Days of Teshuva
Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow Yom Kippur and Purim may seem like two very different holidays, but there is actually a deep connection between them. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is a solemn occasion on which we fast and seek forgiveness for our sins. At the same time, Purim is a joyous holiday celebrating the salvation […]
Nezirus and Annulling Vows
Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow R’ Eli Stefansky recently publicized an interview he had with a Nazir Shimshon. Although the Nazir’s wife was not present at the interview, she was a Nazirah Shimshon as well. There are three general prohibitions a regular nazir has. He cannot consume grape products, he can’t allow himself to become tamei meis, […]
Where Is Rashi?
Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow Daf Yomi learners relish when the daf that they learn relates to their daily lives, but that is somewhat difficult with this particular tractate, as nezirim seem hard to find. Some suggest that perhaps for this reason Tractate Nazir wasn’t studied regularly in ancient yeshivos and that is why the text of […]
How Now Brown Cow?
Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow Tardar Sauce (2012-2019), better known by her nickname “Grumpy Cat,” was a cat and celebrity known for her grumpy facial expression. Her owner, Tabatha Bundesen, said that her permanently grumpy-looking face was due to an underbite and feline dwarfism. Grumpy Cat was featured on the front page of The Wall Street Journal […]
Hiddur Miss
Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow Daf Yomi learners just finished Masechta Nedarim and started Masechta Nazir. Those who learn Amud Yomi may feel bad that they didn’t cover as much ground and are not finishing yet another masechta. They learn three and a half blatt a week and will only finish Shas every 15 years. Oraysah followers […]
Biblical or Rabbinic: That is the Question
Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow The Torah affords a father the special right to annul his daughter’s vows while she is a naarah. According to the Ran, this permit is limited to vows that cause the daughter some suffering or otherwise affect the relationship between father and daughter. This leads the Gemara to discuss what amount of […]
Of Arrows and Annulments
Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow The Gemara relates two short and cryptic anecdotes. (Nedarim 76b) The first is that Chiya the son of Rav would shoot arrows and examine them. The second anecdote is that Rabba the son of Rav Huna would sit and stand. The Gemara does not offer any more details on these stories. Why […]
A Powerful Tefillah
Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow The Gemara in Nedarim expounds the earliest recorded example of hataras nedarim. Hashem told Moshe Rabbeinu that it was safe for him to return to Egypt “because the men who seek your life have died.” The Gemara explains that these men were none other than Dasan and Aviram. However, the Gemara records […]
What Makes a Valid Pesach?
Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow The Torah permits a person to annul his vows with the assistance of a chacham or beis din. One method of annulling a vow is by finding a “pesach,” literally an opening. The sage asks the person who uttered the vow, “Did you make your vow while being cognizant of such and […]
Is Dried Fruit the Top Banana?
Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow There was a villager – we’ll call him Reuven – with a taste for fine liquor and a nice collection of schnapps barrels. Reuven knew how to enjoy his liquor responsibly. His brother, Shimon, on the other hand, didn’t know when to stop. Shimon loved visiting his brother and helping himself to […]