The Gemara in Nedarim (45a) indicates that one can declare an item “hefker” (ownerless) only if there are three people present. (One to potentially take ownership of the item, and two to witness.) This rule raises questions about an aecdote in Bava Metzia 30b: R’ Yishmael, the son of Rabbi Yosi, encountered a man who…
A young TorahTutors student wanted to understand reasons for keeping kosher, so her tutor read Vayikra chapter 11 with her to look for clues in the Torah’s presentation of the rules for which animals may and may not be eaten. The student noticed several phrases, including “for I am the Lord, your God” (vs. 44),…
Moadim l’simcha! This Passover Tuesday, we’re proud to share a tidbit of Torah from one of the tutors who’s been with us the longest, learning with a number of long-term and new students. We read in the Haggadah that Rabban Gamliel says we must explain three things: the korban pesach, matzah, and maror. The Bnei…
Preparing for Passover? This Tuesday TorahTutors Tidbit might help: An adult student has been learning the tenth chapter of Gemara Pesachim. The first mishna teaches that one should not start a meal late in the day on Erev Pesach. The Gemara notes that this halacha actually applies to all holidays and Shabbat – so…
The upcoming holiday of Pesach celebrates the end of an extended period of slavery that had been foretold to Avraham: “Your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and they will enslave them and afflict them for 400 years. And I will also judge the nation that they will serve, and…
While learning Pirkei Avot, a pre-teen TorahTutors student and her tutor noticed something that reminded them of something they’d learned not long before in the weekly parsha. (It’s also relevant to the upcoming holiday of Pesach!) Avot 1:10 says, ”Sna et harabanut– Hate status.” Moshe put in a lot of effort trying to “convince” Hashem…
On this post-Purim Tuesday: a TorahTutors Tidbit that looks back to Purim and ahead to Pesach. One of several points of contrast between Purim and Pesach is the fact that Hallel is recited on Pesach but not on Purim. A preteen TorahTutors student studied the Talmudic discussion of this difference, found in Arakhin 10a-b.…
A preteen TorahTutors student learned a deeply relatable midrash about Mordechai. When Mordechai refused to bow to Haman, the king’s servants badgered him daily over it, yet he remained steadfast: “When they spoke to him day after day and he would not listen to them…” (Esther 3:4). The midrash (Esther Rabbah 7:7) connects this account…
Midrash Bamidbar Rabbah (10:5) notes that Yechezkel speaks of false prophets who would profane God, telling lies for the sake of “handfuls of barley and crumbs of bread” (13:19), while a true prophet would never do such a thing. “It is not the way of prophets of God to accept payment for their prophecy.” …
The Palestinian Talmud (Berachot 2:8) names Yitro and Rachav as examples of tzaddikei umot ha’olam – righteous people from other nations who become attached in some way to the Jewish people. A TorahTutors student enjoyed comparing and contrasting the accounts of these two individuals. Each brought some benefit to the Jewish people – Rachav saved…