What is Talmud Tweets?

What is Talmud Tweets? A short, personal take on a page of Talmud - every day!

For several years now, I have been following the tradition of "Daf Yomi" - reading a set page of Talmud daily. With the start of a new 7 1/2 year cycle, I thought I would share a taste of what the Talmud offers, with a bit of personal commentary included. The idea is not to give a scholarly explanation. Rather, it is for those new to Talmud to give a little taste - a tweet, as it were - of the richness of this text and dialogue it contains. The Talmud is a window into a style of thinking as well as the world as it changed over the centuries of its compilation.

These are not literal "tweets" - I don't limit myself to 140 characters. Rather, these are intended to be short, quick takes - focusing in on one part of a much richer discussion. Hopefully, I will pique your interest. As Hillel says: "Go and study it!" (Shabbat 31a)

Monday, September 24, 2012

Berachot 53 - Pure Light

According to the rabbis, one can say a blessing over Shabbat candles which have "rested" but not over ones which have not. What does it mean for candles to have "rested"? Rabbi Nachman ben Isaac says that it means a light which has not seen the kind of work not permitted on Shabbat.

I love this image of a candle being pure - uncorrupted on Shabbat by the work of the week.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)