About this episode
Study Guide Chagigah 26 Today's daf is sponsored by Gila Loike in honor of her mother, Dr. Marian Stoltz-Loike. "She always sets aside time to expand her Torah knowledge and share her deep insights. Thank you, Imma, for sharing your love of learning and instilling that love in each of your children." Today's daf is sponsored by Rabbi Lee Wax in loving memory of Mitch Wax. "My father was a huge character, who brought fun and wisdom into people's lives, and who loved learning & teaching Yiddishkeit. May his memory always be a blessing." Today's daf is sponsored by Jeff Kronisch and family in honor of Rachel and Oren Seliger on their Siyum of Seder Moed. "May you continue to be role models. Mazal tov! And a thank you to Rabbanit Michelle Cohen Farber for your visionary leadership." The rabbis designated the area from Modiim to Jerusalem as a place where an am haaretz could sell earthenware vessels and be trusted regarding their purity under certain conditions. The Gemara quotes a braita specifying in which directions the potter and the buyer need to be going in order to permit a sale in Modiim itself. Abaye supports this braita from inferences in our Mishna. The law is limited however to small vessels, not large ones. How small? The vessels are pure but if they are filled with liquids, we do not trust them regarding the purity of the liquids, even though the vessel itself is considered pure. If am haaretz tax collectors or robbers came to one's house, are they believed regarding items they touched or not? On what does it depend? In Jerusalem itself, vessels can be purchased from an am haaretz as well - special dispensations were made in Jerusalem as there were no kilns there. Also during the holiday season, they are even trusted regarding teruma. Why is there a unique halacha for the holidays? If an am haaretz who was trusted during the holiday season has leftovers, are they still considered pure after the holiday? There is a tannaitic debate regarding this. The rabbis do not permit it – however, does this mean they can leave it for the next holiday or can it never be considered pure? They would purify the Temple at the end of the holiday as anything an am haaretz touches is pure during the holidays but after the holiday it is retroactively impure. What if the holiday ended on Friday or Thursday, when would they purify everything? All the vessels would be purified except the table with the showbread, therefore, they would warn people not to touch the table. Was it only the table or also the Menorah. Why can't the table go in the mikveh? Why does the table need purification, isn't it wood that is not meant to be moved which cannot become impure? It seems the table was moved during the holiday to show people the miracle of the showbread. But why is it considered wood and not metal, as it is covered in gold?