Doing the Daf summary #3

To see this picture debunked, see here

Here is a summary of this week's Daf Yomi posts at my Daf Yomi blog:

Berachot Daf 17: I am God's creature and my fellow is God's creature. I think the "nicer" interpretation of the saying of the rabbis of Yavneh is the more plausible.

Daf 18: A note about the etymology and meaning of the word reviah, rain.

Also, Rabbi Chiyah's sons forgetting their learning. How this might come out from the link between אייקר להו תלמודייהו and יִכְבְּדוּ בָנָיו, וְלֹא יֵדָע. And a different way of understanding the derasha, not like Rabbi Yitzchak, but that עָלָיו means upon his son, rather than upon himself.

Also, spanning 18-19, 'But the dead know not any thing' and Rabbi Yonasan's retraction. Despite this retraction, the Rishonim, pashtanim, on the pasuk interpret it in accordance with his initial interpretation. Also, I am not entirely convinced that this is a retraction.

Daf 19: Speaking after the biers of talmidei chachamim. Does this condemn much academic Talmud study?

Daf 20: Rabbi Yochanan and maternal impression. Rabbi Yochanan parked himself outside the mikveh because he followed the erroneous science of his day.

Also, Thinking, muttering, speaking -- and following the Yerushalmi, drawing a connection between Rabbi Meir, that Shema does not require speech, and our Mishnah, which says a baal keri need not utter the words.

Daf 21: The halacha is not like him or like them? Looking at the different girsaos in the gemara, by seeing the manuscript evidence inside. You can also check how it records the words yehei shemeih rabba.

Also, Is Birkat Hamazon Biblical? The derasha is on veachalta vesavata uveirachta. But what is peshat in that pasuk?

Daf 22: Immersion In A Mikveh For Tumas Keri -- and why it is not required. And if you hold a shower will suffice, how long of a shower?

Daf 23: Davening with a knife, a plate, a loaf, money -- I suggest that the problem is only urination while holding these, not davening while holding these.

Daf 24 (for Shabbos): Sei'ar beIsha Erva = A Woman's Hair is Erva. What Hair? I argue that the gemara is saying that a woman's pubic hair is erva.