Daf Yomi for Women - Hadran

Latest Episodes:

Taanit 21 - December 3, 29 Kislev Dec 03, 2021

Show notes

Rabbi Yochanan and Ilfa struggled with trying to learn in the Beit Midrash and also make a living. Ilfa chose to leave the Beit Midrash and get a job and Rabbi Yochanan, after overhearing a conversation among angels, decided to stay in the Beit Midrash. When Ilfa returned to the Beit Midrash, Rabbi Yochanan has become the head of the yeshiva and Ilfa wondered if he made the right decision and came up with a test to see. Stories about Nahum ish Gamzu are brought - he would always say, "This too is for the best." The first story is similar to stories from Taanit 20 as it concerns a wall that was about to collapse. What are the different opinions regarding the numbers for what constitutes pestilence for which fasts need to be instituted? Rav Nachman son of Rav Chisda begged Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak to move to live near him but he was not interested. There were some cities plagued by pestilence or fire but a certain neighborhood was spared. They thought it was due to an important rabbi living among them but that was not the case - it was on account of simple people who helped others in the community. In what cases does one need to be concerned that a calamity in a nearby city will possibly reach them as well? Abba the bloodletter would receive greetings from the yeshiva in the heavens daily, Abaye would receive every erev Shabbat, and Rava on erev Yom Kippur. What did Abba the bloodletter do in his life that merited this honor? Abaye was jealous of this.

Taanit 20 - December 2, 28 Kislev Dec 02, 2021

Show notes

Today's daf is sponsored by Deborah Aschheim Weiss in loving memory of Sara Yehudit Sharf (Sara Yehudit bat Sarah Imanu) on the Shloshim. "You inspired many with your commitment. You chose the Jewish Nation as your people, Hebrew as your language, and the land of Israel and Yerushalayim as your home, studying intensely along the way and marveling at the privilege. You touched the lives of so many around you. You will live on in the hearts and memories of many."

Nadimon ben Gurion is reaching the end of the day in which he needs to repay the loan of the water he borrowed from a wealthy gentile and the rain has still not come. He goes to the Temple to pray and the rain finally comes. However, the gentile claims that the sun has set and he has missed the deadline. However, the clouds move and the sun comes out and Nakdimon is able to repay the debt on time. He is likened to Moshe and Yehoshua who were able to change time. Yehoshua had the sun stand still in battle, but from where do we know that this happened with Moshe? Rav Yehuda had a tradition from Rav of translating certain verses in a manner that was the opposite of the simple reading – sometimes changing a positive verse to have a negative connotation and a negative one to have a positive connotation. A story is told of Rabbi Elazar, the son of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai who met an ugly man and treated him disrespectfully because of his looks. The ugly man reprimanded him and would not forgive him when Rabbi Elazar begged for forgiveness. Rabbi Elazar learned from this situation that one should be soft like a reed and not hard as a cedar tree. For that reason, a reed is used for writing a sefer Torah, tefillin, and mezuzot. One institutes fasts for buildings that collapse but only if it is something unnatural and unexpected. It seems that certain people had enough merits that if there was a wall that was about to fall, their merits would help to keep the wall from falling. A story is told of Rav and Shmuel who avoided a particular wall for years for concern it would fall but when Rav Ada bar Ahava was with them, they walked past the wall. Rav Huna needed to remove items from his house that was about to fall so he coaxed Rav Ada to go into the house so that Rav Huna could enter without concern it would fall on him. Rav Ada only later realized he was being used and gets upset with Rav Huna and tells him that even though he has merits, one should not rely on a miracle and also it will use up his merits! What did Rav Ada do to merit this? We are also told of good deeds Rav Huna was known to have done.

Taanit 19 - December 1, 27 Kislev Dec 01, 2021

Show notes

If a calamity befalls a city or rain doesn't fall, does the nearby city also need to fast and blow the shofar? On what does it depend? When is something considered a plague on account of which fasting is needed - how many deaths in how many days? For what types of calamities can the community cry out in prayer even on Shabbat? One can pray for all sorts of things except if too many rains come and they want to ask for the rains to stop as in the story of Honi HaMaagel. The Mishna describes the whole story about Honi when he prayed for rain and how many stages he had to go through until the rains came in the way he wanted. When the rains were too great and the people asked him to pray for it to stop, he refused as one does not pray for rains to stop. Shimon ben Shetach was surprised by Honi brazen manner in which he demanded rain from God, but conceded that God in fact listened to Honi and therefore it is hard to say anything against him. If one's prayers are answered during the day in which one is fasting, does one continue to fast until the end of the day or is there no need? What is the difference between a famine and a drought? What are different types of rains that some can be good for crops but bad for trees or good for trees but bad for reservoirs, etc? On what issues does one not fast for during the shmita year? Once the Temple was destroyed, the amount of rain decreased and some years there is less rain than needed or the rains do not come in their proper time. A story is told of Nakdimon ben Gurion who borrowed water from a rich gentile for the Jews to have when they came to the Temple for the holiday. He committed to pay a lot of money in the event that he didn't return the water in time. The day the loan was due came and there was still no rain. The gentile began to mock Nakdimon, but Nakdimon claimed that he still had until the end of the day to pay back the loan. The story continues on the next daf...

Taanit 18 - November 30, 26 Kislev Nov 30, 2021

Show notes

A number of aspects regarding the days mentioned in Megillat Taanit in the month of Nissan need clarification. Why is there an overlap of days? Regarding the debate in the Mishna about whether the days before or after are also days on which one cannot fast, who do we hold like? Different opinions are brought. Rabbi Yochanan is quoted as ruling on this issue like Rabbi Yosi. However, this seems to contradict an unattributed Mishna and it is known that Rabbi Yochanan always holds by unattributed Mishnayot. How is that resolved? In the context of all these discussions, several other days listed in Megillat Taanit come up and the Gemara explains why these days were days for celebration. The third chapter begins with a description of other calamities that would be reason to declare a fast. However, there is no waiting period for those, as there is by the rains.

Taanit 17 - November 29, 25 Kislev, 1st Day of Chanukah Nov 29, 2021

Show notes

This week's daf is sponsored by Rivka and Martin Himmel for the week of Chanuka.

Today's daf is sponsored by Carol Robinson and Arthur Gould in loving memory of Carol's father Louis Robinson, Yehuda Leib ben Moshe, z"l. "Today – the first day of Hanukah – we mark his 22nd yahrtzeit. Lou was devoted to his family and his synagogue. We love him and miss him very much."

The language of some of the blessing is a subject of debate. What are the issues? What are the differences regarding laws such as not drinking wine for Kohanim whose rotation in the Temple is that week or who are part of the family that works on that particular day? The same laws apply even if the Kohanim do not come to the Temple or seemingly, even nowadays that there is no Temple. Why? What are the laws for someone who no longer knows what is the week he is supposed to be there - is he ever permitted to drink wine? How often does a king of a High Priest get a haircut? What are the issues regarding cutting hair for regular kohanim? Details are derived from the laws of the nazir. Are these laws still applicable today? From where are the laws of cutting hair and not drinking wine derived? Is there a reason to distinguish between them nowadays? Megillat Taanit specifies days one cannot eulogize. Rabbi Yosi holds that the day before and after are also forbidden. Two cases of a range of days mentioned in Megillat Taanit are quoted 1-8 of Nissan and 8-end of Pesach. Several questions are raised against these cases.

Taanit 16 - November 28, 24 Kislev Nov 28, 2021

Show notes

Why is the Ark taken out to the streets? Several answers are given. Why are ashes placed on the heads of the leaders and on the heads of the people? If there is no elder, who makes the speech to encourage people to repent? Does an elder mean someone who is also a scholar? The speech includes mention of the people of Ninveh who repented. How did they repent? If someone repents without changing one's actions, it is like going to the mikveh with a sheretz in one's hand. What exactly are the criteria for the leader of the prayers? A discussion ensues about the exact text of the six additional blessings and also an addition is made to the blessing before the additions ('the redeemer of Israel'). What was done in the Temple differently?

Taanit 15 - Shabbat November 27, 23 Kislev Nov 26, 2021

Show notes

How do the prayers work during the last set of fasts? The Ark is taken into the street - why? Ashes are placed on the heads of the leaders and then the people also put on their own heads. An elder gets up and stresses how God isn't interested in our fasts and sackcloth but in our actions. There are criteria for choosing who will lead the prayers. An extra six blessings are added into the shmoneh esreh prayer and the shofar is sounded for each extra blessing. What is said in the body of each blessing and how does each blessing end? In the time of Rabbi Chalafta and Rabbi Chanina ben Tradion, the people answered as they did in the Temple instead of answering amen is as done outside the Temple and the rabbis were not pleased with this. What are the rules regarding fasting for the Kohanim who are on duty to work in the temple that week when the fast comes out? What else are they prohibited to do on the week that they are working on the Temple. What exceptions are made? The dates mentioned in Megillat Taanit - can one fast the day before or after? On what does it depend and what are the different opinions? Fasts always are scheduled for Mondays and Thursdays but each set begins on a Monday, never on a Thursday - why? If fasts are declared and later they realize that one of the dates falls Rosh Chodesh or Chanuka or Purim, do they still fast? The Gemara discusses the placing of the ashes and why it is done in that order and in the particular manner discussed in the Mishna?

Taanit 14 - November 26, 22 Kislev Nov 26, 2021

Show notes

The question against Rav Yitzchak's opinion regarding an individual who says the 'aneinu' prayer adds it in the blessing of 'shomea tefilla' is resolved. Do we hold like Rav Yitzchak? Do pregnant and nursing women fast on public fasts? When it says in the Mishna that on the third set of fasts, 'matri'in' - does that mean to blow the shofar or to pray 'aneinu'? In the time of Rabbi Yehuda Nesi'a there was no rain and even after the third set of fasts there was still no rain. He instituted more fasts. Rabbi Ami disagreed with this. Would one distinguish in this regard between rains and other calamities? If so, how and why? People who need rain in times that are opposite the ones where rain is needed in Israel, how should they add the prayer for rain - in the regular place or in the middle of the blessing of 'shomea tefilla'. What did the Mishna mean exactly regarding how and when stores are opened on Thursdays? If all the fasts pass and there is still no rain, the Mishna described a number of things that people do not do such as build, plant, etc. What type of building/planting is prohibited? One should not greet another. What if someone greets you who doesn't know this law, can you respond, and if so, in what manner? Not everyone can fall on their faces in prayer and not everyone can tear their clothes. Who can and who cannot and what are the issues with these actions?

Taanit 13 - November 25, 21 Kislev Nov 25, 2021

Show notes

Study Guide Taanit 13

Today's daf is sponsored by Bill and Shira Futornick in loving memory of their grandmother and great-grandmother Ruth, Rivka Rach bat Chaim Tzvi z"l, on her 39th yahrzeit. "She lost her husband at an early age and raised two daughters as a single mom. Grandma Ruth was the embodiment of kindness and chutzpah."

Today's daf is also sponsored by Naama Livner in loving memory of Gladis Livner, a loving mother and grandmother. "She learned Torah with love and dedication. She moved to Israel with her family and built a tribe. She loved Israel, the nation and Torah."

Today's daf is also sponsored by Tova and Tzvi Sinensky in loving memory of Aunt Bracha - Gloria Mehler. "She would have been overjoyed by the numbers of women who are studying daf yomi. She continues to inspire us to learn and educate our daughters and make them feel like full participants in our Mesorah."

What is the schedule on the public fast days - what needs to be done, when? Rav Chisda is quoted as saying that when washing is prohibited on account of mourning, one is prohibited to wash in warm or cold water but when one is prohibited to wash due to avoiding pleasure, such as on public fasts, one is permitted to wash in cold water. Several sources are brought to either support Rav Chisda's statement or to raise a question against it. In one version of Rava's statement, he is quoted as saying a mourner is permitted to bathe in cold water. A source is brought to question Rava and an additional one to provide support for Rava's opinion. A different version of Rava's statement says the opposite, that he holds that a mourner is forbidden to bathe in hot water. A source is brought to try to prove this version. There is a debate where the prayer of Aneinu is added to the prayers by an individual who accepted upon oneself a fast. Is it a separate blessing or is it added to the blessing of "shomea tefilla"?

Taanit 12 - November 24, 20 Kislev Nov 24, 2021

Show notes

Study Guide Taanit 12

What does "fasting for hours" mean and how does Rav Chisda define this? Is it considered fasting if one does not fast until sunset? Rav Chisda held that it is not a fast and the Gemara brings three sources that raise a difficulty on his opinion. Shmuel says one who accepts upon oneself to fast should accept it beforehand. When? Shmuel says in the mincha prayer and Rav says during the time of mincha (and it is understood from him that it is possible to even a few days before). Rav Yosef tries to prove from the words of Megillat Ta'anit that Shmuel is correct but his proof is rejected as there is a debate about the wording of the Megillat Ta'anit. Individual fasts - are the laws severe as in Yom Kippur and Tisha B'av (and public fasts)? On what does it depend? Are there public fasts in Babylonia and what does this exactly mean? Is it possible to postpone an individual's fast to another day if necessary? What is the difference between a fast on a dream and the other fasts? The Mishna explains the severity of the second and third series of public fasts. What is forbidden on these days? What happens if after all the series of fasts (three series - thirteen days of fasting) they did not receive an answer? Why on these fasts is it forbidden to work? They compare, based on a verse in Yoel 1:14 fasts to holidays.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Daf Yomi for Women – Hadran

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected