Bava Kamma 82 - January 23, 13 Shvat

Today’s daf is sponsored by Terri Krivosha and Rabbi Hayim Herring in loving memory of Terri’s father Nachum Meir ben David and Malka, Judge Norman Krivosha, on his 3rd yahrzeit, and in honor of their granddaughter, Orli Nessa bat Avi and Sheyna, named in his memory. And in memory of those killed in the war, for the release of the hostages and the refuah shleima of all those who have been wounded. "My dad taught me it is my job as a lawyer to figure out the questions the client doesn’t ask because once you know the questions, the answers are obvious. Though he never studied Talmud he would have loved its intellectual rigor." Today's daf is sponsored in memory of my mother-in-law, Esther Farber, on her 21st yahrzeit. She would have loved to be part of Hadran and would be learning the daf with us if she were alive today. Ezra instituted ten takanot, among them Torah reading on Mondays, Thursdays and Shabbat at Mincha, doing laundry on Thursday, eating garlic on Friday, combing or washing hair before going to the mikveh, men doing to the mikveh after a seminal emission before learning Torah, and others. Some of these are still practiced today and others are no longer practiced. There are ten unique laws relating to Jerusalem, many of them based on the fact that Jerusalem was not given to any particular tribe. Laws of selling a house in a walled city don't apply, as well as egla arufa, leprous house, and ir hanidachat. Other laws relate to it being a city where many holy items and kohanim are passing through and minimizing impurities is necessary. The Mishna mentioned a prohibition on raising pigs. The Gemara tells the story of two Hasmonean brothers, Horkanus and Aristoblus, who fought against each other and one put a siege on the other in the city of Jerusalem. A terrible incident occurred and as a result, they decreed a prohibition to raise pigs and to teach one's son Greek wisdom.