Topics covered: Chapter 3, Mishna 1 The great deeds of simple people like Abba the Bloodletter. Rabbi Beroka often had conversations with Elijah the Prophet in the marketplace. Once he learned about the special place in heaven reserved for a …

Topics covered: Chapter 3, Mishna 1 Ilfa and Rabbi Yochanan sat under a shaky wall while angels discussed their fate. Only Yochanan heard them. Nachum Ish Gam Zu always said, “This too is for the best,” and boy, was he …

Topics covered: Chapter 3, Mishna 1 The memorable Tale of Rabbi Elazar and The Ugly Man. “Go to Uman.” Don’t stand under a shaky wall, i.e. don’t place yourself in danger where you might need a life-saving miracle, and the …

Topics covered: Chapter 3, Mishna 1 So far we’ve been talking about fasts decreed due to delay of the rainy season in ancient Israel. What other kinds of calamities caused the leaders of communities in that time to decree fasts …

Topics covered: Chapter 2, Mishna 1 More laws about fasting and eulogizing on date mentioned in Megillas Taanis as well the day preceding and the day following those dates. Shavuos observance and the Boethusians. Nicanor and Chanukah story. Trajan and …

Topics covered: Chapter 2, Mishna 1 Priests may not drink alcohol nor shave their heads nor wear their hair long when serving in the Temple. So should all priests (kohanim) keep their hair the right length and abstain from drinking …

Topics covered: Chapter 2, Mishna 1 How and why did they move the ark and Torah scrolls into the town square on public fast days? How and why did they don sackcloth and ashes? The strange statements of the Nineveans …

Topics covered: Chapter 2, Mishna 6 The order of prayer when the Sages decreed a fast day (usually due to drought). Who was worthy to be the prayer leader? What blessings would he add to the everyday prayers? Would the …

PART 2 of this class: Watch Now Topics covered: Chapter 1, Mishna 5 Do pregnant and nursing women join in communal fasts? As a drought worsens, the communal fasts become more intense. What does it mean when Sages add “sounding the alarm?” …