Rav Shizvi makes what seems like a ridiculous statement, and his colleagues laugh at him. Rava—his disputant—comes to Rav Shizvi’s defense. Let’s examine this exchange,
Gittin 47a recounts Reish Lakish’s feat of strength and bravery: He sold himself to the Ludae, taking a sack containing a round stone with him.
There is a fundamental disagreement between fifth-generation Tannaim, Rabbi Eleazar (ben Shamua) and Rabbi Meir, about what aspect of writing a bill of divorce needs
Nazir 57b relates an upsetting story about an interaction between (second-generation Amora) Rav Huna and (second, or first and second-generation Amora) Rav Ada bar Ahava
The morning of my wedding, my ears suddenly clogged. All sounds were muffled. I got an appointment with an ENT, who was surprised at how
I drafted a lengthy article about Nedarim 68-70—about the derashot and interpretations—according to Rava and according to Rabbi Yishmael’s academy. The impetus was that the
In Nedarim 62b, Rava asserts that Torah scholars are exempt from the “kraga,” or head tax. As Rav Steinsaltz notes, “kraga” is derived from the
In Nedarim 59a, Rav Chisda forcefully rejects an idea from Rabbi Yochanan. Thus: אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: לִיטְרָא בְּצָלִים שֶׁתִּיקְּנָהּ וּזְרָעָהּ — מִתְעַשֶּׂרֶת לְפִי כוּלָּהּ. יָתֵיב
Did Rav Yosef blind himself in a fit of piety? The story goes that he sat in a dark house for 40 days and, when
Let’s start with a few definitions. You likely know “synonym” and “antonym,” and would consult a thesaurus to find just the right word. But, there
In Nedarim 41a, Rabbi Yosef interprets a verse in Tehillim, “His entire bed, You overturn in his illness,” as referring to one who forgets his
Shimon was walking down Grayson Place last week, and saw a gold watch. It was engraved with the initials “SM,” a good siman. He took
