The Talmud continues to discuss the guidelines for watering fields during the intermediate days of the holiday, when significant labors are forbidden.  When part of a field was lower in elevation, our sages did not allow drawing water from a pool the lower section and carrying it up to the higher level, because of the extra exertion involved.

First we see that if you want to obtain a higher level for yourself, this takes work.  This world has an uneven distribution of resources, intelligence, and beauty.  We are all made in the “image of God” (Genesis 1:27) but we are all unique and have specific strengths and weaknesses. [God has no actual image or physical form, the verse intends for us to understand that every human being has an eternal soul and intrinsic value].

Men do not all start on the same level, this is a fact of life.  Don’t complain that the playing field is not even, it never will be.  Don’t wish the game was easier, work to make yourself better.

Our ancient sages allow using water flowing downhill during hol hamoed.  Water in Jewish consciousness is also a metaphor for wisdom and enlightenment.  It requires humility – making yourself low – to receive wisdom.  An arrogant person who thinks he knows about life already cannot understand information that doesn’t fit his preconceived narrative.

Our sages in Ethics of our Fathers (Pirke Avot) 4:1 state this concept as “Who is wise?  He who can learn from everyone”.  If you think you are better than someone else, you won’t hear what he has to say, and won’t bother to examine his life to improve your own.

In modern times humility is tragically misunderstood, and lumped together with low self esteem.  In Jewish thought humility is not defined like this, and our sages caution against developing an inferiority complex.  If you think you’re a nothing, you open the door to doing the wrong thing (Rabbi Nahman).  After all, it should not matter what you do because you are nothing.

So how do Jews understand humility?  The Bible calls Moses the most humble person of all time (Numbers 12:3).  While Moses was initially reluctant to go up against Pharaoh (Exodus 3:11, 4:13) he ends up challenging the might of Egypt, freeing the Jews, and leading and teaching them for 40 years despite trials like the golden calf and rebellion of Korach.

Because the mission was so vital, Moses asked God to send a better messenger (Moses had a speech impediment).  But once assigned the mission, Moses stood up to the dominant power of the time and to internal rebels.  He became utterly devoted to the Jewish people.  We see that a man who puts the job ahead of his own status is humble.

It is no small feat to become humble.  For modern men, the first step is to be willing to learn from others, even when they are not actually teaching.  When you hear about how someone made a fortune, or that someone’s marriage fell apart, these are also messages you can use to build your own stock of wisdom.  Find out what works in practice and what pitfalls to avoid but rationally studying successes and failures around you.

The Talmud notes that some of the allowances to perform agricultural work during hol hamoed also apply to the Sabbatical year, called shevi’it or shemittah.  During the Sabbatical year we do not work the land in Israel in the normal way, and the produce that grows by itself is free for all to take.

The restriction on agricultural work that year is taught in an odd way.  The Bible first gives a general command “the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest for the land”,  then a more detailed statement: “Your field you shall not sow, and your vineyard you shall not prune” (Leviticus 25:4).  The following verse has some specific prohibitions but then returns to generality:  “You shall not reap the aftergrowth of your harvest or gather the grapes of your untrimmed vines; it shall be a year of complete rest for the land” (Leviticus 25:5).

When the Bible puts together general and specific statements, we have are rules for understanding the legal ramifications of such verses.  Moses was given these rules at Sinai to allow us to decode the Bible and help us to figure out God’s intent.

Our sages bring a tradition that only major acts of labor like planting, plowing, and reaping would be forbidden during the Sabbatical year, along with the minor labors specified in these verses.  While pruning is normally a minor act, since it is listed with the major act of sowing (planting seeds), it is also forbidden.  However, other minor labors not listed by the verses such as watering, hoeing, or fumigating would be permitted.

Whether God makes specific or broad statements, we try our best to understand and fulfill His intent.  But when a man is too general or specific, this can backfire on him.

If a man lists a number of things that bother him, there is a temptation for others to do something to this guy that isn’t on the list, but will still have the effect of annoying him.  Telling someone to stop leaving her socks on the floor may result in other items left on the floor instead.  Refrain from being too specific and trying to list all of your requirements.  Instead, give general guidance and have firm boundaries that you enforce.

Being too specific can also be relevant when someone else is trying to impress you.  If you share a list of what you want in a partner, the other person may act as if they have those qualities in order to win your attention.  Using more general language or the famous “I’ll know it when I see it” may prevent people around you from acting a role to please you instead of being their true selves.

Being a bit vague and general allows others the space to fill in the specifics of who you are through actually getting to know you.  Don’t reveal too much.  When other people work to figure out what you want and then do that for you, that is a good sign that they are actually interested in you, not just what you can do for them.

Mazal Tov on beginning a new tractate of the Talmud, Moed Katan, literally small holiday.  The Talmud was always printed starting on page 2, this is not a mistake.

This tractate refers primarily to “hol hamoed”, the days in the middle of the longer Jewish holidays of Passover and Sukkoth.  Those festivals have a day of full holiday at the beginning and end,with a complete restriction on creative work except for food preparation.  However, in between those days are the quasi sacred days of hol hamoed.  That term itself denotes the mixed nature of this period, “hol” means weekday or unsanctified, while “moed” means holiday.

Moed Katan will explain what we do on those intermediate days, since they are not a full holiday but do have more sanctity than a regular weekday.  Today it is common for Jews to go on a family vacation or visit relatives during hol hamoed.  Thousands of years ago this was not always possible.

Something modern people often forget is that human societies were primarily agricultural for almost our entire history, up until roughly 100 years ago.  Most people most of the time were heavily involved in producing food in order to survive.  It was only after many inventions and innovations allowing increased food production that we can have a small number of men growing the food and raising the livestock for everyone else.  This is a tremendous blessing that we should not take for granted, as it gives us the freedom to engage in many other pursuits.

It is no surprise that the Talmud first focuses on agricultural labor on hol hamoed.  During a discussion about watering and weeding fields, the Gemara mentions an ancient debate about “Kilayim”.  The Bible forbids planting a mixture of species together (Leviticus 19:19 and Deuteronomy 22:9).  Such a mixture is called Kilayim.

What about a man who didn’t plant a mixture, but is weeding this field to help those intermixed species to grow better?  He is liable for raising Kilayim, as his action demonstrates that he wants them.  Rabbi Akiva adds that even if the man sees Kilayim growing in his field and does not actively remove them, he is guilty.

We all have problematic issues in our lives such as bad habits or a tendency to indulge ourselves.  When we behave in a manner that allows these negative traits to flourish or gain steam, that is definitely going to undermine our personal growth.

Not only that, but even choosing to ignore negative aspects of our personality is a problem, as Rabbi Akiva teaches.  Allowing bad habits to remain in our personal backyard will impact our life mission.  We cannot be afraid to address the challenging aspects of our own natures.

If this appears too difficult, pick one issue to work on at a time.  Make a list of your most pressing problems or habits, and put it in order.  You may want to tackle the hardest one first, or choose to address the minor ones.  As long as you are working to get your life in order and remove the detritus you are heading in the right direction.

Mazal tov on completing Megillah, a short but profound portion of the Talmud.

The Talmud today mentions that we can use a “Bat Kol”, literally the daughter of a voice, understood as a subtle echo of prophecy:  Rabbi Shefatya said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said:  from where do we know that one may make use of a Divine Voice? As it is stated: “And your ears shall hear a word behind you saying: This is the way, walk in it” (Isaiah 30:21)

This allowance applies when one was deciding whether to do a certain action, and heard a voice or felt a special inclination to choose one path.  Jews are commanded not to practice divination (Lev 19:26) but are allowed to heed favorable signs.

The Gemara explains that hearing such a voice is only a Bat Kol when it is out of the ordinary, like a woman’s voice out in the fields, or a man’s voice in the city.  In those times the most men were out in the fields or pastures during the day while the women were at home in the city.  The Bat Kol is considered reliable when it repeats, such as “yes, yes” or “no, no”.  This is not true prophecy, but seeking cues that one choice may be better.

The idea is that a man should always be aware of what is going on in his environment, and look for subtle signs that are out of the ordinary that a certain choice is better.  The first step is to pay attention and analyze the baseline, then look for deviations and repetitions.

For example, if a young woman looks at you that is nothing, if she looks at you more than once that can be a sign of interest and a cue for you to approach her.  If a business partner makes an uncharacteristic mistake or changes tack, be on the look out for issues.

Another level of attaining this insight is self analysis.  If you are in touch with how you usually feel, then when something happens that changes your equilibrium you are instantly aware of it and can choose an appropriate response.  Again, this isn’t prophecy, but an active awareness of changes in your situation that helps you to make good choices.

While Judaism emphasizes intellect and reason, we also know that human beings were given a deeper level of intelligence and insight as well.  This level was not limited to our ancient prophets, but they enjoyed a more direct access to it.  A man should not always trust his instincts, but when he is aware of them he can use their input to guide his rational decisions.  We work to combine the intelligence that can be expressed in words with the deeper gut level of awareness.

It is interesting that the Megillah or Book of Esther marks a transition point, as it is the last of the official written scriptures, and was written in the final generation of prophets.  While there was a Book of Maccabees (actually more than one) written after the Hanukkah miracles, it was not accepted as scripture.

The Megillah notes that the Jewish people, saved from death, reaffirmed their commitment to the Bible and to being God’s people (Esther 9:27).  In a sense Esther is the final seal of scripture and beginning of a new era in Jewish history.  In light of this, it is inspiring that our sages mention how some vestige of prophecy continues on and teach us how to use it.

We have just one more day of Megillah, and the Talmud is discussing which sections of the Bible we read in public for different occasions.  While we read the entire five book of Moses every year, on holidays and special days we also read specific verses related to the day, and often verses from the Prophets related to the event.

On fast days we read the portion of blessings and curses (Leviticus, chapter 26).  Our sages notes that we require the entire section to be read by one man (normally we can divide the reading among multiple men).

On a fast day we are required to examine our deeds and figure out what went wrong.  As we learn in Taanit, our ancestors would fast when the rain did not fall on time or for other dangers.  Part of the fast day was spent searching out problems in the community and thinking about how to improve.

If the situation is dire, why not read just the curses without the blessings?  Jewish wisdom teaches that God provides both what we consider good and bad in life.  We do not believe the good is from God and the bad from somewhere else.  Just like we need to think about the curses and resolve the change, we must examine our blessings to appreciate and strengthen them.

The ban on dividing this reading reminds us that it is not enough for a man to recognize his faults and change just one area of his life.  Once you start self examination and improvement, work on everything.  It is true that certain men will excel in one specific area.  It is tempting to invest your energy on your strengths.  However, a man should try to work on all aspects of life.

Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says: If old men say to you: Demolish, and children say to you: Build, then demolish and do not build, because the demolishing of old men is as constructive as building, while the building of children is as destructive as demolishing. An indication of this matter is Rehoboam, son of Solomon.

Jewish wisdom teaches that an older man has gained more insight from his life experience.  He also understands that time is valuable, and that a man cannot do it all.  When you seek advice from other men, age comes before beauty.

Rehoboam (Rehavam) famously listened to his young friends and raised taxes, instead of heeding his father’s advisors who had recommended reducing taxes.  This seemed to build up his treasury, but ultimately led to a schism of the kingdom.

The Talmud discusses the special readings from the Bible during the month of Adar in which Purim falls.  Our ancient sages established that we read sections related to bringing shekel coins to the Temple (Exodus 30:11-16), purifying oneself through the Red Heifer ritual (Numbers 19:1-22), sanctifying the new month (Exodus 12:1-20), and Zachor meaning “Remember” (Deuteronomy 25:17–19).

Reading Zachor is a Biblical commandment to recall how the nation of Amalek attacked the Jews shortly after they left Egypt.  Zachor is read just before Purim because Haman was a descendant of Amalek.  Recalling that his people were our ancient enemies helps us feel the deep power of the miracle of Purim, in which Haman was deposed and executed for trying to murder all the Jews.

It is appropriate for a man to remind himself of important items in his own past.  If you are focused on your mission and making progress, this is great.  But after a while you may begin forgetting how your life was before you started concentrating on self development and working towards your goals.  You can lose focus and find your motivation waning if you don’t remember how you had to overcome obstacles and build yourself up.

You should schedule time to reflect on how you were earlier in life and how much you have progressed.  This can help you to appreciate what you have accomplished and motivate you to do even more.  It is worthwhile to recall what problems you have faced in the past, because often men continue to struggle in the same areas.  If you were tempted years ago by certain items, you may face similar distractions again.

Our past is not merely things that already happened, but is also the foundation for what comes next.  Remembering your failures and successes can help you to build a better future.

We are on the topic of respecting a house of prayer, discussing which activities are permitted in a synagogue.  The Talmud shares that even after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, God continues to send His Divine Presence to certain locations in exile.  Divine Presence is hard to explain but is thought of as a concentration of spiritual energy that can induce a greater connection to God and even prophecy like experiences.  The Gemara notes two famous synagogues in Bavel where Divine Presence was still felt at times.

One of these was the “Shaf Vitev” in Nehardea which was built by the exiled king of Judah, Yechoniah, using stones from Israel.  It is telling that the first thing king Yechoniah did in exile was to build a synagogue, a house of prayer and meeting for Jews.  This shows that having a place to come together as a community was considered vital to Jewish survival.  Our patriarch Jacob sent Judah to Goshen before settling his family there for the same reason, Genesis 46:28.

In recent years there is a push for certain groups to have “safe spaces”.  This is actually not new.  Jews understood over 2500 years ago that to keep your group together, you need your own space where you can build unity.  Even when Jews had to work and suffer to fit into the mainstream culture in order to earn a living, they always had the synagogue to let their hair down and be themselves.

Modern men are often lacking such a space and opportunity.  A few decades ago it was still possible to have an all male space where men could get together without the pressure of female company and speak honestly.  Such a space is needed to build a tribe of like minded men.

This is very hard today, but some vestige of this exists in sports teams, martial arts training, and weight lifting.  If you have a group of men who do something physical together, take the next step and start building deeper connections.  Share useful books and podcasts with these guys, try to help them and foster a sense of shared responsibility so they will help you in turn.

Bringing men together in their own space is something of a lost art.  Conventional Jews don’t always realize the great blessing of being able to pray and learn with friends each day.  We should each try to give back by building a stronger community of men for men.

Today’s Daf brings the responses of some of our ancient sages to their students asking how they were blessed with longevity.  The students didn’t ask how have you lived long years, they ask how have you lived long days.  This language implies not merely a long lifespan, but also maximizing your time.

Rabbi Nehunya ben HaKana answered: In all my days, I never gained honor through of my fellow’s disgrace.  Nor did my fellow’s curse go up with me upon my bed.  And I was forgiving with my money.

If a man’s self worth depends on belittling others, this shows that he lacks self respect and is trying to fill that hole.  Your focus in life must be on building yourself, your family, and your community, not tearing down anyone else, even if they deserve it.  Be aware that today there are many empty people who will attack others as a substitute for working on their own flaws.  Avoid these.

A related approach that is also destructive is when a man’s self esteem depends on the admiration of other people.  Normal people indeed evaluate their own behavior based on cues from those around them, this is expected.  But when a man feels a need to keep impressing others to refuel his emotional state, his life is built on a shaky foundation.   People are fickle, there is no guarantee that other men will continue to give him respect.  A wise man learns how to meet his own emotional needs.

Nor did my fellow’s curse go up with me upon my bed is akin to a popular aphorism “never go to sleep angry”.  People will wrong you and offend you, especially if you are doing something out of the ordinary.  If you let this tear you up inside, you lose your time and energy.  Even if they don’t deserve forgiveness don’t let these people live in your mind rent free (this phrase is from psychologist Rabbi Twerski, of blessed memory).  Go ahead and forgive anyone who pained you each day.

We must note that Judaism does not advise men to “turn the other cheek”.  If someone abuses you, you don’t have to continue to take it and certainly cannot put yourself into a situation where they can harm you again.  This is not piety and not a Jewish concept at all.

However, we are commanded not to take revenge or a bear a grudge (Leviticus 19:18).  A man should avoid dwelling on the wrongs others did to him and then giving insults back.  The solution instead is to remove the abusers from your life.  Let go and move on to new situations and people who are worth your time.  A man working to improve himself may eventually find that he needs to upgrade his social group to include men who are also striving to grow.

The Gemara brings an example of being forgiving with your money as not asking for the change.  This is not merely and act of giving to others who served you.  Waiting to get some coins back costs you time as well.  As a man gains wisdom and perspective, he will realize that his time is worth more than money.  Be prepared to spend money to save time.  Don’t spend hours on the phone complaining if you are overcharged a few dollars, just take your business elsewhere.  Often people who spend an inordinate amount of time insisting to management that they are right have nothing better to do.

Rabbi Nehunya used these tools to merit a long life, which the Talmud describes as “lengthy days”, meaning using each day to the fullest.  We don’t know how many years we get, but we have today to live to the hilt.  Our sages give some amazing ideas of how we can make the most of the time we have on this planet, these are only the tools one sage used, this Daf contains many others as well.

The Talmud discusses how it is permitted to sell a synagogue, since the new owners may use it for less than holy purposes.  Our sages note a related concept of not urinating within four cubits of a place you prayed, even outside of a synagogue.

The Gemara states this works in both directions, after a man urinates he should wait and move before praying to allow that last drop to dissipate.  After prayer he should wait and move since his mind and lips are still on his requests to God.

This underscores the necessity of switching your mindset when you start a new task.  Whatever you are doing you should do with complete focus.  It may help to change your location, and to have a specific place for each part of your mission.

An example of this is exercise. You can get a good workout at home, but if you put on your gym clothes and go into a gym and see everyone lifting, this improves your focus and motivation.

Conventional Jews put on nicer clothes for the Sabbath and holidays, and many wear a hat and jacket for prayers every day of the week.  Changing your external situation can help you to refocus on the task at hand.

The Talmud begins a new chapter in Megillah with a teaching about when we can sell certain items used by the public, like the Synagogue or ark, to buy other items.  The key concept is that each of these items has specific level of sanctity and importance, and we cannot sell or trade a higher level thing for a lower level.

We do not sell a Torah scroll (the original five books of Moses) to purchase a scroll of the Prophets and Writings.  Our sages also teach that something used by the public cannot be sold since everyone has a portion in it.  For example, a house of prayer in a large city, where visitors come to pray and give donations for upkeep.

We see that each thing has a specific level of importance, and there are distinctions even among items that are all in the category of holy.  This concept applies to everything in your life.

The most vital task a man must do is to continually ask what he is living for.  When you clarify your personal life mission, the goal you want to accomplish for yourself, then you know what is truly important in your own scheme.  Other items, tasks, and people are secondary to that, unless they help you to attain your central goal.

When you are certain was has the highest value to your existence, you can start evaluating what goals are next in line.  You can write up a list, in order, and change it as needed as you accomplish some of these tasks.  You can work on more than one thing at a time, but you have to keep striving towards your main mission.

While it is vital for a man to work on his own personally chosen goals, men should also understand the importance of mentoring and coaching others.  When you become a resource to the public, you gain additional importance beyond your original level.