talmud argued that tragedy was punishment for sin. To be fair, the Talmud also said that suffering might be evidence of…
The Joys of Community – Berakhot 6
My favorite Jewish song, which I learned in kindergarten is Hinei Ma Tovu. The song is actually the first verse of Psalm 133 in Hebrew. "How good and how pleasant…
Do we deserve tragedy? – Berakhot 5
I was heartbroken this morning to learn that the toddler hit in the head by a foul ball at an Astros game looked like she would have permanent brain damage.…
The Frenetic Talmud and the Dangers of Procrastination – Berakhot 4
I am a natural procrastinator. As much as I try to live a planned, purposeful life managed through checklists, I cannot really do it. Left to my natural devices I…
The Tyranny of Time and Gilligan’s Island – Berakhot 3
For many of us (including me), today was our first day back at work after the long holiday. My alarm went off very early this morning telling me it was…
DY-Day Berakhot 2
Today is the day. The first day of our Daf Yomi cycle. My previous posts help set the stage for today. If you do not know what he Mishnah or…
Late 70’s Television and the Talmud
When I was 10, there was a television miniseries called "The Holocaust". I have not seen this show for over 40 years, but I clearly remember one particular scene. When…
My Wish For You in 2020
Friends, as we start a new year, I turn to the Bible to share my wish for you in the new year: Go, eat fat foods and drink sweet drinks…