Take One Daf Yomi

Bekhorot 41 - Three Is a Magic Number

On today’s page, Bekhorot 41, the rabbis examine which blemishes disqualify a firstborn animal from sacrifice, focusing on three particular conditions: old age, illness,

Bekhorot 40 - A Monumental Question

On today’s page, Bekhorot 40, we discover that one of the Temple Mount's gates bore the name and image of Shushan, the Persian capital. The rabbis offer several explanati

Bekhorot 39 - The Faults in our Scars

On today’s page, Bekhorot 39, the rabbis distinguish between visible blemishes that disqualify an animal from sacrifice and hidden imperfections that may not. Liel consid

Bekhorot 37 and 38 - With Great Power…

On today’s pages, Bekhorot 37 and 38, Rav Nachman declares himself an expert qualified to make important halachic rulings, with none of the modesty we might expect from a

Bekhorot 35 and 36 - A Tail of Two Presidents

On today’s pages, Bekhorot 35 and 36, the rabbis distinguish between damage done intentionally and damage done by accident, with the help of some unfortunate lambs. Presi

Bekhorot 34 - You Say Terumotai, I Say Terumati

On today’s page, Bekhorot 34, the rabbis find themselves caught between two readings of the same Hebrew word, one singular and one plural, with significant consequences f

Bekhorot 33 - More Than Meats the Eye

On today’s page, Bekhorot 33, the rabbis consider the value of meat from animals that can no longer be sacrificed. Liel welcomes producer Josh Kross for a conversation ab

Bekhorot 32 - The Limits of Privilege

On today’s page, Bekhorot 32, Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel disagree about who may eat the meat of a firstborn animal that develops a blemish and cannot be sacrificed. The

Bekhorot 30 and 31 - Keeping the Faith

On today’s pages, Bekhorot 30 and 31, the rabbis consider what happens when someone once trusted to observe Jewish law begins cutting corners. From a dishonest butcher to

Bekhorot 28 and 29 - Don't Quit Your Day Job

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

Bekhorot 27 - The Long-Distance Relationship

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 obliga

Bekhorot 26 - What's the Rush?

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

Bekhorot 25 - First Among Equals

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 sha

Bekhorot 23 and 24 - Waiting for Elijah

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

Bekhorot 21 and 22 - Shepherds, not Sheep

On today’s pages, Bekhorot 21 and 22, the rabbis discuss how to determine whether an animal has previously given birth, eventually concluding that the answer requires a k

Bekhorot 20 - With Love and Correction

On today’s page, Bekhorot 20, Rabbi Yehoshua wastes no time correcting Rabbi Yishmael when his former student gets a point of halacha wrong. But years before that rebuke,

Bekhorot 19 - The Mystery of the Headless Cow

On today’s page, Bekhorot 19, the rabbis discuss the rite of the Egla Arufa, or the decapitated calf, sacrificed whenever a stranger was murdered by an unknown assailant

Bekhorot 18 - Doubles Trouble

On today’s page, Bekhorot 18, a ewe gives birth to two males whose heads appear at precisely the same moment, leaving the rabbis with a problem: Which one is actually the

Bekhorot 16 and 17 - Same as it Ever Was?

On today’s pages, Bekhorot 16 and 17, the rabbis ask what happens when an animal no longer looks the way its species is supposed to look. Centuries of breeding and natura

Bekhorot 14 and 15 - Not in My Backyard

On today’s pages, Bekhorot 14 and 15, a discussion of private altars raises a surprisingly fundamental question: Why should sacrifice be confined to the Temple in Jerusal