Matmonim: Daf Yomi by Rabbi David Lapin

Gittin 77a How to Let a Person Go - ונתן בידה

Separation entails loss and sadness. But there is also a gift in separation – the gift of freedom, independence, and new beginnings. It is important to empower the person separating with this sense of freedom.  Sources

Gittin 75a Precision - בעינן תנאי כפול

A lack of precision in the use of halachik instruments can demonstrate the absence of intentionality.  Sources

Gittin 72 Own Your Decision - זה גיטך לאחר מיתה

In a collaborative relationship, who owns a decision determines whether it should be unilateral, negotiated or whether it requires the leader to initiate decision  ad inspire others to follow.  Sources

Gittin 71a Stories and Souvenirs - מפיהם ולא מכתבם

We recreate our realities through narrative and through souvenirs. They operate differently and are equally important parts of our lives.  Sources

A message for you from Rabbi Lapin

Gittin 70a Where Less is More - מסתפק במועט

The term 'מסתפק במועט' doesn’t mean being satisfied with little, but finding satisfaction in little: Sufficiency, as a character trait, breeds strength of body, mind and spirit.  Sources

Gittin 68a Leadership and Regality - זה היה חלקי מכל עמלי

Leadership is an activity; Regality is a way of being, a characteristic, a virtue.  Sources

Gittin 67b Physical Fitness - גדולה מלאכה שמחממת את בעליה

A truly holistic philosophy of physical health, fitness and wellbeing.  Sources

Gittin 62a Courtesy vs. Caring - רב כהנא אמר ליה שלמא למר

In the West, greeting is just a courtesy, an act of recognizing the other. In Torah a greeting is very much more meaningful.  Sources

Gittin 60a-b Learning and Knowing - עת לעשות לה' הפרו תורתך

Learning happens by engaging in conversation not by absorbing written information. Learning is qualitative and experiential. It is a process of life, a journey without an end. Learning is about being. Knowing is quantitative and defined; it is about having.  Sources

Gittin 59b Shalom - כל התורה כולה מפני דרכי שלום

Torah reveals a single, overarching system in which we function, where each of its parts operates in harmony and fragmentation is non-existent.  Sources

Gittin 58a A Culture of Depravity - נתחתם גזר דינם

When a society loses its norms of decency, irrespective of whether they are stated in the Torah, the society is at risk of destruction. What should our response be?  Sources

Gittin 57a Mastering Addiction - אונקלוס בר אונקלוס בר אחתיה דטיטוס

Body and soul constitute a single, integrated system. Physical and psychological illness both need physical and spiritual cures. Addiction is spiritual as well, and needs to be treated spiritually.  Sources

Gittin 56a-b Hope or Delusion? - תן לי יבנה וחכמיה

Hope and optimism are easy when the trajectory of events is positive. But when clouds of war, depression and hardship rise on the horizon, what does hope look like? Sources

Gittin 53a Environmental Awareness: Beyond the Physical - היזק שאינו ניכר

Self-awareness is considered the most important capacity for competent leadership. But awareness should go beyond the self and include the environment in which we are functioning. It goes further: not only should we be aware of the physical environment but of the spiritual environment as well. The spiritual environment is no less real, even though not tangible, than the physical environment.  Sources

Gittin 52a How to Nourish Growth and Productivity - מימי לא קריתי לאישתי אישתי

The appropriate application of labor and intellect to capital, nourishes growth and productivity. In the home as well, these three dimensions are the engines of nourishment and growth.  Sources

Gittin 51a-b Content or Character? - מיגו ומשיב אבידה

We are bombarded with content from diverse sources of varying reliability with no ranking of their relative authority. We must make our own judgements about their reliability. There are two ways to do so: By analysis of the content irrespective of the author, or by the character and expertise of the author.  Sources

Gittin 50b Earning the Gift - במתנה היאך?

One can earn a gift even though one has no right to it. Much like an employee can earn the right to a bonus but is not entitled to it. Therefore, even when we have earned a gift we should be grateful for it. Rain is an example of a gift from Hashem that we earn and are grateful for.  Sources

Gittin 48b-49 Is the Torah Rational? - ר' שמעון דריש טעמא דקרא

The outer limits of a system are defined by axioms. The system is constructed with logical principles developed from the axioms. We live within two systems: A system defined by the laws of physics and math (חוק הטבע) and a system defined by the axioms of Torah (חק השם ית'). Sources

Gittin 47a Dignity - ריש לקיש זבין נפשיה ללודאי

No one can take our dignity away from us. It is our choice to give our dignity away or hold on to it.  Sources

Gittin 45a Miracles and Magic - בנתיה דרב נחמן

The friction resulting from subjugating one’s emotions and passions to the discipline of the mind, converts human matter into energy.  Sources

Gittin 44a Responsibility is a Privilege - תפיסה בספק גבי מכר עבדו לעכו"ם

Having responsibility grows an individual’s stature. Responsibility to Hashem, grows their sanctity and the sanctity of the Nation.  Sources

Gittin 38b G-d has a PR Firm - לעולם בהם תעבודו

Kidush Hashem is one of the few mitzvot that needs publicity to be fulfilled. Our role in this world is to represent Hashem and publicize His sanctity.  Sources

Gittin 36-37 A Humanist Socio-Economic System - עמד והיתקין פרוסבול

The Torah’s economic system is neither socialist nor capitalist. It uniquely blends private ownership, entrepreneurship and responsibility with human caring.  Sources

Gittin 35a The Sanctity of Speech - מה מי שנשבע באמת כך

Hashem tolerates inaccuracies in our day to day speech, but not when we dial up the level of our communications to nedarim, shevuot or kellalot.  Sources

Gittin 34a Articulation: To Communicate and to Clarify - גילוי דעת בגט

Communication is crucial to reveal our thoughts to others. But it is also important as a way to clarify our own thoughts to ourselves.  Sources

Gittin 32b It’s not the Thought that Counts - אתי דיבור ומבטל דיבור

Intangible ideas have no value. Tangible products are commodities. Value is created by infusing an idea into a product.  Sources

Gittin 31a The Gift - תרומה ניטלת באומד

“Not everything that can be counted counts and not everything that counts can be counted.” (Einstein)  Sources

Gittin 30a Third Order Consequence - אם יש אונס בגיטין

How far are we expected to take responsibility for unanticipated events? This Matmonim has been dedicated by Elan Levy and his family to the memory of his late father, אליהו בן ישעיהו, whose Yahrzeit it is today. Sources

Gittin 29a Ethics and Faith - מסיח לפי תומו במילתא דלא שייכי ביה

How trustworthy is one who has no faith?  Sources

Gittin 28a Statistics can Tell us Nothing About Individuals - בחזקת שהוא קיים

We explore the extent to which human logic impacts halachik reasoning and conclusions.  Sources

Gittin 25a How Control Inhibits the Miraculous - תולה בדעת אחרים

Our desire to be in control can, so to say, limit the miracles which Hashem may otherwise bless us with.  Sources

Gittin 24a-b Do You Communicate or Advocate? - גט לשמה

Communicating is clinical and factual; advocating is passionate and emotional.  Sources

Gittin 23a Inner Voice - בטביעות עינא דקלא

There are many visual ways to identify an individual. Here we examine audial identification.  Sources

Gittin 22a The Physical and the Conceptual - מחלוקת אביי ורבא בנקבו בארץ ונופו בחו"ל

Understanding two approaches in Halacha as developed by Abaye and Rava: the analytical and the conceptual.  Sources

Gittin 21a Autonomy and Belonging - חצר מהלכת

Mastery (בעלות) of spaces, a territories or people requires us not only to control their access or movement, but also their values.  Sources

Gittin 18a Letting Go - מאמתי כתובה משמטת

Be willing to let go of attachment to material things but hold on to your dreams, aspirations and potential.  Sources

Gittin 17a Take a Stand. Be Accountable - מפני מה תקנו זמן בגיטין

Credibility requires that a person does not cover his back with ways out from taking responsibility for his or her words.  Sources

Gittin 15b-16a Time and Space: Bridging the Generations - טופח על מנת להטפיח

Separateness of space or of time can be overcome when there is an energetic connection between the two parts.  Sources

Gittin 14a When to Lie - לסוף אישתמיט להו

There are times when lying is permitted. When may one do so in business and why?  Sources

Gittin 13b-14a Asking the Right Questions - במעמד שלושתן

A powerful question opens the way to innovative answers and deeper understanding. How would we frame a powerful question to understand the mechanism for rabbinic legislation?  Sources

Gittin 10b Objects without Soul - חספא בעלמא

An object can have a force of life in it, a soul. And with that it transmits an energy capable of creating change.  Sources

Gittin 9b Certainty: Empiric and Halachik - אף על פי שחותמים עכום

Empiric and Halachik certainty are different. Often, when we need Halachik certainty, empiric certainty is insufficient. However, when we have empiric certainty there are times we don’t need Halachik certainty.  Sources

Gittin 8b Ownership of Israel - משום ישוב ארץ ישראל לא גזרו

The Mitzvah of populating Israel is a Mitzvah like none other.  Sources

Gittin 6b-7a Tone of Voice - צריך למימרינהו בניחותא

The same words said in different tones and from a different inner place, accomplish different results.  Sources

Gittin 4a Artificial Intelligence and Authenticity - מזויף מתוכו

Robots are becoming more human. But a bigger threat to our civilization is humans who have become robotic.  Sources

Gittin 3b History or Art? - אי חתימה או כתיבה בעי

To understand the meaning of an object, a text or a work of art, it is important to clarify whether we are approaching it as an historic record of a past event or as an artifact that created and is able to create a changed reality or experience.  Sources

Gittin 2b Be Quick to Build, Slow to Break - לפי שאין בקיאין לשמה

Introduction to Gittin - פתיחה למסכת גיטין. It takes a long time to build whereas destruction can happen in an instant. Therefore, we can and often should be quick in our decisions to build (because there is time to reverse the decision), but take time over decisions to undo that which has been built. This idea helps explain the dimension of intentionality in a Jewish Divorce document.  Sources

Sotah 49b Humility - לא תיתני ענוה דאיכא אנא

Humility doesn’t mean thinking less of oneself. It means seeing ourselves as part of a system much bigger than us.  Sources

Sotah 48b The Value of Equanimity - פסקו אנשי אמנה

Equanimity - שמח בחלקו - is a value. It does not imply depravation but finding sufficient joy in what we have so as not to crave what we don’t have.  Sources