Daf Yomi for Women - Hadran

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Rosh Hashanah 18 - October 27, 21 Cheshvan Oct 27, 2021

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Today's Daf is sponsored by Rina Goldberg in memory of her aunt, Valley Densa, z"l, "who lived to the age of 100 plus. She, like her siblings, was educated in the Hildesheimer Yeshiva in Berlin and lived a life replete with Chesed." And by the Fortinskys "Mazal tov to Goody and Eric Weil, on Netanel and Adina's wedding."

Is repentance strong enough to repeal a divine decree that has been sealed, even for an individual? There is a tannaitic debate on this issue. Can one definitely repeal a divine decree for the community? There are verses that seem to suggest otherwise. How can this be understood? When they would sanctify the new moon and determine the first day of the month, they would send messengers to let people know of the date of the new moon so that they would know when to celebrate holidays and fast days. Since not all the months have holidays and fast days, they would only send out messengers six months of the year. Why not for Tevet and Tamuz that also have fast days? The nature of those fasts is different as derived from a verse in Zecharia as the nature of the day and the nature of the obligation changes in a time of peace, when the enemy rules, and when it is neither. There is a debate between Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Shimon regarding the dates of some of the fasts and what is the event for which we are fasting. Megillat Taanit was a book listing days on which miracles happened so that people would know that it is forbidden to fast and eulogize on those days. Was that book cancelled after the Temple was destroyed, just as the fast were reinstituted or not? It is a subject of debate. The Gemara raises questions against those who say that it was cancelled.

Rosh Hashanah 17 - October 26, 20 Cheshvan Oct 26, 2021

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Today's daf is dedicated in memory of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks on his first yahrzeit. And for a refuah shleima to Hannah bat Hessa.

There is a Beit Shamai/Beit Hillel debate regarding what will happen to the middle person (beinoni) during the resurrection of the dead. Will they descend to Hell to achieve atonement and then after suffering there, will be raised up, based on the prayer of Chana, "God will bring down to sheol (the depths) and raise up"? Or will they not have to go through that suffering at all, and will be saved because of the compassion of God. Who falls into the category of the evil people who will remain in Hell forever? According to Beit Shamai who holds that the middle people will go to Hell first, they will forever have an imprint of that on their faces. According to Beit Hillel's approach, it is explained that the middle people split into three categories - one whose sins are greater than one's merits, one whose sins and merits are equal but have sinned with their bodies, and ones who are equal and have not sinned with their bodies. The destiny of each group is different. Beit Hillel's explanation was based on his understanding of one of the 13 divine attributes of God, rav chesed, full of compassion. How exactly does God employ this attribute to have the merits outweigh the sins? A few possibilities are suggested. A verse was quoted from Micha, referring to the divine attributes of God and this is used to also teach that one who overlooks one who did something bad to him/her, God will forgive their sins. A story of Rav Huna son of Rav Yehoshua is brought to prove this. Another explanation of the latter part of that verse is brought to teach the importance of humility. It is further taught that God first rules with justice and later with compassion and that is proven from several verses. God taught Moshe the thirteen attributes to be used anytime the people sinned and were in need of forgiveness. Rabbi Yochanan explains how great repentance is that it can overturn a divine decree. Several questions are raised against Rabbi Yochanan's statement and are resolved.

Rosh Hashanah 16 - October 25, 19 Cheshvan Oct 25, 2021

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Today's daf is sponsored by Stacey Goodstein Ashtamker in memory of her beloved mother Arlene Goodstein whose 6th yahrzeit is today. "My mother was a very special woman who loved to learn and who was especially committed to Judaism and built a strong Jewish home. She would be amazed that I began this daf yomi journey and that I have been studying the daf every day for close to 2 years. She is especially missed today, as tomorrow her oldest granddaughter Chana will marry Iddo in the holy city of Jerusalem. We are sure she is with us at this moment and will be dancing with us tomorrow night."

There are four times a year the world is judged – on Pesach for grain, on Shavuot for fruits, on Rosh Hashanah people appear before God like the benei maron (sheep) and on Sukkot for water. How exactly are we judged for grain on Pesach? Does this relate to the wheat that is already growing or for the new crop that will be planted later in the year? In the end, it is understood that each crop gets judged twice – each Pesach for the crop that is already growing as well as the crop that will be planted. The Gemara brings a braita with four different opinions about when the world is judged and none of these opinions matches the Mishna. To resolve this a braita is recorded in the name of Rabbi Yishmael that matches the opinion in the Mishna. Why does Rabbi Yosi (quoted in the braita) hold that people are judged every day and why did he not hold like Rabbi Natan who held that they are judged every hour? The same verse used to answer that question is used to teach that if a king and the community are going in front of the judge, the king goes first either because it's not appropriate to make the king wait outside or better to let him go before the judge gets angry from dealing with all the sins of the others. If, according to most of the opinions, people are judged once a year, then why do we pray daily? Perhaps our prayers for the sick are only meaningful according to Rabbi Yosi who holds that we are judged on a daily basis? Our prayers also could also be understood according to others, as Rabbi Yitzchak holds that prayers can be effective even after God has decreed what will be. A braita connects between the offerings brought on the holidays and the item for which we are judged at that time. We use the shofar made from a ram on Rosh Hashanah to remind God of the akeida/binding of Yitzchak – blowing the shofar is as if we bound ourselves before God. Rabbi Yitzchak explained that some blasts are done sitting (before the silent prayer) and some standing (during the silent prayer) in order to confuse the Satan. A number of other statements of his are brought regarding a number of different issues including, one is judged only based on his deeds now, as learning from Yishmael in the Torah, what can be done to change a heavenly decree, one should visit one's Rabbi as well as purify oneself on the holidays. Derivations from the verses are brought for each statement. On Rosh Hashanah three books are opened – for the righteous, the average and the evil people. Immediate decisions are made for the righteous and the evil, and the average people's judgment is detained until Yom Kippur. Two different verses are brought as the source for the concept that there are three books. Beit Shamai discusses the same three categories of people in the context of the resurrection of the dead – what will happen to each type?

Rosh Hashanah 15 - October 24, 18 Cheshvan Oct 24, 2021

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Study Guide Rosh Hashanah 15

Today's daf is sponsored by Beth Kissileff ,on the 18 of Heshvan, in memory of the eleven Jews killed at Dor Hadash, New Light and Tree of Life synagogues in Pittsburgh in 2018. "They were all people who came early to shul and were concerned about creating community, in their individual ways and within their own limits and abilities. Hashem yikom damam." Joyce Fienberg, Richard Gottfried, Rose Mallinger, Jerry Rabinowitz, Cecil Rosenthal, David Rosenthal, Bernice Simon, Sylvan Simon, Daniel Stein, Melvin Wax, and Irving Younge.

This week's learning is dedicated by Martin Gaynor in memory of Jerry Rabinowitz, Yehuda ben Yekhezkel v'Selma, z"l, a kind, caring, and giving individual, who loved Yiddishkeit and loved learning.

There are four tannaitic opinions for how to treat etrogs regarding tithing and regarding shemita. According to Rabban Gamliel's approach, that in the matter of tithes, they go after the time of picking, like vegetables, is their Rosh Hashanah on Tishrei also like vegetables? No! The Rosh Hashanah for the tithes of etrogs is Tu B'Shvat. The Gemara brings the opinion of two amoraim and also then other tannatic opinions regarding produce that budded in one year and was picked in the next. One of the factors in the practical law here is that if fruits are declared ownerless (as happens with shmita produce), it is no longer obligated in tithes. The Gemara quotes a braita in the matter of fruit trees in general. Rabbi Nechemia's position is brought who says that fruit trees follow budding only in trees whose fruits ripen at different times during the year. Rabbi Yochanan brings the custom of those who followed Rabbi Nechemia when it came to carob trees and Reish Lakish questioned him from a braita. Rabbi Yochanan was silent and didn't respond. How can his silence be understood? After all, he had arguments he could have made against Reish Lakish!

Rosh Hashanah 14 - Shabbat October 23, 17 Cheshvan Oct 22, 2021

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How do the three statements of Shmuel works together and can be explained in a way that his statements don't contradict each other? There is a debate between Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yosi HaGalili about why vegetables are not treated like grains, grapes and olives regarding the stage at which maaser and shmita is determined. The Mishna brought a debate between Beit Shamai and Beit Hillel regarding the date for the new year for trees. A case is brought with Rabbi Akiva who was stringent for both opinions and took maaser on an etrog based on two different years. However, Rabbi Yosi bar Yehuda explains the Rabbi Akiva took two different years of maaser not because of the debate between Beit Shamai and Beit Hillel but because of a different debate between Rabbi Eliezer and Rabban Gamliel regarding etrog - is it treated like a fruit or a vegetable for maaser. Questions are raised on each of the two explanations of Rabbi Akiva's action. If an etrog is treated like a vegetable for maaser, then does the date for the new year follow the date for vegetables or fruits?

Rosh Hashanah 13 - October 22, 16 Cheshvan Oct 22, 2021

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Today's daf is sponsored by Debbie Gevir to commemorate the 3rd Yarzheit of her dear father, Joseph Gindsberg on the 17th of Cheshvan. "Amongst his many unique qualities, my father had a love for language and a particular expertise in using it to enhance Torah reading and liturgical practice. I am sure he would be proud to know that my Aramaic is improving daily by learning daf yomi with Rabbanit Michelle Farber, and my wonderful hevrutot! Yehi zichro Baruch." Any by Sylvia Simmons in memory of her grandmother Rachel Wohl (Rachel Leah bat Avraham Mordechai) on her yahrzeit today. And anonymously in memory of the Rav Shach, Elazar Menachem Man ben Ezriel.

From where do we know that the year for taking tithes of grains, grapes and olives is determined based on when they have reached a third of their growth? Rabbi Yirmiya questions how can the rabbis know exactly when a fruit has reached a third. Rabbi Zeira gets upset with him and insists that the rabbis can be precise in their measurements. Rabbi Yirmiya is convinced by Rabbi Zeira's answer and brings an example from the Omer sacrifice the first year the Jews were in the land of Israel and proves from there that they must have been precise about determining that the food had not reached a third of its growth the previous year when it was owned by gentiles. However, his proof is rejected as it is possible that food had not even reached a quarter of its growth before the new year had started. The proof brought earlier regarding the grains, grapes, and olives that the determining date is when they have reached a third of their growth, is rejected and a different proof text is brought. A Mishna from Shviit 2:7 establishes that rice, millet and other items are considered shmita produce if they took root during the shmita year. However, this doesn't seem to match what we have learned that trees go by when they budded, grains, grapes and olives when they reach a third. and vegetables by when they are cut. The time of taking root is a rabbinic law to prevent issues like one taking truma and maaser from produce that took root the previous year on produce that too root this year. Why can't they use a different solution - mix it all together and take tithes from the mixture and likely there will be some percentage of this year's produce and some from last and that should cover what is needed to be taken for both years (this process is called bila), as Rabbi Shimon Shezuri had suggested. Shmuel is quoted as saying that we rule like Rabbi Shimon Shezura. However, he is also quoted as saying we do not allow bila, other than for liquids. brings three different statements of Shmuel regarding this issue and they seem to contradict each other. A third statement of Shmuel is brought to resolve the contradiction, however, it is not yet clear how it resolves it.

Rosh Hashanah 12 - October 21, 15 Cheshvan Oct 21, 2021

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Study Guide Rosh Hashanah 12

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Today's daf is sponsored anonymously in memory of the Chazon Ish, Avraham Yeshaya ben Shmaryahu Yosef.

Rabbi Eliezer said that on the 17th of Marcheshvan the flood began and that God changed the rules of nature. Two questions are asked about this: 1. It is written in the second month and that it is Iyar. 2. What is the change from the rules of nature - after all, rains fall in Marcheshvan and Kima rises during the day during this period and from there the rains came. They answer that second is second to the judgment (In Tishrei the previous year it was decreed that there would be a flood). And the change from nature was that boiling water came down. In a braita, it appears that the sages of Israel count the years from the creation of the world from Tishrei but for the tekufa, from Nissan. And the nations of the world count from Nissan. The Gemara goes back to the Mishna and discusses the next line: vegetables. A braita is brought, where both vegetables and tithes appear - if a vegetable means for tithing, why are both mentioned? The Gemara distinguishes between those who owe tithes from the Torah (grains, grapes, and olives) and those from rabbinic law (vegetables). Why is everything written in the plural form - vegetables, tithes? What is the relevance of the first of Tishrei being the Rosh Hashanah for tithes? One, one cannot tithe produce from one year to the next, and two, for determining years as to which tithe is brought - the second tithe or a poor tithe. Where do we learn that in a year when there is a tithe for the poor one does not take the second tithe but one still takes the first tithe to give to the Levites? In the braita quoted earlier, vows also were mentioned. What is this relevant for? And why did is it Tishrei and not Nissan? Because regarding vows we go by the language of people generally use and people generally consider Tishrei the first day of the year. The Gemara quotes a Mishna in the matter of tithes which discusses the stage of growth in which it is determined to which year it belongs. From where is this derived?

Rosh Hashanah 11 - October 20, 14 Cheshvan Oct 20, 2021

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Study Guide Rosh Hashanah 11

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This month of learning is sponsored in memory of Dr. Chaya R. Gorsetman, Chaya bat Esriel ה'Naomi z'l during the period of shloshim by her husband, children, and grandchildren. "We especially wanted to sponsor Talmud learning in honor of Chaya because Chaya learned gemara with her father, Esriel, starting in the sixth grade. This was an unusual opportunity for women at that time and Esriel loved Gemara and made it come alive for Chaya. This experience impacted her life's work, educating novice teachers to give children the tools to nurture their wonder and natural curiosity, in order to make them lifelong learners. As part of her educational philosophy and life, Chaya championed greater involvement and engagement of women in Orthodox Jewish life, so it feels especially meaningful to sponsor learning through Hadran, an organization dedicated to inspiring and enabling Jewish women across the world to learn Talmud.

What are the sources upon which both Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua derive each of the dates of the events discussed - the creation of the world, birth and death date of Avraham and Yaakov, and of Yitchak, Sarah, Rachel, and Chana's prayers were answered (to have children), the release of Joseph from jail, Jews stopped being slaves in Egypt, the Exodus from Egypt, and the future redemption. They have another debate regarding the date of the flood which is dependent on their debate regarding the creation of the world. Rabbi Eliezer who holds that the world was created in Nissan holds that the flood began on 17 Cheshvan. Rabbi Yehuda who holds that the world was created in Tishrei holds that the flood began on 17 Iyar.

Rosh Hashanah 10 - October 19, 13 Cheshvan Oct 19, 2021

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Study Guide Rosh Hashanah 10

Today's daf is sponsored by Heather (Hadar) Stone in honor of her daughter, Hila bat Hadar ve'Yehezkel on her commission as a second lieutenant in the IDF Education command. "So proud of you and your accomplishments. Can't wait to see where you lead next." And by Jordana Hyman "to our amazing daughter, Prielle Hyman Borowski, on her giyus today. We are bursting with pride and excitement as you begin your service. May Hashem protect you and bless you always, with your fellow soldiers. With love, Mum and Dad."

A braita explains that if a tree was planted 30 thirty days before Rosh Hashanah, it will be counted as its second year on the first of Tishrei. However, the fruits are still considered orla after the third year until the 15th of Shvat (of the fourth year) if they budded before then. And the same holds true for laws of neta revai on the fifth year. Does the braita not work with Rabbi Meir's opinion that even a day counts as a year when determining that an animal is a 3-year old bull (required for sacrifices that are to be brought with a bull), because the braita required thirty days? Perhaps one could distinguish between the end of a count (when the bull begins his third year - where one day counts) and the beginning of the count (planted before Rosh Hashanah - where one day would not count). The Gemara rejects this distinction based on a woman who is a Niddah who on the last day requires a complete day but on the first day, even a part of the day counts as a whole day. If the braita does not like Rabbi Meir, by default, it must hold like Rabbi Elazar who holds that the bull needs one month into its third year to be considered a bull. However, that is also difficult as then the braita should require 60 days - 30 for the tree to take root and 30 for it to be considered its own year. A braita is brought with different opinions regarding how much time is needed to take root - 30 days, 3 days or two weeks. None of the opinions match the original braita which seems to require no time for taking root, if in fact the thirty days are based on Rabbi Elazar. The braita is then explained according to Rabbi Meir who requires only one day for the year and thirty for it to take root. Why, then, does the braita not say 31? The thirtieth day counts for both. Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Elazar both derive their opinions from the same verse from Breishit 8:13 about when the waters of the flood dried - in the 601st year on the first day of the first month. Each one uses it to prove his opinion. A braita is brought with a debate about whether the world was created on the first of Nissan or Tishrei. Various other events are given a date as well.

Rosh Hashanah 9 - October 18, 12 Cheshvan Oct 18, 2021

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The words "It shall be a jubilee year the fiftieth year"(Vayikra 25:11) are derived by Rabbi Yishmael son of Rabbi Yochanan ben Broka to teach that one may have thought we add extra days onto the jubilee year at the end of the year in the same way that we added onto it in the beginning (between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur), however, the verse comes to exclude that possibility. The rabbis derive from the verse that the fiftieth year counts as the last year of the seven shmita cycles (year 50), but it does not also count as the first year of the new shmita cycle. This is to go against Rabbi Yehuda who held that it counts as both. The concept suggested previously of extending the sanctity of the jubilee year beyond the fiftieth year is derived by Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yishmael each from one of two places – either from the words "And from plowing and harvesting one should rest" (Shmot 34:21) or from Yom Kippur "on the ninth one should afflict one's soul" (Vayikra 23:32) and from "from eve to eve." What does each derive from the verse that the other uses as his proof? A braita brings other drashot from the words "It shall be a jubilee year" that even if not all actions are taken by the people in the jubilee year, it is still considered the jubilee year. Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yosi each derive differently which actions are referred to in the drasha and which are not, meaning, which are in fact necessary. According to Rabbi Yosi, one cannot have the jubilee year without blowing the shofar, but it can happen without freeing slaves. Two explanations are brought to explain why. On what basis does Rabbi Yehuda explain differently, that slaves must be freed, however, if they work the land or do not blow the shofar, the jubilee year will still happen. A third position of the rabbis is brought that all three actions are necessary. According to them, the words "It shall be a jubilee year" come to include places outside of Israel. The first of Tishrei is the new year also for planting – as regards laws of orla. This is derived from a gzeira shava from the verses. In order to count as a full year of orla, the tree must be planted at least a month before the end of the year.

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