Topics covered: Chapter 1, Mishna 5 How do we conduct ourselves on a fast day? Depends in part whether it’s a day of mourning or a day of desisting from pleasure. How do we allot our time on that day …

Topics covered: Chapter 1, Mishna 4, 5 Fasting for only a few hours – is it really a fast? What if a date listed in Megillas Taanis falls on a day decreed for fasting? May we eat all night during …

Topics covered: Chapter 1, Mishna 4 Good eating habits when you’re on the road. Don’t party when the community is in distress. Two guardian angels accompany us everywhere, but they will testify against us on the Day of Judgement if …

Topics covered: Chapter 1, Mishna 2, 3, 4 The Holy Land was created before other lands, and God personally attends to its rainfall. Where does rain come from according to our Sages? Relative sizes of Israel, Egypt, Cush, the world, …

Topics covered: Chapter 1, Mishna 2 Rainfall is equivalent to the resurrection of the dead. Torah scholars sharpen each other. Rabbi Chanina said, I have learned much from my teachers and more from my friends, but I have learned the …

Topics covered: Chapter 1, Mishna 2 The early rains and the late rains of Israel. Rain is the husband and land is the wife. Which paths are permitted to walk along? Which are the prohibited gleanings of a field? Nishmas …

Topics covered: Chapter 1, Mishna 2 Until when in the year do we include a request for rain in our daily prayer? When does the rainy season end in Israel? Rabbi Yitzhak shared a wonderful series of teachings with Rav …

Topics covered: Chapter 1, Mishna 1 When would a Torah scholar be justified in expressing anger? Is there a better way? Did Abraham entreat the Lord properly? Did he pass the test with regard to Isaac? Did Eliezer entreat the …

Topics covered: Chapter 1, Mishna 1 For half the year it is mandatory to praise God for bringing rain, and for the other half it is prohibited. Why don’t these stringencies apply to wind, dew and clouds? Why is a …