Prophetic Echoes: The Gemara’s Vision of Rome, Persia, and Today’s War

current events, Talmud

One of the most profound ways to stay attuned to the currents of our world is by immersing oneself in the Daf HaYomi schedule. Time and again, the wisdom of the Talmud mirrors the unfolding events of our era with uncanny precision. This past Friday, we embarked on the Tractate of *Avoda Zara*, and the very first Daf unveils a striking Midrash that resonates deeply with today’s realities. This Midrash paints a vivid scene of the future, where the Holy One, Blessed be He, will sit in judgment over all nations, holding a Torah scroll aloft. With divine authority, He will proclaim: “Let any nation that engaged with the Torah step forward to claim its reward.”

In this prophetic vision, only two nations dare to approach: Rome and Persia. Both boldly assert that their grand civil projects and societal advancements were undertaken solely to enable the Jewish people to study Torah. Yet, Hashem, in His infinite wisdom, rejects their claims outright, declaring that their motives were steeped in self-interest, not altruism. The Gemara then probes a compelling question: why are only Rome and Persia singled out, while other ancient nations are overlooked? The answer is profound—among all the nations of antiquity, only Rome and Persia will endure until the era of Moshiach.

Tosafot deepen this insight, noting that when the Gemara elsewhere predicts Rome’s role in Persia’s downfall, this is not a historical footnote but a future event, poised to unfold just before Moshiach’s arrival. Who, then, are these enduring empires in our time? Persia remains unmistakable—its legacy lives on in modern Iran, a nation that retains much of its ancient culture and identity. But what of Rome? Though the Western Roman Empire crumbled in 476 CE, its spirit has not vanished. It has evolved into the collective we recognize as the Western World, with the United States standing as its undisputed leader.

Could this ancient Midrash be illuminating the current war between Israel, now joined by the United States, against Iran? The parallels are striking. As tensions escalate, this prophetic narrative suggests a climactic struggle between these two enduring powers, each with a historical claim to influence the Jewish destiny. The Gemara’s foresight challenges us to see beyond the headlines, hinting that we may be witnessing the prelude to a transformative era. The time to reflect on this divine script is now—before the judgment seat is set.

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The Call of the Trumpets – בהעלותך

Parashat HaShavua

In this week’s Torah portion, Behaalotcha, Moshe is commanded to craft two silver trumpets. These instruments serve as sacred heralds, proclaiming the movement of the camps, summoning the people or their leaders, and signaling the charge into battle. Yet their call extends far beyond the battlefield, resonating through moments of collective crisis and sacred service.

Trumpets in Times of Trial

Rabbi Akiva, in the Sifrei (Numbers 10:9), reflects on the trumpets’ role in times of war, but he probes deeper:

The text names only war. But what of the scourge of blight or the creeping decay of pestilence? What of a woman caught in the throes of childbirth, her cries unanswered, or a ship battered by the sea’s relentless fury? How do we know that the trumpets sound for these as well? The verse answers: In every distress that presses upon you, in each calamity that threatens the people, let the trumpets resound, a plea for divine mercy in the face of every trial.

The trumpets, then, are not merely for war but for any moment when the community stands at the edge of despair, seeking the Creator’s compassion. Their piercing notes cut through the chaos, uniting the people in a shared cry for deliverance.

A Call to Sacred Focus

In the Beit HaMikdash, the priests sounded the trumpets during the offering of sacrifices, as explained by the Sefer HaChinuch. This mitzvah carries profound purpose:

In the sacred moment of offering, the heart must turn fully to its task, for a stray thought can shatter its sanctity, rendering it void. The sacrifice demands a soul wholly present, its intention pure before the Sovereign of All, who ordained this act. So too in times of anguish, when the spirit cries out, it seeks the Creator’s mercy with fervent focus, pleading for deliverance from its trials.

Human beings, bound to the material world, often slumbers in distraction. Without a spark to awaken it, the soul remains dormant. The Sefer HaChinuch teaches that nothing stirs the spirit like the sound of music—and no instrument rivals the trumpets, whose commanding voice reigns supreme among all.

Clearing the Heart’s Chamber

The trumpets offer more than awakening. Their soaring notes sweep away the clutter of worldly cares, clearing the heart’s chamber. In that sacred hour, the mind clings solely to the act of the korbanot—the offerings that draw us near to the Divine. The Sefer HaChinuch concludes with a truth known to all who have listened closely:

To those who have leaned close, the ear attuned to the trumpets’ call or the shofar’s piercing wail, the truth is evident: with intention, these sounds kindle the soul’s deepest focus.

The trumpets, whether in the wilderness, the Temple, or moments of crisis, call us to transcend the mundane, to lift our hearts, and to stand fully present before the Creator.

The Call of the Trumpets – בהעלותך Read More »

Light of Memory: Talmud Study’s Power in Parshat Naso

Parashat HaShavua, Talmud

Parshat Naso commands the Priestly Blessing (Birkat Kohanim). The Kohanim bless Israel with three verses: (Numbers 6:24-26)
יְבָרֶכְךָ ה’ וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ.
יָאֵר ה’ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וִיחֻנֶּךָ.
יִשָּׂא ה’ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם.

The Torah Temimah by Rabbi Baruch Epstein organizes these verses into three types of divine favor. The first verse grants physical sustenance, the second bestows spiritual light, and the third offers mercy beyond justice. This framework reflects God’s comprehensive care for Israel.

  1. First Verse: “May the Lord bless you and safeguard you” , יְבָרֶכְךָ ה’ וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ.
    • Physical Favor: These are explicit gifts, like “Blessed be your basket” (Deuteronomy 28:5, בָּרוּךְ טַנְאֲךָ). They include wealth, health, and fertility, sustaining the physical world.
  2. Second Verse: “May the Lord illuminate His countenance upon you and be gracious to you” יָאֵר ה’ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וִיחֻנֶּךָ.
    • Spiritual Light: A Midrash (Sifrei Bamidbar) explains: “This is the light of Torah” (זה מאור תורה), citing Proverbs 6:23, “For a mitzvah is a lamp, and Torah is light” (כי נר מצוה ותורה אור). The Torah Temimah defines this as memory to recall forgotten Torah.
  3. Third Verse: “May the Lord lift His countenance to you and establish for you peace”  יִשָּׂא ה’ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם
    • Merciful Grace: This transcends justice (lifnim mishurat hadin), granting favor despite faults, ensuring peace.

The Torah Temimah clarifies the second verse’s ma’or Torah. It cites Berachot 57b: “One who sees olive oil in a dream should expect the light of Torah” (הרואה שמן זית בחלום יצפה למאור תורה). In Horayot 13b, olive oil restores “seventy years of learning” (תלמודו של שבעים שנה). Shabbat 151a equates “radiant” (nahir) with sharp memory. Thus, ma’or Torah blesses us to retain and revive Torah knowledge.

The Greatness of Talmud Study

The Torah Temimah’s memory focus highlights Talmud study’s power. Talmud’s sugyot—complex debates like those in Berachot 57b—train the mind to recall Torah. A chavruta partner’s question may revive a verse studied years ago. For example, a mishnah in Horayot can spark memory of a related halacha. This is ma’or Torah: Torah stays alive in the heart.

Talmud study is a spiritual blessing. The Midrash links ma’or Torah to divine light, connecting learners to God’s wisdom. Olive oil, per Berachot 57b, evokes the Temple’s menorah, symbolizing Torah’s radiance. Studying one daf kindles this light. Online resources make Talmud accessible. Beginners can start, and ma’or Torah blesses their effort, reviving past learning.

This blessing is practical. Talmud’s arguments sharpen memory, ensuring no Torah is lost. A single page connects disparate texts, like Horayot 13b to Shabbat 151a. This trains learners to hold Torah fast, fulfilling the priestly blessing’s promise.

Begin Talmud Study This Week

The Torah Temimah invites you to Talmud study, where each daf strengthens memory and soul. Start with Parshat Naso or a Talmud page.

Contact me for an online session at https://yosefcornfeld.com or subscribe for weekly parsha insights. Let Talmud’s light guide you.

 

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Torah for All: The Call to Talmud Study in Parshat Bamidbar

Parashat HaShavua

The fourth of the Five Books of Moses opens with the words: “And the Lord spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai…” (Numbers 1:1, וַיְדַבֵּר ה’ אֶל משֶׁה בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי ) The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 1:7) asks the question:  “Why was the Torah given in the desert of Sinai?  On this our Sages taught: The Torah was given accompanied with three things, with fire, with water, and in the desert. With fire, as it says, ‘Mount Sinai was all in smoke’ (Exodus 19:18). With water, as it says, ‘The heavens dripped, the clouds dripped water’ (Judges 5:4). With wilderness, as it says, ‘in the wilderness of Sinai.’  Just as these three things are free to all people, so are words of Torah free. This is to teach us that anyone can step up and learn Torah. It is available to one and all. The Midrash adds another idea of why the Torah was given in the desert: “Whoever does not make himself like a desert wilderness, unclaimed, cannot acquire Torah and its wisdom.”

The Greatness of Torah Study

The Torah’s setting in the wilderness shows its universal accessibility. Anyone can study, from a single verse to the depths of Talmud, without barriers. This is all the more so today, with extensive online libraries of Torah writings accessible to anyone and everyone. Yet, the Torah demands humility. Just like the desert wilderness is unclaimed territory, so must the person set aside his ego learning from all and sharing with all, as in Talmud’s chavruta study, where partners question and teach each other, fostering growth.

 

Begin Talmud Study This Week

The Midrash’s call to the availability of the Torah invites you to study any and every aspect of the Torah.  Start with wherever you are in your learning.

And Talmud study, with its complex debates and questions, embodies this challenge. Each page challenges us to listen, question, and grow, making this study the greatest pursuit.

If you would like help getting started in learning Talmud, contact me at https://yosefcornfeld.com

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When Your Feet Lead to Torah: Parshat Bechukotai

Parashat HaShavua

What draws you to Torah study, even when life pulls you elsewhere? In Parshat Bechukotai, the Torah promises: “If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, you will be blessed with abundance and peace” (Leviticus 26:3, Im b’chukotai telechu). Rashi explains that “walking in My statutes” means toiling in Torah study. But how do we know when Torah has truly become part of us? A Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 35:1) offers a beautiful insight, quoting King David: “I considered my ways, and I turned my feet to Your testimonies” (Psalms 119:59, Chishavti derachai va’ashiva raglai el edoteicha).

King David’s Unexpected Journey

King David shares a profound lesson: each day, he planned to visit mundane places—a market or a friend’s home—but his feet led him to the synagogue or Beit Midrash (house of Torah study). Despite his intentions, Torah’s pull was irresistible, guiding him to spaces of spiritual growth. [*Edit: Added Beit Midrash definition for clarity.] The Torah became so ingrained in him that his steps naturally turned toward God’s wisdom.

This Midrash teaches that Torah study isn’t just a task—it’s a force that reshapes our priorities, like a compass pointing us to meaning.

The Power of Torah Study

King David’s story shows why Torah study is invaluable: it reorients our lives toward purpose. By studying a verse, a parsha, or a page of Talmud, we align our “feet” with God’s path, learning to live ethically and connect deeply with the Divine. The Talmud (Megillah 6b) reinforces this: “The words of Torah are only sustained by one who ‘kills himself’ over them”

Take a Step This Week

“Walking in His statutes” begins with small steps. This week, let your feet lead you to Torah: read Parshat Bechukotai, listen to a Torah lecture, or take a big step by exploring Talmud. Need guidance? Reach out to me for an online session to start your journey.

 

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Applying Case, Law, Factor to the Mishnah

Talmud

For this exercise, we will take to formula for the Mishnah discussed in the last blog post: “Case, Law, Factor”, and apply them to the first Mishnah in Baba Metzia. The first part of the Mishnah reads as follows, with a literal English translation:

שְׁנַיִם אוֹחֲזִין בְּטַלִּית, זֶה אוֹמֵר אֲנִי מְצָאתִיהָ וְזֶה אוֹמֵר אֲנִי מְצָאתִיהָ, זֶה אוֹמֵר כֻּלָּהּ שֶׁלִּי וְזֶה אוֹמֵר כֻּלָּהּ שֶׁלִּי, זֶה יִשָּׁבַע שֶׁאֵין לוֹ בָהּ פָּחוֹת מֵחֶצְיָהּ, וְזֶה יִשָּׁבַע שֶׁאֵין לוֹ בָהּ פָּחוֹת מֵחֶצְיָהּ, וְיַחֲלֹקוּ.

 

  1. שְׁנַיִם אוֹחֲזִין בְּטַלִּית, Two are holding a Tallit
  2. זֶה אוֹמֵר אֲנִי מְצָאתִיהָ וְזֶה אוֹמֵר אֲנִי מְצָאתִיהָ, This one says: “I found it” and that one says:  “I found it”
  3. זֶה אוֹמֵר כֻּלָּהּ שֶׁלִּי וְזֶה אוֹמֵר כֻּלָּהּ שֶׁלִּי, This one says: “It’s all mine” and that one says: “It’s all mine”.
  4. זֶה יִשָּׁבַע שֶׁאֵין לוֹ בָהּ פָּחוֹת מֵחֶצְיָהּ, וְזֶה יִשָּׁבַע שֶׁאֵין לוֹ בָהּ פָּחוֹת מֵחֶצְיָהּ, This one swears that he does  not possess less than half of it, and that one swears that he does not possess less than half of it
  5. וְיַחֲלֹקוּ. And they split it.

 

The normal order is to start by identifying the case. Line 1 is obviously describing the case. In order to understand what the case is we need to fill in some of blanks – read between the lines. Where are they that they are holding this Tallit? From the context, and the continuation of the Mishnah, we can surmise that they are standing before the court, with both of them holding the Tallit. Now we come to line 2. This seems to be the continuation of the Case of line 1, namely that the two people who are holding the Tallit both claim that they found it. Then when we come to line 3, and they both claim that it all theirs, we wonder: Is this the same Case, or is it a new Case. In other words, do each of two people holding the Tallit make the claim: “I found it and it’s all mine”? Or perhaps this is two separate cases, where in both cases there are two people holding the Tallit, and in the first case they both claim: “I found it” and in the second case they both claim: “It’s all mine.” Indeed, this is the first discussion in the Gemarah, whether this is one case, where both claim to have found it first, and therefor “It’s all mine” hence the two claims for the same case. The other possibility is that it is two cases, the first one where both claim to have found it, and the second case that both claim to have bought it.

 

That brings us to the Law: each one takes an oath that “not less than half of it is mine”. As a continuation of the Law, once they take the oath, they split the Tallit.

 

We see that there is no Factor, no reason given in the Mishnah for the Law. This is the more common form of the Mishnah, that no reason is given. This is where we have to ponder the reason for the Law, and this is very often what the Gemarah will do. In our Mishna here, the Law is complex. One aspect is that they both take an oath. Another aspect is the wording of the oath. And once the oath is completed, the Tallit is split between them. These Factors are all discussed in the Gemarah. This we will discuss at a later date.

 

What we have seen from here is that when we think of the Mishna in terms of “Case, Law, Factor,” that it helps us to clarify what exactly the Mishna is teaching us. More on this next time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Applying Case, Law, Factor to the Mishnah Read More »

Introduction to how to learn the Talmud:

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The Talmud is the basis for Halacha – Jewish Law. These blog posts will be a series of how to approach the Talmud, how to analyze it, and understand its rulings. While there are other sources that are used for Halachic rulings, the vast majority come from the rulings of the Babylonian Talmud. The Talmud consists of two parts: Mishnah, and Gemarah.
Mishnah: The Mishnah was compiled by Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi in the second century C.E. It was compiled from all the traditions of all of the sages before him. It is written in a concise form, and was meant to be memorized and recited, and was not supposed to be written down and published. But because of the turbulent times caused by the Roman oppression in Eretz Israel, it was written down in the form that we have today.

 

The Mishna, being a law book, is composed of a case and a law. Sometimes a reason is given in the Mishna for why this case produces this law, but more often it does not. The factor is usually discussed in the Gemarrah. We can look at the structure through the following formula: Case, Law, Factor, in which in the Factor is what produces the Law for this Case. We can look at it as Case =>{Factor] => Law. The Factor could also be a Biblical source, in which case it would be quoted as a verse.

 

When the Mishnah doesn’t give a Factor, it is a good practice, before you look into the Gemara or Rashi, for you to try to think of one or more possible Factors. This helps to open your mind to the many possibilities that could be attributed to this Law.

 

There is one more element that is important to note. Often there is more than one opinion in a Mishnah. This will be indicated by the Mishna giving the name of the Rabbi who holds that opinion. There can be more than one name listed, and unless the Mishnah indicates that they agree, then we know that they disagree. If no name is cited, this is known as a סתם משנה a Stam, or unauthored, Mishnah.

 

Tomorrow we will go through these elements of the Mishnah by bringing an example to show how this works.

Introduction to how to learn the Talmud: Read More »

What is the Talmud?

Talmud

Simply stated, the Talmud is the body of the Oral Torah, that was given to Moses together with the Written Torah on Mt. Sinai. Throughout the generations there have been movements both inside and outside of Judaism that have denied the very existence of the Oral Torah. But in fact, any proper understanding of the Written Torah has to have a tradition of how to understand what it says. This is illustrated by a story in the Talmud (Shabbat 31a):

“There was an incident involving one gentile who came before Shammai. The gentile said to Shammai: How many Torahs do you have? He said to him: Two, the Written Torah and the Oral Torah. The gentile said to him: With regard to the Written Torah, I believe you, but with regard to the Oral Torah, I do not believe you. Convert me on condition that you will teach me only the Written Torah. Shammai scolded him and cast him out with reprimand. The same gentile came before Hillel, who converted him and began teaching him Torah. On the first day, he showed him the letters of the alphabet and said to him: Alef, bet, gimmel, dalet. The next day he reversed the order of the letters and told him that an alef is a tav and so on. The convert said to him: But yesterday you did not tell me that. Hillel said to him: You see that it is impossible to learn what is written without relying on an oral tradition. Didn’t you rely on me? Therefore, you should also rely on me with regard to the matter of the Oral Torah, and accept the interpretations that it contains.”

The lesson here is that in order to simply understand how to read the words you have to have a tradition of how to read the letters, how to pronounce the words they form, how to interpret how the words connect with each other. This demonstrated to the convert that that in order to understand the text of the Torah, he had to rely on Hillel to teach him how to read the letters. This requires a belief in a tradition of how to read the book. In his wisdom, Hillel showed him that once he is relying on this handed down tradition, that he should rely on all of the handed down tradition, namely the tradition of the Oral Torah.

In the time of Hillel (first century BCE) the Oral Torah was still oral. Indeed, there was a prohibition to write it down. It was only something that you could learn by sitting with a teacher. All of the teaching had to be committed to memory. Indeed, in order to qualify to be an “Amora” – a Rabbi – it was necessary to have memorized the entire body of Mishna.

Today, when we speak about learning Talmud, also known as Gemara, it is a much different thing than it was in the time of Hillel. All of our texts are written down. And the amount of texts that there are to learn in the Oral Torah is overwhelming. It is so vast that there are few that can actually learn all the texts, and even fewer, if anyone, who can master them all.

In the coming weeks and months, we will explore the nature of the Talmud, how it came about, ways to approach learning it.

What is the Talmud? Read More »

What is the Talmud? Some ideas of Rav Adin Steinsaltz

Talmud
Rav Adin Even-Yisrael Steinsaltz

 

Giving an accurate definition of what the Talmud is perplexes many. It is hard to pin down exactly what it is, and to state precisely what it does. Below is a video of Rav Adin Steinsaltz זצ”ל where he addresses the question, and giving us insight into how to understand the Talmud. I have written out some of the more pertinent passages, editing it for clarity and readability. In some places I have altered the transcript to reflect what I thought were the intentions of the Rav. You can judge for yourself by watching the entire video (15 min) which appears at the end of the post.

 

Rav Steinsaltz starts by saying that he will dive right in to the “Sea of the Talmud” to explain it. Here are some of the highlights.

 

“The Talmud is a book that’s very hard to explain because there is  

not a book that is exactly like it. Not just in contents but in the way it is built…

 Generally speaking, it’s a book of discussions, dealing with ideas, problems.  

It is not so much a book that that has conclusions or results but rather discussions about subjects in its own very particular way.…”

 

He then goes on to describe it as interactive learning:

 

“The Talmud is perhaps the first book which is which is made for interactive learning.  

You cannot really read it passively. You will understand very little of it and surely not  enjoy any of it. To deal with it in any level from the simplest to more and more advanced levels, you have to interact. You are not just a passive listener, reader, viewer.  You have somehow to ask, to figure out, to try to understand things. Otherwise  it remains not only a closed book but a text without any meaning whatever.” 

 

The Rav then goes on to explain that the Talmud is the Oral Law, which is based on the Written Law, which is the Bible. The Law was given by Moses as a written text, but in order to understand the text, it needs explanations. These explanations are the Oral Law. He compares it to a manual on how to use a complicated machine. It’s not enough just to read the manual, but it  needs to be accompanied by someone explaining how to understand the manual and how to use the machine. With the passage of time, circumstances change and language changes, so the Oral explanation can adjust for these changes


“One of the of the main reasons why the oral law was kept intentionally and

even religiously as an oral law and not as a written law – up to the to the  

end of the of the of the second, in fact almost the beginning of the third century

in in the common era. Why? Because as long as it is not written it remains something that is transmitted from one generation to another, it means that you can always adjust it to the language, to the usage, and to the problems of any particular age. When it is written down it gets involved into the same problematic as any kind of a written text. Which means it needs its own commentaries and explanations.”

 

“Talmud is all about taking the text of the written law and somehow trying to  

deal with it to make it to make it alive. One of the keys to understand the Talmud as a book because [once it has been written down] it is a stable text [about a Law that has been in movement]. When it was written down it’s a kind of freezing of a movement, taking a picture of a dance, freezing a river in the middle of its flow so you have all the ripples out there. All the half tones still remain there and that is what makes the book in one way far more fascinating, and in the other way it becomes far more hard to get the…”

 Here the video ends in mid-sentence, mid-thought. I hope we can gain access to the rest of this pearl of a video.

 

What is the Talmud? Some ideas of Rav Adin Steinsaltz Read More »

Don’t show favoritism to your children – Parashat VaYeshev

Parashat HaShavua

וישב יעקב …   Ya’akov was settled in the land of his father…”  We would expect some kind of “happily ever after” story from here, but that is far from the case. “These are the generations of Ya’akov…” We would expect there to be a listing of children, grandchildren, etc., like in every other place where this phrase is used in the Torah. Instead the only name mentioned is Yosef, 17 years old, and behaving like a kid, and bringing reports of his brother’s bad behavior to his father. Did Ya’akov scold him for it?

All we know is that Ya’akov loved Yosef more than all the other sons because he was like the “youngest child of his old age,” the one that everyone dotes on and spoils. And Ya’akov didn’t keep this love a secret. He made him a special striped garment. The brothers saw that Yosef was the favorite, and they hated him for it. They couldn’t even speak civilly to him. One thing led to another, and the brothers sold him to slavery in Egypt, which eventually led to the whole family going down to Egypt, and eventually becoming slaves there.

The Rabbis in the Gemara (Shabbat 10b) identify this favoritism of Ya’akov as the cause of the nation of Israel going into exile in Egypt. “A person should never distinguish one of his sons from among the other sons by giving him preferential treatment. As, due to the weight of two sela of fine wool that Ya’akov gave to Yosef, beyond what he gave the rest of his sons, in making him the striped coat, his brothers became jealous of him and the matter unfolded and our forefathers descended to Egypt.”

So even though there were many factors leading to our exile in Egypt, many different causes, the Sages focus in on this one act of Ya’akov giving Yosef a small gift that showed his favoritism that led down the road to disaster.

Don’t show favoritism to your children – Parashat VaYeshev Read More »