#rav kahana

[dadyomi]

Thursday 11/10, Nedarim 16: Professional Profaning

I know it’s just a translation but “Profane your oath for the desires of Heaven” belongs in some kind of epic poem. 

[writer-at-the-table]

[Rav Ḥinnana said that Rav Kahana said that Shmuel said: The mishna is referring to a tax collector who has no fixed amount for collection established by the kingdom, but rather collects the tax arbitrarily. Therefore, this case is not included in the law of the kingdom. A Sage of the school of Rabbi Yannai said: The mishna is referring to a tax collector who establishes himself as such independently and was not appointed by the kingdom.]

Okay, but that last one isn't really a tax collector at all. That's just a criminal.

[dafyomilimerick]

Bava Metzia 64

Rav Kahana, the Talmud records, Was tardy while making way towards Rav's discussion that day So he just heard him say "Something something and gourds, something gourds".

[thejewishlink]

Kahana Ousts Rav Who Refuses To Align With Giyur Reform Plan

Kahana Ousts Rav Who Refuses To Align With Giyur Reform Plan

As Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana draws closer to implementing his giyur reform plan, he announced the ouster of the head of the giyur system after it became apparent that he would not support the reform. Rav Moshe Weller, who was appointed by Chief Rabbi Rav Dovid Lau three years ago, informed Kahana during a meeting last week that he wouldn’t support Kahana’s giyur plan, in line with…

[sapropel]

My parents do not find Rav Kahana nearly as funny as I do

[yes-bernie-stuff]

Elections Israël

COURAGE! GAM ZE LE TOVA! Si ces résultats nous paraissent, à première vue, mauvais pour notre peuple et l'Etat juif, c'est que nous ne les voyons que dans le laps de temps qui nous est imparti. Il ne dort ni ne sommeille le Gardien d'Israël et Ses plans, eux, se situent sur une période intemporelle qui ne peut, ne DOIT, que nous mener vers le Machia'h car Hachem ne peut vouloir que le bien de Son peuple. Ce n'est pas la première fois qu'Il intervient, au dernier moment et alors que tout semblait perdu, Rappelez-vous par exemple la Guerre de Kippour, alors que les armées syriennes s'enfonçaient comme dans du beurre sur le Golan mal défendu, l'officier syrien en charge s'est arrêté en se disant "C'est trop facile, il y a un piège!"... ce qui a permis à Tsahal de se ressaisir et de retourner la situation à l'avantage du Peuple juif. Des dizaines d'exemples de ce genre de miracles qui émaillent notre Histoire peuvent être apportés! Je ne connais pas les raisons profondes et futures qui ont amenées Hachem à mal inspirer de vrais Juifs à rester chez eux ou aller à la plage plutôt que d'aller voter, à se mettre à adorer nos anciens généraux comme les Hébreux ont adoré le Veau d'Or, à voter pour un parti (Otzma Yéhoudith) dont l'ego des dirigeants - refusant de reconnaître que "Am Israël erad" et de s'allier aux autres Juifs kosher - aurait nettement déplu au Rav Kahana (zatsal), je ne connais pas les raison de Hachem pour avoir inspiré notre peuple à donner en masse la nationalité israélienne à des erev rav venus en masse des Pays de l'Est munis de faux certificats de judaïté et qui n'avaient aucunes valeurs juives : je ne connais pas les raisons de Hachem mais soyez certains qu'elles nous rapprochent du Machia'h! Tel 'haï, am Israel 'haï... Le Machia'h n'est plus assis "aux portes de Rome", on entend déjà ses pas qui se rapprochent aux portes du Pays où coulera le lait et le miel !  'HAZAK VE EMATZ !  

[hiphopkallahclasses]

Let’s Talk About Sex

Yo, I don’t think we should talk about this (Come on, why not?) People might misunderstand what we’re tryin’ to say, you know? (No, but that’s a part of life) Come on

Let’s talk about you and me Let’s talk about all the good things And the bad things that may be Let’s talk about sex 

This Salt-N-Pepa song is super catchy, and the costumes in the video are such a great throwback (!), but that’s not the real reason I’m writing about this song on my blog. Give the video a listen, if you like, and continue reading below -

There’s a story in the gemara (Babylonian Talmud, Trachtate Brachot 62a) that pretty much says the same thing:

Rav Kahana went under Rav’s bed. He heard Rav converse and joke with his wife before relations.

Rav Kahana: Rav speaks [light-headedly for pleasure,] like one who has never had relations before!

Rav: Kahana, you are here?! Leave! It is improper [for anyone to be present at such a time]!

Rav Kahana: It is Torah, and I need to learn it!

רב כהנא על גנא תותיה פורייה דרב שמעיה דשח ושחק ועשה צרכיו אמר ליה דמי פומיה דאבא כדלא שריף תבשילא א"ל כהנא הכא את פוק דלאו אורח ארעא אמר לו תורה היא וללמוד אני צריך

I think this gemara is teaching us two things: 

First, learning how to be physically intimate with one’s partner and have a good sexual relationship is really important! Notice that Rav Kahane is incredulous that Rav is “speak[ing] light-headedly”, i.e. being really flirty/seductive. Rav Kahane isn’t just learning the mechanics; he’s learning from Rav that having sex with one’s partner is about making love with the whole person, and that sex should be int he context of a generous and loving relationship.

Second, while Rav Kahane is definitely learning a lot, he shouldn’t have been there in the first place! Rav is totally right that it’s inappropriate (and prohibited in Jewish law) for Rav Kahane to be there, but Rav should have prevented this whole scenario by proactively giving Rav Kahane some sex education. Maybe if Rav had talked to his student about sex and provided some opportunities for respectful yet open communication about sex, then Rav Kahane wouldn’t have felt compelled to learn about it illicitly, and this sneaking around could have been prevented. In a strange way, maybe being overly modest about sex caused some immodesty.

Teaching kallah classes has made me think about the disparity in sex education in the Orthodox community. Brides take intensive classes covering niddah, mikvah, and sexuality, but young adults who are not married are rarely, if ever, spoken to about sex. Halacha (Jewish law) prohibits physical intimacy outside of marriage, but people are sexual beings regardless of whether they are sexually active or not. It would be much better for the brides whom I teach to have already learned about healthy sexual relationships (and general sex education!) prior to kallah classes. Men and women should not have to wait until a few weeks before their weddings to have positive associations with their sexual selves. 

(On a personal note, I think dancing hip hop was such a great way for me to feel powerful and sexy and great in my body when I was single in college. It taught me that what I feel and what my body can do is awesome, independent of anyone else.)

I believe that sex education to unmarried teenagers and young adults can be respectful of halacha while also providing needed information, positive context for sexuality, and an understanding of Jewish halachic considerations and values around sex. Yes, teaching about sexuality is hard to get right, and as Salt-N-Pepa put it, “People might misunderstand what we’re tryin’ to say, you know?“. But young adults are not living in a vaccuum; staying silent means that people are learning about sex solely from popular culture, the media, or their friends, none of which are necessarily reputable sources. 

I recently gave a talk in my community on a Jewish-values approach to sex, and am planning another one on premarital sex in Jewish law. I hope to share recordings of both those classes here - stay tuned.

[dadyomi]

Wednesday 7/26, Gittin 71: Back In Divorce Court

I was sad to see us leave the Home Remedies section of Gittin, but it does seem like after several tractates of functionally assuming Deaf people aren't capable of living adult lives, the amoraim are getting to grips with the idea that maybe being unable to hear and speak isn't an automatic indication of incompetence. It seems to be fucking with them to consider it and I must say I'm enjoying that.

Also, "A mute, you say?" is cracking me up for some reason.

[dadyomi]

Sunday 12/4, Nedarim 40: Illin'

This is a very sweet sentiment but also imagine you're sick and it's not just your professor who shows up, it's RABBI AKIVA. I wouldn't survive.

[dadyomi]

Monday 9/5, Ketubot 61: Tip Your Waiter

I just get such amusement out of passages like this where the amoraim are ready to just fall completely apart from being either emotionally or physically sensitive and weak. I know probably being on the verge of passing out from hunger was a lot more real in an era of less bounty than our own, but it still cracks me up every time to hear Rav Ashi could have been ENDANGERED if he didn’t get some turnips. 

[dadyomi]

Friday 9/16, Ketubot 72: Loaned Sifters Make Good Neighbors

It really does bring home how important it was not just to live in a community but to be considered part of it. I wouldn’t particularly care to live prior to the mid-20th-century or so, but I do sometimes wish there was a more organic growth of community in the modern day. “If your husband says you can’t loan out your sifter, you should divorce your man” is a pretty awesome take. 

[dadyomi]

Tuesday 11/22, Nedarim 28: Tax Man

This entire passage makes me think of some advice an esteemed colleague of mine gave me in grad school: If a motherfucker seems shady, don’t pay him. 

[dafyomilimerick]

Bava Metzia 49

"Rav Kahana, here's cash to buy linen." But a rise in price set some chagrin in. "Give them based on the price, While it might seem not nice To cut short the amount, you're not sinnin'." 

[dadyomi]

Thursday 12/10, Pesachim 19: So Many Degrees

I know it was probably a thing people did all the time, like obviously the amoraim had day jobs as well, but the announcement that Rav Ashi/possibly-Rav-Kahana “left the study hall to examine the matter“ just makes me think of a newly-formed group of roleplayers off to quest for Talmudic Knowledge and Perhaps Glory. 

[dadyomi]

Saturday 11/7, Eruvin 90: can I get a halakha yeah

Rav Beivai bar Abaye came to slay, not to play with porticos.

[dadyomi]

Wednesday 10/27, Rosh Hashanah 18: Civil Disobathience

I love a story in which having a bath and/or a haircut is an act of social commentary and rebellion. I wish all of the activism I did involved having a nice bath.