Volume 38: Number 3
Mon, 13 Jan 2020
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
Message: 1
From: Micha Berger
Date: Fri, 10 Jan 2020 09:22:08 -0500
Subject: Re: [Avodah] Askara
Talmudology is a blog by R Jeremy Brown on science and gemara, following
the daf yomi. (His wife is the known author on Torah topics, Dr Erica
Brown.)
In this installment, for Berakhos 8a (tomorrow's daf)
http://www.talmudology.com/jeremybrownmdgmailcom/2020/1/8/berachot-8a-what-is-askera-and-why-does-it-kill-you
or http://bit.ly/36EBBHy
RJB rules out the usual translation of "askara" as "croup", since even in
their day it wasn't likely to be fatal. Instead, he finds that diphtheria,
epiglottitis and quincy fit the gemara's description and suggests it
was one of those.
Adding another suggestion we're discussed here during the omer in years
past: R Sheira Gaon (She'iltos 1:1) says "askara" refers to the sicarii,
literally: daggers, but the name was given to the dagger-bearing class
of Roman soldiers. His context is the death of R' Aqiva's students by
askara; he says they died at the Romans' hands.
But, to quote Koren's translation of the gemara, minus the word "croup":
[Askara] is like a thorn entangled in a wool fleece, which, when
pulled out backwards, tears the wool. Some say that [askara] is
like ropes at the entrance to the esophagus, which would be nearly
impossible to insert and excruciating to remove.
I cannot believe R' Sherira Gaon didn't have an answer for the description
in this gemara. Maybe askara is an actual illness that in that one story
was being used euphemistically? Or maybe the Romans took to shechting
or garroting their victims, r"l?
:-)BBii!
-Micha
PS: Below is a very helpful signature quote, for those of us who spend
a lot of time "talking" about things online.
--
Micha Berger Rescue me from the desire to win every
http://www.aishdas.org/asp argument and to always be right.
Author: Widen Your Tent - Rav Nassan of Breslav
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF Likutei Tefilos 94:964
Go to top.
Message: 2
From: Michael Poppers
Date: Fri, 10 Jan 2020 08:52:08 -0500
Subject: [Avodah] Interesting Equation
> Nahum Sarna says: "The use of numerical symmetry...." <
One set of numbers that stands out to me is the shilush (see K'li Yaqar and
loc.!) of 133-137-133 in the P'Vaeira yichus parasha.
A gut'n Shabbes/Shabbas Shalom and all the best from
--Michael via phone
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.aishdas.org/pipermail/avodah-aishdas.org/attachments/20200110/af3595c1/attachment-0001.html>
------------------------------
_______________________________________________
Avodah mailing list
Avo...@lists.aishdas.org
http://www.aishdas.org/lists/avodah
http://lists.aishdas.org/listinfo.cgi/avodah-aishdas.org
------------------------------
*************************************
Send Avodah mailing list submissions to
avodah@lists.aishdas.org
To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
http://www.aishdas.org/lists/avodah/avodahareivim-membership-agreement/
You can reach the person managing the list at
avodah-owner@lists.aishdas.org
When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of Avodah digest..."
A list of common acronyms is available at
http://www.aishdas.org/lists/avodah/avodah-acronyms
(They are also visible in the web archive copy of each digest.)