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Take One Daf Yomi

Menachot 4 - True Possession

Take One Daf Yomi

Tablet Magazine

Judaism, Religion & Spirituality

4.8565 Ratings

🗓️ 15 January 2026

⏱️ 10 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

On today’s page, Menachot 4, the rabbis reflect on the omer offering, the first and finest grain brought with great care and intention. The ritual points to a deeper truth about generosity, gratitude, and recognizing that nothing is fully ours. What happens when we lead with thanks instead of possession? Listen and find out.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hey there and welcome back to Take One, the podcast that brings you just one

0:17.1

grateful page of Talmud each day. But before I could tell you anything about today's page, Menachat 4, I'd like to tell you

0:24.8

a story.

0:25.7

I heard it from a very lovely man named Khanania.

0:29.5

My family hires every time we're in Israel to drive us to and from the airport.

0:34.5

Hanania has a beautiful large van perfect for a bunch of tall folks with lots of

0:40.7

luggage. And he's a smart and pious dude to boot, which makes the ride an absolute pleasure.

0:47.8

And the last time you were in Israel this past summer, he told me the following story while

0:53.0

we were stuck in terrible Tel Aviv traffic.

0:56.2

It's a story about Donitzhak Abhannin, the great Bible commentator, who was also a notable

1:02.1

financier and the Portuguese king's personal treasure. One day, the story goes, a bunch of anti-Semites

1:09.6

plotted against Donizhak, finding it distasteful

1:14.1

that a Jew should have all that money and all that power.

1:17.7

So they went to the king and told him that his loyal treasurer wasn't so loyal after all.

1:23.8

Donizhach Abarvanel, they claimed, was stealing the king's money.

1:28.7

Here's how you'll find out that we're right, said the plotters.

1:32.4

Ask Abarvanel to come up with a list of his assets and you will see that he will try to hide

1:39.3

most of them from you because most of what he has was stolen.

1:45.0

Now, the king trusted his advisor, but doubts started driving him mad, and eventually he couldn't

1:52.0

help himself any longer. He summoned Don Izzhach and without too much explanation, ordered

1:58.0

him to provide a list of everything that he owned. A few days later,

2:02.5

Don Izhak Abavanel delivered the list, and when he did, the king was shocked. Don

...

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