The Eddie B Sit edition, an audio series of the Talmud Bavli, Daf Yebamot, has been dedicated and sponsored by our dear friend Mr. Isaac Jamal and his wife in honor of his family and for success and prosperity in all his endeavors. May he be blessed to raise his children in the ways of the Torah, and may they bring him much nachas. He should have many more children, with health and happiness, favor and kindness in the eyes of Hashem and of mankind, and may blessings be sent to him and his entire family. Amen.
We begin today's Daf on Ayin Aleph Amud Bais, starting two lines from the bottom. The Gemara asks, "In the wilderness, what is the reason they did not perform circumcision?" We learned in the previous Daf that the Jewish people in the wilderness did not have a bris milah. The Gemara seeks to understand how we know that the Jewish people in the wilderness did not have a bris milah. The Gemara offers two answers. The first reason given is due to the weakness from traveling. The Gemara explains that since they were on the move, they would be too weak to undergo a bris milah. Furthermore, the meforshim explain that not only would they become weak from the circumcision due to traveling, but they also could not set their own schedule to rest. For instance, if they needed three days to recover after a bris milah, they could not predict when the Anan would move, and they had to follow the Anan. Therefore, due to their susceptibility to sudden travel, they were unable to perform a bris milah.
The Gemara provides another reason: "Because the northerly wind did not blow for them." The Gemara discusses a particular pleasant wind, the ruach tzifonis, which typically brings sunshine that is beneficial for healing. However, during the time the Jewish people were in the wilderness, the Gemara states that the ruach tzifonis did not manifest. Tosafos elaborates that the ruach tzifonis did not blow alone but rather accompanied other winds. This lack of the ruach tzifonis meant that the sun did not shine upon them, depriving them of the healing benefits necessary for a bris milah.
The Gemara cites a Braisa to support this: "For all those forty years that Israel was in the wilderness, the ruach tzifonis did not blow." Rashi clarifies that the ruach tzifonis did not blow during the day, indicating that at night, it indeed did blow. Without the ruach tzifonis, the sun did not shine, which is essential for the healing process associated with a bris milah. This leads us to consider the significance of the Ananei Kavod. The Gemara then asks, "What is the reason the ruach tzifonis did not blow?" The Gemara provides two explanations. The first is that they were considered excommunicated after the sin of the golden calf, and therefore, Borai Olam punished them by withholding the pleasure of the ruach tzifonis. The second explanation is that if the ruach tzifonis were to blow, it might cause the Ananei Kavod to disperse. The Ananei Kavod surrounded the Jewish people, preventing the sun from shining on them, which directly relates back to why they could not perform a bris milah.
Next, the Gemara discusses the top Tosafos, questioning why the Jewish people in the wilderness did not have a bris milah, asking how they could eat meat. The Tosafos points out that since they did not perform circumcision, they were only permitted to eat meat through the offering of a Korban Shelamim. However, an arel is not allowed to partake in a Korban Shelamim. The Tosafos wonders if they were vegetarians for forty years, as they could only eat meat through a Korban. The Gemara clarifies that they were indeed permitted to eat regular meat, such as from a tzvi or ayal, which do not require a Korban offering.
Rav Pappa states that on cloudy days or days with a southerly wind, which is considered a bad wind, we do not perform circumcision or bloodletting. The rationale is that the wind is beneficial in causing the sun to shine, which is essential for the healing process associated with a bris milah. The Gemara notes that today, people do not observe this practice carefully, and we rely on divine protection for those who do not adhere to this guideline.
The Gemara then presents a Braisa stating that during the forty years in the wilderness, the ruach tzifonis would blow every night at midnight. This is linked to the time of chazot, which is considered an eis ratzon, a time of favor. The Gemara emphasizes the importance of the ruach tzifonis, as it signifies positive occurrences. Although the ruach tzifonis did not manifest during the day, it did at night, reinforcing the notion that even in times of difficulty, there remained opportunities for healing and favor.
Rav Huna concludes that a person who is circumcised but pulls the skin over the circumcision to appear uncircumcised is still considered circumcised according to Torah law and may eat terumah. However, the Rabbis instituted a prohibition against him eating terumah due to his appearance. The Gemara challenges this by presenting a Braisa stating that someone who is mashuch must circumcise again. This implies that he cannot eat terumah, leading to a discussion about the halachic status of such individuals.
As the Gemara continues, it explores the implications of a tumtum and the various halachic rulings regarding their ability to eat terumah and participate in sacrificial offerings. The discussions reveal the complexities surrounding the definitions and classifications of individuals regarding their circumcision status and their eligibility for participation in various aspects of Jewish law.