Topics covered: Three teachings of Rav Zutra bar Toviya: 1) don’t tighten loose stitches in a garment on Shabbos, 2) prohibited to learn from a “magosh” in order to do, 3) one who knows how to calculate astronomical movements …

  Topics covered: Connecting the 39 forbidden labors of Shabbos, defined by the work needed to build the Tabernacle, to Torah Portion Bamidbar. Why so much emphasis on a temporary structure? The Tabernacle is actually called Mishkan, Dwelling, or Ohel …

  Topics covered: Distinguishing between Rava’s lenient opinion and Abaye’s stringent opinion on liability to bring a sin-offering for certain unwitting violations of Shabbos. Opening Mishnah 2 of Chapter 7, the 39 forbidden labors of Shabbos. Why is sowing mentioned …

  Topics covered: Asham, guilt offering, distinguished from the chatas, sin offering. Three categories of asham offerings: 1) nazirite/tzara’as, 2) asham of uncertainnty and 3) the definite asham. Highly specific case of the Canaanite slave who was half-free and betrothed …

  Topics Covered: A person ate two pieces of cheilev, fobidden fat, in one lapse of awareness. He realizes the first piece was off limits, and then later realizes the second piece was prohibitted too. R’ Yochanan says he brings …

  Topics covered: How do we derive the 39 categories of prohibited labor on Shabbos? Why do we bring a separate sin-offering for each unwitting violation of a category? Why is the penalty so severe for an intentional transgression, and …

  Topics covered: R’ Yochanan and Reish Lakish dispute the definition of an “unwitting” sinner. Is it enough that he is unaware of the punishment even if he knows that a labor is forbidden on Shabbos? Defining kares, excision, the …

Topics covered: One who forgets the essence of Shabbos (that it exists and applies to Jews) brings one sin-offering for all the Shabbats he violated. Who is this person? Rav and Shmuel liken him to the child-captive raised among non-Jews …

  Topics covered: Cures for fevers that require lots of gathering. Cures that also require reciting Torah verses. If used “magically” this is a forbidden practice, but if the verses may inspire reflection and repentance, it’s good. Words to ward …