The Mishna on Shevuot 32a discusses an oath to compel testimony. Suppose I know that two people witnessed an event, and their testimony would help
In a Tablet Magazine interview in November 2010, Noam Chomsky explained how he turned away from religion. “My grandfather had a long beard, I don’t
In Shavuot12b, Rav Nachman bar Rav Chisda expounded publicly that (a) birds are not used as supplementary offerings. Rava reacted by stating that this was
One fine Shabbat night or day, Rav Malkiya (מלכיא or מלכיה) visited Rabbi Simlai’s house and moved an extinguished oil lamp. This angered Rabbi Simlai,
Last week’s column (“Worrying About Flying Camels”) discussed flying camels and Makkot 5a. Rava made a series of statements exploring how conspiring witnesses are established,
In Makkot 5a, Rava might be worried about a flying camel. He says: “If two witnesses say, ‘Ploni killed someone on Sunday morning in Sura,’
In many old Haggadot, around Kadesh, there is a picture of a rabbit hunt. The reason for this is that, when the Seder night begins
The opening mishna of Makkot (2a) begins by asking, “How are witnesses established as conspiring (zomemim)?” Yet, as the Talmudic narrator points out, the first
Two stories in Sanhedrin deal with changing later generations judging earlier generations. The Mishnah (90a) listed three kings who had lost their share in the
The Megillah (Esther 9) mentions obligations of the day of Purim, which include making it a י֖וֹם מִשְׁתֶּ֥ה וְשִׂמְחָֽה, a day of feasting and merrimaking;
In last week’s article, “Who Fashioned a Golem,” we discussed Sanhedrin 65b, and how Rava (or perhaps Rabba or Rabbi Abba) fashioned a golem and
A few Amoraim were capable of supernatural creation of beings (Sanhedrin 65b). Interpreting a verse in Yeshaya 59:2, “But your iniquities have been a separation
