As we go through the whole 7.5 year #Talmud learning cycle, I have been pretty shook by how deeply relevant to current events this learning has turned out to be.
This daf is no exception.
Welcome to #DafReactions Avodah Zarah 4: Hell On Earth
#nokings
בָּהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״[כִּי] הִנֵּה הַיּוֹם בָּא בֹּעֵר כַּתַּנּוּר וְהָיוּ כׇל זֵדִים וְכׇל עֹשֵׂה רִשְׁעָה קַשׁ וְלִהַט אֹתָם הַיּוֹם הַבָא אָמַר יהוה צְבָאוֹת אֲשֶׁר לֹא יַעֲזֹב לָהֶם שֹׁרֶשׁ וְעָנָף״, לֹא שׁוֹרֶשׁ — בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְלֹא עָנָף — לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.
by it, as it is written: “For, behold, the day comes, it burns as a furnace; and all the proud, and all that work wickedness, shall be stubble; and the day that comes shall set them ablaze, said the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch” (Malachi 3:19). This verse is interpreted as follows: Neither a root shall remain for them in this world, nor will a branch grow for them in the World-to-Come. This teaches that the sun itself will burn and consume the wicked in the future.
What you just saw is part of The Daf Reactions Project, where I share my daily practice of studying the Babylonian Talmud (Daf Yomi) from the viewpoint of a formerly Orthodox, now secular, Millennial feminist.
I'm Miriam Anzovin—a Jewish nerd, storyteller, and artist. My passion is putting this ancient discourse in direct communication with modern internet culture, pop culture, and current events.
These videos are my authentic reactions, with commentary that's both heartfelt and comedic, and always centers Jewish joy.
My profound gratitude to René Michel, for connecting all the Daf Reactions videos to Sefaria source sheets. To paraphrase Rabbi Tarfon in Pirkei Avot 2:16: It is not your responsibility to finish the work, but you should really try or René might have coded it already!!
You can find me @MiriamAnzovin on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky, Threads, Mastodon, (and also in some people’s minds, where I live rent free.)
דָּבָר אַחֵר: מָה דָּגִים שֶׁבַּיָּם — כׇּל הַגָּדוֹל מֵחֲבֵירוֹ בּוֹלֵעַ אֶת חֲבֵירוֹ, אַף בְּנֵי אָדָם — אִלְמָלֵא מוֹרָאָה שֶׁל מַלְכוּת, כָּל הַגָּדוֹל מֵחֲבֵירוֹ בּוֹלֵעַ אֶת חֲבֵירוֹ. וְהַיְינוּ דִּתְנַן: רַבִּי חֲנִינָא סְגַן הַכֹּהֲנִים אוֹמֵר: הֱוֵי מִתְפַּלֵּל בִּשְׁלוֹמָהּ שֶׁל מַלְכוּת, שֶׁאִלְמָלֵא מוֹרָאָהּ שֶׁל מַלְכוּת ״אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ חַיִּים בָּלָעוּ״.
Alternatively, just as in the case of fish of the sea, any fish that is bigger than another swallows the other, so too in the case of people, were it not for the fear of the ruling government, anyone who is bigger than another would swallow the other. And this is as we learned in a mishna (Avot 3:2) that Rabbi Ḥanina, the deputy High Priest, says: One should pray for the continued welfare of the government, as were it not for the fear of the government, every man would swallow his neighbor alive.