Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
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The Daf Yomi through a Psychological Lens.
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Shekalim 14 When Your Children Do Not Turn Out As You Expected Psychology of the Daf
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
April 2nd, 2021
Our Gemara tells us the tragic story about Nehunya who was the official well digger for the Temple. He had a special intuition to know where to dig for water and what rocks contain access underground aquifers. Yet, in a bizarre twist of fate, his own son died of thirst. The Gemara says this shows us that G-d can be exacting upon those who are most pious. That is, G-d may be patient and wait for others to repent because he knows they need time, bu …
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Shuda Be The Right Choice Kesuvos 94 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
October 7th, 2022
How useful is intuition according to Torah philosophy? Our Gemara on Amud Aleph discusses a dispute about two property deeds of sale both with the same date. In such situations where the law is in gridlock, that is there is no reasonable way to resolve a litigation, the Beis Din responds in various ways, depending on factors that we will not discuss in depth right now. The judges may declare that the assets in question be divided equally, which o …
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Signed and Sealed: The Divine Mark of Truth Sanhedrin 64 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
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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Silence is Olden Bava Basra Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
August 26th, 2024
Our Gemara on Amud Aleph and Beis record halachic discussions and situations when the great Amora, Rav was presented with a challenge to his argument, it was met with silence on his part. Rashbam (“Umodeh”) notes that sometimes the silence is to be interpreted as tacit admission, and other times, it is interpreted as a response to a question that is lacking in sophistication. That is, when questioned by peers who are close to his leve …
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Silent Rebuke Gittin 9 Psychology of the Daf
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
May 25th, 2023
Our Gemara on Amud Aleph reports that Rabbi Yosei would use the following verse in Mishley (24:26) to praise cogent Torah arguments: שְׂפָתַ֥יִם יִשָּׁ֑ק מֵ֝שִׁ֗יב דְּבָרִ֥ים נְכֹחִֽים׃ Giving straightforward reply Is like giving a kiss. How is a lucid torah argument compared to a kiss? Rashi on our Gemara says it is worthy of a kiss. Tosafos explains that it is not the kiss itself, but rather the g …
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Silent Scream Nedarim 87 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
January 20th, 2023
Our Gemara on Amud Aleph discusses more about Toch Kedei Dibur, that is a parcel of time that it takes to state, “Peace onto you, my master and teacher.” As we learned in Psychology of the Daf Nedarim 69, there are many halakhic distinctions that arise from this measure of time, mostly having to do with being allowed to renege or retract statements, conditions and agreements within this small time frame. Many commentaries …
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Silver Linings from Corona
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
March 23rd, 2020
We must consider several silver linings coming from Corona Virus: It is offering us all time to slow down, study, reflect and reconnect with ourselves and family We are learning that Jewish weddings and other life-cycle celebrations can be intimate and small without requiring extravagant expense and large crowds. Can you imagine how much easier financial life will be on Jewish families if this trend continues after Corona? …
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Simple Piety Versus Calculated Piety Sanhedrin 13 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
December 30th, 2024
Our Gemara on Amud Aleph-Beis recounts the heroic martyrdom of Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava, who defied a Roman decree against ordaining judges, risking his life to ensure the chain of semicha (ordination) originating from Moshe Rabbeinu would not be broken. The Gemara tells the story as follows: “That man will be remembered favorably, and Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava is his name, as had it not been for him… the laws of fines would have ceased to …
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Sin and Repentance Are Part of the Plan Nedarim 39 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
December 3rd, 2022
Our Gemara on Amud Aleph teaches: שִׁבְעָה דְּבָרִים נִבְרְאוּ קוֹדֶם שֶׁנִּבְרָא הָעוֹלָם, אֵלּוּ הֵן: תּוֹרָה, וּתְשׁוּבָה, גַּן עֵדֶן, וְגֵיהִנָּם, כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד, וּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, וּשְׁמוֹ שֶׁל מָשִׁיחַ. Seven phenomena were created before the world was created, and they are: Tora …
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Sin is Temporary Nazir 22 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
February 14th, 2023
Our Gemara on Amud Aleph discusses the nature of the husband's annulment of a wife’s vow. We know he is given authority to annul a vow that pertains to a wife’s physical comfort as well as matters that interfere in the marriage within a day’s time (see Shulkhan Arukh YD 234:21 and 55, and Bamidbar 30:13.) The question under discussion is how does the annulment operate? Is it a retroactive removal of the vow, or is it merel …
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Sing Baby, Sing Sotah 30 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
April 28th, 2023
Our Gemara on Amud Beis discusses the levels of prophecy that occurred at the splitting of the Red Sea and how the Jews and Moshe responded via the prophetic singing of Az Yashir: תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן הַיָּם נָתְנוּ עֵינֵיהֶם לוֹמַר שִׁירָה וְכֵיצַד אָמ …
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Sinners and Saints Shabbos 123
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
July 7th, 2020
DAF YOMI from a psychological perspective Mareh Mekomos for Video Shiur click here to listen: Psychology of the DAF Shabbos 123 אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: בִּימֵי נְחֶמְיָה בֶּן חֲכַלְיָה נִשְׁנֵית מִשְׁנָה זוֹ, דִּכְתִיב: ״בַּיָּמִים הָהֵמָּה רָאִיתִי בִיהוּדָה דּוֹרְכִים גִּתּוֹת בַּשַּׁבָּת וּ …
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Sinners Count Too Kesuvos 3 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
July 8th, 2022
To what extent is the sinner given recognition and respect by Torah society. The relationship with the sinner is a complex one with great emphasis placed on the community using social pressure and often legal enforcement to maintain desired behavior. Yet, despite this, there also seems to be a practical acceptance of the existence of sin and sinner, and often Torah society remains accepting and loving as we shall see in today’s discussion. …
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Sin’s Middleman: Why the Instigator is Worse Than the Sinner Sanhedrin 50 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
February 5th, 2025
Our Gemara on amud aleph deduces that the subverters —those who encouraged the idolatrous practice of an Ir HaNidachas—are worse than the actual sinners themselves. (An Ir HaNidachas is a city condemned to be decimated due to a significant portion of its populace being identified as idolaters.) This distinction is reflected in the punishments each receives: the inhabitants are merely executed by the sword, while the subverters suffer …
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Sitting is the New Smoking Bava Metzia 113 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
June 20th, 2024
Our Gemara on amud beis relates medical advice from the great Amora and physician Shmuel, and one of the practices that he considers to be in the top three of irreparable bodily harm is to “Eat bread and not walk four cubits afterward.” Rashi adds that this warning is in regard to going to sleep right after eating without walking a bit. There are some technical contradictions between Shmuel’s advice and the Rambam’s medica …
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Slave Lives Matter Eruvin 74 Psychology of the Daf
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
October 22nd, 2020
Eruvin 74 וְאַיְבוּת בַּר אִיהִי סָבַר: מְקוֹם פִּיתָּא גָּרֵים. וּשְׁמוּאֵל לְטַעְמֵיהּ דְּאָמַר: מָקוֹם לִינָה גָּרֵים. And Ivut bar Ihi holds that the place where a person eats his bread determines his place of residence. Therefore, he did not consider the synagogue a residence, as the attendant would eat elsewhere, and Ivut bar Ihi thought that Shmu …
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Sleeping on It: Intuition, Calm, and Hijacked Plane Sanhedrin 95 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
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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Small Minded Thinking Bava Basra 107 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
October 10th, 2024
Our Gemara on amud aleph uses a distinctive Hebrew word to describe taking off a piece of land and granting it to another inheritor, “Mekamtzin”, which we can translate as snipping off. The word has a different connotation than other apparent synonyms, such as “chatoch”, to cut, or “lachalok” to divide. The Maharal (Netzach Yisrael 5) explains that the word kometz, means to take a small part of a larger w …
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So Far, You Didn’t Sin Nazir 62 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
March 26th, 2023
Our Gemara on amud aleph makes a statement about annulment of vows that is said many times throughout Shas: הֶיתֵּר נְדָרִים פּוֹרְחִין בָּאֲוִיר “The halakhos of dissolution of vows, namely that one may request from a halakhic authority to annul them, fly in the air and have nothing to lean upon, i.e., these halakhos are not mentioned explicitly in the Torah. Sefer Arvei Nachal (Noach 2, 5663) unders …
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Sober Responses to Suffering Psychology of the Daf Shabbos 139
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
July 23rd, 2020
וְאָמַר רַבִּי מַלַּאי מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יִצְחָק מַגְדְּלָאָה: מִיּוֹם שֶׁפֵּירַשׁ יוֹסֵף מֵאֶחָיו לֹא טָעַם טַעַם יַיִן, דִּכְתִיב: ״וּלְקׇדְקֹד נְזִיר אֶחָיו״. And Rabbi Mallai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak from Migdal: From the day that Joseph took leave from his brothers, he did not sample a taste …
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Soft Start-Up Gittin 75 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
July 30th, 2023
Our Gemara on Amud Beis wrestles with a linguistic conundrum: how a man should phrase a condition in his Get, to be considered valid and executed a moment prior to his death, but not be activated should he survive. This was a common practice to protect people from falling to Yibum to a much younger brother who is not appropriate to marry: אֶלָּא אָמַר רָבָא: "אִם לֹא מַתִּי לֹא יְהֵא גֵּט, אִם מַתִּ …
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Sometimes It Is Best Not To Fight the Yetzer Hara Sotah 12 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
April 9th, 2023
Our Gemara on Amud Alpeh describes how beautiful Miriam had become, as indicated by various secondary names given to her by scripture. One name was Esnan, which means gift. However, it also is reminiscent of the scriptural use of this word in the context of payment given to a prostitute for sexual services (See Devarim 23:19). In Miriam’s case, the sexual charge is not seen as negative, and to the contrary, she is seen as somehow an inspira …
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Sometimes the Details Count Gittin 5 Psychology of the Daf
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
May 21st, 2023
Our Gemara on Amud Beis discusses the consequences of diverging from the formula that the sages instituted for process of divorce. Rabbi Meir has an opinion that once the Rabbis Instituted a particular process, even if details of the process are rabbinic in origin, a divorcement bill that does not in here to this process is rendered invalid. This is even to the extent that the divorce is ineffective, and a child from a subsequent union would be c …
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Sometimes Too Hard, Sometimes Too Easy Nazir 19 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
February 10th, 2023
The Gemara on Amud Aleph repeats the often quoted exhortation of Rabbi Elazar HaKappar: דְּתַנְיָא רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הַקַּפָּר בְּרַבִּי אוֹמֵר מָה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו מֵאֲשֶׁר חָטָא עַל הַנָּפֶשׁ וְכִי בְּאֵיזוֹ נֶפֶשׁ חָטָא זֶה אֶלָּא שֶׁצִּיעֵר עַצְמוֹ מִן הַי …
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Soul Torah Shabbos 115
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
June 29th, 2020
Mareh Mekomos for Video Shiur click here to listen: for Video Shiur click here to listen: Psychology of the DAF Shabbos 115 DAF YOMI from a psychological perspective. 115 Mishna כָּל כִּתְבֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ מַצִּילִין אוֹתָן מִפְּנֵי הַדְּלֵקָה, בֵּין שֶׁקּוֹרִין בָּהֶן וּבֵין שֶׁאֵין קוֹרִין בָּהֶן….וּמִפְּנֵ …
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Sounding out G-d’s Name
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
February 3rd, 2020
My early childhood school years were full of joy of learning. I attended a local Day School of which my father then served as its principal. The mornings were taught Ivrit B’Ivrit, which sparked my lifelong love affair with the beauty of l’shon kodesh. In the summer of first grade I was reading fluently in Hebrew and English. Significantly, this school worked on language foundations so we had as yet to learn Chumash. We read from read …
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Speaking Up Against Sin Bava Metzia 31 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
March 29th, 2024
Our Gemara on Amud Beis discusses the biblical directive to rebuke a sinner. The verse states (Vayikra 19:16): “הוֹכֵ֤חַ תּוֹכִ֙יחַ֙ אֶת־עֲמִיתֶ֔ךָ You shall admonish, and indeed admonish your fellow country man.” Biblical Hebrew has an idiomatic word form where a verb is repeated, presumably to connote emphasis. The halachic implications of this emphasis are discussed in our Gemara: …
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Speaking With a Unified Voice Nedarim 88 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
January 20th, 2023
The Ran on Amud Beis discusses the status of possessions of a married woman. Since there is a nuptial agreement that the husband support his wife financially, in exchange for that, she agrees that her earnings become his property. What if someone gifts to the woman something with a stipulation that it not be transferable to her husband? Is this condition valid? The Ran proves that this condition is accepted as the halakhic norm …
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Special Eclipse Edition Psychology of the Daf
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
April 8th, 2024
Eclipses and Torah Thought Psychology of the Daf, Special Edition The Gemara Succah (29a) states: When the sun is eclipsed it is a bad omen for the entire world. The Gemara tells a parable. To what is this matter comparable? It is comparable to a king of flesh and blood who prepared a feast for his servants and placed a lantern [panas] before them to illuminate the hall. He became angry at them and said to his servant: Take the lantern from be …
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Speech is Not Free At All Bava Metzia 68 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
May 6th, 2024
Our Gemara on Amud Aleph references an incident whereby Rav Ashi raised a hypothetical question, which involved a halachic dimension of a student’s inheritance, Mar son of Ameimar. The power of Rav Ashi’s words were so great, that his mere mention of Ameimar’s possible death somehow induced his actual death. Our tradition, among many ancient traditions of the world, believes that words have extraordinary power to create a …
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Spiritual and Material Poverty Bava Basra 146 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
November 18th, 2024
Our Gemara on Amud Aleph raises an interesting challenge to the verse in Mishlei (15:15): “All the days of the pauper are bad.” It asks: Isn’t it true that even the poor experience good times, such as Shabbos and Yom Tov, when they have access to food and rest? Shmuel responds that even a change to richer food may upset the stomach, so the poor suffer even when they eat better meals. The Bnei Yissachar (Ma’amar 10:4) delve …
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Spiritual Backlash Bava Metzia 114 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
June 21st, 2024
Our Gemara on amud aleph and beis discusses an encounter between Rabbah bar Avuha and Elijah the prophet: אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ רַבָּה בַּר אֲבוּהּ לְאֵלִיָּהוּ דְּקָאֵי בְּבֵית הַקְּבָרוֹת שֶׁל גּוֹיִם, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַהוּ שֶׁיְּסַדְּרוּ בְּבַעַל חוֹב? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: גָּמַר ״מִיכָה״ ״מִיכָה״ מֵעֲ …
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Spiritual Codependency Bava Metzia 104 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
June 11th, 2024
Our Gemara on Amud Aleph discusses the oblative obligations that a man’s wife incurs, such as the sacrificial animals brought after childbirth, and that they are the husband’s financial obligation. Even though such sacrifices are subject to a substitution of a bird instead of a lamb if the person is unable to afford the latger animal (see Vayikra 12:6-8), we evaluate this based on the husband’s assets, and not hers. The S …
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Spiritual CPR Nazir 43 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
March 7th, 2023
Our Gemara on Amud Aleph discusses the idea that a Cohen may be prohibited from entering a room where there is a Goses (a person who is about to die). This is not merely a rabbinic prohibition in case the person might die and then the Cohen would be in the same room as a corpse. Rather this is a Biblical prohibition, and applies even if the person does not die. Rishonim ask, since Eliyahu the Prophet was a Cohen according to tradition (Bava Metzi …
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Spiritual Credit Score Gittin 3 Psychology of the Daf
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
May 19th, 2023
The Gemara on Amud Aleph discusses circumstances when a single witness is believed. Specifically this is in regard to testifying about the permissibility of a food or similar ritualry requirement. אֵימַר דְּאָמְרִינַן עֵד אֶחָד נֶאֱמָן בְּאִיסּוּרִין כְּגוֹן חֲתִיכָה סָפֵק שֶׁל חֵלֶב סָפֵק שֶׁל שׁוּמָּן דְּלָא אִיתַּ …
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Spiritual Dashboard Nazir 58 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
March 22nd, 2023
Our Gemara on Amud Aleph refers to the classic Talmudic principle of עשה דוחה לא תעשה, that is, a positive command in the Torah is taken to override a negative prohibition. The Shalah (Aseres Hadibros, Yoma, Derech Chaim 62) wonders why the Torah describes various punishments for transgressing prohibitions (death, Kares, lashes) but is silent regarding the punishment for refusing to obey a positive mitzvah. This counter intuiti …
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Spiritual Debts Bava Basra 154 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
November 26th, 2024
Our Gemara on Amud Aleph discusses a legalism in regard to contracts. Ordinarily, a contract needs to be ratified by two witnesses testifying that they recognize the signatures of the witnesses who signed on the document. However, there are certain situations where the debtor in the contract inadvertently ratifies it while actually attempting to discredit it. For example, instead of claiming that the contract is false, he claims something like, t …
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Spiritual Dusting Off Before Shabbos Kiddushin 41 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
September 22nd, 2023
Our Gemara on Amud Aleph discusses how great rabbis would personally tend to Shabbos preparations, even tasks that might be considered menial, to honor the sanctity of Shabbos: Rav Yosef said: It is more fitting that the mitzvah be performed by the person himself than by means of his agent. For example, there is a story of Rav Safra, who would singe the head of an animal on Shabbos eve himself to prepare it for consumption on Shabbos. Similarly, …
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Spiritual Family Therapy Sanhedrin 44 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
January 30th, 2025
Our Gemara on Amud Aleph wonders why the entire Jewish people were punished for Achan’s sin, given the principle that collective responsibility only applies when the sin is known publicly. If nobody knew about Achan’s crime, how could they be held liable? The Gemara answers: Achan’s offense was not entirely secret because his wife and children knew about it, and they did not protest. This answer is diffic …
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Spiritual Food Kiddushin 47 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
September 29th, 2023
This daf continues the halakhic discussion of betrothal using money forgiven from a loan. As we explained on Daf 46, a woman cannot be betrothed by allowing her to keep money she had previously borrowed. This is because the marriage bond needs to be effectuated via a transfer of a tangible object. The loan is not tangible, and even if the money was not spent and thus still tangible, the transfer of money to her domain occurred as a loan, and not …
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