Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 28th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Aleph discusses the origin story of Yeravam ben Nevat, one of the most wicked kings in Jewish history. As is often the case with such figures, Yeravam was not merely a villain—he was a man of immense Torah knowledge and potential, a tragic archetype of wasted greatness. The verse states: “And the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the way, and he was clad in a new [ḥadasha] garment, and the two were alone i …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 28th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Beis discusses a verse in Mishlei (15:15): “All the days of a poor man are wretched, but a man who is of good heart will be in a constant festive state.” In the context of the surrounding verses, this pasuk conveys moral wisdom regarding attitudes and dispositions that influence a person’s experiences—either toward meaningful, pleasant interactions or the opposite. The Gemara seeks to define what type of …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 27th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Aleph discusses an incident in which Rabbi Yochanan, displeased with his student, glared at him and reduced him to a pile of bones. This phrase appears elsewhere in the Talmud regarding other sages who also glared at offenders, rendering them into a pile of bones (Berachos 58a, Shabbos 34a, and Bava Basra 75a). Some may take such statements literally, imagining the rabbi possessing a supernatural death-ray vision. OK, to each t …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 26th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Beis discusses the role and responsibility of a human being in this world: Rabbi Elazar says: Every man was created for labor, as it is stated: “Man is born for toil” (Iyov 5:7). Based on this verse, I do not know whether he was created for the toil of the mouth—speech—or for the toil of labor. When the verse states: “For his mouth presses upon him” (Mishlei 16:26), you must say that he was c …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 25th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Aleph makes a pronouncement about the preconditions for the coming of the Messiah: Ze’eiri says that Rabbi Ḥanina says: The son of David will not come until the arrogant cease to exist from among the Jewish people, as it is stated: “For then I will remove from your midst your proudly exulting ones” (Tzefaniah 3:11), and it is written afterward: “And I will leave in your midst a poor and lowly people, a …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 24th, 2025

Our Gemara on amud aleph tells a strange tale about a city whose inhabitants never, ever lied: There was a certain Sage, Rav Tavut (or Rav Tavyomei, according to some), who was so committed to honesty that, even if offered the entire world, he would not deviate from the truth. He said: “One time, I happened to visit a place called Truth, where its residents were unwavering in their commitment to truth. No one there ever deviated from truth …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 23rd, 2025

Our Gemara on amud aleph discusses the merit that Nebuchadnezzar earned for showing honor to Hashem: Nebuchadnezzar was the scribe of Baladan, and at that time, he was not present. When he arrived, he asked the other scribes: "How did you write the king’s message?" They replied, "We wrote this: 'Greetings to King Hezekiah, greetings to the city of Jerusalem, and greetings to the great God, as we were commanded.'" Nebuchadnezzar said to them …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 21st, 2025

Our Gemara on amud aleph notes that certain heavenly decrees or even quarrels might fade after a good night’s sleep. This folk wisdom holds both psychological and spiritual validity. A restful night allows for perspective, calming anger, and other passions. Personally, I try not to make major decisions without sleeping on them—literally. I believe the unconscious mind needs time to wrestle with the issue and sort through it, allowing …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 21st, 2025

Our Gemara on amud aleph discusses how a person may experience an uncanny sense that something is wrong, hinting at danger, based on the verse in Daniel (10:7): “I, Daniel, alone saw the vision; the men who were with me did not see the vision, yet they were seized with a great terror and fled into hiding.”  The Gemara asks: Since they did not see the vision, what caused their fear? The Gemara answers: Although they did not see th …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 20th, 2025

Our Gemara on amud aleph teaches that the righteous are greater than the ministering angels. But how can this be? Angels are fully spiritual beings who presumably perform God’s will without hesitation or resistance. The Tanya (39) offers an extensive explanation of this idea. To my understanding, Tanya is stating that while angels occupy a high spiritual state, their level remains static and unchanging. Humans, on the other hand, are tasked …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 19th, 2025

Our Gemara on amud aleph discusses the various virtues and benefits of wisdom: And Rabbi Elazar says: Any person in whom there is knowledge, in the end, becomes wealthy, as it is stated: “And by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant riches” (Mishlei 24:4). Ben Yehoyada picks up on the extra phrase, “in the end” (le-basof). He explains that the phrase should be parsed differently: “Any perso …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 18th, 2025

Our Gemara on amud aleph continues various debates and discussions to establish the credibility of the resurrection of the dead. The school of Rabbi Yishmael presents the following argument: We can see how the resurrection of the dead is possible by way of a kal v’chomer from glass vessels: If, concerning glass vessels—which are fashioned by the breath of those of flesh and blood, who blow and form the vessels—it is the case tha …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 17th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Aleph discusses various transgressions and consequences related to a prophet suppressing his own prophecy and a Jewish person disregarding the words of a prophet: With regard to one who suppresses his prophecy because he does not wish to share it with the public, one who contemptuously forgoes the statement of a prophet and refuses to heed it, and a prophet who violates his own statement and fails to perform what he was command …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 16th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Aleph discusses various transgressions and consequences related to a prophet suppressing his own prophecy and a Jewish person disregarding the words of a prophet: With regard to one who suppresses his prophecy because he does not wish to share it with the public, one who contemptuously forgoes the statement of a prophet and refuses to heed it, and a prophet who violates his own statement and fails to perform what he was command …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 14th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Beis discusses an interesting wrinkle in the legal fate of the Biblical Rebellious Son described in Devarim (21:18). If the parents forgive his transgressions, he is not prosecuted. Shem MiShmuel (Ki Seitzei, Year 5671) asks: We have learned (Mishna Sanhedrin 8:5) that the Rebellious Son is sentenced to death not because of the severity of the transgressions he has already committed, but on account of his ultimate end. A boy of …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 14th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Aleph cites a proof text that the Land of Israel is viewed as the highest land geographically. When discussing the process of resolving a Halachic question that local courts cannot adjudicate, the verse states (Devarim 17:8) that you shall “stand and ascend to the place God has chosen (i.e., the Sanhedrin located at the Temple in Yerushalayim).” Since there is an ascension, this implies Eretz Yisroel is the highest …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 13th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Aleph discusses the verse prohibiting theft found in the Ten Commandments (Shemos 20:13). Ironically, from the Talmudic Midrashic perspective, “Thou shalt not steal” refers to kidnapping, due to its context. This commandment follows the prohibitions against murder and adultery; by analogy, just as those are capital crimes, so too must this form of theft refer to a capital crime—namely, kidnapping, not ordinary …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 12th, 2025

Our Mishna on Amud Beis discusses the penalty for kidnapping, which can be the death penalty. The Mishna even considers an opinion that a father could be liable for kidnapping, such as if he sold his son into slavery. The Shu”t of Rav Betzalel Ashkenazi (39) notes that the term used in Biblical Hebrew is “gonev” and not “gozel.” Usually, “gezel” refers to brazen, open theft, while “geneiva” re …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 11th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Aleph discusses two related prohibitions regarding the special status of a father and mother. It is a biblical prohibition to curse one’s father or mother (Shemos 21:17), as well as a prohibition to wound one’s father or mother (ibid. 15). Presumably, wounding one’s parents is more severe than merely cursing them. Yet, the punishment for cursing them is stoning, while wounding them is strangulation. Given that …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 1st, 2025

  Chapter 1: The Bumbling King In the days of BidenOyVeyLeRosh, ruler of 50 (give or take a few disputed) states, there was much confusion in the land. From his mighty throne in the Swamp of Washington, he sat on his throne. His advisors whispered amongst themselves: “Does he need a nap first?” “Which teleprompter setting today: ‘Normal’ or ‘Extra Large’?” One day, BidenOyVeyLeRosh, in a moment …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 10th, 2025

Our Gemara on amud beis discusses the interesting legal category of the tevul yom. A tevul yom refers to a person who has undergone a ritual immersion in a mikvah but must still wait until nightfall for full purification. During this interim period—between immersion and sunset—the individual or item retains a partial status of impurity and is subject to certain restrictions. Our Gemara provides a prooftext that a tevul yom who perform …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 9th, 2025

Our Gemara on amud aleph tells of the extreme fate of King Yehoyakim, who was singled out for a humiliating punishment that even extended to his corpse:
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Avuya says: It was written on the skull of Yehoyakim, king of Judea: "This and yet another," indicating that he will suffer a punishment in addition to what he has already received. The Gemara relates: Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Avuya, the grandfather of Rabbi Perida, found a skull …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 7th, 2025

Continuing the discussion of how various despicable acts may not be technically punishable, sometimes the rabbis allowed for extra measures to rein in wholesale abuse and disregard for the law or social order. Therefore, even though one who repeatedly violates a prohibition in the Torah is technically not subject to capital punishment, the Mishna on amud beis rules:
One who was flogged for violating a prohibition and then repeated the viola …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 7th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Aleph teaches:
Rava says that regarding the offspring of a cow that gores while pregnant, it is prohibited to bring the animal as an offering, just like any animal that has killed a person. This is because both the cow and its unborn offspring gored together. Similarly, in the case of the offspring of a cow that was the object of bestiality while the fetus was in utero, it is prohibited to bring it as an offering, as both …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 6th, 2025

Continuing the discussion of indirect or less intentional forms of murder, our Gemara examines a dispute regarding a case where one intends to kill one person but “accidentally” kills another. Rabbi Shimon holds that if a person intends to kill Reuven but ends up killing Shimon, he is not liable for the death penalty. This debate may center on whether such an act demonstrates sufficient intent to incur capital punishment.
Even a …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 5th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Aleph continues its discussion of various indirect forms of murder, including the case of one who causes a snake to bite a person.
There is a dispute regarding how direct this action is, and according to our Gemara’s analysis, it depends on where the venom is located. Rabbi Yehuda holds that the venom is upon the snake’s fangs. Therefore, in this case, the entire action is performed by the individual who embed …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 4th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Aleph discusses various scenarios where a person causes another’s death intentionally but not directly. For example, tying someone up in a situation where the sun will rise and cause them to die from heatstroke. This is known as gramma—an indirect causation—which is not punishable in a Jewish court but is among the many sins that incur a heavenly death penalty. However, in terms of monetary damages on objects, …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 3rd, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Beis considers it improper piety to return a lost object to a gentile. In other words, if the local gentile laws and moral codes do not obligate returning a lost object, it is unnecessary, and even vainly pious, to do so. As we discussed in Psychology of the Daf: Sanhedrin 74, Torah law is not only societal but also covenantal. Many legal systems may not consider a lost object to be the possession of the original owner, and thu …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

March 2nd, 2025

On Amud Aleph, the Gemara discusses a fascinating story about a man who was stricken with lovesickness. The physicians assessed that if he was unable to requite his love, he would die. Much ink has been spilled analyzing the nuanced and multifaceted ways in which the rabbis responded to this person’s situation. For our discussion, we will focus on one particular segment. While there are different accounts of the story, one account suggests …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

February 28th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Aleph references a well-known Talmudic legal principle: Jewish law does not employ a kal v’chomer (a fortiori argument). A kal v’chomer is a method of deriving a law based on logic, where if a certain stringency applies to a less severe situation, it should certainly apply to a more severe one. For example, if one is ticketed for running a yellow light, surely one should be ticketed for running a red light. However, …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

February 28th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Aleph provides an intriguing scriptural source for the obligation to save a fellow Jew from harm. The verse regarding returning lost objects states (Devarim 22:2), “And you shall return it to him.” However, the Hebrew wording, “Ve-Hashevoso” —which literally means “return it to him”—can also be read as “You shall return him to himself.” This subtle shift hints at the i …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

February 27th, 2025

Our Gemara discusses one of the fundamental laws of preemptive self-defense, as described in Shemos 22:1-2. In certain situations where there is a reasonable presumption that an intruder intends to use deadly force—such as a home invasion, where the thief is prepared to encounter an adversary and therefore ready to kill if necessary—one does not have to wait to be attacked and may strike preemptively. (An obvious and nearly universal …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

February 26th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Aleph discusses how the Ben Sorrer Umoreh—the rebellious son described in Devarim (21:18) who is subject to the death penalty—historically never existed. That is, as draconian as the prescribed punishment seems, it never actually came to pass. One important aspect of the legal procedure is that the parents themselves must bring their child before the court, meaning they are voluntarily participating in a process tha …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

February 25th, 2025

Our Mishna on Amud Aleph references the idea of having a meal when calculating whether the lunar month is 29 or 30 days. The Aruch Hashulchan (OC 419:2) explains that this meal was intended to incentivize any witnesses who had seen evidence of the new moon to make the trip to the court. He quotes the Kol Bo, which states that the custom of eating a festive meal on Rosh Chodesh in general serves as a zecher le-Mikdash, a way to remember various ri …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

February 24th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Aleph notes the linguistic similarity between the Hebrew word mezid (“malicious intent”) and le-hazid (“to cook”). For example, Yaakov cooked lentil stew as part of his scheme to buy the birthright from Esau (Bereishis 25:29), where it says, "Va-Yazed Yaakov Nazid," but the word hazid is also used to denote malicious intent, as seen in Devarim 17:12, when a man deliberately defies a directive from an aut …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

February 23rd, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Aleph describes a poignant scene where the sages visit their colleague, Rabbi Eliezer, who is on his deathbed. This is a psychologically complex encounter, as these very same colleagues had excommunicated him for his intense and disrespectful manner of disagreeing with them during the famous "Oven of Achnai" dispute (see Bava Metzia 59b). For obvious reasons, there was tension and regret on both sides, which had never been full …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

February 21st, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Aleph describes the actions and words that the Inciter (to commit idolatry) must say in order to be liable for the death penalty. An example is how he might educate someone about a particular mode of idol worship and its rituals: “There is an idol in such and such a place, which eats like this, drinks like this, does good for its worshippers like this, and harms those who do not worship it like this.” It is curious …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

February 21st, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Aleph analyzes the verse in Vayikra 20:9 that warns against cursing one’s parents: If anyone curses his father and mother, that person shall be put to death; that person has cursed father and mother—and retains the bloodguilt. In various halakhic discussions throughout the Talmud, a linguistic question arises regarding how to understand the Biblical letter vav when it serves as a conjunction. Does it mean “and …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

February 20th, 2025

Our daf discusses the various prohibitions against divining omens and portents. The relevant verses are found in Devarim (18:10-18):   Let no one be found among you who consigns a son or daughter to the fire, or who is an augur, a soothsayer, a diviner, a sorcerer,  one who casts spells, or one who consults ghosts or familiar spirits, or one who inquires of the dead. For anyone who does such things is abhorrent to Hashem, and it is …
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Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

February 19th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Aleph quotes a profound theological principle: "The seal of the Holy One, Blessed be He, is truth."   Let us delve deeper into this idea. The Likkutei Halachos (Birchos Hahoda’ah 6:29) illustrates how emes—truth—is embedded within Hashem’s very name. When Moshe asks how he should identify God to the Jewish people, Hashem responds (Shemos 3:14):   “Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh,” and c …
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