Before considering the question discussed on the brief Daf 35, we review what has been said over the week on the general theme of how the understanding and observance of Rosh Hashanah have changed over the ages, and make some suggestions for how we might modify our current understanding and observance of this holiday. The discussion on Daf 35 is confined to the question of whether or not the repetition of the Amidah by the service leader relieves individuals of the obligation of reciting the Amidah privately.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

Daf 34 discusses the questions of when the shofar is actually blown on Rosh Hashanah, why the blessing over the shofar is said earlier in the service, what kinds of sounds are made by the shofar, how those sounds are interpreted in the 4^th century, and how Rosh Hashanah might have been observed a thousand years earlier. A continuing general theme is how the understanding and observance of Rosh Hashanah changed over the ages.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

Before looking at Daf 34, we complete the discussion of a Mishnah on Daf 33 that states explicitly that Hallel was recited on Rosh Hashanah and note that between the early Talmudic period and the later Talmudic period, and subsequently, Rosh Hashanah became more and more linked to Yom Kippur. Among the themes of Daf 34 are the situations in which one doesn’t get to hear the shofar and the question of whether women may observe the time-bound positive commandments that they are not obligated to observe. A continuing general theme is how the understanding and observance of Rosh Hashanah changed over the ages.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

Daf 32 returns to the discussion of Rosh Hashanah. We focus on a Mishnah that discusses the Musaf Amidah and reveals both how it was recited in earlier times and how it was expanded in later times by Rabbi Akiva. The question discussed is how to add a malchuyot section to an Amidah whose focus in the past had been on zichronot and shofarot. A continuing general theme is how the understanding and observance of Rosh Hashanah changed over the ages.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

Daf 31 continues the discussion of the changes made by Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai after the Temple was destroyed. First however there is a brief detour to the question of why the psalms that we recite on the seven days of the week were chosen and the belief that the world will end after the sixth millennium. (Should we worry?) We will also discuss what happened to the red wool that wouldn’t turn white. A continuing general theme is how the understanding and observance of Rosh Hashanah changed over the ages.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

Daf 30 continues the discussion of the changes made by Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai after the Temple was destroyed. One topic is the lulav ceremony on Sukkot, where his ruling resulted in decentralizing the Temple practice. Another topic concerns the declaration of the new moon, why Rosh Hashanah became a two-day event, and why we don’t announce the new moon of Tishrei on the preceding Shabbat. A continuing general theme is how the understanding and observance of Rosh Hashanah changed over the ages.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

Chapter 4 of Masechet Rosh Hashana begins on Daf 29 and its focus is on the shofar and the liturgy. The first question it discusses is whether the shofar may be blown if Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, and we learn how Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai changed the practice after the Temple was destroyed. A continuing general theme is how the understanding and observance of Rosh Hashanah changed over the ages.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

What if you ate matzah on Pesach, but didn’t do it to fulfill the mitzvah? What if you happened to pass by a synagogue on Rosh HaShanah and heard the shofar sounded? Have you still fulfilled your obligation on these mitzvot? We look into the question of whether “mitzvot tzrichot kavanah“, does the fulfillment of a mitzvah require intent?

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

When two people speak at once, can we truly hear either? What if God were to speak two words at the same time, would both words be heard? We look into the practical implications of “trei kalei” (two voices).

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

On this page we examine the question as to why a cow’s horn cannot be used as a shofar. The Gemara states that “an accuser cannot become a defender”. What are we accused of, and what does this have to do not only with a cow’s horn, but also with the gold in the clothing of the cohen gadol? How does this principle apply to our lives?

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

The page begins with one of the most famous stories of rabbinic authority. There is a disagreement between Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabban Gamliel (the head of the Sanhedrin) as to when the month began. To assert his authority Rabban Gamliel orders Rabbi Yehoshua to appear before him on the day Rabbi Yehoshua considered to be Yom Kippur. What does Rabbi Yehoshua do, and what are the implications for both rabbinic authority and the unity of the Jewish people?

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

After discussing what kind of questions one asks witnesses about Rosh Hodesh, we look at the declaration of the new month. What did the Bet Din say, and how did the people respond to the declaration? What was the reason for this ceremony? What is the role of the people versus the role of “heaven” in deciding the calendar?

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

The Gemarah compares one who learns and teaches Torah to the hadas (myrtle) tree in the desert. Why is this beautiful tree used in the comparison, and what are the implications of it being found in the desert? What are the responsibilities of one who has learned Torah to teach it to others?

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

We discuss on this page the question of why certain individuals or groups are unreliable to give testimony for Rosh Hodesh (and in general), and what is the theory behind their rejection. What is the Talmud concerned with when it rejects them as witnesses? What does it say about their nature and character?

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

We only keep one day of Yom Kippur because it would be too much of a burden on the community to keep a second day of yom tov shel galut on account of Yom Kipur. The Daf also discusses that witnesses are always allowed to transgress Shabbat in order to testify in order to assure that the mitzvah is kept and people don’t become distant to it.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

“Maleh” and “chaser” months and is it necessary to desecrate Shabbat for them? We look at the fascinating case of a Beit Din coercing witnesses to prevent them from testifying for the benefit of the community.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

Megilat Ta’anit and whether it is still valid after the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash. What is the status of certain holidays: divrei torah or divrei sofrim? Do they need chizuk or not and where do divrei kabbalah fall in the spectrum of legal categories?

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

The story of Beluria the convert who asked Rabban Gamliel a question regarding a legal interpretation of Scripture and we encounter the principle of “beyn adam l’makom” and “beyn adam l’chavero”

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

We learn about the three groups of people that are judged on the final Yom Din: completely righteous, completely wicked, and those in-between and what role suffering plays to atone for one’s wrongdoings. We look at the meaning of the “El Rahum v’Hanun” familiar from the High Holiday and Festival liturgy.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

The four occasions on which judgment is passed on the world and the beginning of the discussion about the moral judgment of mankind on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kipur. Which things can change the final decree?

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

The new year of trees and what determines it? The tithing cycle and how it is determined which fruits are tithed for the past year and the coming year.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

Is consistency a requirement for a religious legal system? Today’s daf addresses this very important question. What are the rules according to which rabbinic law work? Autonomy as a value is central to many modern approaches to Judaism and accept by many modern Jews, even if there is disagreement on how far reaching this autonomy should be. But is this good? How much autonomy can a system tolerate before it ceases to function? Listen and hear what the Talmud has to say about this question.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

Today’s daf addresses a number of issues relating to the Sabbatical Year. One is how much does something have to grow before it is considered to have grown during the Sabbatical year. Specifically, if towards the end of the Sabbatical year produce or grain has grown a certain amount, at what point will prohibitions from the Sabbatical Year continue to apply to it during the year after the Sabbatical year. This opens the door for a larger discussion about rabbinic measurements, shiurim. Why do we need these measurements? Are they reliable measurements? Can we live without them? To find out, listen to today’s Daily Daf Differently.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

Have you ever looked up at the stars and wondered what lies beyond all of those stars and constellations? Well, according to today’s daf, beyond the constellations and stars were the waters that flooded the Earth during the days of Noah. Confused? You won’t be after learning today’s daf.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

On today’s daf we go read a detailed list of special dates within Jewish history. We’ll learn on what day the world was created, when were the patriarchs born, and during which month the Children of Israel will be redeemed in the future. There is some disagreement about the dates, and we’ll examine the sources for these disagreements and what they can tell us about Talmudic interpretation of Biblical verses.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

I hope that you enjoyed the concept that we are obligated to add to the holy time period of the Sabbatical Year that we learned on yesterday’s daf, because we speak more about it today. Today’s daf addresses the topic of deadlines related to the Sabbatical Year in more detail. A second topic discussed is Orlah, the teaching that during the first three years that a tree bears fruit the fruit is forbidden. Numerous issues related to Orlah are addressed, including certain laws that may apply during the fourth and even fifth year of the life of a fruit tree.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

Listen to today’s daf in order to learn how a discussion of the starting point for the Sabbatical Year, the Shemittah year, is used in order to teach an important concept that applies to Shabbat and Jewish holidays. This concept is that we add time from the weekday, the unholy time, to the holy time in order to make the time period of the holy day even long. So if you ever wondered why Shabbat is actually more than 24 hours, give a listen to today’s daf.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

Tithing a cattle? Who would have thought. Well, Masekhet Rosh Hashana is very interested in the tithing of cattle and any deadlines that were involved. Our daf addresses these questions along with other important dates in the Hebrew calendar. The first of Elul-check. The first of Tishrei-check. Speaking of the first of Tishrei, a lot apparently happens on this day. Listen to Daily Daf Differently to find out all about these days and other important moments in the calendar.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

A rabbinic statement adding “months, leap-years and, some say, housing rental agreements” to the matters for which the first of Nisan is the “new year” gives us the opportunity to look at each of these and the extent to which Torah can touch all aspects of life.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

A statement by one rabbi that Charity pledges should be paid immediately, and not within the longer time period allowed for pledges to the Temple, leads us to explore the place of charity as a value in Judaism.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

A statement by one rabbi that Charity pledges should be paid immediately, and not within the longer time period allowed for pledges to the Temple, leads us to explore the place of charity as a value in Judaism.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

We will study the Talmud’s difficulty with a “Rosh Hashana for the Festivals” and see how it deals with a Biblical text that it understands but that lacks any operative guidance and with a Mishna text which it has trouble understanding. A lovely example of Talmudic creativity and ingenuity.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

We will look at the first few words of the opening Mishna of the tractate, regarding the First of Nisan as the New Year for the Kings. We will consider the statement that this is for Jewish kings, that non-Jewish kings are “dated” from Tishrei, and the implications of this new level of religious universalism.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

For the opening page of this tractate we will look at some of the unique aspects of Rosh Hashana, both the holiday and the Talmud tractate. We will also do an overview of the Jewish calendar, which is a major subject in this tractate.

The opening and closing music for this podcast is Ufros from The Epichorus album One Bead.

This podcast is a collaboration with The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.