

Take One Daf Yomi
Tablet Magazine
As Jews around the world engage in a seven-and-a-half year cycle of Daf Yomi, reading the entire Talmud one page per day, Tablet Magazine's new podcast, Take One, will offer a brief and evocative daily read of the daf, in just about 10 minutes. New episodes will be released daily Monday through Friday.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 1, 2025 • 8min
Sanhedrin 105 - Your Morning Routine
Today’s Talmud page, Sanhedrin 105, instructs us that God is angry with the world each morning, mainly because so many of us get their morning routines all wrong. What should we do as we get out of bed to make sure the rest of our day goes right? Listen and find out.

Mar 31, 2025 • 8min
Sanhedrin 103 and 104 - The Bad Guys, with Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin
Today’s Talmud pages, Sanhedrin 103 and 104, argue that slanderers, flatterers, liars, and cynics are the only four groups who will not receive the Divine Presence. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to explain why these four, and they alone, were singled out. What was their particular sin, and why we moderns must still watch out for it today? Listen and find out.

Mar 28, 2025 • 9min
Sanhedrin 101 and 102 - Some People Want to Fill the World with Silly Love Songs, with Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin
Today’s Talmud pages, Sanhedrin 101 and 102, kick things off with a strange warning: whoever reads a verse from the Song of Songs and renders it in the form of a secular song introduces evil into the world. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to explain this quizzical yet profoundly important statement. What precious advice about love and marriage were the rabbis giving us with this prohibition? Listen and find out.

Mar 27, 2025 • 7min
Sanhedrin 100 - The Scientific Method
Today’s Talmud page, Sanhedrin 100, brings us a fiery story involving laser eyes, an arrogant student, and a strange and sudden death. What can it each us about the scientific method? And what warning does it carry for those who think they've got the world all figured out? Listen and find out.

Mar 26, 2025 • 6min
Sanhedrin 99 - The Messiah Is Coming! The Messiah Is Coming!
Today’s Talmud page, Sanhedrin 99, makes a startling claim: When the Messiah comes, very little about life as we know it would change. What is this anti-climactic bit of theology teach us about personal responsibility? Listen and find out

Mar 25, 2025 • 7min
Sanhedrin 98 - The Messiah is Coming Today!
Today’s Talmud page, Sanhedrin 98, tells us a striking story about the coming of the Messiah. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to explain what the Messiah meant when he assured a wise rabbi he was coming that very day. How may we each work to bring about the Messiah's speedy arrival? Listen and find out

Mar 24, 2025 • 6min
Sanhedrin 96 and 97 - The Few, The Proud
Dive into fascinating discussions on the nature of true wisdom and righteousness in politics. Discover how political leaders can misjudge their own importance, illustrated through figures like Richard Nixon. Explore the relationship between Talmudic insights and contemporary governance, revealing the often-overlooked strengths of the common citizen. The conversation is filled with historical anecdotes and humor, showcasing the pitfalls of elitism and the enduring relevance of ancient wisdom.

Mar 21, 2025 • 6min
Sanhedrin 94 and 95 - Nice to Meet You, with Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin
Today’s Talmud pages, Sanhedrin 94 and 95, the rabbis advise us that meeting truly means prayer. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to unpack this gorgeous idea and explain what it has to teach us about building community. Why do we only really meet someone when we become deeply invested in their wellbeing? Listen and find out.

Mar 20, 2025 • 8min
Sanhedrin 93 - Our Best Friends
Today’s Talmud page, Sanhedrin 93, insists that our worse enemies are actually secretly our most valuable life partners. How can that be true? And what surprisingly timely lesson can we learn from the incense burnt by the ancient priests? Listen and find out.

Mar 19, 2025 • 7min
Sanhedrin 92 - Standing Tall
Today’s Talmud page, Sanhedrin 92, commands us never to demean ourselves, even when in great and mortal danger. How did Mordechai, whose bravery we just celebrated this Purim, embody this ideal? And what does it have to teach us about leadership? Listen and find out.