Questions tagged [talmud-gemara]

The Talmud is a central text of Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, metaphorical stories customs, and history.

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Rabbits in the Torah

Are there are quotes about Rabbits in Tanach, Midrash, Gemara etc.. I am looking for somewhere which speaks about them.
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Could Solomon be a married father at the age of 11?

While the Bible specifies the age of accession for most of the kings of Israel and Judah, Solomon's age is not given. In his dream at Gibeon Solomon describes himself as a נער קטן which may be part ...
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2 votes
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Is there a place in Gemarra or Chazal that describes or recommends using Memory Palaces?

I have read that a number of ancient philosophers, western and eastern, describe the use of Memory Palaces as an aid to memory. Is there also a place in Chazal with such a recommendation or ...
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What are the best (english) texts for wordplay in commentaries? Ie, concordance. Also, that include mystical interpretations from multiple Rabbis? [closed]

In Tanakh specific to the first levels of pardes, every word has a meaning, and many Rabbinic teachings in "oral Torah" associated with those meanings. However, with Kabbalistic ...
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"Observing without judging" -- is there a Jewish basis for this concept?

I have bumped into a concept attributed to the philosopher J. Krishnamurti: "observing without evaluating is the highest form of human intelligence" The idea under this is to avoid judging ...
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Passing a sentence before asking questions?

Moed Katan 27b: when Rav Hamnuna once happened to come to a place called Darumata he heard the sound of a shofar announcing that a person had died in the town. When he saw some people doing work he ...
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Is there a website that has a quiz on the entire mesechta? I'm trying to find one so I can quiz myself on the complete Gemara

I need to find a quiz that tests you on an entire mesechta of Gemara.
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Israelite/Jewish flags

Does the Talmud or any other Jewish sources for that matter discuss and/or describe any flags that were associated with ancient Israelite/Jewish kingdoms?
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Jewish Babylonian Aramaic - Flashcards

Does anyone know if vocabulary flashcards are available for students of the Aramaic of the Bavli?
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Online version of book called "Aiding Talmud Study"?

Does anyone know whether an online version (PDF, ebook etc.) of a book called "Aiding Talmud Study" by Aryeh Carmell exists?
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What is the reason for the "special" way of blessing in Gemara Moed Katan 9b

In Masechet Moed Katan 9b we find a very special way that looks strange at first sight. The blessing was given for a son that his father sent him to be blessed by Talmidei Hachamim. What was the ...
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How can we derive halachah from Uzziah's behavior?

Moed Katan 7b: Have you not taught us, our teacher, that King Jotham was only born to Uzziah, the king of Judah, during the days of his confirmed leprosy? This would indicate that a confirmed leper ...
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Talmudic Methodology - Books

Are there any books that compare and contrast the various methods of Talmud study?
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Are righteous gentiles in a covenant with God?

Is there anything in the Talmud that discusses righteous Gentiles being in a covenant with God?
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Why does the Talmud use the תניא נמי הכי construction?

Makkos 6b, Tosfos d.h.תניא נמי הכי The Gemoro brings a statement of Rav (first paragraph below) about the source of a law which is supported by a baraisa with the words (2nd para below) תניא נמי הכי....
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Is there a Jewish principle: "To sleep on a big decision"?

In Anglo society, there is the principle to "sleep on" a big decision before pulling the trigger on it. (Be it a large purchase, a business deal, or other substantial decision in work or ...
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Using "‪ נשתנה הטבע ‬" to change a Talmudic rule

“It is a rule in the Talmud that, though a child born seven months after conception is viable (בר קיימא), one born after eight months is not viable. (It was a common belief in ancient medicine, also ...
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What's the story behind the Sages killing Rav Acha Bar Yaakov?

Bava Kamma 40a: Rav Acha Bar Yaakov is a great man. Bava Basra 14a: "רַב הוּנָא כְּתַב שִׁבְעִין סִפְרֵי דְּאוֹרָיְיתָא וְלָא אִיתְרְמִי לֵיהּ אֶלָּא חַד רַב אַחָא בַּר יַעֲקֹב כְּתַב חַד ...
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טירטוריו"ש in Rashi

In his commentary to Nazir 49b (heading קנטרנין), Rashi gives one word: טירטוריו"ש What does this word mean please?
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Shechita only during the times of the Beis Hamikdash

Can someone point me to where in the Talmud there’s an opinion that shechita is only required during the times of the Beis Hamikdash?
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Was linseed (flaxseed) oil in common use in time of the Mishna/Gemara?

Go to any location 200+ years old in America, and they'll tell you all about the value of linseed (flax seed) for paint. Which makes me wonder, was it a "thing" in the time of the Talmud? ...
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Who was Channah? [duplicate]

Throughout the Gemara we find grandchildren of Channah. There's Rabbah bar bar Channah, and R Yitzchak bar bar Channah, both quoted extensively, and maybe others that I don't know about because I don'...
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What's the reference for the line in the talmud that is about a Jewish apostate being put into a pit?

What's the reference for the line in the talmud that is about a Jewish apostate being put into a pit? I know that it gets brought down later in the RAMBAM and Shulchan Aruch. How are we supposed to ...
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Jumping elephants

There has been a conflict for a while between Orthodox Jews, some of them gedolim, concerning works by a certain author. One of the points of conflict is something he said about a Tosefos in Kiddushin ...
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Why is there no differentiation between drashos and asmachtos in shaas?

Similar to this quesion, I have been bothered for a while now with the following question: How is it that the Talmud was written with no indication at all between drashos gemuros and asmachtos?
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Is there a Talmudic source for this saying

I was asked if this saying, or a similar concept is found in the Talmud: "Not everything that one thinks, one should verbalize. Not everything that is said should be written. Not everything that ...
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Until when did the Yeshivos of Beis Hillel and Shamai exist?

We know that Hillel and Shamai themselves lived during the time of the Second Beis Hamikdash. Do we know how long their yeshivos lasted? More specifically, how late in history could the argument ...
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Why did the Chachamim change this Passuk?

The Gemara brings in the incident of a king gathering 72 sages to translate the Torah to Greek. They all came with the idea to change some Psukim. One of them was זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בְּרָאָ֑ם ...
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Hebrew translations [closed]

I would like to know the correct Hebrew translation for the phrase, "Whoever saves one life saves the world entire." I saw two different translations in Hebrew, one in google translator, מי ...
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Three yods in a Get

https://www.sefaria.org/Gittin.85b.12?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en. The gemara says that there are two words in a get (Jewish divorce document) that should be written with three consecutive yods: ...
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Which Talmudic chapter has the most Halachic references by number?

Modern printings of the Talmud include Ein Mishpat glosses at the top outside corner of each page (for the most part). Which chapter reaches the highest number? I think I'd like to delve into that ...
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How in the Talmudic interpretation does עמד mean תפילה?

"וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר־עָמַד שָׁם אֶת־פְּנֵי ה'" Genesis.19.27 The Talmud concludes (Berakhot.26: "וְאֵין ״עֲמִידָה״ אֶלָּא תְּפִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (...
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Mediterranean Talmud

When the Gemarra was composed, there were three areas inhabited by significant Jewish populations - Bavel, Eretz Yisrael, and the other Mediterranean countries ruled by the Roman Empire as far as ...
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Gemara B'iyun - Teaching and Learning [closed]

I want to learn Gemara b'iyun in the same way that it is learned in the great Yeshivos. Please can I have suggestions of source material that will take me forward in this. Where can I get shiurim ...
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Why is a lulav from עיר הנדחת pasul because it lacks a shiur?

In לולב הגזול, the first Mishna says a לולב של עיר הנדחת is pasul. Rashi explains that this is because it "lacks" the minimal length of 4 tefachim, since it is supposed to be burned and is ...
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How should I pronounce עם in עם הדומה לחמור?

I was surprised to hear a lecturer pronounce the word עם in the phrase עם הדומה לחמור with a חיריק. I know that all of my teachers pronounced it with a פתח. When I pointed out the גמרא at the end of ...
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How could Leah daven to change her fetus's gender?

The gemara brachos 60a asks how could Leah daven for her fetus to change genders if the mishna calls that a wasted tefilla. The gemara gives 2 answers.The first is, acts of miracles are different. I ...
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Time runs quicker before the Messiah comes; source?

I remember hearing that the Talmud says that before the Messiah comes, events will occur with decreasing gaps between them as if time was running faster than usual. Where is this stated?
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A response to Rav Reuven - Bava Basra [closed]

In the 6th daf of Bava Basra, we find the following case: מאי איריא ברשות הרבים אפילו רשות היחיד נמי רשות הרבים איצטריכא ליה מהו דתימא נימא ליה סוף סוף הא בעית לאצטנועי מבני רשות הרבים The Gemara ...
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Source for Gemara about learning while sitting on hands?

I think it is in seder moed, where a tanna or amora learns while sitting on his hands and possibly has a disputation with a min? Anyone remember this Gemara?
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Why is the Gemara using tautology?

The Gemara in Masechet Megillah says: אֶלָּא שֶׁהַכְּפָרִים מַקְדִּימִין לְיוֹם הַכְּנִיסָה׃ א״ר חֲנִינָא חֲכָמִים הקילו עַל הכפרים לִהְיוֹת מַקְדִּימִין לְיוֹם הַכְּנִיסָה כְּדֵי שיספקו מַיִם ...
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Developing ability: thinking in learning [closed]

It says in Tosafot Sotah 21a - זה תלמוד חכם: סתם תלמיד חכם תורתו אומנתו, ועוסק בה ומהרהר כל שעה. ואינו הולך ד' אמות בלא תורה Is there any detailed, practical guidance available about developing an ...
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Six fundamental disagreements - The Rogatchover

I heard (in the name of the Rogatchover) that there are six fundamental disagreements upon which all the disagreements in Shas are based. Assuming that this is true, does anybody know what they are?
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Can the definitive article, הַ וְ, be used in demonyms found in the Talmud?

Does the Talmud use the definitive article, הַ וְ, in demonyms? For example, in English we can say both, "David the New Yorker" and "David of New York", the first form using the ...
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What's a good quote from Chazal to use as a constant reminder? [closed]

I am looking for some of Mi Yodeya's favorite quotes from Mishna, Gemara, works of Chazal, etc. that can be used as constant reminders to always be doing the right thing and trying to grow. I am aware ...
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Instances of Angels by name in Shas

I am curious about a list (does not need to be exhaustive) of various places where Angels are mentioned by name in Shas/Talmud. I am so far aware of two: the angels listed by name that visited ...
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Source for a rabbi warning his student/son?

I distinctly remember a passage in the Talmud that went something like this: A Rav advises his student (or son) that he should ensure that he uses the correct Torah scroll or chumash when praying/...
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Why is Masechta Yoma not entitled more clearly after Yom Kippur like other masechtos reflecting the relevant yom tov

When it comes to Shabbos, Rosh Hashanah, Succos and Pesach, their corresponding masechtos are all called after the shabbos/festivals (i.e. Masechta Shabbos, Rosh Hashanah, Succah & Pesachim). Yet ...
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When should we not to correct the ignorant? Search for sugya in Masechet Shabbat

I am searching for a sugya in Masechet Shabbat relating to two Rabbis who did not correct the towns people in relation to wearing certain type of footwear because they were concerned that if corrected,...
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What advice do you have for learning rishonim?

In my yeshiva, I've joined a b'iyun shiur that makes extensive use of a variety of rishonim. I find its hard to keep track of differences in the language of each specific rishon. What advice do you ...

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