Chagigah 23 - March 4, Rosh Chodesh Adar 2, 1 Adar 2

This month's shiurim are dedicated by Joshua and Judy Schwartz in honor of his beloved mother, Bernice Cohen Schwartz's 99th birthday. “As a teenager, Bernice wanted to study Talmud like the boys, but her grandfather said it wasn't for girls. Thanks to Hadran, now it is!”

This month’s shiurim are dedicated by Rabbi Perkins in honor and in memory of Rabbi Dr. Samuel T. Lachs. “Dr. Lachs taught Rabbinics at Gratz College in Philadelphia and at several other colleges and universities, including Bryn Mawr College, where he was Professor and Chair of the Department of the History of Religion. A scholar who studied the rabbinic background to Christian texts, Dr. Lachs inspired me and many others with his erudition and his commitment to the use of critical methodologies in the interpretation of Talmudic texts.”

Today’s daf is sponsored by Abby Flamholz in honor of her daughter in law Sigal Spitzer Flamholz’s birthday. “She is an inspiration balancing motherhood work and her learning. Bli ayin hara.”

Today’s daf is sponsored by Leah Goldford in loving memory of her father, Moe Furman z"l, Moshe ben Meir, on the completion of Shloshim. “He had a huge zest for life, filling every moment with laughter and activity/ He was a fearless adventurer traveling to China and South America when he was 95, and joining his family for trips to Mexico and Alaska. He was committed to consistency in his long life, and had a policy of never gossiping. These qualities and many more were passed down to me, his grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who were blessed to be able to live with him for the last 8 years. We miss him very much and can't quite believe he's gone. I am sure that he would be proud of all the Torah learning going on in his merit and of my dedication to Daf Yomi. We all love you, dad!”

The Gemara explains the next few cases listed in the Mishna. The first is one who holds an item that is impure as it was stepped on by a zav. At the time one is holding it, if one moves a sacrificial item, one passes on impurity. Why is this only true for sacrificial items and not teruma? The next case is utensils that were watched from impurities from the moment they became susceptible to impurity. If so, why would they need to be immersed in the mikveh before using it for sacrificial items? What exactly are the details of the case? The Mishna implies that they need immersion and can be used immediatelyת without waiting for sunset. Is this in disagreement with Rabbi Eliezer? The third case discussed is that a sacrificial item that is impure passed on impurity to any other item that is in the same utensil. Rabbi Chanin said this is derived from a verse in the Torah. If so, why does it seem that Rabbi Akiva held it was a decree of the rabbis?