Daf Yomi for Women – דף יומי לנשים

What was originally the situation with collectors of shviit and what changed?  An interesting story about Reish Lakish tagging along two rabbis is mentioned and in the context of that, stories about Shevna, Hizkiyahu’s steward, are brought.  Are people who are wrongdoers in areas that do not involve money also prohibited from testifying?

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Study Guide Sanhedrin 24

Various drashot are brought (mainly from verses of Zecharia) which show the difference between the scholars in Israel and those in Babylonia.  It seems to be a self-critique of the Babylonians of what goes on in their batei midrash.  If one accepts one witness to testify or a relative of the other side to be a witness or judge or for the other to swear in a lesser type of swearing than the one required by the court, can that person changed his/her mind?  Does this apply in all cases or only in some types?  Is this relevant before the court rules or even after?  Who is disqualified from being a witness?  Why is someone who gambled not allowed to testify – is it because of asmachta or because he doesn’t have a real job which makes him suspect he will take money to testify falsely.

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The king can’t have lots of horses or gold and silver but he can have them for his needs as king, particularly as head of the army.  There is a debate regarding how many Torahs a king needs to have written for him and for what purpose?   One who holds two learns is from “mishne torah” – other learn that “mishne” means that will be changed and refers to the fact that the Torah was orignally written in ktav ivri and later in ashurit.  A debate regarding details of that is brought.  There are certain things one cannot do out of respect for the king – so that one will remain in awe of the king always.  These details are discussed.  From here the gemara discusses Avishag Hashunamit and digresses to discuss divorce, first wives, how hard it is to lose a spouse, etc.

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Laws regarding a kohen gadol when he loses a close relative and when he goes to comfort others are discussed.  How does a shura (lines meant to comfort mourners) work?  Originally the people walked in a line and the mourners stood in one place.  Later it was changed to be the reverse due to a fight that ensued between people wanted to be first in line.  Laws of a king regarding judging and being judged mentioned in the mishna are limited to kings of the Israelite kingdom and not the davidic kingdom.  Is a king allowed to not be insistent on the level of respect set up by law?  Does it depend on the situation?  Was David married to both of Shaul’s daughters – Meirav and Michal?   Two different versions of the story of what happened are brought.

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Eldad and Meidad – how did the story unfold, what did they prophesize about, why weren’t they with the other people who were chosen?  The mishna explains that one needs a majority of 2 to rule against someone – how does this work out?  What are the requirements for being a judge?  A long list of phrases in the gemara are  explained: when the gemara says this… it is referring to the following rabbi or rabbis.  In order to have a court of 23 set up in a city, there needs to be a minimum number of people.  Some opinions are brought in the mishna and others are added by the gemara from other tannatic sources.  The reasons for these different opinions are explained.

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