Podcasts about yevamot

In this episode of the Parsha Review Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe delves into Parshas Devarim, the opening portion of the Book of Deuteronomy, which serves as a review (Mishneh Torah) of the Torah's teachings, encapsulating Moses' final remarks to the Jewish people. Rabbi Wolbe focuses on the first verse (Deuteronomy 1:1), which lists seemingly extraneous locations—such as the wilderness, Arava, and Dizahav—where Moses spoke to the Israelites. Quoting Rashi, he explains that these are veiled critiques of the Jewish people's past sins, including the complaints after Egypt, the Midianite women, the spies, the manna, Korach's rebellion, and the Golden Calf. Moses delivers these critiques gently to avoid direct confrontation, reflecting the Torah's sensitivity to prevent embarrassment.Rabbi Wolbe ties this to the upcoming month of Elul, a time for introspection and gentle self-critique, and shares his grandfather's advice to young husbands to avoid critiquing their wives for three years to preserve their relationship. He references a Talmudic teaching from Yevamot 65b, which mandates offering constructive criticism only when it will be accepted, and withholding it otherwise, emphasizing that effective critique requires knowing the recipient well and prioritizing their growth over personal catharsis. Rabbi Wolbe recounts a story about Rabbi Yaakov Galinsky visiting Rabbi Hetskel Levenstein during shiva, where Levenstein lamented that no one offered him introspective critique about his wife's passing, unlike the sages who lovingly prompted Rav Huna to reflect on his loss of 400 barrels of wine (Tractate Berachot 5b). This underscores the value of constructive feedback from trusted friends. Rabbi Wolbe encourages embracing criticism as a path to self-improvement, as taught in Ethics of the Fathers (6:6), and warns against arrogance that rejects critique. He concludes by urging listeners to use gentle, loving critique to foster personal growth and prepare for Rosh Hashanah, wishing all a meaningful Shabbos._____________This episode (Ep 7.40) of the Parsha Review Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe on Parshas Bamidbar is dedicated in honor of our Holy Soldiers in the Battlefield and our Torah Scholars in the Study Halls who are fighting for the safety of our nation!Download & Print the Parsha Review Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ncaRyoH5iJmGGoMZs9y82Hz2ofViVouv?usp=sharingRecorded at TORCH Studios (C) to an online TORCHzoom.com audience on August 15, 2025, in Passaic, New Jersey.Released as Podcast on August 17, 2025_____________Subscribe: Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parsha-review-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1651930083)Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/22lv1kXJob5ZNLaAl6CHTQ) to stay inspired! Share your questions at awolbe@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Subscribe and Listen to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Torah, #Parsha, #Deuteronomy, #Critique, #Moshe, #Relationships, #PersonalGrowth, #Humility, #Arrogance,  #Introspection, #Self-Reflection, #ConstructiveCriticism ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Parsha Review Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe delves into Parshas Devarim, the opening portion of the Book of Deuteronomy, which serves as a review (Mishneh Torah) of the Torah's teachings, encapsulating Moses' final remarks to the Jewish people. Rabbi Wolbe focuses on the first verse (Deuteronomy 1:1), which lists seemingly extraneous locations—such as the wilderness, Arava, and Dizahav—where Moses spoke to the Israelites. Quoting Rashi, he explains that these are veiled critiques of the Jewish people's past sins, including the complaints after Egypt, the Midianite women, the spies, the manna, Korach's rebellion, and the Golden Calf. Moses delivers these critiques gently to avoid direct confrontation, reflecting the Torah's sensitivity to prevent embarrassment. Rabbi Wolbe ties this to the upcoming month of Elul, a time for introspection and gentle self-critique, and shares his grandfather's advice to young husbands to avoid critiquing their wives for three years to preserve their relationship. He references a Talmudic teaching from Yevamot 65b, which mandates offering constructive criticism only when it will be accepted, and withholding it otherwise, emphasizing that effective critique requires knowing the recipient well and prioritizing their growth over personal catharsis. Rabbi Wolbe recounts a story about Rabbi Yaakov Galinsky visiting Rabbi Hetskel Levenstein during shiva, where Levenstein lamented that no one offered him introspective critique about his wife's passing, unlike the sages who lovingly prompted Rav Huna to reflect on his loss of 400 barrels of wine (Tractate Berachot 5b). This underscores the value of constructive feedback from trusted friends. Rabbi Wolbe encourages embracing criticism as a path to self-improvement, as taught in Ethics of the Fathers (6:6), and warns against arrogance that rejects critique. He concludes by urging listeners to use gentle, loving critique to foster personal growth and prepare for Rosh Hashanah, wishing all a meaningful Shabbos._____________This episode (Ep 7.40) of the Parsha Review Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe on Parshas Bamidbar is dedicated in honor of our Holy Soldiers in the Battlefield and our Torah Scholars in the Study Halls who are fighting for the safety of our nation!Download & Print the Parsha Review Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ncaRyoH5iJmGGoMZs9y82Hz2ofViVouv?usp=sharingRecorded at TORCH Studios (C) to an online TORCHzoom.com audience on August 15, 2025, in Passaic, New Jersey.Released as Podcast on August 17, 2025_____________Subscribe: Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parsha-review-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1651930083)Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/22lv1kXJob5ZNLaAl6CHTQ) to stay inspired! Share your questions at awolbe@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Subscribe and Listen to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Torah, #Parsha, #Deuteronomy, #Critique, #Moshe, #Relationships, #PersonalGrowth, #Humility, #Arrogance,  #Introspection, #Self-Reflection, #ConstructiveCriticism ★ Support this podcast ★

More about Yentl (second discussion of the movie, Talmud and Naichmonides topics)Yevamot 63a&b: Link https://www.sefaria.org/Yevamot.63b.1?lang=biNaichmonides “Holy Letter”: https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/4013413/Marienberg-Holy-Letter-Pop-Culture-HEC2010-01-libre.pdf?1390835693=&response-content-disposition=attachment%3B+filename%3DThe_Holy_Letter_and_Pop_Culture_Represe.pdf&Expires=1742803951&Signature=E4WJVfhsNFP48CIzYQz6IsNoIc3RSZYWNJE2EGGe4zhXdVSHbl20Vu5ciYj95LmDrvT0aT3OqcJGbaaMtRAJL-EUUaSVrqosnWlKPZaBSKB4ItjxJSVTf7YcikjKOUXOwpLBflTb8OWqQ5m6zCHQzQS~tg-owbOIt30m7~lW1cLEJA8ji7mmtGHbLMALdLaPH2J9-1mu3zfQFNg27XQ1u81ko3zsv~8kSK0hwwSPOJQ9GN62HJMPfGjcGZtZ-BTA5AWbyOJzi5dohMTv4uC0UlU6DNzfeogIGBxuzIptrggVE6bkcbwhlOItnBccfs8mlrDXDQ~QWwEUFLyQf7Adgg__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA

Relationship and relationship charts are the essence of most of this daf. What relationships disqualify relatives from testifying against or about a relative? Note that these are all men - as witnesses, though some of the relationships include in-law status via women. And note that these are not the same relationships as the prohibited marriage/yevamot relationships. Also, a "lid on a barrel" - the mechutanim (fathers of bride and groom) can testify against each other. But can a man testify against or about his betrothed? Is that too close of a relationship? But he wouldn't be in deep mourning for her if she died (nor she for him).

A new chapter! With an introduction to the basis of the laws of inheritance. Including the rules of the first-born, and referring to the daughters of Tzlofchad. The first mishnah gives the list of who inherits and bequeaths to each other, who inherits but doesn't bequeath, doesn't inherit, but does bequeath, and neither. The Gemara wants to address the order of these cases -- including the fact that the sages did not want to begin the mishnah with calamity. Plus, cases reminiscent of Yevamot with cases of yibum and inheritance.

Rava concludes that the Mishna relates to a different case than the Rabbi Tarfon/Rabbi Akiva debate in Yevamot 118b. Our Mishna is a case where the thief knows who he/she stole from. Therefore, whether or not one needs to return the item directly or one can let the person know that the stolen item is available to be picked up is dependent on the severity of the actions of the thief - whether or not the thief swore and admitted and needs repentance from that or not. Rabbi Tarfon and Rabbi Akiva's debate is not dependent on whether or not one swore as the issue there is because the thief does not know the identity of the one whom he/she stole from. If one appointed an agent in front of witnesses to receive a loan payment (for example), Rav Hisda and Rabba disagree about whether when the agent receives the payment, the borrower is no longer responsible if something happens to the money on the way or was the agent appointed to make it easier for the borrower to get the money back to the original owner but does not assume responsibility. Two difficulties are raised against Rav Chisda's opinion, that the agent assumes responsibility, one from a Mishna in Bava Metzia 98b and one from our Mishna. Both are resolved. Rabbi Yochanan and Rabbi Elazar held like Rav Chisda as well. Shmuel was hesitant to allow people to send money with agents appointed by the creditor as they do not assume responsibility even if they carry a stamp and a signature of the creditor. How were people able to collect loans back from debtors who lived far away? How can it be done securely? Two stories are brought highlighting a possible method. The nature of the payment of the one-fifth, chomesh, is discussed - is it to effect atonement for the thief or is it a financial payment? If it is a financial payment, and the thief dies, the children are liable to pay it. This contradicts a braita which rules that they do not. How can that contradiction be resolved?

Rava concludes that the Mishna relates to a different case than the Rabbi Tarfon/Rabbi Akiva debate in Yevamot 118b. Our Mishna is a case where the thief knows who he/she stole from. Therefore, whether or not one needs to return the item directly or one can let the person know that the stolen item is available to be picked up is dependent on the severity of the actions of the thief - whether or not the thief swore and admitted and needs repentance from that or not. Rabbi Tarfon and Rabbi Akiva's debate is not dependent on whether or not one swore as the issue there is because the thief does not know the identity of the one whom he/she stole from. If one appointed an agent in front of witnesses to receive a loan payment (for example), Rav Hisda and Rabba disagree about whether when the agent receives the payment, the borrower is no longer responsible if something happens to the money on the way or was the agent appointed to make it easier for the borrower to get the money back to the original owner but does not assume responsibility. Two difficulties are raised against Rav Chisda's opinion, that the agent assumes responsibility, one from a Mishna in Bava Metzia 98b and one from our Mishna. Both are resolved. Rabbi Yochanan and Rabbi Elazar held like Rav Chisda as well. Shmuel was hesitant to allow people to send money with agents appointed by the creditor as they do not assume responsibility even if they carry a stamp and a signature of the creditor. How were people able to collect loans back from debtors who lived far away? How can it be done securely? Two stories are brought highlighting a possible method. The nature of the payment of the one-fifth, chomesh, is discussed - is it to effect atonement for the thief or is it a financial payment? If it is a financial payment, and the thief dies, the children are liable to pay it. This contradicts a braita which rules that they do not. How can that contradiction be resolved?

Study Guide Bava Kamma 103 In Israel, they raised a difficulty with Rabbi Yochanan's interpretation explaining one of the braitot like Rabbi Yehuda - how could a sale be valid when the agent changes what the buyer wanted as the seller intends to sell it to the agent, not knowing the agent is buying for someone else, and the agent is not acting as an agent, as the agent is purchasing a different item than the one the buyer wanted? A braita is quoted about one who buys land but uses someone else's name on the document of sale to discourage others from bringing claims against the property rights of the land. At first, it is suggested that the author of this braita disagrees with the opinion of the rabbis in Israel as the seller thinks the buyer is the other person (whose name appears in the sale document) when it is actually sold to the buyer. However, the braita is then explained differently and the ruling in the braita does not relate to the issue the rabbis in Israel were discussing. Rav Kahana bought flax from someone but hadn't yet received the flax. As the price of flax then increased, the seller sold Rav Kahan's flax and returned Rav Kahana the amount of money he received for selling it, which was more than Rav Kahana had given him originally. Is there an issue of interest here? Rav ruled that it depended on whether or not the one who bought the flax for the higher price knew that it was Rav Kahana's flax or thought it was the seller's. At first, the Gemara suggests that this distinction suggests that Rav held like the rabbis in Israel, but then they explain that the issue was a different one and was unrelated. The Mishna explained that one who steals, takes an oath denying it, and then admits their lie, must return the lost item directly to the hands of the one it was stolen from and adds an extra fifth (which is calculated as 25% of the value of the item) and brings a guilt offering, asham gezeila, to achieve atonement. The Mishna assumes that only if the thief took an oath it is necessary to return the lost item directly to the one who it was stolen to receive the atonement, but if one did not take an oath, but witnesses testified against the thief, then it is enough to put the item aside and wait for the one who it was stolen from to come and collect it. The Gemara questions that this seems to match neither Rabbi Tarfon's nor Rabbi Akiva's opinion about returning a stolen item as appears in the Mishna in Yevamot 118b regarding one who stole and five people claim he/she stole from them and the thief doesn't know which one is the one he/she stole from. Three different suggested answers are brought. The first two are rejected.

Study Guide Bava Kamma 103 In Israel, they raised a difficulty with Rabbi Yochanan's interpretation explaining one of the braitot like Rabbi Yehuda - how could a sale be valid when the agent changes what the buyer wanted as the seller intends to sell it to the agent, not knowing the agent is buying for someone else, and the agent is not acting as an agent, as the agent is purchasing a different item than the one the buyer wanted? A braita is quoted about one who buys land but uses someone else's name on the document of sale to discourage others from bringing claims against the property rights of the land. At first, it is suggested that the author of this braita disagrees with the opinion of the rabbis in Israel as the seller thinks the buyer is the other person (whose name appears in the sale document) when it is actually sold to the buyer. However, the braita is then explained differently and the ruling in the braita does not relate to the issue the rabbis in Israel were discussing. Rav Kahana bought flax from someone but hadn't yet received the flax. As the price of flax then increased, the seller sold Rav Kahan's flax and returned Rav Kahana the amount of money he received for selling it, which was more than Rav Kahana had given him originally. Is there an issue of interest here? Rav ruled that it depended on whether or not the one who bought the flax for the higher price knew that it was Rav Kahana's flax or thought it was the seller's. At first, the Gemara suggests that this distinction suggests that Rav held like the rabbis in Israel, but then they explain that the issue was a different one and was unrelated. The Mishna explained that one who steals, takes an oath denying it, and then admits their lie, must return the lost item directly to the hands of the one it was stolen from and adds an extra fifth (which is calculated as 25% of the value of the item) and brings a guilt offering, asham gezeila, to achieve atonement. The Mishna assumes that only if the thief took an oath it is necessary to return the lost item directly to the one who it was stolen to receive the atonement, but if one did not take an oath, but witnesses testified against the thief, then it is enough to put the item aside and wait for the one who it was stolen from to come and collect it. The Gemara questions that this seems to match neither Rabbi Tarfon's nor Rabbi Akiva's opinion about returning a stolen item as appears in the Mishna in Yevamot 118b regarding one who stole and five people claim he/she stole from them and the thief doesn't know which one is the one he/she stole from. Three different suggested answers are brought. The first two are rejected.

Yevamot 16:6-7 | Tuesday, December 26th 2023 | 14 Teves 5784

Yevamot 16:4-5 | Monday, December 25th 2023 | 13 Teves 5784

Yevamot 16:2-3 | Sunday, December 24th 2023 | 12 Teves 5784

Yevamot 15:10-16:1 | Saturday, December 23rd 2023 | 11 Teves 5784

Yevamot 15:8-9 | Friday, December 22nd 2023 | 10 Teves 5784

Yevamot 15:6-7 | Thursday, December 21st 2023 | 9 Teves 5784

Yevamot 15:4-5 | Wednesday, December 20th 2023 | 8 Teves 5784

Yevamot 15:2-3 | Tuesday, December 19th 2023 | 7 Teves 5784

Yevamot 14:9-15:1 | Monday, December 18th 2023 | 6 Teves 5784

Yevamot 14:7-8 | Sunday, December 17th 2023 | 5 Teves 5784

Yevamot 14:5-6 | Saturday, December 16th 2023 | 4 Teves 5784

Chevruta is a column named for the traditional method of Jewish study, in which a pair of students analyzes a religious text together. In each installment, Jewish Currents will match leftist thinkers and organizers with a rabbi or Torah scholar. The activists will bring an urgent question that arises in their own work; the Torah scholar will lead them in exploring their question through Jewish text. By routing contemporary political questions through traditional religious sources, we aim to address the most urgent ethical and spiritual problems confronting the left. Each column will be accompanied by a podcast and a study guide (linked below).In our second Chevruta podcast, Laynie Soloman, associate rosh yeshiva of the queer and trans yeshiva SVARA, speaks with feminist theorist Sophie Lewis, author of Full Surrogacy Now: Feminism Against Family and Abolish the Family: A Manifesto for Care and Liberation, about the famous biblical injunction to “be fruitful and multiply.” Though this has traditionally been regarded as a foundational commandment, the rabbis were strikingly ambivalent about it—in part because of their profound love of Torah, and of each other. In this Chevruta, Soloman and Lewis explore a Talmudic text from tractate Yevamot that confronts a rabbinic figure who has declined to have children. Through his example, the rabbis normalize a discomfort with this seemingly essential practice of biological reproduction, and offer a way to complicate—and potentially subvert—the status of procreation in the rabbinic mind and in our world.You can find the column based on this conversation and a study guide here. Thanks to Jesse Brenneman for producing and to Nathan Salsburg for the use of his song “VIII (All That Were Calculated Have Passed).”Artworks and texts mentioned and further reading:Talmud: Yevamot 63b and 64aFull Surrogacy Now: Feminism Against Family by Sophie LewisAnthropocene, Capitalocene, Plantationocene, Chthulucene: Making Kin by Donna HarawayWe the Parasites by A. V. Marraccini“How Mierle Laderman Ukeles Turned Maintenance Work into Art” by Jillian Steinhauer Peninei Halakhah: Simchat Habayit U'Virkhato 5:2“Don't Hurt Yourself” by Beyoncé