Take One Daf Yomi

On today’s page, Avodah Zarah 76, we close a chapter on idolatry only to open a deeper one about the human soul. With Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin, we explore why the Torah warns against graven images, and how this commandment teaches us that our worth—like divinity itself—is always beyond what meets the eye. Why is invisibility the ultimate form of truth? Listen and find out.

On today’s pages, Avodah Zarah 74 and 75, the Talmud explores the delicate balance of protecting Jewish practice while still engaging with the larger world. Mark Oppenheimer, the Corduroy Rav, joins us to discuss what ancient keg-cleaning instructions can teach us about pluralism, coexistence, and the ever-present dangers of idolatry in modern forms. How do we seal our traditions without sealing ourselves off? Listen and find out.

On today’s pages, Avodah Zarah 72 and 73, the rabbis dive into the logic of kosher: when does a forbidden flavor render food off-limits, and when does it not? Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to explain how this principle grew into the modern system of kosher certification. What does it really mean to trust the food we eat? Listen and find out.

On today’s page, Avodah Zarah 71, we encounter a grim teaching: a gentile thief could face death even for a tiny crime. The Talmud wrestles with the balance between law and compassion, and so do we. So today, we revisit a conversation with Sister Helen Prejean, a tireless voice against the death penalty. What can ancient law teach us about one of today’s fiercest moral debates? Listen and find out.

On today’s page, Avodah Zarah 70, the rabbis reflect on a strange case: thieves breaking into wine cellars. Instead of harsh judgment, they remind us to presume purity—even for those who stumble. Can transgression and hope coexist in the same breath? Listen and find out.

On today’s page, Avodah Zarah 69, the rabbis debate how best to seal a barrel of wine to ensure it hasn’t been tampered with. From corks to screw tops, what can this age-old conversation teach us about trust, preservation, and innovation? Listen and find out.

On today’s pages, Avodah Zarah 67 and 68, the Talmud digs into beans, vinegar, and the science of taste. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to show how the rabbis’ rules of flavor transfer—through heat, salt, and soaking—mirror the ways we absorb spirituality. Can food metaphors help us understand how to infuse our lives with holiness? Listen and find out.

On today’s pages, Avodah Zarah 65 and 66, we meet a minister in rose water and Rava himself debating pleasure versus power. Dr. Tevi Troy, our very own Presidentischer Rav, helps us draw lessons from presidents, CEOs, and moguls who thought they were untouchable—until the government reminded them otherwise. Can political reality burst even the strongest illusions? Listen and find out.

On today’s page, Avodah Zarah 64, the rabbis introduce the strange prohibition of giving a “free gift” to a gentile. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin helps us unpack what’s at stake, from communal bonds to baseless love, and why family ties redefine generosity. What does Judaism teach about gifts without strings? Listen and find out.

On today’s page, Avodah Zarah 63, the Talmud suggests that sometimes smashing things apart clears the way for something better. But how do we know when destruction is holy, not harmful? Listen and find out.

In today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 62, the rabbis weigh in on whether wages earned from idolatrous wine are permitted, offering a lesson about work, boundaries, and moral compromise. But how do we know when a job crosses the line? Listen and find out.

In today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 60 and 61, the Rabbis debate touchless wine presses, leading to speculation about Rashi’s side hustle—wine maker, egg seller, or both. But what does this teach us about balancing learning with making a living? Listen and find out.

In today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 58 and 59, a wine dispute between rabbis turns into a debate about which towns raise the most learned Jews—and why staying rooted matters. But how can your zip code shape your soul? Listen and find out. Please visit this link to sign up for some learning in honor of Marvin Singer, who passed away this week.

In today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 57, the rabbis continue their discussion of the laws of wine. The Gemara relates a story which takes place in a city where the Jewish inhabitants ruled, and enjoyed access to influence and power, which the Gentile residents did not. There's a link between this story and this week's Torah portion of Eikev, in which the Jews are told, basically, not to get too comfortable. But is comfort really such a danger to spiritual health? Listen and find out.

On today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 56, the sages discuss wine. It's easy to understand that wine created for the purpose of idol worship is expressly forbidden. But regular wine—not expressly Kosher, yet definitely not created for idolatry—is still not allowed. Why? Listen and find out.

On today’s page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 55, a Roman general’s question about God’s “jealousy” opens the door to parables about human nature, trust, and why even pain seems to follow rules. But why would God let hardship happen at all? Listen and find out.

In today's pages of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 53 and 54, the sages continue their discussion on the laws of idol worship. Today, however, we zoom out for a more philosophical conversation. For example, if idol worship is forbidden, why does G-d allow it to exist? Within the context of the discussion, what is the nature of G-d, nature, and our own free will? Listen and find out.

In today's pages of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 51 and 52, our sages continue their discussion of idol worship. The conversation raises questions around who may gain monetary benefit from different forms of idolatry. We take a pause to zoom in on a very specific contemporary innovation: podcasts. What connection does our host make between the world of podcasts and idolatry? Listen and find out.

In today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 50, the sages continue their discussion regarding idol worship, and whether objects once used toward idolatry can, once discarded, transcend their former status. Surely some old rocks once used in an altar can eventually be used to build a road, no? Listen and find out.

In today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 49, the sages continue their discussion regarding idolatry. It's a classically talmudic conversation, with a lot of details around whether a small fragment, or even pebble, which may or may not have been part of a shrine for the god Mercury, still holds the status of a prohibited idol. Are we overthinking things? Listen and find out.

In today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 48, we pause to focus on one of the greats of the Talmudic era, Rav Sheshet, who was blind, and who possessed great intellectual prowess. Today we learn about an 'ashera', a tree that is used for idol worship, which is permitted to walk underneath, if there's no other way to reach one's destination. Rav Sheshet was fully permitted to walk underneath the tree, but what did he do instead? Listen and find out.

In today's pages of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 46 and 47, the sages continue their conversation about idol worship. Their discussion is far reaching; what happens when your home shares a wall with a place of idol worship? What if the wall collapses? Can that space next to that shared wall be used for, say, a bathroom? Listen and find out.

In today's pages of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 44 and 45, the sages continue their discussion about idol worship. The conversation gives rise to another, which seeks to clarify whether it's kosher to contemplate matters of Torah in the bathhouse. And what's the issue? We can perceive it as an insult to G-d, but can't it also be a way to elevate the mundane? Listen and find out.

In today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 43, the sages continue their discussion regarding objects used for idolatry, returning again to the question of who may revoke the idolatrous status of an object. As usual, there's a lot of nuance in their conversation, but at the heart of it all, what unexpectedly inspiring lesson can we learn from somebody who loses their idol? Listen and find out.

In today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 42, the sages continue their discussion of forbidden idols, or objects used in idol worship. Who has the right to revoke the status of an object in question? And what is our relationship to that object? And finally, what is the deeper meaning of the discussion? Listen and find out.

In today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 41, the sages continue their discussion of pagan idol worship. They decode which statues are idols and which are merely ornamental, based on contextual clues, such as setting, or what the figure depicting is holding. But then a strange question is raised, and nobody can answer it. What does it mean? Listen and find out.

In today's pages of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 39 and 40, the sages open the third chapter of the tractate with a discussion on statues and idols. The sages explore which statues are permitted and which are forbidden, whether jewelry is permitted, whether an object that was once used in idol worship can be used for something else, and more. The topic of idol worship is, of course, taken extremely seriously, but the sages' teachings still manage to contain a lot of nuance. What can we learn from their approach? Listen and find out.

In today's pages, Avodah Zarah 37 and 38, we meet one of the great heroes of the Talmud, Rabbi Yose ben Yoezer. Although we meet him as he weighs in on whether the consumption of a certain breed of locust is permitted (Rabbi Yose ben Yoezer says yes), the shadow he casts on the whole tradition of the study of Jewish law is, in fact, massive, and very much with us today. What makes him so influential? Listen and find out.

In today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 36, the sages continue their discussion on halachot pertaining to goods made by gentiles, and whether Jewish people can consume them. There's a larger discussion here, one about tradition and continuity. For further insight, we are including this week's episode of our sister podcast 'Sivan Says'. This week's double parsha, Matot-Masei, contains a list of 42 places the Israelites journey to on their route to the Promised Land. What can we learn from this long and detailed list? Listen and find out.

In today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 35, the sages continue their discussion of laws pertaining to which items Jewish people can consume, if they are manufactured by people who are not Jewish. But the teaching contains a metaphor, comparing a Torah scholar to a container containing a good scent. But what broader application does this metaphor have? Listen and find out.

In today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 34, we hear a story in which Rabbi Akiva visits a faraway city and is asked three seemingly unrelated yet straightforward questions by the folks who lived there. We're told that he did not know the answers. What's going on here? Listen and find out.

In today's Talmud pages, Avodah Zarah 32 and 33, the sages broaden their conversation about wine made by gentiles. A fascinating discussion follows, about whether or not shards from an earthenware vessel which originally held non-kosher wine may be used for other purposes. We further deepen the discussion with a personal story from our producer Josh Kross. His anecdote shares a question with today's pages: what does it mean to hold onto an object with a loaded, or controversial, history? Listen and find out.

In today's pages of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 30 and 31, the sages turn their discussion to a topic close to Liel's heart: booze. We know there are rules and prohibitions around whose wine Jews can or can't drink, but what about beer? Listen and find out.

In today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 29, the sages discuss all kinds of practical remedies for good health. Many suggestions are made - foods to eat, foods to avoid, good habits, bad habits. What other good advice does the Talmud have for us? Listen and find out.

In today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 28, the sages continue their discussion about relationships between Jewish and Gentile people, and the value of trust. Today we are joined by the esteemed Tevi Troy, whose favorite topics include the Talmud and American Presidential history. How does he connect today's page with the history of presidents who betray the trust of their people? Listen and find out.

In today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 27, the sages continue their discussion about relationships between Jewish and Gentile people. When the threat of anti-Jewish violence exists, who is to be trusted? And what really lies beneath what may, at first, seem to be paranoia? Listen and find out.

In today's pages of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 25 and 26, the sages have a discussion that hits close to home. The conversation concerns the threat of anti-Jewish violence, and it's chilling to consider how familiar it all feels. But what lesson can we take from today's pages? Listen and find out.

In today's pages of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 23 and 24, the sages explore the biblical obligation to honor one's parents. The story of Dama ben Natina is shared, to illustrate the mitzvah of filial piety. What else can we learn from this story? Listen and find out.

In today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 22, the sages continue their discussion about business dealings between Jewish and Gentile people. If they own a business together, can the Jewish partner accept profits from work done on Shabbat? But we also learn about two great luminaries of the Talmud - Rava and Ravina. What can we learn from their conduct? Listen and find out.

In today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 21, the sages discuss laws that may make modern audiences uncomfortable - laws that concern business dealings between Jewish and Gentile folks. How do we make sure business we both run and frequent uphold our values? Listen and find out.

In today's Talmud page, Avodah Zarah 20, the sages bring up instructions for a life of meaning. It's a meditation on self-improvement, designed to bring us to a place of humility. What's the first step? Listen and find out.

In today's pages of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 18 and 19, the sages share yet another story of Jewish resistance in the face of Roman cruelty. The harrowing story of the Rabbi Chanina ben Teradyon is a tale of unbelievable tragedy, but embedded within is a deeply moving idea about the sacred relationship between Jewish people and the actual physical scroll of a Torah. What is it? Listen and find out.

On today's pages of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 16 and 17, the sages share with us a pretty unbelievable story about a rabbi with a penchant for prostitutes. What happened next, and what lesson can be learned from this seemingly goofy story? Listen and find out.

On today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 15, the rabbis debate the sale of arms. It's an issue that is no less relevant today, and so, in this episode we are featuring an excerpt of a conversation between Dr. Chethan Sathya, a pediatric surgeon, and Fred Guttenberg, who lost his daughter Jaime in a school shooting, that originally aired on the 20-Minute Health Talk podcast. Can the gun violence epidemic be reframed as a public health issue? Listen and find out.

On today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 14, the rabbis discuss the ethical treatment of animals and our relationship to the earth. We sidebar to hear from Joel Salatin, one of the recipients of Tablet's 2025 Sinai Awards. Joel is a farmer from Virginia, and we wanted to share his inspiring acceptance speech at the recent award ceremony. What does today's Talmud page have to do with "food freedom"? Listen and find out.

On today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 13, the sages discuss the conditions on which a priest is allowed to leave Eretz Yisrael. What beautiful idea do we learn in the conversation that follows? Listen and find out.

On today's pages of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 11 and 12, we learn about the legendary commentator Onkelos, who was born into Roman nobility, but later converted to Judaism. What made him so great? Listen and find out.

In today's pages of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 9 and 10, we learn about the singular friendship between Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi and the Emperor Antoninus. What does the Talmud teach us about their unlikely alliance? Listen and find out.

In today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 8, the Rabbis tell a story of Jewish bravery during the Roman Empire. When the chain of Rabbinic ordination was threatened by the Roman rulers, a group of Rabbis met to ordain students at tremendous risk to themselves. What happened next? Listen and find out.

In today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 7, the sages discuss how a person should pray. Should a person first say the Amidah, and then issue their own personal requests, or should their personal prayers come first? And why does it matter? Listen and find out.