1.Rav Pappa wondered why it is that his generation did not merit the same miracles as previous generations, when the current generation was even more learned than previous ones. Abaye answered that previous generations sanctified Hashem's name to a greater extent.

1. R' Yochanan used to sit by the mikeveh when women would immerse. The women would look at him and have beautiful children. He was not afraid of "ayin harah" bc he was from yosef who was above the ayin harah.

2. Women, slaves, and minors are exempt from Shema, Tefillin. They are obligated to prayer, in mezuzah, and in birches hamazon.

3. It is a novelty that women are exempt from Shema bc Shema declares faith in God so its reasonable to assume women should be included in that obligation.

4. Women have to pray even though its time bound bc women require Divine mercy just like men.

5. Women are obligated in Kiddush, even though it is a time bound mitzvah, bc there is a link between "Shamor" and "zachor"-since women have the negative prohibitions, they have the postive mitzvos as well

6. The Gemara wonders whether women are biblically required to say birches hamazon. (the text refers to people inheriting Israel, and women didn't inherit Israel). They definitely are mandated by the Rabbis, but the question is whether a woman can be "motzi" a man, bc someone obligated rabbinically cannot exempt someone obligated biblically.

7. If a man ate an amount of bread (like a cazayis, but still is not fully satiated) they only have to say birches hamazon rabbinically. By torah law, only fully satiated has to bench. In that scenario, a woman or child could definitely be "motzi" the man, bc they are both obligated on the same level.

8. The reason why Hashem shows us favor is bc we bentch even when we are not fully satiated.

9. A 'Baal keri" is restricted from praying and learning until he immerses. Nonetheless, he should think the words of Shema. But theres no need for him to think the blessings around Shema. He should think the blessings after eating but not the ones b4 eating. (basically, anything from the Torah he should think)

10. One way to understand this is that "thinking is like saying" and he fulfills the mitzvah of Shema and Birches Hamazon. Even though "thinking is like saying," the Ba'al Keri is restricted only from saying and not thinking bc the precedent from Mt. Siani was that "baal Keri" should not articulate words of Torah.

11. A different opinion is that "thinking is not like saying" and he is not fulfilling the mitzvah of shame or birches hamazon, but the Rabbis nonetheless said he should do as much as he could for mitzvos from the Torah, but for Rabbinic things he need not bother.

Broadcast on:

23 Jan 2020