In the middle of today's Daf, we end chapter three and begin chapter four. Unlike the previous chapters, where I could not really understand what the division signified, today we…
Tag: tefillin
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…
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…
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…
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…