Take One Daf Yomi

Today’s Talmud pages, Sanhedrin 73 and 74, warn us that we should choose to risk our lives rather than transgress under the duress of our enemies. How does the heroism of the Israelis held captive in Gaza illustrate this principle and its ongoing resonance? Listen and find out.

Today’s Talmud page, Sanhedrin 72, delivers an uncomfortable but essential reminder of the true nature of morality and compassion. Why are we allowed to kill someone who we have every reason to believe will soon rise up to kill us? Listen and find out.

Today’s Talmud page, Sanhedrin 71, warns us against indulging in meat and wine. Which is curious, because, elsewhere, the Talmud teaches us that true joy is possible only if enjoying... meat and wine. Which is it? And what can this apparent discrepancy teach us about how we ought to approach life? Listen and find out.

Today’s Talmud page, Sanhedrin 70, is one protracted discussion of drinking, its perils, and its many, many pleasures. Producer Josh Kross joins us to discuss the link between alcohol and spirituality and the surprising benefits of getting moderately drunk. How do you make the perfect martini? Listen and find out.

Today’s Talmud pages, Sanhedrin 68 and 69, deal with one of the most difficult questions in all of Talmud, the problem of the wayward son. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to explain this thorny issue, and why we continue to debate it even though the rabbis insist no such example ever occurred in real life. What can the wayward son teach us about our own family life? Listen and find out.

Today’s Talmud pages, Sanhedrin 66 and 67, contemplates the meaning of the word "God." Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to unpack this complicated question, and what it has to teach us about justice and virtue. Why does the Talmud frequently refer to judges as Elohim, or God? Listen and find out.

Today’s Talmud page, Sanhedrin 65, tells a story of an epic argument between Rabbi Akiva and the evil Turnus Rufus, one of the Talmud's greatest villains. Our very own Presidentischer Rav, Tevi Troy, returns to explain why even our most illustrious political leaders sometimes had daddy issues. What did JFK say when embroiled in a quarrel with Martin Luther King Jr.'s father? Listen and find out.

Today’s Talmud page, Sanhedrin 64, tells us a very bawdy and hilarious story of a man who tried to demean an idol and ended up praised by the pagans for his efforts. Our very own Presidentischer Rav, Tevi Troy, joins us to unpack the story and the lessons it can teach us about American politics. Which politico messed things up for trying to fight dirty? And which great president was celebrated for refusing to do just that? Listen and find out.

Today’s Talmud page, Sanhedrin 63, continues to address the subject of idolatry, and how it impacts our relationships with non-Jews. Rabbi Irving "Yitz" Greenberg joins us to discuss his observations about God, faith, and the Holocaust. How might our people's greatest tragedy impact our capacity to continue and believe? Listen and find out.

Today’s Talmud pages, Sanhedrin 61 and 62, deal with the sensitive subject of idolatry. What precisely is idolatry? And can we figure out if we're guilty of it merely by looking at our smart phones? Listen and find out.