Take One Daf Yomi

On today’s pages, Zevachim 12 and 13, the Talmud reminds us again that intention matters a lot when offering sacrifices. But why? After all, in every other aspect of life, when we do something good, few people care if we did the right thing for the wrong reason. How is the world of offering sacrifices to God different than the world of earthly human relations? Listen and find out.

On today’s pages, Zevachim 10 and 11, the Talmud tells the story of one of the most dramatic days in rabbinic history, the day one great rabbi was deposed as president and another young reformer elevated in his stead. Why the drama? And what lessons about politics and leadership can we moderns learn from this very ancient tale? Listen and find out.

On today’s pages, Zevachim 7, 8, and 9, the rabbis debate the meaning of the mysterious Korban Olah, which was offered to God for no reason at all other than showing our love and gratitude. How can this ancient ritual help us forge better marriages, better friendships, and better lives? Listen and find out.

On today’s pages, ⁠Zevachim 5 and 6⁠, intent once again takes center stage: even a valid offering is incomplete if the mind isn’t in the right place. To mark the season, we share a special segment from our sister podcast Sivan Says, with Sivan Rahav-Meir guiding us into Rosh Hashanah. Can intentionality transform not just sacrifice but also the way we begin a new year? Listen and find out.

On today’s page, Zevachim 4, the rabbis teach us the magic and meaning of korban shelamim, the one kind of sacrifice we could carry out of the Temple and share with folks we love. How did that sacred take out help create community and bring about peace and love? Listen and find out.

On today’s page, Zevachim 3, the rabbis wonder what happens when a sacrifice is offered properly, but with the wrong intention. The act stands, yet the obligation remains unfinished—forcing a repeat. Do we, too, risk having to “do it twice” when our head and heart aren’t in it the first time? Listen and find out.

On today’s page, Zevachim 2, we open the mysterious world of Kodashim—the Talmud’s deep dive into sacrifices. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin reminds us that these offerings were never about feeding God, but about drawing close through holiness. What does it mean to treat the conceptual as more real than the material? Listen and find out.

On today’s pages, Horayot 13 and 14, the daf points from titles to trust—authority in halakha is earned by the community, not decreed from above. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to explore how consensus, not charisma, sustains Torah leadership. When recognition follows service, communities become the guarantors of their own standards. How should communities recognize and empower their true leaders? Listen and find out.

On today’s pages, Horayot 11 and 12, the Talmud weighs status and standing: when someone leaves the fold, what counts as a step back in—intention, confession, changed behavior? We’re sharing that Unorthodox piece from Robert Scaramuccia on the work of apology when details are fuzzy but responsibility remains. Robert’s story comes from Unorthodox’s 2021 apology episode. How do we translate teshuvah into concrete next steps? Listen and find out.

On today’s page, Horayot 10, foresight at sea gives way to a lesson on appointing scholars who resist promotion—“be a servant to this people.” The Presidentscher Rav, Dr. Tevi Troy, joins us to connect rabbinic leadership to modern presidential appointments. It reframes advancement as obligation, not reward. When should the truly capable say yes—and when is no the wiser call? Listen and find out.