Take One Daf Yomi

On today’s page, Chullin 55⁠, the rabbis demonstrate a remarkable commitment to evidence, devising a method to determine whether an animal’s condition arose naturally or through external harm. Their willingness to question assumptions and seek verifiable answers serves as a powerful reminder that knowledge grows through inquiry, not conformity. Featuring remarks from Sinai Award recipient Larry Sanger, co-founder of Wikipedia, and an introduction by Walter Kirn. Why is the search for truth worth defending? Listen and find out.

On today’s page, Chullin 54⁠, a technical discussion about missing organs yields an unexpectedly hopeful lesson. Again and again, the rabbis rule that an animal can survive conditions that seem impossible at first glance. The result is a reminder that life is often sturdier than we imagine and that setbacks we assume are fatal may not be. What if we are more resilient than we think? Listen and find out.

On today’s pages, Chullin 52 and 53⁠, a debate about foxes, dogs, cats, and other predators becomes a meditation on the importance of particulars. Rather than treating all threats as identical, the rabbis carefully distinguish between different actors, different behaviors, and different consequences. The result is a model of thinking that resists slogans and demands close attention to facts. What happens when we stop arguing about categories and start looking at cases? Listen and find out.

On today’s pages, Chullin 50 and 51⁠, a seemingly technical discussion about an animal falling from a roof takes an unexpected turn when the rabbis tell the story of a goat that saw food below and jumped for it. Rather than assuming disaster, the sages conclude that the goat understood the distance and made the leap deliberately. The result is a surprisingly modern lesson about analysis paralysis, self-doubt, and the opportunities we miss when we spend too much time worrying. What can a hungry goat teach us about courage? Listen and find out.

On today’s page, Chullin 50⁠, a discussion about injuries and defects in an animal’s digestive tract reminds us how carefully the rabbis examined every detail of the world before them. As we conclude our week-long series honoring the Lubavitcher Rebbe on the day of his yahrzeit, Rabbi Motti Seligson joins us to reflect on the Rebbe’s enduring intellectual and spiritual legacy. Together, we consider the immense scope of the Rebbe’s teachings and the powerful idea that all of Torah—and indeed all of life—forms a single interconnected whole. What happens when you begin to see the world that way? Listen and find out.