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, April 26, 2013

Eruvin 49 - Share



Rab Judah laid down in the name of Samuel: If a man is particular about his [share in an] ‘erub, his ‘erub is invalid; for what is its name? ‘Amalgamation’.

The term "eruv" means a mixture, an amalgamation. The idea is that everyone in a shared courtyard shares in the preparing and eating the meal. So someone who is obsessed with his own share ruins the sense of what it means to be "eruv."


A nice metaphor for what it means to be part of a community, not a part from the community


Not all agree on the legal aspects, although the ethical one holds:


R. Hanina ruled: His ‘erub is valid though he himself might be called, ‘One of the  men of Wardina.’ (a place known for stinginess).

You don't want to get called that!

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