A Pair of Drinks

Subscribe to the Daily Daf Yomi Summary here.

The Gemora relates that Rabbah was found (by the king’s messenger) in Pumbedisa. The messenger was staying in the same inn as Rabbah. They (the workers at the inn) brought the messenger a plate of food and two cups two drink, and they then took away the plate. He turned his face away. [Rashi explains that the fact that he had two cups had given the demons reason to help damage him (in a life-threatening manner, as is apparent from the Gemora below). This is as the Gemora explains at the end of Pesachim, that an even number of drinks can cause this.] The workers asked Rabbah: What should we do? It is the king’s messenger! [They realized that this was the messenger of the king, and did not want to injure him.] Rabbah said: Bring him a plate and one drink, and take away the plate and he will be better. [He advised to give him one more drink, as this caused his drinks to be a total that was an odd number, giving the demons no more reason to harm him.] They did this, and this helped the situation.

The Tosfos HaRosh asks: Why should there be a danger here for drinking a pair of drinks? The Gemora in Pesachim (110b) states that there is no concern regarding a guest, for he does not know how many cups the host will offer him; it is therefore regarded as if he drank one and changed his mind and drank another. These two cups do not combine and there is nothing to worry about!?

He answers that the king’s messenger, on account of his prominence, is regarded as the host, since they will provide for him anything that he requests. It would therefore be a danger for him to have a pair of drinks.

Read more!

Through Desolation, the Gate is Broken Apart

Subscribe to the Daily Daf Yomi Summary here. We now have a “less than ten minute” audio summary as well.

Rav Sechorah said in the name of Rav Huna in the name of Rav (Bava Kamma 21a) : Someone who lives in his friend’s courtyard without his knowledge is not obligated to pay him rent, for it is written: Through desolation, the gate is broken apart (demons destroy a vacant house; it emerges that the dweller actually benefits the owner).

Mar the son of Rav Ashi remarked: I myself have seen such this demon and the damage was as great as a rampaging bull.

Rav Yosef said: Houses that are inhabited by remain in a better condition (for they maintain it).

It would seem from this Gemora that without this benefit that the dweller provides for the owner, he would be liable to pay. The Rashba asks: Why would this be? It seemed from the entire Gemora above that everyone holds that when one benefits and the other one does not lose, he is not liable to pay!?

He answers that although the Gemora here agrees that one who benefits from another is exempt from liability if he did not cause a loss, practically speaking, this would not be the halachah. This is because, generally, one who dwells in someone else’s house does cause a slight damage to the house. The Gemora had previously ruled that whenever there is a loss to the owner, the one who benefits is obligated to pay for the pleasure that he derived. The Gemora here is explaining that the benefit which the dweller is providing the owner by dwelling in his house offsets the loss in damages that the owner incurs on account of the dweller. It is therefore classified as a case where one benefits and the other is not losing.

Read more!

Miracle of Prayer

Subscribe to the Daily Daf Yomi Summary here

The Mishna in Rosh Hashanah states that whenever Moshe held up his hand, Israel prevailed (against Amalek). The Mishna asks, do Moshe's hands make or break the battle? Rather, this teaches you that so long as Israel were looking upwards and subjugating their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they were victorious; if not, they would fall.

The Netziv in Merumei Sadeh asks on the Mishna's question. What was so strange about Moshe's hands making the battle? Didn’t Moshe’s hands split the sea and perform other miracles as well through his hand?

He answers that the fight against Amalek had to be won in a natural way and not through a miracle. Perhaps we can add that fighting Amalek is in essence the fight that we have daily with our evil inclination. This fight could not be left to miracles. This is what is bothering the Mishna. Could the battle have been won through Moshe's hands like the other miracles? The Mishna’s answer is no, it could not have been since this battle required a victory through natural means.

Let us examine the answer of the Mishna. Rather, this teaches you that so long as Israel were looking upwards and subjugating their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they were victorious; if not, they would fall. Isn't the Mishna stating that they relied on a miracle from Above. They looked upwards and they were victorious. How can this be explained?

The Gemora in Kiddushin (29b) relates an incident with Abaye and Rav Acha bar Yaakov. There was a certain demon that haunted Abaye’s Beis Medrash, so that when two people entered, even by day, they were injured. Abaye instructed the community not to provide Rav Acha shelter when he would arrive in the city, thus forcing the father to spend the night at the Beis Medrash; perhaps a miracle will happen [in his merit]. Rav Acha entered the city and spent the night in that Beis Medrash, during which the demon appeared to him in the guise of a seven-headed dragon. Every time Rav Acha fell on his knees in prayer one head fell off. The next day he reproached them, “Had not a miracle occurred, you would have endangered my life.”

The Maharsha in his commentary to Kiddushin asks that how did Abaye have permission to place Rav Acha in such a precarious position. One is forbidden to rely on a miracle? He answers that Abaye understood the potency of Rav Acha’s prayer. Abaye was certain that Rav Acha’s prayers to the Almighty would be answered and that this is not a miracle. Hashem has instilled in this world the power of prayer and incorporated it into the natural order of the world.

This is what our Mishna is answering. Amalek has to be defeated through natural means and that is what Klal Yisroel did at that time. They cried out to Hashem and subjugated their hearts towards Him and were answered.

Read more!

Demons

If someone was thrown into a pit and calls out that anyone who hears him should write a get to his wife (specifying his name and his city), those who hear this should indeed write and send the get to his wife (we assume that he omitted the instruction of giving the get due to the confusion of his situation).

The Gemora (Gittin 66) asks: Is it not possible that it was a demon (who are suspect of evil behavior, such as deceiving people) that issued that proclamation?

Rav Yehudah replied: The Mishna is referring to a case where they saw in him the form of a man.

The Mishnah Lamelech proves that that there were only two people heard the voice, for if there were three people there, a demon would not reveal itself to them. Now, if there are only two people, it must be that one of them is writing the get and signing on it. This will prove that the signature of a scribe together with one witness is sufficient! This would be problematic, for Amoraim below argue on this exact issue!?

Poras Yosef answers that the Mishna can be referring to a case where there were three people there, and the demon would nevertheless reveal itself, because they were far away from each other.

The Beis Aharon writes that in a place where demons are accustomed to be, such as inside pits, they will reveal themselves even in the presence of three people.

Read more!

Daf Yomi - Rosh Hashana 29 - Power of Tefillah

The Mishna states that whenever Moshe held up his hand, Israel prevailed [against Amalek]…'. The Mishna asks, do Moshe's hands make or break the battle? Rather, this teaches you that so long as Israel were looking upwards and subjugating their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they were victorious; if not, they would fall.

The Netziv in Merumei Sadeh asks on the Mishna's question. What was so strange about Moshe's hands making the battle? Didn't Moshe's hands split the sea and perform other miracles as well through his hand?

He answers that the fight against Amalek had to be won in a natural way and not through a miracle. Perhaps we can add that fighting Amalek is in essense the fight that we have daily with our evil inclination. This fight could not be left to miracles. This is what is bothering the Mishna. Could the battle have been won through Moshe's hands like the other miracles? The Mishna's answer is no, it could not have been since this battle required a victory through natural means.

Let us examine the answer of the Mishna. Rather, this teaches you that so long as Israel were looking upwards and subjugating their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they were victorious; if not, they would fall. Isn't the Mishna stating that they relied on a miracle from Above. They looked upwards and they were victorious. How can this be explained?

The Gemora in Kiddushin (29b) relates an incident with Abaye and Rav Acha bar Yaakov. There was a certain demon that haunted Abaye's Beis Medrash, so that when two people entered, even by day, they were injured. Abaye instructed the community not to provide Rav Acha shelter when he would arrive in the city, thus forcing the father to spend the night at the Beis Medrash; perhaps a miracle will happen [in his merit]. Rav Acha entered the city and spent the night in that Beis Medrash, during which the demon appeared to him in the guise of a seven-headed dragon. Every time Rav Acha fell on his knees in prayer one head fell off. The next day he reproached them: ‘Had not a miracle occurred, you would have endangered my life.'

The Maharsha in his commentary to Kiddushin asks that how did Abaye have permission to place Rav Acha in such a precarious position. One is forbidden to rely on a miracle? He answers that Abaye understood the potency of Rav Acha's prayer. Abaye was certain that Rav Acha's prayers to the Almighty would be answered and that this is not a miracle. Hashem has instilled in this world the power of prayer and incorporated it into the natural order of the world.

This is what our Mishna is answering. Amalek has to be defeated through natural means and that is what Klal Yisroel did at that time. They cried out to Hashem and subjugated their hearts towards Him and were answered.

Read more!