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.…
Author: Beastman
I am a corporate attorney. I was raised Jewish in a slightly observant household. Although I was bar mitzvahed in an Orthodox synagogue, I have never kept kosher or Shomer Shabbos. I love history and particularly Jewish history. I am happily married to a Catholic woman. Our children were raised in a reform synagogue and consider themselves Jewish - in some ways, they are more observant than me.
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…
The Unasked Question – Berakhot 15
I love reading history. I love finding continuities with the past that echo through our lives today. I particularly love to find the antecedents for something we find natural today,…
Interruptions – Berakhot 14
A central concern of the Talmud is to analogize the prayer service to the Temple sacrifices elucidated in the bible. Once the Temple in Jerusalem is destroyed and the Jews…
An Apology – Berakhot 13
I want to apologize for falling behind this week. I am trying to maintain the pace of the Daf Yomi, but this week life intervened. I plan to use the…
The Shema and Its Blessings – Berakhot 12
Today's Daf picks right back up with yesterday's debate about whether both blessings before the Shema are required to fulfill one commandment or whether they are independent commandments. Ultimately, no…