Julian Ungar-Sargon

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Daf Ditty

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

Avodah Zarah 16: כך לימדני ישו הנוצרי

jyungar July 4, 2025

For the source text click/tap here: Avodah Zarah 16

To download, click/tap here: PDF 

Rabbi Akiva said: Master, perhaps some teaching of heresy had been transmitted to you, and it pleased you, and because of that you were arrested?

Rabbi Eliezer exclaimed: Akiva you have reminded me! I was once walking in the upper market of Tzippori when I came across a heretic, (Jesus of nazareth) and Yaakov of Kefar Sechaniah was his name, who said to me: It is written in your Torah: You shall not bring the hire of a harlot … into the house of Hashem your God. May such money be applied to the lavatory for the Kohen Gadol? I did not reply to him.

He said to me: I was taught as follows by my master: For they were gathered from the hire of a harlot, and they will revert to the hire of a harlot - they came from a place of filth, let them go to a place of filth.

We explore the character of Reb Eliezer Hyrcanus whose figure became associated with controversial positions and was ultimately excommunicated by his colleagues over his refusal to accept majority rulings in halakhic disputes.

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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.​