Take One Daf Yomi

Today’s Daf Yomi pages, Shabbat 100 and 101, find the rabbis in a name-calling mood. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin returns to help us make sense of the practice of evoking the name of Moses. Why are the rabbis having a literal holy Moses moment? Listen and find out.

Today’s Daf Yomi pages, Shabbat 98 and 99, tells us a brief and magical story: The center beam in the mishkan, God's holy dwelling place on earth, was floating miraculously in mid-air, keeping together the beams on its left and on its right. Producer Josh Kross returns to talk about why it's so important to talk to friends and family members who disagree with you, and why political moderation is a miracle we must keep alive. How can we disagree and argue without malice? Listen and find out.

Today’s Daf Yomi page, Shabbat 97, give us a story of ancient biblical gossip and its dire consequences. Rabbi Dr. Richard Hidary of Yeshiva University joins us to explain why the kind of idle chatter we see on Facebook is ruinous, and why we should be very careful before speaking ill of anyone. Why isn't it a good idea to talk about our friends behind their backs, even if what we say is true? Listen and find out.

Today’s Daf Yomi page, Shabbat 96, tells us that the men building the mishkan, God's holy dwelling place on earth, would never throw the beams they were passing to each other, but rather hand them down slowly and respectfully, recognizing their innate holiness. Alana Newhouse, Tablet Magazine's editor in chief, returns to teach us a lesson about just how important objects can be to our spiritual observation. How is our stuff imbued with our spiritual energy? Listen and find out.

Today’s Daf Yomi page, Shabbat 95, the rabbis talk makeup: Is eyeliner kosher on Shabbat? What about blush, rouge, or lipstick? Stephanie Butnick returns to help us make sense of the rabbis' surprisingly keen knowledge of all-things-makeup. Why is braiding hair a form of building? Listen and find out.

Today’s Daf Yomi pages, Shabbat 93 and 94, make a distinction between the kinds of work one person can do alone and the sort of labor that truly takes a village. Rabbi Shira Stutman of Sixth & I in Washington, D.C., joins us to discuss this insight, and what it can teach us about our current movement for social justice. Why is repairing the world always a team effort? Listen and find out.

Today’s Daf Yomi pages, Shabbat 91 and 92, begin a long and fascinating discussion of intention, or how what we had meant to do impacts the outcome of our action. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin returns to offer us some profound thoughts on living life with purpose and meaning. Why does intentionality matter? Listen and find out.

Today’s Daf Yomi page, Shabbat 90, the rabbis warn against giving children locusts to play with, as the young ones may eat the bugs and the bugs may not be Kosher. One rabbi, however, warns that kids love their animal playmates and will not hurt them. To test this theory, we are joined by Lily, 8, and Hudson, 6, two budding bug enthusiasts. Would they ever eat a locust? Listen and find out.

Today’s Daf Yomi page, Shabbat 89, tells us a heartwarming story about Satan trying and failing to stump Moses, and extols the great leader's virtue. Tal Ben-Shahar, best-selling author, Columbia professor, and the brain behind the Happiness Studies Academy, joins to tell us why happiness matters, especially now that the national mood is grim. Why must a good leader be humble rather than charismatic? Listen and find out.

Today’s Daf Yomi page, Shabbat 88, dives into one of the most mysterious phrases in the entire Torah, the promise by the Israelites receiving the Torah to obey it first and only then listen to what it says. Rabbi Sari Laufer joins us to meditate on how and why some things only make sense once you experience them. What are the boundaries and the possibilities of obedience? Listen and find out.