יום שלישי, כ״ה תשרי תשפ״זTuesday, October 6, 2026
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Twin Firstborn Sheep – Which Is the Bechor? “It Is Impossible to Ascertain Exactly” (Bechoros 17b-18a)
“When I took my sukkah out from the storage room, one of the beams was missing,” he said to Mr. Baum. “It seems that you must have taken it by mistake.” He pointed to the beam with the string.
By Moshe Gantz and Joseph Miller
We should be careful not to confuse a hiddur with basic kashrus. A beautifully smooth sheet of klaf is not automatically more kosher than a less attractive one. Likewise, white parchment is not inherently superior simply because it looks cleaner.
By Moshe Gantz and Joseph Miller
the parchment maker is not simply producing a nice piece of leather for the sofer. The thickness of what remains and the surface upon which the writing will eventually be placed can themselves have halachic consequences.
Rare and Difficult to Perform “If He Has No Lamb with Which to Redeem It…” (Bechoros 11a)
“You shall take for yourselves (lachem) on the first day…” that on the first day a person cannot fulfill the mitzvah with a borrowed set of four minim, only with a set that is granted to him as a gift (Sukkah 41a-b; O.C. 658:3).
Sextuplets: No Other Solution “A Levite Exempted an Israelite, His Animal Exempted…” (Bechoros 4a)
In the case of a single victim, if a person stole and is uncertain whether he returned the money but the victim claims definitively that it was not returned, the thief is required by law to pay, like other cases in which there is a definite debt and uncertainty about whether the money was returned (C.M. 75:9).
We are blessed to live in a land of plenty. Pleasures and enjoyment abound, and there is little to stop us from indulging. This is not only true about sinful and forbidden pleasures, but even regarding enjoyments that are acceptable within reason.
Suffice it to say that on a practical level, we believe that although there is a fate that is likely to some degree, it can still be averted through merit and/or preventive action.
Remember the Sabbath Day… “Shiluach HaKen Is Both in the Time of the Temple and After” (Chulin 138)
Rabbi Stern shook his head. “Who said that you were given precedence?” he argued. “We each took a day, with its ups and downs. If you are entitled to that right, though, I’m not going to take it from you.”
The wisdom of the body isn’t just that it has openings and cavities, but how precisely they’re arranged. Every part is set up with an eye toward what would happen if things were arranged differently.
The truth is that we all have a mental image/picture of what we would like to be. We all have aspirations to achieve certain levels of accomplishment, based on our values and goals.
It is true that, in certain cases, when someone relies on the professional opinion of another and thereby suffers a loss, the professional carries liability for the loss.
By Moshe Gantz and Joseph Miller
The mezuzah is not guarding the house independently. Hashem is guarding the house.
A Dutch Treat “Money That Has No Claimants’ (Chulin 131b-132a)
Of course, it is difficult to make judgments, and everyone has to be careful about this because the mitzvah of tzedakah is sacred. It might appear that the person is lazy or indulgent, but there may be more complexity to the story such as depression or addiction.
Each year as Yamim Noraim, these holy days, approach, I travel back to that scene behind the curtain. I thank my father for teaching me this incredible path towards teshuvah, returning to be the person I was meant to be.
“Since there are no simanim, though, the owner will eventually have yei’ush,” Chaim reasoned. “So, what's the point of leaving it there in the meantime?”
The Frankfurt Jews’ Street Dilemma “All That Are Metam’ei Meis B’Ohel…” (Chulin 124b)
There is a rabbinic requirement that one must go into Shabbos with the attitude that all his business matters are complete and taken care of (Rashi on Shemos 20:9, quoting Mechilta).
Unfamiliarity always breeds anxiety and discomfort. It’s all the more so when that unease is combined with expectations and fear of not living up to those expectations.
It is always challenging to assess our own growth. Our evil inclination within us minimizes our accomplishments and highlights our deficiencies, making us feel woefully inadequate and feel like failures.
I’m certainly willing to have the case adjudicated in beis din, Mr. Sorscher said, but I now live in another city. I shouldn’t have to travel back just to explain to you why I don’t have to pay. We can adjudicate in my local beis din.
The Meat Is Kosher…Treifah…Kosher…Treifah… “If One Clotted Blood” (Chulin 120a)
While technically, there may be those who would not respect the sanctity of the place, or it might end up becoming overrun, we can say the same thing about our Temples that were destroyed.
“But you were away for two weeks!” replied Mr. Rubin. “Leaving a skylight open that long is negligence, not an unavoidable accident. And our lease specifically states that the tenant is responsible for damage resulting from negligence.”
What About the Pot? “…[Hot] Fish That Was Served on a [Meat] Plate…” (Chulin 111b)
Interestingly, there was no correlation between positive peer influences and negative peer influences. In other words, children can have peers on both extremes and maintain relationships with them with no statistical increase in peer influence.
People procrastinate because they feel too anxious to do what they need/want to do. The problem is that procrastinating only exacerbates feelings of anxiety.
Mr. Nathan walked home thoughtfully. He had a good bike that was almost never used; the last time he had ridden it was years ago. His grandchildren used to ride the bike when they visited, but they had moved to Israel the previous year.
Sefas Emes answers that since Shabbos is enacted by Hashem alone, it has less influence over a person than mitzvos that he partners in.
Caring for the Sick on Yom Kippur “His Gullet Has Derived Enjoyment…” (Chulin 103b)
When we use our mouths to say the wrong things, it weakens the incredible power that our mouths wield, especially when we daven.
“You still have to watch what you’re doing, especially when working near the house,” said Mr. Mazer. “You damaged my property, so you should pay for the repair.”
Even Stricter Than a Prohibition “We Rely on a Gentile…” (Chulin 97a)
'Do not abandon the Torah of your mother' teaches that alongside striving for lofty ideals, a person must also practice wisdom, balance, and self-care.
The mezuzahs are not assumed to be included in the price of the house, especially if they are high-quality.
Feather Plucking 101 “The Blood Will Easily Flow Out” (Chulin 93b)
The point is, these blessings of Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa are not a reward for humility, but rather a consequence of humility. Humility makes space for G-d to manifest.
The true greatness of G-d lies in the fact that despite His omnipotence, He indeed loves every miniscule one of His creations, and cares for the individual welfare of each one.
“We should notify the congregants that we reached the goal,” a board member urged. “There is no need for additional sponsors.” “Why stop people from donating?” said the treasurer. “We can use the additional amount for general shul expenditures. I see this as a good fundraising cause!”
Bullish or Not? “Where Two Bought, [One] A Cow and [The Other] Its Calf…” (Chulin 82)
The most famous of Rabbi Shimon’s opinions is that he will infer the implied logical reason for a commandment, and then use that reason to allow for exceptions when it runs against the apparent logic.
As long as the Beis HaMikdash is not rebuilt and korbanos are not being offered, things are not as they should be. The greatest challenge for us is that we don’t even know what we are missing.
He turned on music and shifted in his seat, struggling to ward off his tiredness. “Only 20 minutes left,” Ari said to himself. A moment later, his eyes closed.
Kosher “Oxymoron” “The Divine Law Permits It With (Any Two) Of Four Simanim” (Chulin 75)
On the individual consumer end, there is less education and more propaganda promoting medical interventions than a belief that overall, it is a natural experience which is not necessarily traumatic and is no worse or better than other developmental difficulties, and part of human experience.
One of the greatest tragedies is when a new inductee stands at his/her bar/bas mitzvah smiling for pictures and enjoying the “induction ceremony,” but in reality, has absolutely no idea how to be a soldier or how to “handle” the weapons.
Because the words of Torah gladden the heart, studying Torah is forbidden when Tisha B’Av is on a weekday, except for passages in Scripture that deal with the destruction of the Temple and other calamities.
The flight went smoothly. After checking in to his hotel, Mr. Fine placed the phone on the desk in his room until Mr. Neuman’s son would collect it. That evening, he went out to dinner with several business associates. When he returned, the phone had vanished!
An Argument with Karaites “A Fetus that Partially Left the Womb” (Chulin 69a)
A central halachic and emotional theme of the day is to avoid diverting our minds from this national mourning.
I don’t know what the state of the world will be in by the time you read these words. I do know that every day brings more confusion, more anxiety, loss of trust, and even loss of life. What can we do? What must we do?
It seems to be pretty clear that although the war with Iran went basically as anticipated, from the point of view of the Americans and the Israelis, the peace “agreement” is not quite what was anticipated.
Furthermore, the two sides – sharpness and softness – represent a unification of two opposite but necessary features that it takes to fulfill the Torah: humility and brazenness.
There’s something nice about getting a haircut. For a few days the person looks put together and fresh.
We feel guilty and want to help them, but we also feel frustrated because we might know that their pattern is self-destructive or that somehow, they’re doing this to themselves.
We pray for the hasty coming of Mashiach but might not return to the state of purity during the usable lifetime of this calf.
Genetically Engineered Simanim “A Bird with One Siman” (Chulin 62a)
Unlike grass which any child can nonchalantly rip out of the ground, chopping down a tree is a great challenge, and uprooting all the branches beneath is an even greater challenge.
When the seller wants to leave the area, if we would require notifying the bar metzra initially, the prospective buyer might retract in the meantime and delay the move, adversely affecting the seller even if he did not have a defined prospective option elsewhere.
Eternal and Immutable “Only Those Enumerated by the Sages” (Chulin 54a)
The reason for the celebration is that Torah is not merely a constitution or a book of the Rights of Man. “It is a Tree of Life for those who grasp it, and those who support it are blissful” (Mishlei).
If we are talking about the fact that he is afraid of being caught by the law and having to pay, it doesn’t make sense that he would throw it over the fence and cause damage.
Eli smiled sympathetically. Normally, you can’t take challah twice, he said. But I remember learning in kollel a famous Ketzos about someone who separated challah without the owner’s authorization. I don’t know what we rule in practice, though.
A Halachic Referral “It [the Lung] Erupted in Blisters” (Chulin 48a)
“I’m sorry” sometimes simply is not enough. These words echo painfully in my mind whenever I witness tragedy, cruelty, or human insensitivity. They reverberate whenever I see people throw words carelessly at one another, unaware that words themselves can become eternal scars.
While we hope and pray for continued miracles, we of course have to do all in our power to make miracles unnecessary, and one way is to do a better job explaining to the world which people are interested in genocide and which people are interested in preventing it.
The standard peshat of the words “The wise have their eyes in their head” is that they are introspective and consider the consequences of their choices prior to taking action.
When you owe money to someone, and a third party pays the creditor of his own initiative, you are thereby relieved of your obligation to pay, replied Rabbi Dayan.
Incubator Chicks: The Dispute “These Are the Living Things Which You May Eat” (Chulin 42a)
I wonder how many stood there, opening up their hearts and souls. How many knew that this would be their final prayer and yet they called out to Avinu Shebashamayim, ‘bring us home to Yerushalayim!’
A person who constantly succumbs to his needs and urges without any intellectual thought or consideration is no better than an animal.
There isn’t an educator in any of our schools who isn’t a hero. Teaching is the most valuable and integral profession we have, despite the fact that teachers are often underpaid and underappreciated.
Does buying jewelry now count for the mitzvah of simchas Yom Tov?
The Jew as a Gentile’s “Kashrus Certificate” “We Do Not Give Innards to a Gentile” (Chullin 33a)
The ability to collaborate, connect, and negotiate between the built-in masculine and feminine traits and perspectives is what allows creation to occur, literally and figuratively.
If a father embarrasses his son in shul because the latter was talking during davening, he may get his son to stop talking in the moment, but in the long term he has not taught him anything about kavod ha’tefillah
From a philosophical perspective, many Jewish thinkers have focused on the unique role of speech as a defining element of humanity. Speech, at least in its fully realized form, distinguishes Man from the animal; for humans, speech expresses thought, making this distinction especially profound.
The Siren’s Wail “If a Festival Falls on the Eve of the Sabbath…” (Chullin 26)
How do we present our leaders? Do we portray them as flawless beings, untouched by error, existing on a plane so elevated that they bear little resemblance to the people we are raising? Or do we present them as the Torah itself does: as extraordinary individuals who nevertheless grappled with very human struggles?
You are in the middle of work, replied Rabbi Spitz. I assume that Rabbi Dayan also taught you the importance of having a good work ethic and not wasting time as an employee.
It is surprising, then, that this practice is so entrenched, especially since it has no basis in Chazal or the Rishonim. … In the late 16th century, however, two Eastern European authorities record a tradition not to recite Kiddush on the first night of Shavuot until nightfall.
Slaughtering with shechita represents an orderly process; while it is still death, it is via the approved process and represents the appropriate connection to G-d and transition from this world to the next through death.
In the daily grind, we often forget about the thunder and lightning and the excitement of Torah. It becomes just another part of our day, and we forget that its message is eternal and all-encompassing.
By Adina Broder
People may have varied religious practices, ideologies, or political views. They may come from different backgrounds, affiliations and persuasions. But this doesn’t mean that there needs to be strife between us.
If someone sold defective merchandise and was aware that the customer intended to take it elsewhere, the seller is liable for the return expenses.
Meat from Heaven? “Only Young Ones Are Acceptable…” (Chullin 22a-b)
Just because it is a clever derush, does it really make sense that one should merit something as grand as being revived from the dead for eating this final meal?
Is living in a confined area always a bad thing? Is living a metaphorically confined existence always restricting?
Rava permits the borrower to offer money to a third party to secure him a loan. Although the borrower pays, the lender does not benefit from him; the third party just receives his broker’s fee (Y.D. 160:16).
Aiding or Abetting? “However,…Due to Suspicion, We Check…” (Chulin 12a, Rashi)
The whole topic of premonitions took on added twists and turns with the most recent Trump near assassination.
Since the Torah itself permits substances that may be unkosher if they are nullified or subject to certain assumptions, in effect they become kosher. The same law that prohibits can also permit. However, poison is poison and will not change due to legalisms.
In the most painful times, we walk ahead in darkness with the light of our faith. Sometimes that light may seem to dim, but we seek to fan its flame and strengthen it within us.
The Rosh (Responsum 68:24) upholds the practice of Ashkenazic communities to require granting a copy of the document to enable the borrower to identify possible forgery or similar issues in the document.
A “Heated” Discussion “The Place of Shechita is Hot” (Chullin 8b)
Scattered among the peoples of this earth, we spent two thousand years wrestling with history. Stripped of almost every public expression of Jewish life, we clung to the word and will of Hashem and proved more resilient than history and more faithful than our enemies presumed.
October 2, 2026 
