Hey there and welcome back to take one, the podcast that brings you just one historical page of Talmud each day.

And on today's pages, M Menachot, 84 and 85,

we come across a really, really great story of a non-Jewish agent who is sent to purchase oil.

That turns out to be a really instructive tale, not just for people interested in the Talmud,

but also for people interested in American history and the presidency.

You know where this is going, right?

As we are all scattered around the world for our respective Passover vacations,

I just knew reading this passage that our very

own President de Sharav, Dr. Tevi-Troy, would have a lot to say about this incident. And so,

Dr. Troy, President de Sharav, over to you. Liel, it's such a pleasure to be here with you to talk about my

two favorite subjects,

presidents and Gamara. Manahas 85B tells the story of a non-Jewish agent who is sent to purchase

oil. The agent is sent to multiple different towns until he's finally directed to go to

Gush Halav. There he finds a simple farmer who slowly finishes up his work, ties his tools, goes back,

washes his hands, soaks his feet, and sits for a meal. The agent is frustrated, thinking,

these Jews have made a mockery of me. But it turns out that he was indeed sent to the right place.

This modest farmer is able to sell the agent even more oil

than he has money for. And then the farmer goes back with the agent to where the money is to bring

the additional oil. Now, of course, as with me, this leads to some thoughts about presidents. And the

modesty of the wealthy farmer reminds me of presidents who have

displayed modesty in order to improve their appeal to the American people.

One thinks of Dwight Eisenhower and his hidden hand presidency.

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