Talking Talmud

The Gemara uses the Torah's verses to prove which offerings need to be offered specifically in the name of its purpose and for the owner. With a distinction between sin-offerings that are offered in atonement and apology for violating a karet-level sin, as compared to the nazir's sin-offering. Which sacrifices can be learned from other sacrifices, or specifically not? Also, the Korban Pesach, and how its timing is essential, but so too is it essential that it be offered for its specific purpose.

Now, the peace-offerings that are brought on occasions of thanksgiving - what if one were slaughtered in the name of a different person's thanksgiving? Is the fact that it's still a thanksgiving offering sufficient for it to be fit as an offering, or must another be offered? Also, other offerings that have to be made in the name of the specific sacrifice (like the Korban Pesach, which has to be a Shelamim/peace-offering).

More questions on sacrifices that were brought with incorrect intent. Do these incorrect sacrifices that are kosher as sacrifices function to atone for those who bring them? The in-depth discussion begins on amud alef and continues through amud bet. Note that a korban olah atones for a lack of fulfillment of a positive commandment -- what happens if a person needs to atone for two such violations? Including a parallel to the laying on of hands (semiha) for the offering, though in the end, it is set aside.

A sacrifice brought for a different reason than the original intent is a kosher/valid sacrifice, but it doesn't remove the obligation for whatever sacrifice from the individual who needs to bring it. Plus, Resh Lakish and his penchant for lying on his stomach in the beit midrash (study hall), presumably as an example of his very simple living. He is named here because of his queries on the above principle regarding a sacrifice brought for the wrong intention. Meaning, if the offering is valid, why wouldn't it provide atonement for the person offering it? Rabbi Eliezer has an answer, based on a parallel to an offering that was designated by a given individual, but not brought before that person died. With a parallel to the woman who bears a child (with the open question regarding her potential dealth in the interim, given the maternal death rate at the time). Also, other sages weigh in on the same divided opinions - with precedent of a comparable situation, and making suppositions about how Resh Lakish would have responded to a query. Plus, more on the apparently comparable case of a mother's children and whehther they can effect the atonement ...

[Apologies for this late release. Unfortunately, we are beholden to the app we use for publication of each episode, and we were delayed, apparently, by the app updating, or not updating, as the case was. We hope it will be in good form now for a long time to come.]

What is the biblical source that the 4 different "blood" acts of worship - slaughter, receiving the blood in a consecrated vessel, bringing the blood to the altar, and throwing the blood on the altar - need to be done specifically for the sake of the specific offering being brought and also for the correct owner of that offering? Also, once those sources are established, a review of how the laws were actually derived from them - with principles of generalizations and specifics being applied.

If an offering is brought in the name of a different purpose from its originally intended purpose, it may or may not be fit as an offering. With comparisons to other arenas of Halakhah, specifically with regard to containers and the laws of purity and impurity. Also, an in-depth consideration of "change" - what happens when the owner of the offering is the change, and not the purpose of the offering itself? Why can't the offering be transferred to another?

An introduction to Seder Kodashim... with its focus on Temple ritual and the distance of those practices from how we practice Judaism today (and, for that matter, from how the sages did too). Including overviews for the kinds of korbanot (sacrifies), where they're offered, and the wide range of occasions when sacrifices are made. Also, a new mishnah! Namely, how korbanot can be offered not for the reason they were being brought - and they are still "kosher," fit as offerings, but with some exceptions. Plus, a comparison to bills of divorce written "in the name of" the woman being divorced. Where Rava raises a theory, a contradiction, and a resolution.

Where not attributing a sage's opinions to him by name is a punishment - specifically, here, in the case of Rabbi Meir, in follow-up to the previous daf's story of a kind of mutiny. Also, a debate over which kind of scholar is preferable - one who is incisive and sharply analytic or one who knows large swathes of information? Plus, the honor that Rav Yosef and Rabbah showed to each other. Also, another round of the sages, next generation - the honor given to Abaye for teaching material that none refuted.

Still and again, new mishnayot! 1 - An order of hierarchy when one has limited resources, where sometimes the man takes precedence and sometimes the woman does. Including a much too close for comfort recognition of this need, potentially, in the case of captives. Likewise, a man chooses to save himself, his teacher, his father - to save them in that order, though his mother would take precedence over all -- again, a bit disturbing, but in terms of irreplaceablity, perhaps reasonable. Plus, more stages, given various statuses. Also, there are 10 things that are harmful to one learning Torah, some of whcih sound distracting or destructive under other circumstances as well. Also, when the nasi (or king), the av beit din, or a Torah scholar enters the study hall, directives to the students when to stand and when it mattered less. Which leads to drama about who is worthy of being stood up for, especially when not everyone has the same degree of Torah scholarship as everyone else. Note the rudeness and kindness for Rabbi Shimon about Tractate Uktzin.

On the anointing of kings... and the anointed kohen - how was the anointing done? A crown and a letter X (in Greek, however). Also, good omens, including when/where to schedule the coronation of a king - in this case, specifically, King Solomon. Including discussion of the idea of using omens to begin with - is this akin to the prohibited divination or simply symbolic wishes or prayers? Plus, the special foods that are symbolic for the new year - eaten on Rosh Hashanah. Also, more on the way the anointed kohen would function, and then including the kohen anointed in battle (not to be confused with the regular kohen gadol in the Beit HaMikdash in peacetime). Plus, another 2 new mishnayot! On how the kohen offers the karbanot when he's in mourning, without eating from them, and followed by the common practice taking precedence -- where both the halakhic principle and the example of it are included in the mishnah.