Monday: Masorah Chapter numbers Targum (a few links) Sedrah Wednesday: Breslauer chapter 4.

G. Question: When is it evening? Tanna mentioned the offerings Why? Amora assumes that Tanna knew: evening was when the time the stars come out. Answer: to teach something else: the time of the priests ate the offerings.

Digression: Ritual impurity Does the coming of evening remove some impurity? Yes

Back to the point… Mishnah refers to offerings Another text t refers to a poor man’s evening meal. Solution: both events were simultaneous.

Later discussions Added to Talmud in Medieval period.

“RASHI” R. Solomon ben Isaac 1040 – 1105: France Interpreted Talmud words in order of appearance. “When is it morning? When you can see the white spots in poorly died wool.”

TOSAFOT “Additions” to Rashi’s commentary century: Rashi wrong: Another commandment: wear fringes on garments: blue and white. When you can tell these apart. Try to bring all of Talmud into a consistent whole.

Other commentaries Medieval to renaissance. Sometimes shows differing cultural traits of Jews in different parts of the world.

Later Glosses Up to late 19 th century Cross-references etc.

Oral Torah Tannaim  Mishnah Amoraim  Talmuds Mishnah Talmud. Midrash

2 kinds of writing Halakhah = legal discussions. Aggadah (Haggadah) = non-legal

Aggadah Haggadah Non-legal portions of Oral Torah. Stories, Midrash Moral lessons etc.

Aggadah Rav Judah said in Rav’s name: The Holy One … did not create a single thing in all his world which has no purpose. He created the snail as a remedy for a scab… A serpent is a remedy for a boil. What is the treatment? One black and white serpent … boiled to a pulp and then rubbed in.. Talmud: Shabbath 77.

Halakhah: “the way” Legal discussions in Oral Torah

Mitzvah / Mitzvot Commandments 365 prohibitions requirements (248 = body parts)

613 = TORaH. T is 400 +W (o) is 6 +Ris 200 +His 5 = = 613 Extra 2 come from commandments which precede creation. I am the Lord, your God You shall have no other gods before Me.

613 Some overlap between + and – mitzvot, Some very plain, others come from talmudic interpretation. Grace after meals inferred from "and you will eat and be satisfied and bless the Lord your God“.

Not all applicable No temple Some apply only to Israel.

Gezeirah, “Fence” Mitzvah: no work on Sabbath Gezeirah: do not touch implements of work

Takkanah Non-biblical law –Candles at Hanukkah –Regional variation

Minhag Binding Custom Extra day of holidays outside of Israel, even after proper calendars made. Kippas

Halakhah Mitzvot Gezeirah Takkanah Minhag

Law, not legalism Self – Transformation Dignity not Dogma

Spirit, not letter of Torah “Eye for an eye” means compensation not mutilation

Golden rule Concerned with others, not yourself = love and fear of God

Emunah, Faith Righteous live by faith

Non-esoteric? Often against esoteric speculation. Every letter in Torah holds meaning.

Divine Truth This world The inner-person