Sotah 43 - May 11, 20 Iyar

Study Guide Sotah 43 Today's daf is sponsored by Elisheva Rappoport in loving memory of her beloved sister Raizel Zucker on her 3rd yahrzeit. "May the neshama of Tova Raizel bat Yosef Yitzchok have an Aliya." We learn from the verses regarding the war with the Midyan that the Ark went out to war with the nation. They extrapolate from the verses that Pinchas was descended from Yitro and from Joseph through his mother. How? Who is exempt from war? What type of house, vineyard, wife? At what stage? What do they do while the others are at war? Does it matter if they purchased it, or received it as a gift or inheritance? Which parts of the speech are said by whom? A contradiction between two tannaitic sources leads to a discussion about tree grafting and whether it is considered a new growth that will exempt one from going to war. The sages provide two different answers to resolve the contradiction. Several statement are brought in the name of Rabbi Yochanan in the name of Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov about laws that are affected not by reality but by the way it appears.