Isaac Rabi, winner of the 1944 Nobel Prize in physics for his discovery of nuclear magnetic resonance, was asked what inspired him to become a…
Some Opening Thoughts on Moed Katan
This past week, Daf Yomi began learning masechet Moed Katan, “the little holiday.” This signals that our two years’ study of seder Moed, the second…
Some Concluding Thoughts on Masechet Moed Katan
The commitment to learn Daf Yomi is a remarkable one. It is the only study project I know that takes seven and half years to complete (2,711 days, to…
Moed Katan 28: Beyond Our Control
It is to be expected that, in a chapter dealing with the laws of mourning, a discussion of the philosophical implications of death will follow. Such…
Moed Katan 27: Leading By Example
No idea is stressed more in the Torah than that of being kind to strangers, “because we were strangers in the land of Egypt”. This notion…
Moed Katan 21: A Living Torah
As previously discussed, both mourning and Chol Hamoed share a prohibition of shaving. Yet the reasons for such are very different; the…
An Outsider: Moed Katan 17
One of the greatest and the most tragic figure of Talmudic literature is Rav Eliezer ben Hurcanus, known simply as Rabbi Eliezer Hagadol, Rabbi…
Moed Katan 17: How to Sin
The primary way we can tell which commandments are more important than others is by the punishment recorded in the Torah for various offences[1].…
Moed Katan 9: To Fast or Not To Fast
The Gemara (Megillah 5b) relates that Rebbe wanted to abolish Tisha B'Av. Interestingly, no reason is given for this idea of Rebbe's[1]. And…
Moed Katan 8: Mazel Tov--Soon
As we discussed in our last post, mourning and Yom Tov[1] are polar opposites, and mourning has no place on these days of joy. Such is…
Moed Katan 8: Mixed Emotions
Halacha reflects not only legal truths, but moral, psychological, and philosophical (and other) truths, as well. The wide observance of the laws…
Moed Katan 5: Stand By
For better or worse most people pay little attention to the proof texts brought to support various Talmudic views and positions, focusing on the…
Moed Katan 5: The Right Path
One of the fascinating features of the Talmud is how it seamlessly moves from topic to topic. The opening Mishnah of Moed Katan teaches that amongst…
Some Opening Thoughts on Masechet Moed Katan
Moed Katan has as its focus two contradictory themes: the laws of Chol Hamoed and of aveilut, mourning. Chol Hamoed is a time when we are obligated…