Talking Talmud

A long mishnah (or a series that are published together): If a get is written with a name of a place that is not legitimate... Or other goofs in location... If other details are wrong... When is the get not a get? Plus, how a get that is not a get can really mess up a second marriage, and children from the second marriage. Plus, co-wives are treated like the divorcing woman too. Also, a deeper dive into the country that is not legitimate, and other countries as named in divorce. Plus, Rabbi Meir's approach in creating mamzerim.

More on the use of oil in the grain-offerings, whether mixing, or smearing, etc. Note the different ways of applying the oil. Plus, a tiny new mishnah: regarding breaking the grain-offering into pieces. And then doused (to some degree) with oil. Note the distinction between the oven vs. cooking on a flame. The Gemara introduces a beraita with the breaking of the product that is to be the grain-offering upon cooking. Plus, another mishnah: various foldings of the grain-offerings, including that of the kohanim, the anointed kohen, and more. The breaking doesn't take place - as there was no removal of a fistful.

A couple of addenda - about the grasshoppers as reapers of the field, and the impossibility of the 16th of Nisan falling out on Shabbat nowadays. Also - for the grain-offering brought by the "sinner" - with the details of what must be in place for this offering to count for the sinner's atonement. Also, 2 new mishnayot: 1 - grain-offerings that are completely burned on the altar, without the fistful of grain being taken off. All of these texts narrow the focus of these halakhot. 2 - The applications of oil for the grain-offerings, even when the offering is baked in an oven. Including "smearing" the oil on, in the form of a Greek letter.

A new chapter! With a breakdown of the specific various grain-offerings, with an initial focus on the different ways a grain-offering could be prepared. With a question as to whether the variety could be brought together to complete a dedication of an offering. With a focus on the impact of the nature of the way the offering is prepared. Also, voluntary offerings that are usually understood to be burnt-offerings, but a poor person might bring a grain-offering as a burnt-offering. Note also that idolators could bring an offering, and even eat from the offering they brought. But what are they allowed to bring?

A daf that covers a range of topics at the end of chapter 5: harvesting a crop for the sake of clearing out the area, rather than for the sake of the harvest... The omer is, of course, supposed to be brought from the standing grain - barley, that is. The Gemara then lists several "less than ideal" ways of offering the omer, all of which are included in the Torah's verse - "you will bring," even if it's not in the ideal way of doing so. Also, if the grain for the omer offering was harvested on the 16th of Nisan itself, that would be valid - even to the point of overriding the rules of Shabbat. But how do we know that this offering (and others) would be brought on Shabbat? Plus, more, in case you were missing it, on the Shavuot offering of the 2 loaves.

Exclusions when it comes to harvesting the omer and bringing the offering - including an irrigated field, not fully ripe grain. The offering should come from standing grain, unless there's none to be found. Plus, what happens with fields that are "trimmed" via natural means, such as grasshoppers. Plus, making sense of Rabbi Meir's approach vs. Rabbi Shimon's approach.

Does the omer offering render kernels that are planted in the ground permitted? It depends on whether they have taken root. Also, sales of grain - with questions as to whether it's movable property or land, and how to deal honestly, rather than in fraudulent ways. And what about swearing as to the honesty of their handling? Under what circumstances - the narrowest of them - does the omer offering permit aspects of planted unrooted kernels, or not? Also, when wheat or barley kernels are mixed into the dung of cattle or other animals, what rules apply to that grain? What about when an elephant swallows an Egyptian wicker basket - and excretes it intact? Or if an elephant swallows leaves whole and excretes them whole? Or wolves who swallowed and excreted (intact, though not alive) two babies. With implications for purity and impurity.

2 mishnayot - 1. The impact of bringing the omer offering - and how it releases the new grain from that status, even at quite a physical distance from the Temple. Plus, determining what is done in the absence of a Temple in terms schedule (the release from the prohibition against new grain is not cancelled). Also, the decree of R. Yohanan ben Zakkai. [What's What: The decrees of R. Yohanan ben Zakkai]. 2. - The schedule of other grain-offerings in the context of the omer. And also the 2 loaves of Shavuot. What is the significance and impact of each? Plus, new wine, and how the omer didn't have impact on it (or maybe it did!).

Questions by Rava that lead to his seeking answers in a dream! What if dough were kneaded by a non-Jew? Is that dough subject to having hallah separated? What is the status of the dough? With answers coming from a parallel to the case of a convert -- and his dough. Of course, the dream-sourced answers are then queried by other sages, to no conclusion, or at least not as yet. Plus, the process of offering the omer sacrifice and the actions and items that offering the omer rendered permitted.

More on the opinions about when the omer offering was to be brought - as presented by the Tannaim, and explained (and refuted and then finally upheld) by Rava. Plus, the question of how to count the omer. Also, a new mishnah - on handling the omer and parching the grain. The Gemara follows, defining the springtime and elaborating on how they would parch the grain. Plus, bringing the first fruits - including these barley parched groats. And soft ears of the grain too. Note that some analysis here of the salient verses receive word-play acronym interpretations.

A new mishnah! On the ceremony of the process of the omer - how they wove the stalks of barley together while they were still attached to the ground, which made them easier to harvest. And the people who lived in the area came together to celebrate. And the ceremony continued... with underlying goals of taking a polemical stance against the Boethusians. [Who's Who: The Boethusians]. Plus, Megillat Ta'anit, and the days when it was not permitted to fast, and some when it wasn't permitted to eulogize either. Where the day of the starting counting the omer is highly disputed.

A new chapter - focused on the grain-offering that is the omer, brought on the 16th day of Nisan, the second day of Pesach, and which allows the "new" grain (or removes the prohibition against it. So, beginning with the new mishnah - on the case of the day of the omer offering falling on Shabbat, which is the unusual case, not the norm. The proper date of this entails a decision made against those who pushed for a different (regular) date, and therefore a good deal of ceremony to make the point. But with an effort to minimize the degree of violation of Shabbat. Also, the mitzvah of bringing the barley for the omer offering was first for the fields in proximity to Jerusalem, unless that barley didn't ripen, and then they could look farther afield. At the time of a civil war - in the Hasmonean era - during a time of siege, including an old man who knew "Greek wisdom," who fundamentally let the besiegers into the city. He acknowledged that the correct offerings were protecting those within the city of Jerusalem, and then the people outside of the city finally sent in a pig for an offering, and that was beyond bearing.

A new mishnah, with specifications for the different grain-offerings - marheshet vs. merhavat (with the different pans for each). The first has a cover and the second does not OR the first is deep and the second is shallow (it's a machloket, of course, coming from different traditions). Plus, the pan known as the "kalbus" - with an illustration of it by Rashi! Also, a second mishnah, with the case who takes a vow to bring a grain-offering that was baked in an oven, which specifically limits the fulfillment of the vow to certain ovens.

Still more on the offerings for Shavuot - the lambs and the loaves. Namely, showing the lambs in the 4 directions, plus up and down, to demonstrate God's province of the heavens and the earth. Or alternatively, to acknowledge and pray that nothing bad befall the people, from any which direction. With parallels, of course, to lulav and the waving thereof. Plus, the fulfillment of mitzvot as a means of thwarting the Satan - unless taking that gleeful approach is taunting him or inviting him to challenge the person keeping the mitzvot. Also, 3 animal offerings that each need 3 mitzvot in accompaniment, with all the concomitant details - including waving while the animal is either alive or no longer so. Note that no sacrifice required all three of those accompanying mitzvot - usually, 2 out of 3. Plus, the question of whether the laying on of hands (semikhah) would be required.

A new mishnah! Another list of the grain-offerings that require waving and do not require being brought near to the altar. With a deep dive into the procedure of the waving. And a focus on those offerings that require waving. Plus, the offering that is brought by a woman, yet she doesn't do the waving herself.

A new mishnah! Two requirements of all grain-offerings (and not only): 1. bringing near (to the altar), and 2. waving. The bringing near is only done for grain-offerings, but not all grain-offerings. The waving is not only done for grain-offerings, and not all of them, and not all of other offerings either, but for some of them. First listed are those that require drawing near and no waving. (Rabbi Shimon doesn't agree that drawing near is required of all of the grain-offerings on this list). Also, comparing these factors and what they have in common, and where they differ. Plus, a different view again by Rabbi Shimon, where he needs to find a different common denominator (which he does): the commonality or regularity in which they are brought.

A new mishnah! It lists grain-offerings that need both oil and frankincense, one or the other, or neither. Note the various kinds of menahot, and how these various terms and requirements are applied. Also, the grain-offering of the sinner, which involves oil and frankincense - in circumstances where the latter has to be brought as part of the offering (including the minhah kena'ot). Oil on the grain-offering by itself would invalidate it, whereas the levonah (frankincense) would not do so. Note the powder effect of frankincense as well.

In the context of cooking on Shabbat... when there is layering of meat on the coals, and then turn the meat over, one is liable for cooking on Shabbat. But not turning the meat over should also be an issue of cooking on Shabbat, depending on when the meat was put on the fire. Not turning the meat over leaves the meat substantially undercooked, but edible. Plus, the measure of this violation would be the amount of a dried fig. Also, no leavening was permitted in the grain-offerings, as per the Torah's description of them - even before the fistful is removed. With exceptions to the no-leaven rule, including the 2 loaves of Shavuot. But what happens if one processes a leavened grain-offering? Once it's been disqualified, can it be reinstated? Note that the constraints for this leavening question are not easily defined.

Essential component elements of offering sacrifices on the altar - including the laying on of hands, on the head of the goat (for example). Also, the concept of the sacrifice of Nachshon - namely, the "prince" of the tribe of Yehudah, representative of all of the tribute by the tribes in the wilderness (Parshat Naso in the Torah), in contrast to the sacrifices as commanded for the generations to implement. Plus, being liable for each of the component parts of kneading, shaping, and baking the grain-offerings, as delineated in the mishnah on the previous page (and the accompanying beraita). Also, bloodletting that might save an animal's life, with protections in place to prevent kohanim from engineering blemishes for non-holy meat. (5 opinions in total)

A new mishnah! With basic directions as to how to make and shape the grain-offerings, with a clear prohibition against "chametz"/leaven, except for 2 specific grain-offerings. Including the source from the Torah to prohibit leaven from the altar. Plus, does each act with offering count as a prohibition (kneading, shaping, baking) or just as one? It's a case of a generalization and a specification, followed by a general case again. The specific statement therefore comes to teach something about the general statement. Note that proximity in the original text matters.