"Abaye said: A little excrement may be neutralized with spittle; to which Raba added: It must be thick spittle. Raba said: If the excrement is in a hole, he may put his shoe over it and recite the Shema'. Mar the son of Rabina inquired: What is the rule if there is some dung sticking to his shoe? — This was left unanswered."
Although most of the dilemmas raised by today's daf are solved by modern plumbing, this one remains - what to do with poop on your shoe. Coincidentally, that's the only feces-related scenario not answered by the daf! Metaphorically or otherwise, how can we separate ourselves from the unclean long enough to honor the Infinite?
I just came across this related article (http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/110297/lets-get-physical). His whole project is great, and there is a lot to be gleaned from his articles in Tablet Magazine. In relation to this series of dapim, I like the following passage by the author, Adam Kirsch:
ReplyDelete"It makes sense that these kinds of issues should come up in the tractate devoted to prayer, since prayer is the moment at which the tension between body and soul becomes most acute."