Talking Talmud

The case of a man nullifying a bill of divorce in the presence of the court, while a messenger was bringing the wife the get - he can't do this (she won't know about it!), but if he did it, does it count or not? The court's ability to decide whether his nullification takes effect seems dependent on kiddushin taking place with kesef, money, or an item of monetary value. The question of rabbinic power is very much in play. Plus, a series of examples of the rabbinic level of law, when in comes up against Torah-level laws. Including rabbinic corporal punishment (lashes) as serious enough punishment to protect people from violating Torah law. Plus, one who rode on a horse on Shabbat, violating a rabbinic law, and was nonetheless stoned, as it had been a Torah violation, to strengthen the seriousness of Shabbat violation. Plus, a married couple who were intimate in a public setting, and the man is flogged, again, beyond the requirement.

Why did the rabbis decide that women need a ketubah in marriage to begin with? And when is the absence of a ketubah helpful? Also, a new understanding of our mishnah, specifically with regard to a child born being a mamzer - in the context of terumah, impure produce, and improper designation of sanctity. Plus, to what extent is there a human component even in the determination or designation of mamzerim? And under what circumstances do those rabbinic stipulations or decrees override (and undermine) the Torah edicts?

How stringent are the standards of accepting the testimony of those who testify that a woman's husband has died? There are advantages and disadvantages to being "lenient" and accepting one witness's account, for example, depending on whether complications develop later, like that testimony turning out to have been wrong. Which leads to a discussion about witnesses in general, and their reliability. Also, a beraita on the case of a prohibited woman... With possible cases including kohanim, of course, and testimony about the husband having died. There are times the decision will be stringent, of course, and the kohen would be forced to separate. Including what happens when new witnesses follow some time later and say that the husband is alive. That is, no malice, but conflicting accounts, especially over time. Plus, establishing the testimony of women against that of men.

A series of marriage, a series of children, and how the status changes in her relationship to kohanim change her permissions, as it were, for terumah. Also, introducing the 10th chapter, and the cases that leave the relevant parties in limbo. But the mishnah presents this as pretty serious, even if the people didn't worry too much about it. Plus, the details that fray the marital bond, while the information they provide....which of course leads to halitzah in place of yibum. Note that "presumed dead" meant something different back in the day.

Revisiting: Who can eat terumah? Specifically, the women who may have a relationship with a kohen, in various stages (including pregnancy), or various considerations of his status as a kohen. Plus, Ma'aser Rishon, which is the tithing that goes to the leviim. Can the comparable women re terumah eat ma'aser rishon? Note also that those who are excluded from terumah or ma'aser respectively are called "zarim," strangers. Also, a dispute between R. Akiva and R. Elazar Ben Azariah regarding whether ma'aser rishon is given to the kohen instead of to the levi. Tracing through the dispute entails biblical and rabbinic material, as well as practical example from the time of the sages. Plus, the "proof" from the family of R. Tzadok. Plus, additional probing the respective perspectives of R. Akiva and R. Elazar ben Azariah, given that neither convinces the other, despite support from biblical verses and logic and experience.

R. Pappa and R. Hina arrived in Hintzvu, where R. Idi bar Avin lived. When they got there, they were asked: Can the daughters of kohanim who are eligible to marry kohanim marry those who have been disqualified from the priesthood? R. Pappa and R. Huna answer differently, with different inferences, and R. Idi bar Avin gives his own answer (where was he when the other rabbis first arrived?). [Who's Who: R. Idi bar Avin] Note the importance of knowing one's ancestors, to a degree that most don't nowadays. Also, is the ketubah part of the marriages that shouldn't be happening to begin with? And what about the secondary arayot that are prohibited by Divrei Sofrim? Does that cancel a ketubah?

Chapter 9! A very long mishnah... Categories of women who were permitted to their husbands and prohibited to the yavam. And the reverse: prohibited to the husband and permitted to the yavam. Including kohanim and mamzerim as possible complications... Also, forbidden relationships that are prohibited on a rabbinic level - "Divrei Sofrim," secondary prohibitions that come to protect the Torah prohibitions. What benefits are allowed or dropped in such prohibited relationships?

More from Rabbi Yosei. [Who's Who: R. Yosei Ben Halafta] On prolonged labor, and how it relates to grafting, from a halakhic perspective. Plus, the tumtum, one who has indeterminate sexual organs, or ambiguous genitalia. Note skepticism regarding a tumtum's 7 children's paternity. And again, are all tumtums to be concluded to be male?

More on whether terumah in this day and age (post-Temple) is d'Orayta or deRabbanan. [What's What: Seder Olam (Rabbah), here, unusually, used to support p'sak.] Also, a discussion on the sanctity of the Land of Israel, and how it doesn't lapse. Plus, more on the androgynous, with the implications for an androgynous kohen's spouse, in terms of eating terumah. The Gemara seems to treat androgynous as male, by default, which begs the question re an androgynous who identifies more as female.

More on terumah, in a new mishnah: a saris chamah kohen who marries the daughter of a Yisrael... Can she eat terumah?! Or if he's an androgynous. Or a tummy who is considered male.... What if the food is cakes of dried figs? Can you count them separately?