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to a passage from Sifrei Bamidbar, a legal commentary on the Book of Numbers, that sheds light on this. Our focus is on (Numbers 30:10), which addresses the validity of vows made b...
It’s about who gets to be part of the legal process, and it starts with the words "between a man." Now, that seems straightforward. But the rabbis, bless their inquisitive souls, i...
Our tradition, specifically in Sifrei Devarim 72, wrestles with just such a dilemma concerning the ma'aser sheni, the second tithe. Imagine this: someone designates their second ti...
Especially when it comes to something like... well, let's just say something you wouldn't eat yourself. What are the rules? Who can you give it to? The ancient text Sifrei Devarim,...
In Jewish tradition, the concept of tithing, or giving a tenth of your produce, is a big deal. It's rooted in the idea that everything we have ultimately comes from a higher power,...
But even in other years, the rules about tithing could get pretty complex. We find ourselves in the book of Sifrei Devarim, specifically section 109, diving deep into the nuances o...
It's like a cosmic riddle wrapped in ancient wisdom. Take this one for example from Devarim, the Book of Deuteronomy. First, we read (Deuteronomy 15:4): "But there shall not be in ...
And it seems our ancestors grappled with it too. to a little piece of wisdom from Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal interpretations connected to the Book of Deuteronomy. This p...
And who are we talking about helping here? "To your brother the pauper," the text specifies. It's that idea of inherent connection, that even in disparity, we are bound to one anot...
Take this one from Sifrei Devarim (Deuteronomy 15:13-14). It deals with releasing a Hebrew servant after six years of service, and the obligation to "bestow upon him"—to give him g...
The ancient rabbis grappled with these questions, digging deep into the nuances of scripture to understand God's will. And their answers? Well, they might surprise you. Let's turn ...
Turns out, the Torah has something to say about that. And it's not just about the money, but about the joy we bring to the act of giving. The Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal ...
" We grapple with it in our careers, our relationships... and even when it comes to giving gifts! The ancient rabbis did too. to a fascinating little corner of Jewish law, specific...
But when you really dig in, you find these incredible layers of compassion and ethical guidance. Take the laws about lending and taking pledges, for example. They're not just about...
We find a powerful lesson in Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal interpretations on the Book of Deuteronomy. The verse in question, (Deuteronomy 24:15), speaks of paying a worker...
Jewish tradition is overflowing with that very impulse, etched into law and legend. Take, for example, the seemingly simple instruction in Deuteronomy: "and you shall not take as a...
It's a concept called shikchah, often translated as "forgotten sheaves," and it's all about leaving a little something for those in need. (Deuteronomy 24:19) tells us, "When you re...
It’s not just about what we owe to God, but what we owe to each other. Today, let’s delve into a fascinating passage from Sifrei Devarim, a commentary on the Book of Deuteronomy, c...
Jewish law has a fascinating way of dealing with this very situation, particularly when it comes to the forgotten bounty of the harvest. It’s all rooted in the concept of shikchah ...
It might seem insignificant, but in Jewish law, even the smallest forgotten thing holds immense value. We're delving into a fascinating area of Jewish agricultural law today, speci...
There's more to it than you might imagine, especially when we peek into the ancient Jewish agricultural laws. to a fascinating little verse from Devarim, Deuteronomy, specifically ...
Today, let's talk about forgotten harvests, generosity, and oddly specific measurements. We're diving into Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal interpretations tied to the Book of...
What happens to those grapes? Who do they belong to? It seems like a simple question, but like so many things in Jewish tradition, it opens up a fascinating window into our values....
Jewish tradition does, and sometimes, it's in those forgotten places that we find profound meaning. We're going to dive into a tiny corner of Jewish law, agricultural law to be exa...
Ever hear a law and think, "Wow, that's… specific?" Well, buckle up, because we're about to dive into one of those laws from the Torah. It’s a concept called yibum, or levirate mar...
Today, we're going to untangle a particularly fascinating knot from Sifrei Devarim 288, dealing with the laws of yibum and chalitzah – levirate marriage and its alternative. So, wh...
Sometimes, diving into the nitty-gritty of old texts reveals surprisingly human stories and concerns. Let's take a peek at a passage from Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal inte...
It's a fascinating, slightly strange, and deeply human process. The Torah tells us, in (Deuteronomy 25:9), that if a man dies without children, his brother has a responsibility to ...
The verse we’re looking at speaks of the poor being able to eat "in your gates and be sated." The rabbis, never ones to let a good turn of phrase go unexamined, ask: what does it r...
JUDAH B. ṬABBAI AND SIMEON B. SHEṬAḤ RECEIVED THE TRADITION FROM THE PRECEDING. JUDAH B. ṬABBAI SAID: ACT NOT AS THOSE THAT WOULD INFLUENCE THE JUDGES; AND WHEN THE SUITORS STAND B...
SEVEN KINDS OF PUNISHMENT COME UPON THE WORLD FOR SEVEN CARDINAL TRANSGRESSIONS. IF SOME GIVE THEIR TITHES AND OTHERS DO NOT, THERE COMES A FAMINE THROUGH DROUGHT.1Aboth 5:11 (Sonc...
The Targum Jonathan on (Deuteronomy 15) contains a bleak prophecy hidden inside a law about debt forgiveness. The Hebrew says "the poor will never cease from the land." The Targum ...
And David arose, and fled that day from before Saul: This is [the meaning of] the verse, He has made everything beautiful in its time (Ecclesiastes 3:11), everything that the Holy ...
Why does the text announce him (by name), and his wife, and his sons? Because they didn't prevent each other [from abandoning the poor in Beit Lechem and leaving for Moav], [and th...
When Israel went out of Egypt, Moses said ‘Judah became His -holy one, Israel, His dominion’ (Psalms 114:2); and when Israel went out of Jerusalem, Jeremiah said ‘“Away! Unclean!” ...
When Israel went out of Egypt, Moses said ‘the sea saw them and fled, the Jordan turned backward’ (Psalms 114:2); and when Israel went out of Jerusalem, Jeremiah said ‘by the river...
When Israel went out of Egypt, Moses said ‘the mountains skipped like rams’(Psalms 114:4); And when Israel went out of Jerusalem, Jeremiah said 'I look at the mountains, they are q...
Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) is unlike any other day in the calendar — and according to Tanna DeBei Eliyahu Rabbah, a midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary)ic work traditi...
A disciple recited before R. Jochanan: "Whoever occupies himself with the study of the Torah and with the practice of loving kindness and (Ib. b.) buries his children [during his l...
(2) (Fol. 3b) R. Abahu said: "Cyrus was a worthy king, and therefore were his royal years counted in accordance with those of the kings of Israel [beginning with Nissan]." R. Josep...
(10) R. Isaac said: "A year which is poor (Israel appears humble) in the beginning, will be rich in the end (Israel's request will be granted). What is the reason for it? For it is...
(13) Raba expounded what is meant by the passage (Ps. 116, 1) It is lovely to me that the Lord heareth my voice. Thus said the congregation of Israel unto the Holy One, praised be ...
It is taught (in a baraita (a teaching from outside the Mishnah)): Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Yosei, said: "All acts of charity and kindness that Jews perform in this world make gr...
A Matrona asked Rabbi Joshua what God has been doing since Creation. The reply was: “He pairs people.” The Ma- trona then ordered a number of male slaves to marry female slaves, th...
The wicked kingdom once decreed that the Jews should not keep the Sabbath, nor circumcise their children, nor keep the law of purification according to the Bible. Reuben the son of...
A certain Nathan was saved from committing sin with a famous Hetaera in the Island of the Sea through observing the commandment of the fringes, because on seeing them he was remind...
Turnus Rufus and Akiba disputed about the merits of charity; as God decreed that a man be poor why should the rich contravene God's command? Akiba replied: “Men are not strangers t...
A young Torah scholar died in the prime of his life, and his widow was inconsolable. He had been pious, devoted, careful in his observance of every commandment. Why would God take ...
