The Gemara in Masechet Ta’anit (29a) tells us, “Rabbi Yehuda son of Rav Shmuel ben Shilat taught in the name of Rav: Just as when the month of Av begins we diminish our happiness, so too, when Adar begins we increase our happiness. Rav Papa says, therefore, if a Jew has a court case with…
Tag: Gemara
Daf for Sunday, Tzom Gedalya – Chagigah 20
Daf Notes is currently being dedicated to the neshamah of Tzvi Gershon Ben Yoel (Harvey Felsen) o”h May the studying of the Daf Notes be a zechus for his neshamah and may his soul find peace in Gan Eden and be bound up in the Bond of life. Rav Mari proves from the Mishna that…
Daf for Shabbos – Chagigah 19
Daf Notes is currently being dedicated to the neshamah of Tzvi Gershon Ben Yoel (Harvey Felsen) o”h May the studying of the Daf Notes be a zechus for his neshamah and may his soul find peace in Gan Eden and be bound up in the Bond of life. Rav Nachman rules: One who is…
Daf Insight
The Gemara (Chagigah 4b) states: R. Eleazar, when he came to the [following] verse, wept: And Samuel said to Saul: Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? Now if Samuel, the righteous, was afraid of the Judgment, how much more so should we be! How do we know this about Samuel? — For…
Daf for Monday – Moed Katan 28
Please have our brothers and sisters living in Eretz Yisroel in mind when you are learning the Daf. It should also be l’zchus Refuah Shleimah for all the injured Israeli soldiers. Daf Notes is currently being dedicated to the neshamah of Tzvi Gershon Ben Yoel (Harvey Felsen) o”h May the studying of the Daf Notes…
Kiddushin 40b
One Should Constantly View Himself as Half Innocent and Half Guilty Our Sages (Kiddushin 40b) teach us that one should always view himself as half innocent and half guilty. If one performs one Mitzvah, he is praiseworthy, for he has tipped the scale to the innocent side. If one transgresses one prohibition, woe unto him,…
Is it impossible for one to repent?
Question: Is it possible that one can act so sinfully before Hashem that it will be impossible for one to repent? Answer: The Gemara (Chagiga 15a) recounts the story of Elisha ben Avuya, also nicknamed “Acher” (the other one), one of the teachers of Rabbi Meir Ba’al Ha’Ness. He was a tremendous genius in Torah…
obligation to cover one’s head
Question: Must one wear a Kippa on one’s head at the beach? (Obviously, this refers to a situation where being present at the beach poses no modesty concerns, such as in Israel where there are kosher, separate beaches for men and women.) Similarly, when one wishes to recite a blessing, is placing one’s hand on…
Tu Be’av
Tomorrow, Monday, marks Tu Be’av, the Fifteenth of Av. The Mishnah in Masechet Ta’anit (26b) states: “Rabban Shimon ben Gamilel said: There were no better days for the Jewish nation than the Fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur, for on the Fifteenth of Av the young women of Jerusalem would go out wearing borrowed white…
Daf Notes
The Mishna had stated: This is the general rule: A mitzvah that must be performed during the night may be performed the entire night. The Gemora asks: What is the Mishna coming to include? The Gemora answers: The rule is adding the mitzvah of eating the korban Pesach and it is not following the opinion…
