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)

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Eruvin 92 – Big Fish Eats the Little Fish

The Mishnah here relates to cases of large domains which contain smaller ones. What’s in and what’s out.

IF A LARGE ROOF WAS CLOSE TO A SMALLER ROOF THE USE OF THE LARGER ONE IS PERMITTED BUT THAT OF THE LESSER ONE IS FORBIDDEN.

 IF THE FULL WIDTH OF A WALL OF A SMALL COURTYARD WAS BROKEN DOWN SO THAT THE YARD FULLY OPENED INTO A LARGE COURTYARD, THE USE OF THE LARGER ONE IS PERMITTED, BUT THAT OF THE SMALLER ONE IS FORBIDDEN, BECAUSE THE GAP IS REGARDED AS A DOORWAY TO THE FORMER.

A few cases are given here to prove the point. For example:

If a woman was in the larger one, and her get (written bill of divorce) was in the lesser one she is divorced thereby; but if the woman was in the lesser one and her get in the larger, she is not divorced.

Divorce is legally effected by the delivery of a written bill from the man to the woman. Being in proximity within the same “domain” constitutes delivery. A woman in a small courtyard which opened into a larger one which contains the bill is not divorced.

 If a congregation was in the larger one and the shaliyach tzibur (prayer Reader) in the lesser one, they have dully performed their duty (of prayer), but if the congregation was in the lesser one and the Reader in the larger one they have not performed their duty.

If nine men were in the larger courtyard and one was in the lesser one they may all be combined, (to form a minyan) but if nine men were in the lesser one and one man in the larger one they may not be combined.


The big fish eats the little fish. Not the other way around.

No comments:

Post a Comment