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Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R The Daf Yomi through a Psychological Lens.
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Man Must Finish the Job Avodah Zarah 54 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
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August 12th, 2025

The Mishna on Amud Beis records a polemic between Roman philosophers and our Jewish sages:
The gentiles asked the Jewish Sages who were in Rome: If it is not God’s will that people should engage in idol worship, why does He not eliminate it?
The Sages said to them: Were people worshipping only objects for which the world has no need, He would eliminate it. But they worship the sun and the moon and the stars and the constellations. Should …
It Is Straight Out in Bereishis Avodah Zarah 25 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author:
July 13th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Aleph explores the identity of Sefer HaYashar (“The Book of the Upright”), mentioned in Yehoshua (10:13). One opinion says it refers to Bereishis, the Book of Genesis, because it chronicles the Patriarchs, who are known as yesharim—the upright ones.The term yashar implies someone morally straight, honest, and correct. In Jewish liturgy and tradition, we often encounter three types of righteous individuals: yashar, tzaddik …
Idolatry 401: Avrahams Advanced Degrees Avodah Zarah 14 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author:
July 2nd, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Beis tells us that our forefather, Avraham, was well-versed in 400 chapters of idolatry.What does this mean? A simple reading is that in his quest to find the true religion and God, he studied the various religions of his time. (The number 400 in Hebrew often means a large number, such as Esav’s 400 men (Bereishis 33:1), adding 400 benches to the study hall (Berachos 28a), 400 casks of wine (Berachos 5b), and more.)
The Mi …
Grains of Truth: Sand, Glass, and Jewish Destiny Avodah Zara 75 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
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August 25th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Beis discusses whether glass vessels require ritual immersion, like metal vessels, which Biblically require immersion when purchased from a gentile—or whether they do not, like earthenware vessels. The Gemara reasons they are similar to metal, because if exposed to enough heat, they melt and can be reformed. (Glass, after all, is made by superheating sand until it liquefies.)
This quality of sand to melt into glass is note …
Enmeshment: Momma’s Boys and Daddy’s Girls Kesuvos 60 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
September 4th, 2022

Our Gemara mentions a problematic pattern of behavior that can, according to the Gemara, even affect a woman’s likelihood of conceiving:  Redufa leylech el beis aviha, When there is contention in the marriage and the woman tends to return back to her father’s home.There is a normal human pattern for young women to connect to and seek guidance from their mothers, as we saw by Rivkah (Bereishis 24:28): וַתָּ֙רׇץ֙ הַֽנ …
Compatibility Factors in Marriage Yevamos 110 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
June 24th, 2022

Our gemara on amud beis discusses the idea that certain people may have preference in marriage for someone similar to them, such as a deaf person may prefer to marry a deaf person. If compatibility and similarity in interests are important in marriage, to what extent and what domains can be identified?  Doing this can help couples work on enhancing them together, and also help people who are dating identify these areas as priorities.  R …
A Well-Mixed Maseches Avodah Zara 58 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author:
August 15th, 2025

Our Gemara on Amud Beis ponders the exact definition of a particular Aramaic word for mixing wine and its relation to its Hebrew form. In the process, it cites a verse from Mishlei (9:2):
“She has prepared the feast, mixed the wine, and also set the table.”
The Aramaic mazag and Hebrew masach both refer to the process of diluting wine with water. In the ancient world, wine was apparently a kind of syrup or thick concentrate, mixed with …
A Token of Appreciation Kesuvos 79 Psychology of the Daf Yomi
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
September 23rd, 2022

It is important to show gratitude.  Sometimes gratitude does not involve much effort or expenditure, so long as it is sincere. Our Mishna on Amud Beis teaches us: הַמּוֹצִיא הוֹצָאוֹת עַל נִכְסֵי אִשְׁתּוֹ הוֹצִיא הַרְבֵּה וְאָכַל קִימְעָא קִימְעָא וְאָכַל הַרְבֵּה מַה שֶּׁהוֹצִיא הוֹצִיא וּמַה שֶּׁאָכַל אָכַל ה …
מילי דהספידא על אבי ומורי זכר צדיק לברכה
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
October 1st, 2017

 מילי דהספידא על אבי ומורי זכר צדיק לברכה מאת: הרב שמחה פוירמן   ביום שלישי, כ״ט אלול תשע״ז הרב חיים יהושע בן אברהם פוירמן סים מלהגיד שיעורו האחרון בישיבה אוניברסיטי, מכון לחינוך ״עזריאלי״. אמר לאחד ממשרתיו, ״חכה לי, שצריך אני לנוח קצת״, ואז יצאה …
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