Daf Ditty Shabbes 157: Siyum Masechta

1

. אָלּוּע עַלְקּיִא בְל יֵ שׁיֵ ר .אָתוּלָ גּ זַח יְ ֵ הּי רְל הָבַּ רַבּ בַ ר נוּה אָ יְדּ תָ ביֵ נוֹוַּאְבּ אָ יַּמְד אָ אָקְ ו חַשָׁמ ֵל .הּי ֲ א ַ מ ר ֵ ל :הּי ֵ א מי ַ ר ר ַ מי ֵ א :הּי ֵ ל ר ַ מ ֲ א .הּי . יִרְמָאְדּ ןַנָבַּר הָדיִדְמ ,הָוְצִמְד ואָלְדּ הָוְצִמ יִמ ?רוּמֲא רַמֲא :הּיֵל קֵסַּﬠְתִמ אָמְלָﬠְבּ נֲא ָ א

The mishna concludes: And from their statements and their actions, we derived that one may seal a window, and measure, and tie a knot on Shabbat.

The Gemara relates: Ulla happened to come to the house of the Exilarch. He saw Rabba bar Rav Huna sitting in a tub [avna] of water and measuring it.

He said to Rabba bar Rav Huna: Say that the Sages said that it is permitted to measure on Shabbat only a measurement for a mitzva. However, with regard to a measurement like this one, which is not for a mitzva, did they say that it is permitted?

Rabba bar Rav Huna said to him: I am merely acting unawares and am not at all interested in the measurements. Therefore, it is not prohibited. As Steinzaltz (OMB) says:

Measuring on Shabbes for a Mitzvah1

I would say that the Rabbis only permitted measuring for a mitzvah. – 157b

Our Daf suggests that measuring on Shabbos for the purpose of a mitzvah is permitted, and this is why measuring the water in a mikveh is permitted. Accordingly, it would also be permitted to measure the diameter of a hole in a wall to determine if it is large enough to allow tum’ah to transfer through it.

Tosafos (126b) explains that the reason it is generally not allowed to measure things on Shabbos is that doing so a weekday activity (uvda d’chol), which is a rabbinic restriction. The rabbis did not apply this limitation in a case of mitzvah. Rambam (Hilchos Shabbos 24:5) explains (see below) that measuring falls into the category of “pursuing one’s own interests,” which the posuk

1 Daf Digest

2 If thou turn away thy foot because of the sabbath, from 13 גי םִא - ביִשָׁתּ תָבַּשִּׁמ ,ֶלְגַר תוֹשֲׂﬠ תוֹשֲׂﬠ ,ֶלְגַר תָבַּשִּׁמ ביִשָׁתּ pursuing thy business on My holy day; and call the sabbath a ֶצָפֲח םוֹיְבּ ;יִשְׁדָק ָתאָרָקְ ו ַשַּׁל תָבּ תָבּ delight, and the holy of the LORD honourable; and shalt ,גֶנֹע שׁוֹדְקִל הָוהְי ,דָבֻּכְמ וֹתְּדַבִּכְו וֹתְּדַבִּכְו ,דָבֻּכְמ הָוהְי שׁוֹדְקִל ,גֶנֹע honour it, not doing thy wonted ways, nor pursuing thy תוֹשֲׂﬠֵמ ,יֶכָרְדּ אוֹצְמִּמ ְצְפֶח רֵבַּדְו רֵבַּדְו ְצְפֶח אוֹצְמִּמ ,יֶכָרְדּ תוֹשֲׂﬠֵמ ;business, nor speaking thereof .רָבָדּ

Isa 58:13 prohibits. When measuring is done for a mitzvah, the activity becomes “the pursuit of heaven” which is not prohibited. This implies that measuring for any mitzvah would be allowed.

Yet, Ritva clearly writes that measuring for a mitzvah is only permitted for the needs of Shabbos, and not for any mitzvah. Other mitzvah pursuits such as conducting an appeal for tzeddakah are permitted when they only involve thinking or speaking. Measuring, which involves an action, is only permitted when the mitzvah cannot be delayed until after Shabbos.

The first tractate of the Talmud, Berakhot, concluded with a number of pithy rabbinic statements that felt both expansive and summarizing. Tractate Shabbat does something of the opposite, wrapping up by discussing a mishnah that tackles a bunch of obscure do’s and dont’s on Shabbat, including whether a man may nullify the vows of his wife or daughter, seal a window, measure a rag to see if it’s large enough to contract impurity or measure a mikveh to see if it contains enough water. To the end, it seems, the rabbis delight in the minute and obscure.2

The tractate ends with a story that springs from the discussion about measuring water for a mikveh:

Ulla came to the house of the Exilarch where he saw Rabba bar Rav Huna sitting in a tub of water and measuring it. He said to Rabba bar Rav Huna: The Sages said that it is permitted to measure on Shabbat only in order to perform a mitzvah. But this measuring, which is not for a mitzvah, did they say that it is permitted?

Rabba bar Rav Huna said to him: I am merely acting unawares.

Ulla, was a first generation amora generally understood to be Ulla bar Yishmael. One of – לּוּע ָ א וּ of Rabbi Yoḥanan’s students, he served regularly as an emissary bringing the Torah of the land of Israel to Babylonia, also bringing the innovations of the Babylonian Sages to the land of Israel.

Ulla journeyed often and would travel from place to place to teach Torah (which is why Yalta called him a “peddler”). Rav Ḥisda referred to him as, “our Rabbi who comes from the land of Israel,” and Rav Yehuda sent his son to Ulla to learn practical halakha.

In the Talmud Yerushalmi, where he is normally referred to as Ulla son of Yishmael (or “Ulla the descender”) many teachings are cited in his name, and many eminent Sages of the succeeding generation were his students.

2 Myjewishlearning.org

3 We know nothing of his private life. The amora Rabba bar Ulla may have been his son. We do know that he died during a journey in Babylonia and was brought back to the land of Israel for burial.

Ending the Masechta with a word about the in between spaces of Halacha, the grey areas

RAMBAM, Hil Shabbes 24:1

שֵׁי םיִרָבְדּ ןֵהֶשׁ ןיִרוּסְא תָבַּשְׁבּ ףַא לַﬠ יִפּ םָניֵאֶשׁ ןיִמוֹדּ הָכאָלְמִל םָניֵאְו ןיִאיִבְמ יֵדיִל .הָכאָלְמ ִמוּ יֵנְפּ הָמ וּרְסֶאֶנ וּרְסֶאֶנ הָמ יֵנְפּ וֹתְּדַבִּכְו " ( יעשי ה נ ח י ג ) םִא ביִשָׁתּ תָבַּשִּׁמ ֶלְגַר תוֹשֲׂ ﬠ ֲ ח ָ פ ֶ צ י םוֹיְ בּ דָ ק "יִשְׁ נְ ו מֱאֶ רַ " ( יעשי ה נ ח י ג ) םוּשִּׁמ רַמֱאֶנֶּשׁ רַמֱאֶנֶּשׁ םוּשִּׁמ תוֹשֲׂﬠֵמ יֶכָרְדּ אוֹצְמִּמ ְצְפֶח רֵבַּדְו ."רָבָדּ ָכיִפְל רוּסָא םָדָאְל ֵלַּהְל ויָצָפֲחַבּ תָבַּשְׁבּ וּלִּפֲאַו רֵבַּדְל ןֶהָבּ ןוֹגְכּ יֶּשׁ ְ רֵבַּד רֵבַּד םִﬠ וֹפָתֻּשׁ הַמ ִיּ רֹכְּמ רָחָמְל וֹא הַמ ִיּ הֶנְק וֹא ַאיֵה הֶנְבִי ִיַבּ ת הֶ ז בוּ אְ יֵ הֶ ז רוֹחְ ס הָ לֵ י ֵ מְ ל םוֹקָ נוֹלְ פּ .יִ לָ כּ הֶ ז כְ ו צוֹיַּ אֵ וֹבּ וֹבּ אֵ צוֹיַּ כְ ו הֶ ז לָ כּ .יִ נוֹלְ פּ םוֹקָ מְ ל ֵ לֵ י הָ רוֹחְ ס הֶ ז יֵ אְ בוּ הֶ ז ת : רוּסָא רַמֱאֶנֶּשׁ רֵבַּדְו רָבָדּ רוּבִּדּ רוּסָא רוּהְרִה רָתֻּמ רוּהְרִה רוּסָא רוּבִּדּ רָבָדּ רֵבַּדְו רַמֱאֶנֶּשׁ רוּסָא

Some acts are forbidden on the Sabbath even though they neither resemble nor lead to prohibited work. Why then were they forbidden? Because it is written: "If you refrain from following your business on the Sabbath, on my holy day… If you honor it, not following your wonted ways, not pursuing your business, nor speaking of it" :

If thou turn away thy foot because of the sabbath, from 13 גי םִא - ביִשָׁתּ תָבַּשִּׁמ ְגַר ,ֶל תוֹשֲׂﬠ תוֹשֲׂﬠ ,ֶל pursuing thy business on My holy day; and call the sabbath a ֶצָפֲח םוֹיְבּ ;יִשְׁדָק ָתאָרָקְ ו תָבַּשַּׁל תָבַּשַּׁל ָתאָרָקְ ו ;יִשְׁדָק םוֹיְבּ ֶצָפֲח delight, and the holy of the LORD honourable; and shalt ,גֶנֹע שׁוֹדְקִל הָוהְי ,דָבֻּכְמ וֹתְּדַבִּכְו וֹתְּדַבִּכְו ,דָבֻּכְמ הָוהְי שׁוֹדְקִל ,גֶנֹע honour it, not doing thy wonted ways, nor pursuing thy תוֹשֲׂﬠֵמ ,יֶכָרְדּ אוֹצְמִּמ ְצְפֶח רֵבַּדְו רֵבַּדְו ְצְפֶח אוֹצְמִּמ ,יֶכָרְדּ תוֹשֲׂﬠֵמ ;business, nor speaking thereof .רָבָדּ

ISA 58:13

Hence, one is forbidden to go anywhere on the Sabbath in connection with his business, or even to talk about it. Thus one must not discuss with his partner what to sell on the next day, or what to buy, or how to build a certain house, or what merchandise to take to such-and-such a place. All this, and the like, is forbidden, for it is written "nor speaking of it." That is to say, speaking of business on the Sabbath is forbidden; thinking of it, however, is permitted.

This same prooftext is used by RAMBAM to allow certain activities like running:

RAMBAM, Hil Shabbes 24:5

רָתֻּמ ץוּרָל תָבַּשְׁבּ רַבְדִל וְצִמ הָ ְכּ ןוֹג ֶשׁ ָיּ ץוּר בְ ל ֵ תי כַּ ה ְ ֶנ תֶ ס וֹא בְ ל ֵ תי מַּ ה דִ רְ .שָׁ מוּ חְ שַּׁ בְ ִ ןי שֶׁ ח תוֹנוֹבְּ לֶשׁ צִ מ ְ הָו דוֹמוּ דְ ןיִ ןיִ דְ דוֹמוּ הָ ו ְ צִ מ לֶשׁ תוֹנוֹבְּ שֶׁ ח ןי ִ בְ שַּׁ חְ מוּ .שָׁ רְ דִ מַּ ה תי ֵ בְ ל וֹא תֶ ס ֶ נ ְ כַּ ה תי ֵ בְ ל ץוּר ָ יּ ֶשׁ ןוֹג הָדיִדְמ לֶשׁ הָוְצִמ ןוֹגְכּ הֶוְקִמ עַדיֵל םִא שֵׁי רוּעִשַּׁכּ וֹא דֶגֶבּ עַדיֵל םִא לֵבַּקְמ .הָאְמֻט ןיִקְסוֹפוּ הָקָדְצ יִּנֲﬠָל ִ .םי וֹהְו ןיִכְל ןיִכְל יֵתָּבְל תוֹיִּסֵנְכּ יֵתָּבְלוּ תוֹשָׁרְדִמ וּלִּפֲאַו תוֹאיֵטְרַטְל ןיִלְקַרְטוּ לֶשׁ םיִתוּכּ ַחֵקַּפְל לַﬠ יֵקְסִﬠ יִבַּר ם בַּשְׁ בּ .תָ מוּ דַּשְׁ כְ ןיִ לַ ﬠ לַ ﬠ ןיִ כְ דַּשְׁ מוּ .תָ בַּשְׁ בּ ם

4 תֶקוֹניִתַּה סֵרָאיֵל לַﬠְו קוֹניִתַּה וֹדְמַּלְל רֶפֵס וֹדְמַּלְלוּ .תוּנָמֻּא ִרְקַּבְמוּ ןי לוֹח ִ ןי מוּ נְ חַ מֲ םיִ בֲ א לֵ ִ .םי הְ ו ַ כִ נּ ְ סָנ בְ ל קַּ רֵ תֶ א לוֹחַ ה הֶ הֶ לוֹחַ ה תֶ א רֵ קַּ בְ ל סָ נ ְ כִ נּ ַ הְ ו .םי ִ לֵ בֲ א םיִ מֲ חַ נְ מוּ ןי ִ לוֹח ןי מוֹא רֵ בַּשׁ תָ איִ ה לִּ מ זִ עְ קֹ רוּ אוּפְ הָ בוֹרְ ק הָ אוֹבָ ל . ןיִכיִשְׁחַמוּ לַﬠ תַּה םוּחְ ַחֵקַּפְל לַﬠ סִﬠ יֵקְ לַּכּ הָ לַﬠְ ו סִﬠ יֵקְ תֵמַּה בָהְל איִ וֹל וֹל איִ בָהְל תֵמַּה יֵקְ סִﬠ לַﬠְ ו הָ לַּכּ יֵקְ סִﬠ לַﬠ ַחֵקַּפְל םוּחְ תַּה לַﬠ ןיִכיִשְׁחַמוּ . ןוֹרָא .ןיִכיִרְכַתְו רֵמוֹאְו וֹל ֵל םוֹקָמְל יִנוֹלְפּ אֹל ָתאָצָמ םָשׁ אֵבָה םוֹקָמִּמ יִנוֹלְפּ אֹל ָתאָצָמ הֶנָמְבּ אֵבָה .םִיַתאָמְבּ דַבְלִבוּ דַבְלִבוּ .םִיַתאָמְבּ אֵבָה הֶנָמְבּ ָתאָצָמ אֹל יִנוֹלְפּ םוֹקָמִּמ אֵבָה םָשׁ ָתאָצָמ אֹל יִנוֹלְפּ םוֹקָמְל ֵל תוֹשֲׂﬠ פֲח ֶצָ "י ְ ו וּכ ' ֲ ח ָ פ ֶצ ןיִרוּסֲא " ( יעשי ה נ ח גי ) אֹלֶּשׁ זִ י כְּ רֹ וֹל םוּכְס .חָקִּמ לָכֶּשׁ וּלֵּא אֵצוֹיַּכְ ו ןֶהָבּ וְצִמ הָ ןֵה נְ ו רַמֱאֶ רַמֱאֶ נְ ו ןֵה הָ וְצִמ ןֶהָבּ אֵצוֹיַּכְ ו וּלֵּא לָכֶּשׁ .חָקִּמ םוּכְס וֹל רֹ כְּ זִ י אֹלֶּשׁ : יֵצְפֶח יַמָשׁ םִ ןיִרָתֻּמ םִ יַמָשׁ יֵצְפֶח

It is permissible to run on Shabbat to a matter of a commandment—for example, if he runs to the synagogue or to the study hall. And we may make calculations of a commandment. And we may [also] make measurements of a commandment, such as to know if there is the [requisite] amount [of water] in a mikveh, or to know if a garment [is large enough] to contract impurity. And we may allocate charity to the poor. And one may go on Shabbat to synagogues and study halls— and even to the theaters and circuses of the Cuthites—to supervise matters affecting the public. And we make make matches for young girls to be betrothed, and [make arrangements] for a young boy to teach him Torah or to teach him a craft.

And we may visit the sick and comfort the mourners. And one who enters to visit a sick person should say, "It is a rest (Shabbat) from yelling out (in prayer for you), but a recovery is close to coming." And we [wait for] darkness over the perimeter to supervise the affairs of a bride; and the matters of a dead body, to bring him a coffin and shrouds. And [so] he may say to [another], "Go to place x. [If] you did not find them there, bring them from place y. [If] you did not find them for a hundred, [pay] two hundred." [This is] so long as he does not mention the [maximum] amount of the [potential] purchase.

As all of these—and that which is similar to them—are commandments; and it is stated (Isaiah 58:13), "doing your business." It is your business that is forbidden; the business of the Heavens is permissible.

Orach Chayim 306:7

רתומ דודמל תבשב הדידמ לש הוצמ גכ ו ן דודמל םא שי הוקמב 'מ האס דודמלו זא רו ימ אוהש הלוח שוחללו שוחללו הלוח אוהש ימ רו זא דודמלו האס 'מ : ילע ו ומכ נש תוגהו םישנה רתומ והד י הדידמ לש הוצמ לש הדידמ י והד רתומ םישנה תוגהו נש ומכ ו ילע

7. One may measure for a Mitzvah such as calculating whether a Mikvah has forty Se’ah, and to measure the belt of an ill person and chant over it, as is the women’s custom, because it is measuring for a Mitzvah.

אלוע עלקיא יבל שיר אתולג זח י הי הברל רב בר וה אנ ביתיד ואב ו אנ אימד אקו חשמ היל רמא היל היל רמא היל חשמ אקו אימד אנ ו ואב ביתיד אנ וה בר רב הברל הי י זח אתולג שיר יבל עלקיא אלוע רמיא ירמאד נבר ן הדידמ הוצמד ואלד הוצמ ימ רומא רמא היל קסעתמ אמלעב אנא

5 Prof. Marcus M. Schwartz writes3

Our Sages forbade us to take measurements on Shabbat. In their day, as in ours, measurements were most often associated with commerce. They strove to create a day free from the workaday stresses of acquisition. We see this sensitivity in this prohibition, as in the many prohibitions and commandments we have seen throughout the year. As we began the year, I hoped to convey that Shabbat is first and foremost a spiritual discipline. The God of Israel demands that we rest each week, that we may dedicate the work of our hands throughout the week for the sake of Heaven. We attempt a perfect rest each week, knowing that our anxieties will likely break into our day of calm marring our rest, yet we try again the next week.

In our passage, we find Ula shocked to discover Rabbah b. Rav Huna engaging in an act that Ula perceives as violating the character of the day: Rabbah b. Rav Huna sits with a cup measuring the water that a particular tub will hold. Ula sees this as violating the Sages' words. Rabbah b. Rav Huna will enter the world of commerce and anxiety by measuring the capacity of the tub. Rabbah b. Rav Huna deflates the situation in one sentence. He is just entertaining himself, not really measuring water or the tub for any real reason. This sort of entertainment is permitted.

Rabbi Jay Kelman writes:4

Masechet Shabbat deals primarily with the 39 forbidden activities on Shabbat--especially that of carrying. Yet, as is the norm for Talmudic discussion, one subject leads to another, so that we have a wide range of discussion. As we go through its pages, we find the primary discussion of Chanukah; the laws of brit milah; debates on the role, if any, of astrology; the discussion of mama'ad har Sinai (the giving of the Torah); discussions about David and Bat-Sheva, the gatherer of wood in the desert; questions we will be asked by our Creator; laws of purity and impurity; the stories of Hillel, Shammai and the potential convert; a discussion on attitudes towards Roman rule; redemption; and much more.

Shabbat is the sign of our special relationship with G-d - "ot hee leolam", a permanent sign--and our observance of Shabbat affirms our belief in G-d as the Creator. Shabbat is the glue the keeps us together. One can easily lose sight of these overarching ideas and ideals, especially in the midst of 156 double-sided pages of what is often extremely technical material, but we must guard ourselves against that danger.

3 http://www.jtsa.edu/babylonian-talmud-shabbat-157b

4 https://www.torahinmotion.org/discussions-and-blogs/shabbat-157-some-concluding-thoughts-masechet-shabbat

6 In great pedagogical style, the first and last Mishna in Shabbat tell a story (as does the first Mishnah in Tractate Brachot, which opens the Talmud). We begin with a poor person standing outside a home, hoping to get some food from the homeowner. In this sad spectacle, the players remain nameless; while there may be a fulfillment of the mitzvah of tzedakah, there is no hachnasat orchim, the welcoming of people into our home. Letting the poor man stay outside even as you hand him some food means that one has not learned that Shabbat is also about our relationship with our fellow man. Our relationship with G-d can only be as strong as that of our relationship with our fellow man.

The last Mishnah in our daf tells a different story. "It happened in the days of the father of Rabbi Tzadok and Abba Shaul ben Botnit, who sealed a window using an earthenware vessel and tied an earthenware shard withe reed-grass to ascertain whether the roof had an opening of a handbreadth" (Shabbat 157a). The Gemara explains that there was an alleyway between two homes, with a cracked roof connecting the homes on either side. The question arose as to whether the homes might be considered connected, so that impurity in one home would be transferred to the other.

7 While the story is of a technical nature, the message is not. When we open the masechet, there is a clear divide between the homeowner inside, and the poor left on the outside. At the end of the masechet, we allow people to measure the roof on Shabbat so that homes may be joined together.

As in Biblical literature, names are of great significance in the Talmud. It is most interesting that we have two abbas, fathers, one being biological (the father of Rabbi Tzadok) and the other, Abba Shaul, where it is just part of his name.

A father denotes care, concern and compassion. Tzadok comes from the same root as tzadik, a righteous person. Rabbi Tzadok fasted for forty years in a futile attempt to avert the destruction of the Temple.

His concern for others is what Shabbat is meant to bring about. Shaul ben botnit can be translated as "borrowing a peanut", reminding us of the importance of sharing food with others. While the recipient should see it as a loan, the donor should see it as a gift.

We must be vigilant in our observance of Shabbat--yet we must ensure that we observe Shabbat both as a mitzvah between man and G-d, and man and man.

As we complete this Masechta I found an intriguing essay by Yair Hoffman5 regarding the strategies to complete shas….

There was once a lottery where the organizers of the lottery had raffled off a Shas. The Chazon Ish was present when the results of the lottery were said over. He told the winner the following: “Every Jew is obligated to know all of Shas. He that does not do so will be punished. The only thing is that people have an excuse. They can say that they did not have the requisite seforim. But he that has a Shas and does not know it will be punished two-fold.” The story is cited in the second volume of Maaseh haIsh (page 63.) The Rambam (Chapter one of Hilchos Talmud Torah) writes that it is an obligation for everyone to learn all of Torah sh’b’ksav as well as Torah sh’b’al peh.

Rav Meir Chodosh zt”l used to exhort his students about their halachic obligation to come up with a plan to finish Shas. Indeed, while he and Rav Michel Yehudah Lefkowitz zt”l were

5 http://www.5tjt.com/finishing-shas/

8 bochurim learning in yeshiva they devised just such a plan (See Darchei HaChaim page 272). The Maaseh Rav (letter 6) cites the view of the Vilna Gaon that everyone should learn at least 2 blatt a day. The Hanhagos of Rav Moshe Cordovero (#34) states that a person must complete Shas three times in his lifetime. It is said that the Noam Elimelech would not allow anyone to join his Chevra Kadisha unless he had previously completed all of Shas.

In the Sefer Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah, it is related that the Chofetz Chaim once asked Rav Yisroel Salanter if it is preferable to learn one topic in great depth or two learn several topics but not to the full depth of one’s understanding. Rav Yisroel responded that learning only one topic in great depth is tantamount to someone in need of an entire set of clothing only purchasing a hat. Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel zt”l taught his students to become “Shas Yidden” and to strive to complete it. Rav Chaim Katzenellenbogen Shlita of Meah Shearim attests that Rav Zelig Reuvain Bengis zt”l completed Shas at least 101 times.

With all this in mind, the reader might find what is about to be written as a shocking revelation: It is a relatively simple procedure to finish half of Shas in less than one year.

The assertion made above is not an exaggeration. It is eminently doable, and in relatively little time. Once a person has” half of Shas” under his belt, the determination to finish the rest will come easily. The second half can be finished in less than three years.

The idea is also not to do it superficially. The greatest of Gedolim have said that learning should be in depth and not a mere davening of the Gemorah. This is the view of Rav Ovadiah Yoseph

9 zt”l and countless other litvish Gedolim. The Daf HaYomi cycle encompasses 2711 pages of the Talmud. Many people who begin a daf yomi cycle with a new mesechta will invariably drop out. They are initially enthused about it, but the day to day attendance is something that not everyone can handle or keep up with. Magiddei shiur have observed that once a person gets through the hurdle of two mesechtos, it is relatively smooth sailing — in other words, there is a good chance that he will continue studying regularly. So how does one finish half of Shas in less than one year? To do this, three concepts or components are necessary.

THREE COMPONENTS The first is that one should give oneself a sense of accomplishment quickly, by starting from the shortest mesechta. Horios, for example, is a mere 13 blatt and Makkos is only 23. Doing this would give oneself a sense of accomplishment quickly. There is nothing like a success to breed success. With this in mind, the new order of learning would look like this:

1. Horayos 14 2. Makkos 24 3. Chagigah 27 4. Kerisus 28 5. Moed Katan 29 6. Taanis 31 7. Megilah 32 8. Erchin 34 9. Temurah 34 10. Rosh Hashanah 35 11. Meilah 37

10 12. Beitzah 40 13. Sotah 49 14. Shevuos 49 15. Succah 56 16. Bechoros 61 17. Brachos 64 18. Nazir 66 19. Nidah 73 20. Avoda Zarah 76 21. Kiddushin 82 22. Yoma 88 23. Gitin 90 24. Nedarim 91 25. Eruvin 105 26. Menachos 110 27. Kesuvos 112 28. Sanhedrin 113 29. Bava Kama 119 30. Bava Metzia 119 31. Zevachim 120 32. Pesachim 121 33. Yevamos 122 34. Chulin 142 35. Shabbos 157 36. Bava Basra 176

The second idea is that with the advent of the Artscroll Schottenstein Gemorah and the Mesivta Gemorahs in Hebrew, and all of these new internet sites with questions, answers, review guides,

11 etc. – learning Gemorah is a whole lot easier than it ever was before. And now, it can be done with a greater depth and with more understanding.

A reasonably intelligent Yeshiva graduate can even double his learning output. If he were to do 2 blatt a day the 2711 pages would take three years and eight and a half months. But best of all, if a person adopted these two tweaks, after less than one year (356 days to be exact) he could honestly say that he has finished half of Shas — in terms of mesechtos.

The third concept is to no longer include Meseches Shekalim. It is a Yerushalmi, and it is not quite clear why it was included in the Daf HaYomi cycle anyway. Also, with the coming completion of the Artscroll Yerushalmi, this tractate should be included in whatever Yerushalmi cycle we will soon adopt. It no longer makes sense to include it in a Bavli study cycle. Furthermore, the 21 blatt there would help us reduce the cycle by ten days. Thus, a person could say just after four months of study that he already went through 25 percent of the Talmud, in terms of tractates.

The idea can be called “Double Daf” or something similar, and a website can be opened to explain and promote what is involved.

There is no question that if these ideas are adopted, more people who wish to adopt a faster program would end up finishing — because they experience a mini-success after mini-success. The ideas presented here are not for everyone, of course, — but for a number of people they do and can make a lot of sense. As mentioned earlier, the Vilna Gaon, and the Chazon Ish mention it as an obligation.

12 Thank you for being with me along the journey through Maseches Shabbes.

I hope that by sharing with you my Daf Ditty each day you will have enjoyed the way I see sacred texts, and how I walk the fine line between science, archeology, history, critical textual analysis on the one hand and unwillingness to give up on our sacred textual tradition. In the space between the two we walk the knife edge and the tightrope of faith refusing to give up on the critical mind yet all the while open to a spiritual universe that cannot be quantified or analyzed but only experienced.

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