Thursday, October 31, 2013

In Which I Learn I Would Dislike Mordechai

I have been learning Daf Yomi, which has been a great experience thus far (and I now know more about karbanot than I thought there was to know and also disturbing things about the superstitions of the rabbis of the Talmud and that it's better to have three wives than two because two will conspire against you and the third will snitch).

Anyhow, today's daf talks about Petachya, who is Mordechai, who was exceptional because he knew all 70 languages. Which is confusing because all members of the Sanhedrin were required to speak all 70 languages. What was so exceptional about Mordechai? He knew the languages so well he could make puns in them.

And seeing how much I despise puns, I'm not sure I would have liked Mordechai very much if he made use of this talent.