Mishpatim Essays

[Reuven Chaim Klein]

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Essays on Hebrew synonyms from my "What’s in a Word?" series related to Parshas Mishpatim:

• Forever and Ever - About לעולם, נצח, סלה, and ועד.
• The Handmaid's Deal - About אמה and שפחה.
• Feeding the Lie - About שקר, כחש, and כזב.
• Stealing and Robbing - About גניבה, גזילה, חמס, and ליסטים.
• Boorish Animals - About בעיר and בהמה.
• Hidden Things - About טמון, צפון, ספון, גנוז, מוסתר, and נעלם.
• Bruisers and Bleeders - About פצע, חבורה, and חבלה.
• Digging Deeper - About חפר and כרה.
• Rabbi of Robbers - About אדון, רבון, and רב.

Audio Chaburos on Maseches Keusbos (Audio):

• Kesubos (ch. 1) - A discussion of why the Tractate Kesubos begins with the word בתולה instead of הבתולה + how Maimonides understood the Talmud's justification of King David's marriage to Batsheba.
• Kesubos (ch. 3) -  A discussion of whether kesubah is a Biblical or Rabbinic obligation, and why the chapter concerning the penalty for rape is in Kesubos + how the punishment that Egyptians got of dying at the Red Sea and having the Jews take their money does not violate the Torah's principle of double jeopardy (קלב"מ).
• Kesubos (ch. 5) - A discussion of the requirement that one always have a kesubah with a certain minimum amount, and the reason why this requirement was enacted. This is proceeded by a discussion concerning the case of the rebellious wife (moredes) and how she can lose her kesubah and still be married. Lastly, we discuss the use of Rivka as a precedent for giving all virgin girls 12 months to prepare for marriage after kiddushin.

Lo Yishama Al Picha

• Prohibition of Saying Names of Avodah Zarah (Audio in Hebrew)
• "Uttering the Names of Idols," Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society vol. 73 (2017).

Kol Tuv,

Reuven Chaim Klein

Beitar Illit, Israel

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