No community start suggestion yet.
If papalin and zangvil don't require brachos when dried, how can they be forbidden on Yom Kippur? The shiur resolves this through the Rambam (רמב"ם)'s distinction between etz piryo (fruit trees) and etz ma'achal (edible trees). Papalin as etz ma'achal gets borei pri ha'adama, and fresh consumption creates Yom Kippur liability while dried doesn't reach the threshold of halachic 'eating.'
This shiur provides a comprehensive analysis of Brachos 36b, focusing on the Gemara (גמרא)'s discussion of brachos requirements for papalin (capers) and zangvil (ginger). The Gemara presents a fundamental question: if these items don't require brachos in their dried state, how can they be forbidden on Yom Kippur? The analysis reveals a core principle that anything requiring a bracha in hilchot brachos should also create liability on Yom Kippur. Rabbi Zweig examines the positions of major Rishonim including Tosafot, the Rosh, and the Rambam (רמב"ם), who disagree about whether these items require borei pri ha'etz or borei pri ha'adama. The Rosh argues that since the Torah (תורה) calls papalin a fruit (establishing the obligation of orlah), the bracha must be borei pri ha'etz. However, Tosafot and the Rambam rule borei pri ha'adama. The shiur resolves this dispute by explaining the Rambam's interpretation that the Torah establishes two separate categories in orlah: etz piryo (fruit trees) and etz ma'achal (edible trees). Papalin falls under etz ma'achal - not a fruit tree, but an edible tree, hence borei pri ha'adama. The analysis extends to practical applications in hilchot Yom Kippur, where the Rambam distinguishes between 'eating' (ochel) and 'chewing' (koses) - papalin eaten fresh constitutes normal eating and creates Yom Kippur liability, while zangvil is considered unusual consumption (koses). The shiur concludes by examining how these principles apply to other halachic areas including tumah of foods and ma'aser sheni, demonstrating that something can be edible for an individual without achieving the halachic status of 'food' for broader applications.
Dedicate a Shiur in Gemara
L'ilui nishmas a loved one. In honor of a simcha or yahrzeit. As a zechus for a refuah sheleimah. Your dedication helps carry Rabbi Zweig's Torah to learners around the world.
Up Next in this Series
Why does saying Ashrei three times daily guarantee a share in the World to Come? The verse 'umasbia l'chol chai ratzon' reveals that God provides not just sustenance but pleasure to all creation out of pure love. This recognition teaches us that even basic needs are expressions of divine chesed, creating the foundation for love-motivated service through both major and minor mitzvos.
Why does halacha forbid entering dangerous places if everything happens by Divine decree? The shiur examines the debate between Rashi and Tosfos on traveling at night, developing a fundamental distinction: Rashi holds one must avoid even deserved punishments that Hashem delays through mercy, while Tosfos holds the prohibition addresses self-inflicted harm through free will. This framework reveals how people rationalize self-destructive behavior as "hashgacha."
Why does the Gemara praise hospitality to scholars as a unique mitzvah rather than ordinary hachnasas orchim? The shiur distinguishes two mitzvahs: hachnasas orchim (providing for those in need) and connecting to talmidei chachamim (cleaving to God through scholars). Yisro's meal for the Jewish leaders wasn't charity—it was his way of bonding with those transformed by Torah, teaching that learning must fundamentally change who we are.
Brachos 36b
Looking for the full transcript?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
Should one learn Torah full-time trusting in Divine providence, or combine learning with work? The shiur distinguishes between Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai's approach of complete separation from worldly concerns versus Rabbi Shmuel's view that proper work itself becomes part of Torah. The key insight: true emunah means learning without demanding sustenance from either Hashem or community, unlike having a 'contract' expecting payment for learning.
