If you are going to have someone do work for you it's probably best to ensure they have your best interests at heart. "One who says to his…
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Becoming a Tzadik: Kiddushin 49
"The signature of G-d is truth." (Shabbat 55b) As beings created in the image of G-d we too are expected to be the epitome of integrity.…
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Delegate It Yourself: Kiddushin 41
"If you want something done right do it yourself" is a nice idea in theory but one with limited applications. It is not possible for any…
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Good Habits: Kiddushin 40
We are creatures of habit. We tend to do what we have done in the past, which is why it is so important to get things right the first time. Learn it…
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This or the Other: Kiddushin 39
There is no more tragic figure in Talmudic literature than that of Acher, the Other. Destined for greatness, the teacher, colleague and friend of…
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A Strange Song: Kiddushin 31
In our last post we discussed the extraordinary efforts to which Dama ben Netinah went to honour his father including his willingness to…
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Let Your Parents Sleep: Kiddushin 31
There are few mitzvoth more important than that of kivud av veim, honouring parents. “Our Rabbis taught: There are three partners…
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Pass the Pepper: Kiddushin 30
Our evil inclination is most powerful and capable of causing so much harm. So much so that when G-d saw “that the inclination of man is bad…
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Where is Mommy?: Kiddushin 29
Practice what you preach is always sound advice, especially if one hopes to have any influence on others. This axiom is more than a moral…
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I Don't Know: Kiddushin 25
"More than the calf wants to suck, the cow wants to give milk.” (Pesachim 112a) So said Rabbi Akiva to…
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Where is it Written: Kiddushin 24
One of the best-known "facts" about the Torah is that it contains 613 mitzvoth. Even Jews who are not very learned tend to…
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He's My Master: Kiddushin 20
"From here it was said: Whoever acquires a Hebrew slave is as if they acquired a master for themselves." (Kiddushin 20a) "…
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A Second Marriage: Kiddushin 13
One of the sacred and most enjoyable aspects of the rabbinate is being amesader kiddushin, joining two people together in marriage. Yet for many…
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Wordplay:Kiddushin 2
One of the "new" approaches to Tanach study today is the use of literary tools and analysis to help us better understand the Torah itself…
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Some Concluding Thoughts on Masechet Gittin
After 90 double-sided pages, Masechet Gittin is coming to a close. We have discussed in great detail the intricacies of the laws of Gittin;…
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What's in a Name: Gittin 87
We as a society identify people by their last name (or sadly, even if understandably, by a number). Such was not always the case. When life…
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Living Together: Gittin 81
There are certain rabbinic debates where one can only say thank G-d that we do not follow a certain view. Such would be the case in the debate…
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Who is Wise?: Gittin 67
As a teacher one of my favorite parts of my work is parent teacher meetings. I (usually) find it most interesting talking to parents in general and…