Take One Daf Yomi

Todays page, Bava Batra 57, discusses the proper attire for torah scholars.Tablet’s General Manger and resident Fiber Arts specialist Tanya Singer joins us to discuss dressing properly for the task at hand. Do clothes make a difference when getting things done? Listen and find out.

Today’s Talmud page, Bava Batra 56, raises a question that is still a political hot potato to this day: What, precisely, are the boundaries of the Land of Israel? But the rabbis, as they always do, dig even deeper, teaching us a lesson about the dangers of sameness and the dignity of difference. Why was Liz Lemon of 30 Rock fame wrong when she opined that all everyone truly wants is to sit down in peace and eat a sandwich? Listen and find out.

Today’s Talmud pages, Bava Batra 54 and 55, mention the Hatzav, a peculiar plant used to demarcate fields in the olden days. But the Hatzav has since become an absolute darling of Israeli poets, writers, and musicians, who have come to see it as the perfect metaphor for life in a demanding and beautiful and perilous land. Why? And what did the Israeli version of the Rolling Stones do when a big bank paid them to write a song about a Hatzav? Listen and find out.

Today’s Talmud pages, Bava Batra 52 and 53, make an argument that one good way to establish ownership of a piece of real estate is simply to lock the door. Producer Josh Kross joins us with his teenage daughter, Violet, to talk about privacy, door-locking, and the other thrills of parenting an adolescent. Just what is the appeal of door-locking anyway? Listen and find out.

Today’s Talmud page, Bava Batra 51, finds the rabbis in the mood to praise the greats. Rabbi Meni Even-Israel, who heads the Steinsaltz Center in Jerusalem, joins us to talk about his father, the late, great Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, the scholar who has done more than anyone in modern times to make the Talmud accessible. What was it like arguing about presents with a singular Talmudic mind? Listen and find out.

Join the discussion as we explore Usha, an ancient town in Galilee known for its significant role in rabbinical courts post-Temple destruction. The conversation highlights the Sanhedrin's crucial rulings on property laws, shedding light on moral dilemmas faced during Roman oppression. Discover the resilience of Usha's cultural identity and its relevance in today's world, emphasizing that maintaining traditions can guide us through difficult times. Tune in for a blend of history and inspiring lessons!

Today’s Talmud page, Bava Batra 49, is all about how couples should share their money—or not. Writer and editor Lisa Ann Sandell joins us to talk about the dos and don'ts of making money and marriage alike work. Who, exactly, owns the dog? Listen and find out.

Today’s Talmud pages, Bava Batra 47 and 48, raise a tough question: If we're forced to do something, does that thing really count? Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to shed light on the soulful principle behind what, on paper, sounds like a harsh Halachic ruling. What to do when you come across a particularly pushy salesman? Listen and find out.

Today’s Talmud pages, Bava Batra 45 and 46, raise an interesting question: What to do when you accidentally picked up someone else's coat in shul? Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to explain how and why this seemingly mundane-sounding question contains multitudes, and can teach us a surprisingly soulful lesson in how to live. What's the most Jewish article of clothing ever created? Listen and find out.

Today’s Talmud page, Bava Batra 44, informs us that real estate is different from movable objects because it has a kol, literally a voice, meaning people talk about it and therefore tell each other everything there is to know about any piece of property. Rabbi Dr. Stu Halpern of Yeshiva University's Straus Center joins us to talk about the wild real estate situation in Modi'in, Israel, where buying a home is a contact sport. What is the one thing you should never, ever do when trying to buy some property in the Promised Land? Listen and find out.