The word damim in biblical Hebrew means both blood and money. Lo ta’amod al dam reacha (…
Bava Metzia 61: Let's Eat Some Rodents
Teaching in a community school, I often hear from many of my students that they are “not…
VaYetze: Listen to Your Mother
The Torah tells us nothing about the upbringing of Abraham; we do not even know the name of his…
Bava Metzia 61: A Free Loan
One of most difficult laws to comprehend, both technically and philosophically, is the Torah…
Bava Metzia 59: A Broken Oven
“If an oven is cut into rings, and sand is placed between the rings, Rabbi Eliezer says it is…
Bava Metzia 59: Torah Is Not in Heaven
One of the most famous, powerful and tragic stories in all of Talmudic literature is that of the…
Bava Metzia 58: Verbal Abuse
“Just as there is ona’ah, oppression, regarding commerce, so too there is ona’ah…
Bava Metzia 55: What is a Penny Worth?
There is not too much one can do with a penny; so little, in fact, that the Canadian government…
Bava Metzia 49: What Did You Say it Cost?
“Ona’ah is four silver maot in twenty-four…1/6th of the price” (Bava…
Bava Metzia 49: Let's Not Make a Deal
The Ramban, in perhaps his most famous biblical comment, notes that one can observe every law in…
Bava Metzia 42: Where is My Money?
In our last post we discussed the responsibilities of a shomer entrusted to guard produce. The…
Bava Metzia 40: I Love My Fruit
“Milveh lhotzah nitna”, money is loaned to be spent (Kiddushin 47a). When one loans…
Bava Metzia 37: What Does the Cheater Lose?
It is a beautiful character trait to be trusting of others. It is also, all too often, foolhardy.…
Bava Metzia 35: Making a Quick Dollar
The difference between a smart businessperson and an ethically challenged one can be fine indeed -…
Bava Metzia 33: 40 Long Years
One of the beautiful things about studying Gemara is delighting in how it seamlessly flows from one…
Bava Metzia 33: You Go First
There are few mitzvoth of greater importance than kibud av veim. This is so well-known and obvious…
Noach: What is Your Name?
"And Lemech called him Noach saying, this one will bring us relief, yenachmeinu, …
Bava Metzia 32: Helping the Enemy
“G-d is good to all and His mercy is upon all His creations” (Tehillim 145:9). If G-d…