Take One Daf Yomi

On today’s pages, Bekhorot 28 and 29, the rabbis ask whether judges should be paid for their rulings, leading to a much bigger question: Should anyone be allowed to make money teaching Torah? Liel turns to Maimonides, whose uncompromising answer challenges the very idea of making a living from religious scholarship. What can one of Judaism's greatest thinkers teach us about the relationship between work, wisdom, and spiritual integrity? Listen and find out.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s page, Bekhorot 27, the rabbis grapple with a question that remains surprisingly relevant: How should Jews living outside Israel participate in religious obligations rooted in the Holy Land? Liel explores how this ancient debate echoes today's arguments over what Israeli and American Jews owe one another—and whether every disagreement really needs a resolution. Can Jewish unity survive without Jewish uniformity? Listen and find out.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s page, Bekhorot 26, the Mishnah instructs us to wait before giving a firstborn animal to the priest, allowing it time to grow and mature. Liel explores how this seemingly minor requirement protects the dignity of everyone involved and transforms a routine obligation into an opportunity for spiritual reflection. Why might the time we spend preparing to fulfill a mitzvah be just as important as the mitzvah itself? Listen and find out.


Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s page, Bekhorot 25, we consider the importance of being first—not just among newborn animals, but among the people making decisions that shape history. Liel shares a conversation from Tablet's The Barbarians with Wall Street Journal editorial board member Elliott Kaufman, whose new book, In the War Room: The Inside Story of Israel's Fight Against Hamas and the Iranian Axis, takes readers inside Israel's war cabinet during its battles against Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. What happens when the people responsible for a nation's survival are also competing to be first among equals? Listen and find out.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s pages, Bekhorot 23 and 24, a strange case involving a sheep and a pig-like offspring leaves the rabbis facing a question they cannot definitively answer. Liel explores the meaning of teiku, the tradition that Elijah the Prophet will someday resolve our most stubborn disputes, and the remarkable story of why Elijah visits every Passover Seder and brit milah. What makes Elijah the perfect person to settle the questions we've been asking for centuries? Listen and find out.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices