Spikes in your Ears

Rabbi Bar Kappara expounded:
The handiwork of the righteous is greater than the handiwork of (G-d in creating) the heavens and earth.

For concerning the handiwork of the heavens and earth it is written [Isaiah 48:13]: Also, My hand has laid the foundation of the earth and my Right hand has spread out the heavens.

(This verse suggests that the heavens and earth were created with one hand)

But Concerning the handiwork of the righteous, it is written [Exodus 15:17]: The Foundation of your dwelling place that you has hem has made the sanctuary, my Lord, that your hands established.

(i.e. Scripture is suggesting that the Temple which was built by the righteous was created by two hands)


Rabbi Bar Kappara expounded:
Why is it written: You shall have a spike in addition to your weapons/azeinecha [Deuteronomy 23:14]. Do not read Azeinecha (weapons) But rather Oznecha (Meaning your Ears).

(Thus the phrase should say.. You shall have a spike in addition to your ears!)

For a person hears something that is not proper he should place his finger (which is tapered like a spike) in his ears.

The Rabbis taught in a Baraisa: A Person should not allow his ears to hear idle talk, Because they (the ears) are the most easily burned of the limbs.

(When a person sins, he contaminates his limbs. This creates a heavenly fire in Gehinnom that will ultimately exact retribution from the sinner. The point of the baraisa is that when one listens to forbidden speech, they will thus be the first limbs to be involved in the transgression, and they be the first to be burned by the heavenly fire. Rashi draws a parallel by the fact that the ears are physically the most easily burned as well. This Baraisa adds that one should not even listen to idle talk because this can easily lead to forbidden talk)


Kesubos 5a/b

..on Marriage

R'Tanchum said in the name of R'Chani'lai: Any man who does not have a wife, lives without happiness, without Blessing, and without goodness.

Without happiness as it is written: and you shall rejoice, and your household [Deuteronomy 14:26 The word household is analogous to one's wife]

Without blessing as it is written: to bring a blessing to rest upon your home [Ezekiel 44:30]

Without goodness, as it is written: It is not good that man be alone (I will make him a helpmate) [Genesis 2:18]

In Eretz Yisrael they say: An unmarried man lives without Torah and without a protective wall.

Without Torah, as it is written: Is my own helpmate not with me? Is wisdom to be thrust aside from me? [Job 6:13]

Without a protective all, as it is written: An you will know that your tent is at peace and you will visit your home and find nothing amiss [Job 5:24]

R' Yehoshua ben Levi said: Any man who knows that his wife is a G-D fearing woman but does not visit with her (conjugally) is called a "Sinner". For it says: An you will know that your tent is whole (and you will visit your home and you will not sin)

Rabbis Taught in a Baraisa: One who loves his wife like his own self, and who honors her more than his own self, and who guides his sons and daughters on the straight path, and who marries then off close to their age (of Puberty). Concerning him Scripture states: and you will know that your tent is at peace.

- Yevamos 62b

Talmud & Birth Control?

Rav Bivi taught a Baraisa before Rav Nachman: Three women may cohabit using a wad (absorbent material to prevent pregnancy). They are: A minor, A Pregnant Woman & a Nursing Woman. A Minor is permitted because she may become pregnant and she may die. A Pregnant Woman is permitted as she may render her fetus a Sandal (a Fetus with a deformation). A Nursing woman is permitted as she may be forced to wean her child and he will die. (The thought was that if she becomes pregnant her body would stop producing milk suitable for her existing child)

[As a general rule, Torah advocates having children and having as many children as possible. Children are considered the greatest source of blessing and who doesn't want more blessing? The Torah enjoins us to be fruitful and multiply and we want to do this to the best of our ability, by having as many children as we are granted by G‑d.

Yet, having said that, there are certain situations when it will be detrimental to a woman's health or emotional wellbeing and she needs the physical break from another pregnancy. That is why we have rabbis who deal with the special circumstances of every individual. And that is why every individual should have a rabbi to whom they can turn. None of us are carbon copies of another, and each of our situations are different. If for some reason a woman or a couple is finding it difficult to have more children this is something that needs to be discussed with a competent and caring Rabbi with whom they can be open and forthright and who can advise them objectively on the Torah's position, specifically for their situation.

It is important to note that even if the circumstances call for a rabbinical dispensation allowing birth control, not all forms of contraception are allowed. The rabbi with whom you consult will certainly advise you in this area as well. -Chana Weisberg for Chabad.org]

- Yevamos 12b

Obey Mom & Dad!

The Torah in Leviticus 18:16 states that it is forbidden for a brother to marry his brother's former wife. However what about the laws of Yibum? (When a man dies childless the Torah Commands that the brother of the deceased, marries his brother's widow as his wife )

The Gemara defines this as "A Positive Commandment overriding a Prohibition".

The Gemara goes on to list other instances:

1) Laws of Shaatnez (Forbidden mixture of Wool & Linen) & Tzitzis (i.e. The garment can be made from linen & the threads of the tzitzis wool)

2) Prohibition of "You Shall not round the corners of your heads" (i.e. forbids the cutting the hair above the temples), However a Metzora (person who has contracted Tzaraas) is required to shave his head.

3) The Mitzvot of the Pesach offering overrides the prohibition of doing labor on Shabbos.

4) The Mitzvot of Circumcision overrides the prohibition of doing labor on Shabbos.

5) The Mitzvot of Honoring one's parents overrides the Sabbath, as the Gemara references: Every man: your Mother & Father shall you revere and my sabbaths shall you observe. (Leviticus 19:3) In other words, if one's father or mother instructs him to do something that involves the desecration of the sabbath (Only in terms of Melachah - forbidden labor), he should follow the parent's instructions because the commandment to honor one's parents would override the sabbath prohibition. Please note however, this does not give parents free reign to have their children desecrate the sabbath, it merely states that if a child is (unfortunately) in the position of choosing, he must obey his parents.


- Yevamos 5 a/b

Intro to Yevamos

(Apologies for the gap and lack of posts... I was away for a week on Business.. Just getting back into the routine. Although I have been keeping up with the Daf [6-hour plane flights sure helped] Getting back into the "schedule" takes a bit of adjustment. Sometimes I feel as if I should take a break and comment on the minutes we need to squirrel away in the day just to keep up with the Daf Yomi cycle. Let alone blog about it :-)

We start a new Mesecta/Tractate (Yevamos) and a new Seder/order (Nashim - The Order of Women). A little background to Yevamos, and some term that will be used in the pages ahead:

Background:
When a man dies childless, his wife is not automatically released from the marriage. Instead the Torah commands that the Brother of the Deceased marries the widow as his wife (Yibum). If not, the act of Chalizah must be performed to release her. (The shoe of the brother is removed by the widow before the court and she spits before him stating; "So should be done to the man who will not build his brother's house". Deuteronomy 25:5-10)

The Torah in Leviticus 18:16 states that it is forbidden for a bother to marry his brother's former wife. When a Man dies with children, or if a man divorces his wife, his brother may not marry her as the Torah defines this as a Ervah (One of the 21 forbidden relationships).

Other Ervah prohibitions remain in effect even under the circumstances of Yibum.

If the man who died had multiple wives and anyone of them was an Ervah to the Yavam (Surviving brother), both the Ervah and her Tzarah (Other wife i.e. co-wife) are released from the Yibum/Chalitzah requirement.


Terms:
Yibum - The Marriage between the Surviving bother and the widow when the deceased is childless

Chalitzah - The procedure which a women, removed the shoe of the surviving brother to release her obligation to marry him

Ervah - One of 21 Forbidden relationships

Yavam - The surviving paternal bother of the deceased

Tzarah - A co-wife, if the deceased had more then one wives

Yevamah - The Widow.

Tumah & Taharah

[The Gemara for the rest of the mesechta reviews the laws pertaining to Tumah (Ritual Impurity) and Taharah (Ritual Purity)]

Rav Nachman said: Whoever rinses his hands for produce (not bread) he is from the Haughty of Sprit.

[This is because by Rabbinic decree, whoever eats bread is obligated to wash their hands before eating. (Netilas Yadayim) The fact that someone washes their hands when they are not eating bread, it is Rav Nachman describes as acting haughty since washing is not required -- The Gemara is talking about the spiritual washing of hands]

The Rabbis taught in a Baraisa: One who rinses his hands, if he had intention (for making his hands pure) his hands are Tahor (Pure). If he did not have intentions (for making his hands pure) his hands are Tamei (Contaminated by Tumanh, Ritual Impurity and capable of spreading the impurity). And so too one who immerses his hands (in a mikvah), if he had intention (for Purity) then his hands are Tahor (Pure). If he did not have intention, his hands remain Tamei (Impure).

[The Gemara now questions this ruling]

But it was taught in another Baraisa: Whether he had intentions or not, his hands are Tahor (Pure).

Rav Nachman explains: (that there is no contradiction between the two Baraisot as in the later Baraisa the hands are purified) For Chullin (Ordinary unsanctified foods, where as the first Baraisa is talking about) For Maaser (one 10th of a farmers crop, brought for an offering).

[By this Rav Nachman is eluding to the higher the level of Holiness, the stronger the intention must be

From the Shulchan Aruch:
For Washing before eating Bread one must wash with full handfuls of water (Liberal amounts) you hold the vessel containing the water in your left hand and wash the right hand first three times from wrist to finger tips. Then you hold the vessel in your right hand and wash the left hand three times from wrist to finger tips. After you wash both hands, rub them together and rasie them opposite your head as it is said in Psalms 134:2 "Lift up your hands" and recite the following blessing... Asher Kiddeshanu bemitzvosav vetzivanu al natilas yadayim (Who has sanctified us with the commandments and has commanded us regarding washing the hands)]

- Chagigah 18b/19a

50 Ways to Count the Omer

[One of the beautiful things about studying Gemara though the daily daf yomi cycle is sometimes discussions in the Gemara almost magically sync up with either ones studies, the weekly parsha or Holiday. Today's daf on page 17b is no excetion as the Gemara discusses briefly the counting of the Omer (which we are currently doing).]

Come learn a proof from a Baraisa that Rabbah bar Shmuel taught: The Torah said: Count 30 days and sanctify by bringing a mussaf offering. Count 50 days and santify the festival of Shavous by bringing a olas reiayh (burned offering of appearace at the temple) and chagigah offering (peace offering of celebration).

Rava said: Is it so that for Shavous we count days but we do not count weeks? But Abaye has said: There is a commandment to count days, for it is written: (leviticus 23:16) You shall count 50 days; and there is a commandment to count weeks, for it is written: (deuteronomy 16:9) You shall count seven weeks for yourself. And further more, the festival of weeks is written (i.e. Shavous)

[By Yeruchem Eilfort http://www.chabad.org

From the second night of Passover until the day before the holiday of Shavuot, the Jewish people engage in an unique mitzvah called sefirat ha'omer (counting of the omer). The Torah commands us during this time each year to count seven complete weeks for a total of 49 days. At the end of the seven-week period we celebrate Shavuot, which means "weeks."

This is considered a mitzvah, so the count, which takes place each night, is preceded by a blessing. However, we may only recite the blessing if we have not missed a single night of counting. If we have omitted the counting even one night during that stretch, we may no longer recite the blessing, but instead must listen as our friend says the blessing and then do the counting.

During the times of the Holy Temple, at the end of counting a special grain offering was brought. This offering was waved in different directions, similar to how the lulav is waved during the holiday of Sukkot, to demonstrate G-d Almighty's all-encompassing presence.

Why do we count these days? We learn several reasons. The foremost is that the count demonstrates our thrill for the impending occasion of receiving on the Torah, celebrated on Shavuot. Just as a child often counts the days until the end of school, or for an upcoming family vacation, we count the days to show our excitement at again receiving the Torah (as we do in fact receive the Torah in a renewed sense every year).

We also learn that this period is meant to spiritually prepare and refine ourselves. When the Jewish people were in Egypt nearly 3,400 years ago, they had assimilated many of the immoral ways of the Egyptian people. The Jews had sunk to an unprecedented level of spiritual defilement and were on the brink of destruction. At the last possible moment the Children of Israel were miraculously redeemed. They underwent a spiritual rebirth and quickly ascended to the holiest collective state they had ever reached. They were so holy, in fact, that they were compared to angels when they stood at the foot of Mt. Sinai to receive the Torah.

It was during that 49-day period that they underwent such a radical transformation. From the lowest lows to the highest heights in just seven weeks!

The commandments of the Torah are not meant merely as our history, but instead represent on ongoing life-lesson for every Jew. We view the Torah as freshly received every day of our lives and approach it and its commandments with appropriate vigor.

So too must we digest the lesson of the counting of omer. It is specifically during this time that we strive to grow and mature in our spiritual state. The Torah does not allow us to become satisfied with our current level of spirituality. Instead it tells us to set high goals for ourselves and then methodically strive to reach that goal.

The growth that occurs during this time is akin to a marathon. We pace ourselves and seek to improve day by day until we reach the day that we again receive the Torah. In this process we look deep within ourselves and work on all of our negative attributes. If we are challenged in the realm of acts of kindness, we go out of our way to do more charitable works. If we are lacking in the area of justice, we hold ourselves to the highest possible standards and are exacting and demanding in our personal behavior and habits. And so it goes for all of our traits.

For more information on the mitzvah of counting the Omer please visit the following link on at Chabad.org]

- Chagigah 17b