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)

Friday, November 9, 2012

Shabbat 37 - Hot Fence

Mishnah from page 36|: IF A STOVE WITH TWO POTS IS HEATED WITH STUBBLE OR RAKINGS, A POT MAY BE PLACED ON IT; WITH PEAT OR WOOD, ONE MAY NOT PLACE [A POT THERE] UNTIL, HE SWEEPS IT OR COVERS IT WITH ASHES.

The issue is discussed at great length - with many contricdictory statements. The questions revolves around the concern that one may thoughtlessly stir up the coals, which is forbidden on Shabbat. That makes sense if you are actually cooking (I.e. needing to bring water to a boil. But if the dish being prepared is just being kept warm and actually deteriorates with heat, stirring up coals is unlikely.

This is a law known to the Rabbis as a "fence around the Torah" - forbidding something not because it is a problem of itself, but as a way to prevent something worse.
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