Julian Ungar-Sargon

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  • Dominican University
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Daf Ditty

A wide-ranging commentary on the daily page of Talmud.

Taanit 28: Zatu and Bikkurim Smugglers

jyungar December 10, 2021

For the source text click/tap here: Taanit 28

To download, click/tap here: PDF

On our daf we find that it was once decreed that the Jewish people could no longer bring their bikkurim/ new fruits to Yerushalayim. Guards were stationed along the roads leading to the holy city just as they had been during the days of Yeravam ben Nevat.

Certain righteous people, however, would smuggle in their bikkurim by covering the new fruits with a layer of dried figs. When the guards asked what they were doing with the basket of figs, they would respond that they were bringing in figs for processing. It is clear that those who were not especially righteous did not bring their bikkurim during that period of prohibition. This appears to be very problematic.

We explore the history of Jewish identity during the period with Rivkah Fishman-Duker's excellent review as well as the transformation of the wood offering from biblical times onward.

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Julian Ungar-Sargon

This is Julian Ungar-Sargon's personal website. It contains poems, essays, and podcasts for the spiritual seeker and interdisciplinary aficionado.​