Megillah 27: Longevity

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In a number of places in the Talmud we find this question presented to leading Sages by their students.

Although the general principle of the Talmud is that rewards for the performance of mitzvot are received not in this world, but in the world-to-come, nevertheless it appears to have been widely accepted that someone who is particular in his performance of a given mitzvah over and above the basic requirements is rewarded with long life.

We explore the notion of longevity in the Late Antique period and Classical Greece with some comments on the new epigenetic clock known as GrimAge clock, a highly accurate multi-tissue biomarker of aging based on DNA methylation levels, also known as Horvath’s clock.

Megillah 26: Selling the Town Square

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The first three mishnayot of this chapter deal with the holiness of the synagogue and the articles found in it. Our mishnah deals with what one may do with the proceeds of a sale of the synagogue or the things in it.

We review the halochos of Kedushas beis ha-Knesses and the issue of selling a no longer in use shul.

We then look at town squares and their history in western culture.

Megillah 25: Divine Mercy or Decree

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Our Mishnah teaches that a number of seemingly innocuous expressions should be avoided. The most alarming is if one claims:

Al kan tzipor yagi’u rahamekha – “Your mercy even extends to the bird’s nest” – is a statement that should not be said.

Two reasons for this are posed by the Gemara. One suggestion is that this statement will create envy among the creations, i.e. that it appears as though God shows favoritism to one creature over the rest.

The other opinion in the Gemara is that one who says this is, in effect, suggesting that God’s commandments are based on mercy, when, in fact, they are gezerot – laws whose reasoning is not ours to understand.

This statement, which appears to limit any study of te’amei ha-mitzvot (the “taste of,” or reasoning behind, the commandments), is the subject of much discussion among Jewish thinkers and philosophers.

We review the extremes of these positions from the Rambam on the rational side to the Hassidic Masters (Izshbitz) on the other.

Megillah 24: Priestly Deformities

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A kohen with blemishes on his hands should not raise his hands [to bless the people.] The reasons a kohen with blemished hands should not bless the people, Rashi (1) explains, is that the blemishes will attract people’s attention.

The Gemara in Chagiga (2) states that gazing at the hands of the kohanim while their hands are raised will result in one’s vision becoming weakened because of the Divine presence which resides on their hands at that moment.

We explore the talmudic approach to disability and some interesting latter day expressions of the conflict between perfection and human frailty.

Megillah 23: Minyan Choices

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Our daf states that we learn that all matters of sanctity require ten adult men from Leviticus 22:23 that states “I should be sanctified among the Children of Israel.”

We then apply a gezeirah shava as the word Toch appears in this verse, and it is said regarding Korach and his entourage(Numbers 16:21) “separate yourselves from amid this assembly.”

We then apply another gezeirah shavah as in the verse just mentioned there is the word Eidah and it is said regarding the ten spies(Numbers 14:27) “How long for this evil assembly.”

Just like regarding the spies there were ten, so too regarding Korach the words Mitoch Haeidah refers to ten men.

We explore the use of minyan halachically as well as alternative options during a pandemic.

Megillah 22: Rosh Chodesh Ambivalences

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The Gemora cites a braisa: This is the general rule: Any day where prolonging the tefillah would cause a loss of work, such as a public fast day or Tisha b’Av (where work is halachically permitted); we call three people to the Torah, but a day where prolonging the tefillah would not cause a loss of work, such as Rosh Chodesh (women have the custom of refraining to work) and Chol Hamoed; we call four people to the Torah. Rashi in Megillah (22b) states that the women abstained from performing work on Rosh Chodesh.

Tosfos (in Rosh Hashanah) states that there is a prohibition against working on Rosh Chodesh. Turei Even writes that in the times that the Beis Hamikdosh was in existence, there was a prohibition of refraining from work which applied to the men as well. This was due to the korban mussaf which was offered for all of Klal Yisroel on that day. A person is forbidden from doing work on a day that he brings a korban.

We explore the ramifications of women and Rosh Chodesh that have survived the talmudic era.

Megillah 21: מַאֲמָר סָתוּם

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The world was created with ten utterances (Avos 5:1). When counting the number of utterances of Creation, our daf notes that the words "God said" only appear nine times throughout the account of Creation.

Nevertheless, the Gemara explains that we are to include the opening statement of "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" as an utterance of creation, bringing the grand total to ten.

We explore the meaning beyond this "ma'amar sossom" form halachic, philosophical and chassidic perspectives ending with Rebbe nachman of Breslov's radical healing Torah for those who have lost their way.

Megillah 20: Day vs Night

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A new Mishna teaches that certain acts must occur after daybreak - before sunrise but after the first light of sun:

The Mishnah lists five Mitzvos that may be done only after sunrise. These include Mikra Megilah, Milah, Tevilah, Haza'ah, and Tevilah of a Shomeres Yom k'Neged Yom.

The Mishnah (20b) then says that any Mitzvah which must be done during the day may be done at any time during the day. The Mishnah mentions the Mitzvah of Mikra Megilah (as it mentions in the previous Mishnah), and it proceeds to list twenty other Mitzvos, none of which are mentioned in the first Mishnah.

The Rishonim are bothered why the Mishna doesn’t list other mitzvos that are applicable by night, such as Krias shema and the reading of the Megillah. The Rashba says: It can be inferred from this Mishna that the primary obligation to read the Megillah is only by day and not by night. This is because the main publicizing of the miracle happens by day.

We explore the day/night conundrum and present its halachic ramifications then some mystical insights ending with Jung's auto biography and Midsummer Night's Dream!

Megillah 19: Letter or Scroll?

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The Megillah is called sefer/ ‘book’ and it is also called igerret/ ‘letter.’ It is called ‘book’ to show that if it is stitched with threads of linen, it is not fit for use; and it is called ‘letter’ to show that if it is stitched with three threads of sinew, it may be used.

Rabbi Chiya bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: The above ruling is limited to when the Megillah is read publicly, but when it is read privately, one may use a Megillah that was written together with other scrolls.

The general approach is that the Megilla is referred to as a ספר — a book, but it is also called an אגרת, a letter. This teaches us that in certain areas, the Megilla is to be treated as a formal text, just as a Sefer Torah, while in other regards its laws are more lenient.

“The Rishonim (Rashba, Ritva, and Ramban) ask why it is necessary for the Gemara to derive the laws of writing the Megilla from a special gezeira shava of ketiva-ketiva when the Megilla itself is called a sefer as we find later in our Gemara-Besefer Nichtav(and a Defer Torah must be written with indelible ink in order to be Kosher(Shabbat 103b)?”

We explore the halachic and historical difference between a sefer/scroll and an igerret/ letter ...

Megillah 18: Amalek Without and Within

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In our daf we read:

“It says ‘Zakhor’(Devarim 25:17). Might this be fulfilled in one’s heart? When it says, ‘you shall not forget(Devarim 25:19)- ‘forgetting’ refers to the heart! So what do I learn from [the commandment] to remember? With one’s mouth.”

Clearly, then, the obligation to remember refers to not simply mental recollection, but rather a verbal recitation.

The Gemara does not specify whether one must read Parashat Zakhor from a proper sefer Torah, or merely recite the words.

Both the Rambam (Hilkhot Melakhim 5:5) and the Chinukh (603) make no mention of reading the text specifically from a Torah. The Ramban (Devarim 25:17) also implies that one does not need to read the parasha from a text, but rather to "relate the story to our children..."

However, some Rishonim (see Tosafot, Megilla 17b s.v. kol and Berakhot 13a s.v be-lashon) rule that even on the level of Torah obligation, one must read Parashat Zakhor from a proper Torah scroll.

Megillah 17: Reading Backwards

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The central mitzva of Purim is certainly the reading of the megilla. Interestingly enough, it is the only time during the year during which we are commanded to read a specific scriptural text not contained within chumash proper. What exactly is the megilla's 'nature' vis-a-vis other sections of Tanakh? On the one hand, megillat Esther is nestled within Ketuvim and shares 'equal' status with Sefer Ezra for example. Conversely, we are never commanded to read from Sefer Ezra and there are no specific laws governing its manufacture. What elements does the megilla share with other parts of Tanakh? If there are differences, how might we qualify them?

Rav Moshe Taragin discusses the unique insights of Rav Soloveitchik on these two dimensions to megilla as described by the Ritva .

Megillah 16: Benjamin’s Preferential Treatment

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Our daf turns to the story of Benjamin, from whom Mordechai descended. When Joseph received his brothers in Egypt, he gave to Benjamin five portions of food and five garments, thus showing preferential treatment. How could he do this, seeing that Jacob's preferential treatment of him earlier led to brothers hating and selling him? The answer is that Joseph was thus influencing the future for Mordechai, who would wear five royal garments.

We explore these relationships and refer to my podcasts on the subject especially Rav Lichtenstein's vs Aviva Zornberg's political vs psychodynamic readings.

Megillah 15: Esther’s Plight

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As Esther approaches the king's bedroom she knows that she is going voluntarily which will disallow her to her husband forever. Without the divine spirit to guide her (due to the idols in his forechamber) she makes a decision for the sake of her people.

This heroic act as mirrored in the midrash allows us to explore latter day heroines in the form of Agunot as we try to make sense of her sacrifice.

Megillah 14: Hallel or Megillah?

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There is a dispute cited in our daf regarding the reason that Hallel is not recited on Purim. One reason offered is that once Klal Yisroel entered Eretz Yisroel, we do not recite Hallel on a miracle that occurred outside of Eretz Yisroel. This reason is challenged because it can be said that once they were sent into exile, Hallel can be recited even on a miracle that transpired in the Diaspora. Rav Nachman states that the reading of the Megillah replaces the obligation to recite Hallel. Rava explains that there is no obligation to recite Hallel on the miracle of Purim because we are still servants of Achashverosh.

Rabbi Hutner explains this ruling in a most remarkable way, based on our earlier explanation. The psalms in Hallel speak about overt miracles and praise God for His revealed wonders such as those related in the Torah. Hallel intentionally does not include praise to God for covert miracles, since those must be praised in a hidden way so as to remind the worshipper that such miracles occur on a daily basis. This is the reason why on Purim one reads Megillat Esther and does not recite Hallel. Megillat Esther is the story of a hidden miracle, and through the reading of this story in front of a congregation, God receives praise in the appropriate way – in a subtle and hidden manner. After all, it is not God who needs praise, but people who need to praise; they must therefore do it in a way that corresponds to the actual miracle. They have to realize what kind of miracle took or takes place. Singing Hallel, instead, would be missing the point.

Megillah 13: Esther’s Complexion and Fragrance

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It is written in the Megillah [2:7]: He raised his cousin Hadassah, also called Esther, for she had neither father nor mother. She is called Hadassah and Esther. What, in fact, was her actual name? Rabbi Meir said: Her real name was Esther, but she was referred to as Hadassah, because the righteous are called myrtles. Rabbi Yehudah said: Her real name was Hadassah, but she was referred to as Esther because she concealed her words (regarding her origin). Rabbi Nechemyah said: Her real name was Hadassah, but she was referred to as Esther because the other nations called her Esther, saying that she was as beautiful as the moon (istaher). Ben Azzai said: Esther was neither too tall nor too short, but of medium size, like a myrtle. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korchah said: Esther's complexion was greenish (similar to a myrtle), but she had grace (provided to her by Hashem, making her appear beautiful).

We explore the deeper meaning behind her complexion and the midrashic and kabbalistic implications for yerakroket.

Megillah 12: Vashti's Tail/Tale

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Vashti has been a character with few words but many interpreters.

In our daf, we are presented with a specific view of Vashti: libidinous, cruel to the women – especially the Jewish women – who serve her, vain, and likely being punished by G-d.

Even though the text suggests that Vashti is modest, for she does not wish to appear naked before the King and his guests, chazal find reason to suggest otherwise. She developed leprosy just at that moment or she grew a tail and was embarrassed.

According to our Sages, we should see Vashti as wicked, which means sexual, willful, and hurtful.

How do we make sense of these narratives when teaching children?

And how come feminists appropriated her narrative?

And what of her relationship to Muriel Wilson and Winston Churchill?

Megillah 11: Achashverosh’s Identity

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The daf begins a walk through the Megilla, in an effort to explore the characters of its dramatis personae.

For example, the name of Achashverosh is broken down and analyzed. Out of many passages and words that are examined, one is the use of "hu" before the name of Achashverosh.

The rabbis note that we also see this pronoun used before the names of other 'great' leaders. (Avram, hu Avraham, or Avram, this is Avraham, is one example). The rabbis wonder why Achashverosh would be included in the company of Avraham, Moses, Aaron and King David. They decide that 'hu' represents someone who was consistent in his character throughout his life. Wicked or righteous.

We explore the historical and critical views of this ambivalent personality and the wonderful musical oratorios by Handel and Wesigal depicting them.

Megillah 10: Tamar's Veil

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Our daf states that : Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yonatan said: "Any bride who is modest in the house of her father-in-law merits that kings and prophets will emerge from her. From where do we derive this? From Tamar"

We explore the issue of Tamar's qualities and examine Gen 38 to reveal a textual analysis the ambivalence of the narrator and how modern feminist interpretations expose the misogyny inherent in how we appropriate sacred texts halachically.

Megillah 9: Ekphrasis

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The targum shiv’im was the first translation of the Torah into a foreign language, an occurrence that the Sages viewed at first as dangerous, at best (Megillat Ta’anit records that a fast day was established in commemoration of the event). After a time, however, the translation was accepted as important and valuable and was treated with respect by the Sages. The Jews of Egypt, in particular, viewed the targum shiv’im with great reverence and saw its creation as one of holiness.

Aside from the record of the event that appears in Rabbinic literature, a lengthy description of the translation and how it came to be has been found in an ancient Greek letter entitled “the letter of Aristias,” which describes the king’s initiative to have the Torah translated and the greatness of the Sages who were brought from Israel to carry it out. We explore the history of the letter and how its author employed a device called ekphrasis or embellishment in order to praise Ptolemy and curry favor for the Jewish community.

Megillah 8: Lost In Translation

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Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel’s opinion quoted in the Mishnah limits foreign writing in Sifrei Torah to Greek, based on the passage in Sefer Bereshit (9:27) that invites Yefet to dwell in the tents of Shem. This pasuk is understood to recognize the beauty of Greek, which would be appropriate to use to enhance Jewish practice. The Gemara rules like Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, a position accepted by the Rambam, who argues that the original Greek has become corrupted and has effectively been lost. Therefore today all of our ritual objects, including Sifrei Torah, are only written with ketav Ashuri.

We examine the translations of our Torah into other languages and its relationship to the Oral Law.