Talmud Bavli Hullin 72a-b - translation by Tzvee

[72a] But lo, [consider by way of contradiction to this the case of] a foetus and midwife that resembles [in its legal implications] the case of two rings. [The woman whose foetus died in her womb, and [that foetus] the midwife put in her hand and touched — the midwife is unclean with a seven-day uncleanness, and the woman is clean until the foetus will emerge [M. 4:3 F-G].] And yet the foetus does render unclean the midwife!

W.           Rabbah [would have] said, “The case of the foetus is different since it is destined to come forth.” [The rule concerning contained uncleanness does not apply to it.]

X.            Said Raba, “[You say that] the foetus is destined to come forth. Is not the ring also destined to come forth [from the animal through the natural process of elimination]?”

Talmud Bavli Hullin 71a-b - translation by Tzvee

What is the source for the assertion that wild animals are included in the rule of beasts? As it is written, “These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat the hart, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain-sheep. Every animal that parts the hoof and has the hoof cloven in two, and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat” (Deut. 14:4-6). Lo, what is the case? The wild animal is included in the rule of the beast.

E.            What is the source of the assertion that beasts are included in the rule of wild animals? As it is written, “Say to the people of Israel, These are the living things which you may eat among all the [wild] beasts that are on the earth. Whatever parts the hoof and is cloven-footed and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat” (Lev. 11:2-3). Lo, what is the case? The beast is included in the rule of the wild animal.

Yitz Reviews the iMishna App for iPhone

Yitz reviews the iMishna app for iPhone from Crowded Road developers.

They tell us at the publisher:

ENGLISH TRANSLATION
iMishna is an amazing Torah application that weaves a comprehensive English translation. Thousands of hyperlinked footnotes have also been included for more detailed explanation. Most Masechtas have this feature and we will continue to add more with future free updates.
INTEGRATED COMMENTARIES
The commentaries of both Bartenura and Tosfos Yom Tov have been included in iMishna, using hyperlinks from the main text for easy, 1-touch access.
AUDIO LECTURES
iMishna features audio lectures for every Mishna that can be added or removed from the built-in Download Manager. Lectures are given by Rabbi Rabbi Chaim Brown.
MISHNA YOMI
There is a built-in Mishna Yomi calculator that allows you to see the day's Mishna with just one touch. Follow the cycle and complete every Mishna in just 6 years. iMishna makes the process portable and easy.
KEYWORD SEARCH
Use the built-in Hebrew keyboard to search for anything within the 1000s of pages of iMishna. The results will be highlighted for easy access.

iMishna Review by Yitz
Overall
Nice overall and easy to use. The search function works great.

Times Inside the List by Jennifer Schuessler Covers New Relgion Bestseller Books

We are down on the Times for technical reasons today. Our iPad Times app simply does not work. And navigation within the web site of the Times online is abysmal. So if we want to read through several weeks of Jennifer SCHUESSLER's column that summarizes news about best-selling books, we have to jump back and forth and through some hoops. Add to that the fact that today 9/4 the column displays the entry for 9/11, a week early, and that is supposed to be a good thing.

We did find the column for 9/4 and reproduce it below because is discusses several books about religion that have hit the charts. We still cannot fathom why Todd Burpo's book is measured on the non-fiction list - a book about a four year old who meets Jesus in heaven. And so we take a deep breath and wonder that all religion writing is highly imaginative yet cultural norms utterly prevent us from ranking it together with fiction. Such a situation. Here is Jennifer's column for today:

Review a New Book on Synagogue Prayers for the New Year

Attention bloggers and e-zines: To request a complimentary review copy today for the print or Kindle edition, send us your address in an email.
 
“Liturgy is not dry theology,” Tzvee Zahavy explains. In his new book, “God’s Favorite Prayers,” he shows how the traditional Jewish services are filled with “colorful pictures, evoking sentiments and passions and full of exhilaration.”

To illuminate the meanings of prayers, Zahavy tells about his experiences with Rav J. B. Soloveitchik, Rav Aharon Lichtenstein, Rabbi Meir Kahane, Cantor Louis Danto and other inspiring Jewish figures.

Talmud Bavli Hullin 70a-b - translation by Tzvee

[70a] And if it was stated only [the former, we might argue that] in this one Rabbah stated matters. But in this [other] one it makes sense to say that he agrees with R. Huna. It is necessary to state both.

I.2

A.            It was taught in the Mishnah on Tannaite authority: A beast producing its firstborn that is in hard labor — one cuts off the limbs [of the offspring] one by one and throws them to the dogs [M. 4:2 A-B]. Is it not the case that he cuts off and puts aside [the limbs and later throws them to the dogs]? And if you say that it is holy retroactively, it should be necessary then for him to bury them.

B.            No. In this case what are we dealing with? Where he cuts off and throws [each one to the dogs]. But where he cuts off and puts aside [the limbs], what is the rule? They must be buried [when enough of the animal comes forth and it is retroactively a firstborn].

Times Op-Ed: Eliyahu Stern Defends Shariah Law in the U.S.

Bravo to Eliyahu Stern, assistant professor of religious studies and history at Yale, who eloquently defends Shariah law in the U.S. This is a welcome and well-reasoned argument that needed to be heard from a Jewish source to counterbalance the activities of David Yerushalmi who has been crusading against Shariah law, as noted in a story in the Times, July 30, and in this blog and elsewhere months before that.

Stern concludes:

Anti-Shariah legislation fosters a hostile environment that will stymie the growth of America’s tolerant strand of Islam. The continuation of America’s pluralistic religious tradition depends on the ability to distinguish between punishing groups that support terror and blaming terrorist activities on a faith that represents roughly a quarter of the world’s population.

Talmud Bavli Hullin 69a-b - translation by Tzvee

Come and take note: [69a] This is the general principle: Something that is part of its [the dam's] body is prohibited. Something that is not part of its body is permitted [M. 4:1 G]. What does Something that is not part of its body encompass? does it not encompass this very matter? No. It encompasses [the case of] an animal with uncloven hooves in the womb of the cow. And this is in accord with the view of R. Simeon.

E.            For even though R. Simeon said, “A foetus with uncloven hooves that is the offspring of a cow is prohibited [I.2 G],” this concern applies to an instance where it emerged to see the light of day. But as long as it remains in the womb of the mother it is permitted.

Talmud Bavli Hullin 68a-b - translation by Tzvee

Bavli Hullin Chapter Four Folios 68A-78A

                                                                     4:1

                A.            A beast that was in hard labor, and its offspring put its hoof out and withdrew it —

                B.            [when the dam is properly slaughtered], it [the offspring] is permitted to be eaten. [Not being deemed born, it is not a living beast that itself must be slaughtered before being eaten.]

                C.            [If] it put forth its head, even though it withdrew it, lo, this is [deemed] as fully born.

                D.           [If] one cuts off part of the offspring that is in its womb —

                E.            it [what is cut off] is permitted to be eaten.

                F.             [If he cut off] part of the spleen or kidneys [of the beast itself], it is prohibited to be eaten.

                G.           This is the general principle:

                (1) Something that is part of its [the dam's] body is prohibited.

                (2) Something that is not part of its body is permitted.

Talmud Bavli Hullin 67a-b - translation by Tzvee

E.            Said Rabina, “This is what they stated in the West [i.e., Israel]: In every instance where you find two general rules juxtaposed to one another [67a], you may place the specifications between them and treat this as if it constituted a general rule, a specification and a general rule.” [Accordingly here you have] “in the waters” that it a general rule; “in the seas or the rivers” that is a specification; “that are in the waters” that is once again a general rule. [Where you have] a general rule, a specification and a general rule [the principle we follow is that] you can only subsume under the rule what you have in the specification. What does the specification define? That you have flowing water. So all [instances where you have] flowing water. What does this subsume? [Creatures without fins and scales that are found in] gutters and trenches that are prohibited. And what does it exclude? [Creatures without fins and scales that are found in] cisterns, ditches, or caverns that are permitted.