Take One Daf Yomi
by Tablet Magazine
As Jews around the world engage in a seven-and-a-half year cycle of Daf Yomi, reading the entire Talmud one page per day, Tablet Magazine's new podcast, Take One, will offer a brief and evocative daily read of the daf, in just about 10 minutes. New episodes will be released daily Monday through Friday.
Episodes
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Berekhot 55 - Let Your River Run
On today’s page, Bekhorot 55, the rabbis ask a surprisingly complicated question: Where, exactly, does the Jordan River become the Jordan River? Their answer takes us from the lush waters of northern Israel to the desert near Jericho, revealing a lesson about individuality and the pressure to fit...
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Bekhorot 54 - Stuck in the Middle with Ewe
On today’s page, Bekhorot 54, the rabbis ask how far apart two groups of animals can be before they cease to count as a single flock. Their answer leads us to a surprising lesson about the limits of human attention, the nature of community, and the importance of those who stand in the middle and...
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Bekhorot 53 - There's No Place Like Home
On today’s page, Bekhorot 53, the rabbis begin the tractate's final chapter with the laws of animal tithing, exploring when and where farmers must set aside every tenth animal as sacred. Their discussion leads us to a much larger question about the relationship between Jewish law and the Land of...
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Bekhorot 51 and 52 - What's the Deal With Five Sela?
On today’s pages, Bekhorot 51 and 52, a father wants his firstborn son redeemed, but he also wants his money back. Rabbi Hanina isn't having it, and the resulting argument over refunds, intentions, and five sela sounds suspiciously like something out of Seinfeld. So Liel and producer Josh wrote...
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Bekhorot 49 and 50 - A Higher Currency
On today’s pages, Bekhorot 49 and 50, the rabbis worry that coins looted from the Temple might have found their way into everyday circulation, potentially rendering enormous amounts of money unusable. Liel explores why the sages believed that some coins possess a value that transcends their...
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Bekhorot 48 - In Dreams Begin Responsibilities
On today’s page, Bekhorot 48, the rabbis consider a series of tricky cases in which the obligation to redeem a firstborn son may depend on who was born first—or who survived. Liel turns to the poet Delmore Schwartz to explore why even our noblest intentions mean little without the actions that...
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Bekhorot 47 - Choose Your Own Adventure
On today’s page, Bekhorot 47, Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish debate whether a man who converts to Judaism after having children gets a fresh start when it comes to the laws of the firstborn. Their disagreement leads Liel to a larger reflection on conversion, rebirth, and the choices that define...
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Berekhot 46 - Who's on First?
On today’s page, Bekhorot 46, the rabbis begin a new chapter by asking who exactly qualifies as a firstborn, discovering that the answer depends on whether we're talking about redemption or inheritance. Liel turns to modern research on birth order to explore whether firstborn children really have...
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Bekhorot 44 and 45 - A Giant Among Men
On today’s pages, Bekhorot 44 and 45, the rabbis debate the proportions of Moses, whom they describe as an astonishing ten cubits tall. Their discussion takes us from Talmudic geometry to the Maharal of Prague, who offers a very different way of understanding Moses's imposing stature. How should…
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Bekhorot 42 and 43 - The Familiar Face
On today’s pages, Bekhorot 42 and 43, the rabbis discuss physical blemishes that disqualify priests from serving in the Temple, including some surprisingly specific descriptions of misshapen heads. Liel explores the reasoning behind these seemingly harsh restrictions and discovers a remarkable...
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Bekhorot 41 - Three Is a Magic Number
On today’s page, Bekhorot 41, the rabbis examine which blemishes disqualify a firstborn animal from sacrifice, focusing on three particular conditions: old age, illness, and foul odor. A single verse from Leviticus, with three repetitions of the word “from,” becomes the foundation for an…
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Bekhorot 40 - A Monumental Question
On today’s page, Bekhorot 40, we discover that one of the Temple Mount's gates bore the name and image of Shushan, the Persian capital. The rabbis offer several explanations for this unusual tribute, each revealing a different way of understanding the past and our obligations to remember it.…
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Bekhorot 39 - The Faults in our Scars
On today’s page, Bekhorot 39, the rabbis distinguish between visible blemishes that disqualify an animal from sacrifice and hidden imperfections that may not. Liel considers what this distinction might teach us about the wounds and scars we all carry, even when we appear perfectly fine to the...
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Bekhorot 37 and 38 - With Great Power…
On today’s pages, Bekhorot 37 and 38, Rav Nachman declares himself an expert qualified to make important halachic rulings, with none of the modesty we might expect from a great scholar. But stories about his generosity, respect for others, and even a cleverly deployed wild goose reveal a more...
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Bekhorot 35 and 36 - A Tail of Two Presidents
On today’s pages, Bekhorot 35 and 36, the rabbis distinguish between damage done intentionally and damage done by accident, with the help of some unfortunate lambs. Presidential historian Tevi Troy joins us to connect this ancient discussion to Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant, whose very...
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Bekhorot 34 - You Say Terumotai, I Say Terumati
On today’s page, Bekhorot 34, the rabbis find themselves caught between two readings of the same Hebrew word, one singular and one plural, with significant consequences for the laws of terumah. It's time to Slow Jam the Talmud as Liel follows their argument through spelling, pronunciation, and…
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Bekhorot 33 - More Than Meats the Eye
On today’s page, Bekhorot 33, the rabbis consider the value of meat from animals that can no longer be sacrificed. Liel welcomes producer Josh Kross for a conversation about the difference between how food looks and how it tastes, with detours through molecular gastronomy, Montreal poutine, and...
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Bekhorot 32 - The Limits of Privilege
On today’s page, Bekhorot 32, Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel disagree about who may eat the meat of a firstborn animal that develops a blemish and cannot be sacrificed. Their debate raises a much bigger question about the privileges we grant those who serve the public—and the limits we place on…
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Bekhorot 30 and 31 - Keeping the Faith
On today’s pages, Bekhorot 30 and 31, the rabbis consider what happens when someone once trusted to observe Jewish law begins cutting corners. From a dishonest butcher to a woman whose second marriage threatens to undermine her religious commitments, Liel explores how easily our standards can…
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Bekhorot 28 and 29 - Don't Quit Your Day Job
On today’s pages, Bekhorot 28 and 29, the rabbis ask whether judges should be paid for their rulings, leading to a much bigger question: Should anyone be allowed to make money teaching Torah? Liel turns to Maimonides, whose uncompromising answer challenges the very idea of making a living from...
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Bekhorot 27 - The Long-Distance Relationship
On today’s page, Bekhorot 27, the rabbis grapple with a question that remains surprisingly relevant: How should Jews living outside Israel participate in religious obligations rooted in the Holy Land? Liel explores how this ancient debate echoes today's arguments over what Israeli and American…
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Bekhorot 26 - What's the Rush?
On today’s page, Bekhorot 26, the Mishnah instructs us to wait before giving a firstborn animal to the priest, allowing it time to grow and mature. Liel explores how this seemingly minor requirement protects the dignity of everyone involved and transforms a routine obligation into an opportunity...
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Bekhorot 25 - First Among Equals
On today’s page, Bekhorot 25, we consider the importance of being first—not just among newborn animals, but among the people making decisions that shape history. Liel shares a conversation from Tablet's The Barbarians with Wall Street Journal editorial board member Elliott Kaufman, whose new…
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Bekhorot 23 and 24 - Waiting for Elijah
On today’s pages, Bekhorot 23 and 24, a strange case involving a sheep and a pig-like offspring leaves the rabbis facing a question they cannot definitively answer. Liel explores the meaning of teiku, the tradition that Elijah the Prophet will someday resolve our most stubborn disputes, and the...
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Bekhorot 21 and 22 - Shepherds, not Sheep
On today’s pages, Bekhorot 21 and 22, the rabbis discuss how to determine whether an animal has previously given birth, eventually concluding that the answer requires a knowledgeable shepherd. Liel wonders what happened to that kind of practical wisdom in a world where we increasingly rely on...
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Bekhorot 20 - With Love and Correction
On today’s page, Bekhorot 20, Rabbi Yehoshua wastes no time correcting Rabbi Yishmael when his former student gets a point of halacha wrong. But years before that rebuke, Rabbi Yehoshua had encountered the young prodigy imprisoned in Rome, recognized his extraordinary potential, and paid a…
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Bekhorot 19 - The Mystery of the Headless Cow
On today’s page, Bekhorot 19, the rabbis discuss the rite of the Egla Arufa, or the decapitated calf, sacrificed whenever a stranger was murdered by an unknown assailant as a way to shock us all into understanding that we are responsible for each other. Still, why such a brutal ritual? And why a...
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Bekhorot 18 - Doubles Trouble
On today’s page, Bekhorot 18, a ewe gives birth to two males whose heads appear at precisely the same moment, leaving the rabbis with a problem: Which one is actually the firstborn? What follows is a wonderfully intricate argument about stronger lambs, weaker lambs, competing claims, and the…
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Bekhorot 16 and 17 - Same as it Ever Was?
On today’s pages, Bekhorot 16 and 17, the rabbis ask what happens when an animal no longer looks the way its species is supposed to look. Centuries of breeding and natural change make that ancient question surprisingly modern, with implications for everything from wool to matzah. What does Jewish...
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Bekhorot 14 and 15 - Not in My Backyard
On today’s pages, Bekhorot 14 and 15, a discussion of private altars raises a surprisingly fundamental question: Why should sacrifice be confined to the Temple in Jerusalem? From backyard altars to IMAX theaters, Liel explores why the most powerful experiences sometimes require a special…
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Bekhorot 13 - Beast of Burden
On today’s page, Bekhorot 13, the rabbis ask why the humble donkey, alone among non-kosher animals, has a firstborn that must be redeemed. Rabbi Eliezer Melamed offers three answers involving gratitude, holiness, and the surprising spiritual potential of the material world. What can a lowly beast...
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Bekhorot 12 - A Koy-Named Ewe
On today’s page, Bekhorot 12, the rabbis wrestle with sheep-goat hybrids and the mysterious koy, an animal so difficult to classify that the sages couldn’t even agree on what it was. With some help from Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, we discover that this strange creature may have a surprisingly familiar...
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Bekhorot 11 - Mind The Gap
On today’s episode, we set aside Bekhorot 11 to celebrate Sukkot with Professor Richard Hidary and his new book, Discovering the Jewish Holidays: Eight Talmudic Readings. Drawing on Michelangelo, Moses, the Ark of the Covenant, and one very short sukkah, Hidary explores the mysterious boundary...
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Bekhorot 9 and 10 - Are You Smarter Than 60 Greek Sages? Pt. 2
On today’s pages, Bekhorot 9 and 10, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya completes his astonishing mission against the 60 sages of Athens, proving that winning an argument sometimes requires considerably more than having the better argument. Presidential historian Tevi Troy joins us to explain why the...
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Bekhorot 7 and 8 - Are You Smarter Than 60 Greek Sages? Pt. 1
On today’s pages, Bekhorot 7 and 8, the Roman emperor challenges Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya to prove that he can outsmart the legendary sages of Athens. What follows is an extraordinary battle of wits involving riddles, disguises, impossible tasks, and one very clever pair of backwards sandals....
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Bekhorot 6 - Lost in Translation
On today’s page, Bekhorot 6, the rabbis wrestle with et, a tiny, ubiquitous Hebrew word that has no English equivalent, and with a sage who built an entire method of interpretation around it before deciding he had gone too far. From Proust to Pope to Finnegans Wake, Liel explores what happens…
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Bekhorot 5 - Which Came First?
On today’s page, Bekhorot 5, Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish disagree about when the Israelites began sanctifying their firstborn: before entering the Promised Land or only after they arrived. Their dispute raises a much bigger question about how we approach the things we hope to accomplish. Do…
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Bekhorot 2,3, and 4 - Parenthood: The Firstborn
On today’s pages, Bekhorot 2, 3, and 4, we begin a new tractate by learning about the special status of firstborn animals. Rabbi David Bashevkin joins us to ask why Judaism cares so much about who comes first—and what the arrival of a firstborn changes for everyone who follows. What can Steve...
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Chullin 141 and 142 - The End
On today’s pages, Chullin 141 and 142, we reach the end of Tractate Chullin and look back at what months of studying meat, kashrut, and the intricacies of eating have taught us. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to explain why our most basic need for nourishment can become an expression of Jewish...
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Chullin 140 - Murder Most Fowl
On today’s page, Chullin 140, the rabbis encounter a bird that has killed a human being—and must now be brought to justice. Its strange case takes us from the Talmud to Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds and the bizarre real-life avian attack that helped inspire it. What can killer birds teach us about...
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Chullin 139 — A Mitzvah in Search of a Problem
On today’s page, Chullin 139, yesterday’s mother bird returns with a thornier question: If sending her away is a mitzvah, should we actually go looking for nests just so we can perform it? Generations of rabbis disagree, turning one unusual commandment into a meditation on what it means to pursue…
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Chullin 138 - Free Bird
On today’s page, Chullin 138, Maimonides and Nachmanides disagree over why the Torah commands us to send away a mother bird before taking her young. Their argument takes us from animal suffering to conservation to a deeper question about how seemingly small acts can shape our character. Can…
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Chullin 136 and 137 — Fasting for Gedaliah
On today’s pages, Chullin 136 and 137, Tzom Gedaliah reminds us of the terrible price Jews can pay when disagreement becomes hatred. Liel revisits a conversation with Rabbi Rachel Timoner, a Jewish leader with whom he has quite a few disagreements, to ask whether we can fight passionately over…
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Chullin 134 and 135 — Sweet Child o’ Mine
On today’s pages, Chullin 134 and 135, apples and honey offer more than a wish for a sweet year. A bee that stings can nevertheless produce honey, and Jacob’s true scent remains beneath the disguise he wears—two reminders that our failures needn’t define who we are or who we can become. Drawing…
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Chullin 133 - Teacher, Leave Them Kids Alone
On today’s page, Chullin 133, the rabbis issue a startling warning about teaching students who aren't serious about learning—going so far as to compare it to idol worship. Behind the hyperbole lies a demanding vision of education in which teachers and students each have responsibilities to the...
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Chullin 132 - Ch... Ch... Changes
On today’s page, Chullin 132, the rabbis debate the status of the koy, a creature caught somewhere between wild and domesticated. With Rosh Hashanah just days away, their strange animal becomes a metaphor for the struggle within each of us—and for a holiday whose very name may contain an…
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Chullin 131 - You Get What You Give
On today’s page, Chullin 131, the rabbis consider the tithes that sustained the priests, Levites, and poor—and remind us that community requires more than simply belonging. If we want strong institutions and leaders, we have to support them, just as they have an obligation to support us in…
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Chullin 129 and 130 - More than Words
On today’s pages, Chullin 129 and 130, Megillat Ta’anit raises a fundamental question: What exactly makes the Oral Torah oral once its teachings have been written down? To help answer it, we’re sharing a lesson from Talmud Daily, in which Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin explains why Torah shebe’al peh is...
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Chullin 127 and 128 - Life... Finds a Way
On today’s pages, Chullin 127 and 128, the rabbis contemplate the wonders of creation, from creatures of the sea and land to those of fire and air. Then some enterprising residents decide to improve on God’s handiwork by breeding two animals that shouldn’t be able to reproduce—and discover that…
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Chullin 126 - Like a Rolling Stone
On today’s page, Chullin 126, the rabbis encounter a mystery buried in two words: golel and dofek. Solving it takes us from Rashi and Maimonides to the burial caves of ancient Israel and the great stones once rolled across their entrances. What can the Talmud teach us about the lost burial...
About this show
As Jews around the world engage in a seven-and-a-half year cycle of Daf Yomi, reading the entire Talmud one page per day, Tablet Magazine's new podcast, Take One, will offer a brief and evocative daily read of the daf, in just about 10 minutes. New episodes will be released daily Monday through Friday.
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Tablet Magazine
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