Author: Meghan Froy

In a mishnah two days ago, we learned that if one doesn’t specify how long a period of naziriteship will last, it lasts for 30 days. A mishnah on today’s daf puts a sharper point on this ruling:  If one said: “I am hereby a nazirite for one long term,” or: “I am hereby a nazirite for one short […]

I love trying crazy snack flavors, especially all the bizarre chip flavors Lay’s comes out with. Over the years, I’ve discovered that Lay’s limited-edition flavors can be hit or miss — and elusive. I loved the Wasabi Ginger chips, but was only able to find them once. The Cheesy Garlic Bread chips were fine, but […]

The mishnah on yesterday’s daf introduced the concept of a permanent nazir, which is exactly what it sounds like — someone who vows to be a nazir forever, not just for a limited period of time. The Gemara asks where we even get the idea of a permanent nazir. The answer? Absalom. As it is […]

My high school class had 68 students, eleven of whom were named David. It was ridiculous. Even using last initials didn’t really help. David H? Yes, but which David H? Today, we’ll take a look at another situation where uncertainty brings with it the potential for consequences more serious than just who has to stay […]

The post-pandemic exodus of Angelenos and New Yorkers to the sunny shores of South Florida has been nothing short of a phenomenon. Ain’t no doubt about it: Miami is having a moment. But just as our ancestors wandered the desert searching for sustenance, newcomers to the Magic City may similarly be seeking the plethora of […]

Welcome to Tractate Nazir, which describes the practices of naziriteship, a kind of pseudo-priesthood that a person could enter, ideally for the purposes of experiencing heightened holiness. As per Numbers 6, people who take this vow are required to abstain from three things for a set — or, in some cases, indefinite — period of […]

Today our tractate wraps up with a discussion of the following mishnah: Initially the sages would say that three women are automatically divorced and receive their ketubah: (1) the wife who says to her husband, “I am defiled to you,” (2) the wife who says “Heaven is between me and you,” and (3) the wife […]

It’s Saturday morning, and your family is hungry. Thankfully, the deli down the street is within walking distance — it’s hard to miss, as the front patio is littered with coin-operated kiddie rides and a queue of hungry patrons. As you walk in, jugs of 50 cent candy line the path to the stand, where […]

I have an ambivalent relationship with mirrors. Looking at my image in one brings up emotions about how I look, so sometimes I avoid them. But a mirror image also can feel like a window, a portal into some other place. So it fascinates me that in Jewish folklore, mirrors are typically treated as portals […]

We have spent a lot of time in this tractate discussing all the ways that a man can dissolve the vows of his wives and daughters. Today, we shift gears to discuss situations where he cannot. According to Numbers 30:10, “every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, with which she has bound her soul, […]