Take One Daf Yomi

Today’s Daf Yomi pages, Shabbat 58 and 59, reveal some of the ancient rabbis' habits when it came to wearing brand-name clothes. Marco Greenberg, marketing and branding expert and the author of the new book Primitive: Tapping the Primal Drive That Powers the World's Most Successful People joins us to talk about the primordial power of logos, and why we still set so much store in our favorite brands. Is it better to be cool or warm? Listen and find out.

Today’s Daf Yomi pages, Shabbat 56 and 57, begin with the rabbis contemplating whether or not the great King David has ever sinned. After doing away with that troublesome bit about Uria the Hittite, they come to a strange conclusion: David's only sin was adhering, just once, to gossip. What can we learn from the king's costly flaw? And what does it have to do with Leonard Cohen? Listen and find out.

Today’s Daf Yomi page, Shabbat 55, tells a dramatic story of four famous Biblical figures who died without sin. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin returns to introduce us to these Fantastic Four, and explain what their lives and deaths can teach us about leadership. Is perfection the key to greatness or a detriment? Listen and find out.

Today’s Daf Yomi page, Shabbat 54 makes a startling claim: If you were in a position to protest the sinful conduct of a friend and failed to do so, you yourself must be held accountable. It's an ancient take on the principle made famous by Spider-Man, namely that with great power comes great responsibility. Rabbi David Ingber joins us and delivers a moral primer on what each one of us can do to make sure we all stand for what's right. How do we hold ourselves accountable? Listen and find out.  

Today’s Daf Yomi page, Shabbat 53, is a work of stable compassion, asking just what we're permitted to do to keep our horses comfortable on Shabbat. Lily Leibovitz, an eight-year-old horseback riding enthusiast, joins us to talk about the importance of being nice to animals, and what it feels like to ride a horse for the very first time. What can we learn from our animal friends? Listen and find out.

Today’s Daf Yomi pages, Shabbat 51 and 52, have a nice ring to them. We mean this literally: The rabbis give us an intricate discussion about rings and purity, and the implications are still felt today. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin returns to tell us all about the Lord and the rings. Why do some Orthodox men still refrain from wearing wedding rings? Listen and find out.

Today’s Daf Yomi pages, Shabbat 49 and 50, tell us a moving story of a righteous man, Elisha, who teaches us a more spiritual approach to confrontation. We welcome back Dr. Bat Sheva Marcus to give us a very therapeutic take on this tale, and, since she's a celebrated sex therapist, ask her to answer a listener question about the Talmud's take on masturbation. What can the rabbis teach us about self love in all of its varieties? Listen and find out.

Today’s Daf Yomi page, Shabbat 48, is all about pillows. Are you allowed to stuff yours on Shabbat? The rabbis' decree is fascinating: If the pillow is old, go right ahead, but if it's new, no dice. To understand this principle of interior design, we called on the one and only Simon Doonan, author and judge on the Emmy-nominated show Making It. Why do some of us have trouble getting used to the new stuff we buy? Listen and find out.

Today’s Daf Yomi page, Shabbat 47, dives into a discussion about a very modern-sounding thingamajig: a collapsible bed, the Talmud's take on the IKEA catalogue. Are we allowed to assemble and disassemble this modular piece of furniture on Shabbat? Rabbi Sari Laufer, Director of Congregational Engagement at Stephen Wise Temple in Los Angeles, joins us to shed some light on the idea of using things in different ways on Shabbat than we would during the week. How can we keep the spirit of the holy day even if we don't observe the letter of halakhic law? Listen and find out.

Today’s Daf Yomi page, Shabbat 46, contains one of those delightful little stories that the Talmud likes to tell to make much bigger points. It's about Rava and Rav Avya, two brilliant men engaged in a fierce disagreement about a particular manner of halakha. To make his point, Rav Avya walks into his friend's house and puts his muddy feet on the bed. To help us decipher this act of aggression, we welcome the Corduroy Rav, Mark Oppenheimer, who helps guide us through the intricacies of arguing with dignity and meaning. How to talk to people who hold very different opinions without merely bickering? Listen and find out.