Hello fellow students of Jewish history!
I am delighted to inform you that, beginning in April 2019, we will embark on a pilot project to explore the historical aspects of the Talmud as part of the incredible OU Daf Yomi Initiative led by Rabbi Moshe Schwed. We will start with tractate Bechoros and, with favorable feedback, we plan to continue with the audacious goal of recording brief (5-minute) lectures on historical aspects of the entire Talmud, coinciding with the Daf Yomi cycle. We’re talking about 2,711 Jewish History lectures. I. can’t. wait.
Since this is a very specialized approach to Jewish history–that is, in connection with the daily study of one folio of Talmud a day, which is set to begin the next cycle in January 2020–I don’t intend to send our regular emails from this account. Please keep your eye on ou.org/dafyomi for updates, or my new YouTube channel dedicated to this project: Jewish History in Daf Yomi.
Looking forward to learning with you!
“as part of the incredible OU Daf Yomi Initiative led by Rabbi Moshe Schwed”
sounds as if Rabbi Shwed invented Daf HAyomi,
Also sounds like your are rewriting the history of the Daf HAyomi. The past history up to April 2019 is rich enough.
Uziel Lieberman
Vaad Daf HAyomi
Agudas Yisroel Europe
Antwerp Belgium
Hello Rabbi Lieberman: I am puzzled by your comment, particularly by the tone, and especially that it is posted on Tsom Gedalya, a day in which we should certainly strive to develop ahavat hinam. Rabbi Schwed is working day and night to enhance Daf Hayomi learning, and his efforts deserve our praise–our goal is more Talmud study, plain and simple. And as for my small part in the process, I would encourage you to sample the mini-lectures on the historical background embedded in every single page of Gemara. If you don’t find that they add anything to your study of the Daf, by all means please ignore them. For now they are posted at ou.org/dafyomi; we plan to incorporate them in All Daf app in time for the Siyum in January. G’mar ve-hatima tovah.