Daf Yomi for Women - Hadran

Latest Episodes:

Sotah 21 - April 19, 28 Nissan Apr 19, 2023

Show notes

Which merits help push off the death of the sotah? First, they suggest Torah learning, but that is rejected as women are not commanded to learn Torah. However, if it is mitzvot, we learn from a verse that mitzvot are like a candle, which last temporarily, and learning Torah is like light, which is constant. From here one can imply that mitzvot don't protect. Two explanations are brought to explain how mitzvot can protect from punishment, even if they are not as permanent as the reward for learning Torah. A third answer is that women receive a reward for Torah - not for their own learning but for enabling their husbands and sons to learn. A different interpretation is brought to explain the verse about Torah and mitzvot - transgressions override the merits of mitzvot but not the Torah. When Rabbi Eliezer says that a man should not teach his daughter Torah because it is teaching her tiflut, the Gemara understands that is it as if he is teaching her tiflut as obviously, the Torah itself is not tiflut. What verse can serve as the source for Rabbi Eliezer's approach and how does Ben Azai understand the verse if he disagrees with Rabbi Eliezer? In the Mishna, Rabbi Yehoshua makes a statement about a woman's preference - how does the Gemara explain this? He also said that there are four people that cause the world to be destroyed - among them, a chasid shoteh and a rasha arom. A chasid shoteh is defined as one who will not save a drowning woman as it will cause him to look at her. Seven different explanations are brought to define what is a rasha arom.

Sotah 20 - April 18, 27 Nissan Apr 18, 2023

Show notes

Today's daf is dedicated for Yom HaShoah in memory of all those who died in the Holocaust.

Today's daf is sponsored by Caroline Ben-Ari in loving memory of her father, Ivor Rhodes, Yisrael ben Meir and Sarah on his 13th yahrzeit. "Dad was hard-working, caring, generous and honest to a fault, with a wicked sense of humor and a lifelong addiction to puns. Today I pledge to make as many terrible puns as I can in his honor."

Another contradiction is noted between the two braitot that quote Rabbi Akiva's opinion. A woman who refuses to drink the water from a position of strength is generally viewed as admitting she is guilty and does not drink the water. But what if she changes her mind, do we then believe that she was not previously admitting her guilt and was just scared, or not? Something bitter is added to the water as is derived from a verse. What is done with the scroll and the meal offering if the woman refuses to drink before the scroll was erased? What if she admits she is guilty after the scroll is erased? If she refuses to drink after the scroll is erased, she is forced to drink. If her face turns green after drinking and her eyes start bulging, she is immediately removed from the Temple so as not to cause impurity. If she has merits, then she can live up to three years, depending upon what merits she has. Ben Azai says that one should teach his daughter Torah specifically because of this so that she won't mistakenly think that the sotah waters don't work. Rabbi Eliezer disagrees and says that one who teaches his daughter Torah teaches her tiflut. Rabbi Meir was a scribe and would add copper sulfate to his ink when he would write a sefer Torah to make sure it wouldn't be erased. There are different versions regarding who was his teacher at first who didn't complain about this practice and which was his second teacher who was against this practice as the scroll of the sotah needs to be with ink that could be erased. In one version Rabbi Akiva is the first teacher and Rabbi Yishmael is the second and in the other, it is the reverse. Can the contradictions between the two versions be resolved? Two tannaim disagree about whether Rabbi Meir held one could add copper sulfate to the ink for writing a Torah, just not for the section about the sotah, or is the issue only for a scroll written for the sotah ceremony. The debate is really about whether or not one can take a section written for a Torah and use it for the sotah ceremony. Is this based on another tannaitic debate about whether the sotah scroll needs to be written lishma, for a particular woman? This suggestion is rejected in two ways. When the Mishna said they need to immediately remove the woman from the Temple after drinking the water, according to whose opinion was this stated? Initially, they suggest Rabbi Shimon who held the meal offering is sacrificed before the drinking of the water, but the part about the merits delaying her death is not Rabbi Shimon as he doesn't hold that merits can push off her death. They conclude the Mishna is like Rabbi Akiva who agreed with Rabbi Shimon about the first point and disagreed about the second. What impurity are they concerned about when they remove her from the Temple? It is not an impurity of death, since she is outside the azara and dead people are allowed to be in other areas of the Temple outside the azara. They conclude that it must be out of concern that the shock to the body may cause her to menstruate. The section in the Mishna about the merits delaying her death for up to three years doesn't seem to match any of the tannaitic opinions about this, as some say three months, some say nine months and others say twelve months, but none hold up to three years.

Sotah 19 - April 17, 26 Nissan Apr 17, 2023

Show notes

Study Guide Sotah 19

The meal offering of the sotah is waved by the kohen and the sotah. From where is it derived that the woman also needs to wave it? Rabbi Shimon and the rabbis disagree about whether the woman drinks the sotah water before bringing the meal offering or brings the meal offering and then drinks the water. There are two verses that mention that the kohen makes the woman drink the water (Bamidbar 5:24,27) and in Bamidbar 5:26, it says "and after that, he makes the woman drink the water." What do each of them derive from each of these verses that mention the drinking? Rabbi Akiva learns a different halacha from one of the extra verses – that after the scroll is erased, we force the woman to drink the water, even if she doesn't want to. The Gemara raises a difficulty against Rabbi Akiva from a different source where Rabbi Akiva seems to say something different. The braita quoted has an inner contradiction and in resolving that contradiction, they explain the question raised against Rabbi Akiva.

Sotah 18 - April 16, 25 Nissan Apr 16, 2023

Show notes

Study Guide Sotah 18

Today's daf is sponsored by Judy and Jerel Shapiro for the yahrzeits of Jerel's father Arnold Shapiro, z"l, and their sweet infant grandson Edan Shai Shapiro, z"l, who both passed away at the end of Nissan.

Rava asks a series of questions regarding a case where there were two sotahs, can they erase two scrolls (megillat sotah) into one cup; does the erasing need to be done with the intent for that particular woman or just the writing of the scroll? What if the erasing was done for each but the cups were combined into one? What if they were split after being combined? Does she need to drink in a normal manner or can she drink through a straw or tube? What if some or most of the water spills out? There are two oaths mentioned in the verses (Bamidbar 5:19 and 5:21). Why are there two oaths? Rav says one is before the scroll is erased and one after. Rava raises a difficulty on this and explains that one is with a curse and one without. What is the content of the one with the curse? Rava and Rav Ashi each explain it differently. When the woman answers amen to the oath, she answers amen for the oath and the curse. In addition, they can add a number of other oaths (gilgul shevua) such as making her swear she wasn't with a different man (other than the one she was warned against being with), that she didn't cheat on her husband when they were engaged, or when she was waiting to do yibum (if her husband was her yabam). Rabbi Meir adds that they can make her also swear that she won't cheat on her husband in the future. The Mishna gives a rule for what can be included - only situations where her being with another man would forbid her from her husband. Rav Hamnuna infers from here that a woman waiting to do yibum who is with another man is forbidden to the yabam. But this is rejected by the rabbis in Israel who claimed that the Mishna follows only Rabbi Akiva's position on the matter. According to Rabbi Meir, if she added an oath about cheating in the future, then in the event that she does cheat in the future, the water that she drank before will take effect (and kill her) at that later time. Can a woman drink sotah water twice? There are three different opinions regarding if and when this could happen.

Sotah 17 - Shabbat April 15, 24 Nissan Apr 14, 2023

Show notes

Study Guide Sotah 17

What verses are written on the scroll that will get erased in the water? There are three different opinions. What is the root of their debate? A number of drashot are brought regarding the relationship between husband and wife, and the rewards given to the descendants of Avraham, which include, among other things, the sotah procedure. The text needs to be written on parchment and with ink that can be erased. There are six rules regarding the writing of the sotah parchment - it must be written during the day, in the correct order, after the woman answer amen to the oath of the kohen, on a lined parchment, on one piece and needs to be erased once it is all written.

Sotah 16 - April 14, 23 Nissan Apr 14, 2023

Show notes

Study Guide Sotah 16

This week's learning is sponsored by Sarah Galasko to the memory of Lucy, Maia and Rina Dee. "Sending love and strength at this tough time to Leo, Keren, Tali and Yehuda, Richard, Ben, Gabrielle and Stephanie.

Today's daf is sponsored by Suzanne Minton in honor of Dr. Erin Arnold "Mazel tov to my wonderful havruta on our first year of learning Daf Yomi together! Thank you for your support and wonderful insights!"

Today's daf is sponsored by Beki Baumel in honor of her mother, Judy Shwartz. "She finds every opportunity to do Chessed and inspires everyone around her!"

Does earth/soil (efer) include ashes (afar)? First, the Gemara answers that it does not, as if so, it would be included in a list of halachot that override the Torah. The Gemara rejects this answer as it could have left it off the list. However, one can only make this argument if something else is left off the list. They suggest that the leper could have been on this list as the drasha from Rabbi Yishmael indicates that it is only some of the hair but the halacha is all the hair. However, this is rejected in three possible ways. Then they bring a different source to prove ashes can be used, but that is rejected. The soil used for the sotah needs to be seen in the water. This is true for the ashes in the red heifer, the saliva of the yevama and, according to Rabbi Yishmael, the bird's blood in the leper ceremony. What are the two different ways to read the verses according to Rabbi Yishmael and the rabbis who disagree with him? Rabbi Shimon and the rabbis disagree both by the sotah waters and the water of the red heifer whether the water must go in the vessel first and then the soil/ashes or does the order not matter? What is the basis in the text for each of the opinions?

Sotah 15 - Isru Chag/8th Day of Pesach - Thursday April 13, 22 Nissan Apr 09, 2023

Show notes

Study Guide Sotah 15

Today's daf is sponsored by Yechiel Berkowicz in loving memory of Sara F. Berkowicz on her yahrzeit. "She was a holocaust survivor, a fighter, and a lover of Torah."

More comparisons are made between the meal offering of the sotah and other meal offerings. The Mishna discusses the process of preparing the water that the sotah will drink. From where are these details derived?

Sotah 14 - 7th Day of Pesach - Wednesday April 12, 21 Nissan Apr 09, 2023

Show notes

A number of drashot are brought about Moshe's burial place - how no one knew where exactly he was buried and why specifically was it in Baal Peor. Rabbi Chama bar Chanina taught that one should try to emulate the actions of God as God dressed Adam and Chava, visited Avraham when he was sick, comforted Yitzchak when Avraham died, and buried Moshe. The Torah begins and ends with the gemilut chesed of God. Why did Moshe want to go into Israel so badly and how did God respond to this? The second chapter begins with the mincha (meal) offering that the husband of the sotah brings in the Temple. How is this meal offering different from all other meal offerings? A contradiction is found between our Mishna and a braita as our Mishna says that regular meal offerings were brought in a sanctified vessel and the braita says they were not. How is this resolved? Since the braita mentioned many other details about meal offerings, the Gemara goes through the braita, bringing sources for the details listed.

Sotah 13 - 6th Day of Pesach - Tuesday April 11, 20 Nissan Apr 09, 2023

Show notes

A story is told of the burial of Yaakov and the honor awarded to him by his distant relatives. However, another story is told of an argument that ensued between Esau and Yaakov's sons at Maarat Hamachpela. After some arguing and sending Naftali back to find a deed in Egypt, Chushim, the son of Dan, who was hard of hearing, takes charge of the situation and kills Esau on the spot. Moshe is rewarded for burying Joseph. How did he find where Joseph was buried? Moshe died on the day he was born - from where is this derived? Moshe did not die where he was buried - how do we know this and how did he get to his burial spot?

Sotah 12 - 5th Day of Pesach - Monday April 10, 19 Nissan Apr 09, 2023

Show notes

More drashot are brought about the Jews in Egypt, including Moshe's birth and Miriam's role in his being conceived and watching out for him when he is sent off into the Nile and when he is taken by Pharoah's daughter.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Daf Yomi for Women – Hadran

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected