Tens of thousands (and some might say hundreds of thousands) of Jews completed the Daf Yomi this past weekend.
As they approached the end of Niddah 73a, they encountered a familiar verse that they had previously read in Megillah 28b and which many find in their siddurim:
The Gemara concludes the tractate with a general statement with regard to Torah study. The school of Elijah taught: Anyone who studies halakhot every day is guaranteed that he is destined for the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “His ways [halikhot] are eternal” (Habakkuk 3:6). Do not read the verse as halikhot; rather, read it as halakhot. The verse indicates that the study of halakhot brings one to eternal life in the future world.
They came to this verse after having completed a discussion of the laws of ritual impurity for women during their menstrual cycle.
With regard to the verse discussing the days of ziva, Rav Shemaya said to Rabbi Abba: But one can say that if she experiences bleeding during the daytime she shall be a zava, but if she experiences bleeding at night she shall be a menstruating woman, as the verse specifies “days.” Rabbi Abba said to him: With regard to your claim, the verse states: “Beyond the time of her menstruation” (Leviticus 15:25), which teaches that she becomes a zava if she experiences bleeding close to her days of menstruation. When is the time close to her days of menstruation? At night. And with regard to an emission during this time the verse calls her a zava.
Completing the Daf Yomi is no easy task. It takes 2711 days - one for each Daf. It starts with the words "from when" in Beraskhot 2a and - about 1.8 million words later - it ends with the words "Jewish laws" in Niddah 73a.
The beginning of tractate Berakhot, the first tractate in the first of the six orders of Mishna, opens with a discussion of the recitation of Shema, as the recitation of Shema encompasses an acceptance of the yoke of Heaven and of the mitzvot, and as such, forms the basis for all subsequent teachings. The Mishna opens with the laws regarding the appropriate time to recite Shema:
MISHNA: From when, that is, from what time, does one recite Shema in the evening? From the time when the priests enter to partake of their teruma. Until when does the time for the recitation of the evening Shema extend? Until the end of the first watch. The term used in the Torah (Deuteronomy 6:7) to indicate the time for the recitation of the evening Shema is beshokhbekha, when you lie down, which refers to the time in which individuals go to sleep. Therefore, the time for the recitation of Shema is the first portion of the night, when individuals typically prepare for sleep. That is the statement of Rabbi Eliezer.
In many respects, the words "from when" and "Jewish laws" are perfect bookends for the Shas. And this conjoined phrase - "from when...Jewish law" - seems to explain perfectly WHAT the Daf Yomi traveler will encounter during his or her 7-plus year journey. In what seems like a circuitous expedition through agadah, commentary, respectful arguments, and tangents, the Daf Yomi travels the length and breadth of the framework of Jewish laws that enrich our lives today
But these phrases also can be read in this order: "Jewish laws...from when." As we all know, the next Daf Yomi cycle starts up immediately. So the words "Jewish laws" - interrupted by La Hadran, a Kaddish, and a well-earned l'chaim - are followed immediately by "from when." Read this way - "Jewish laws...from when" - we see a different meaning.We are no longer being told what, but are now being told "when." And that when, because the cycle starts up right away, is now.
Bolstering this connection is the unmistakable realization that one of the last topics of Niddah 73a - ritual impurity - and one of the first topics of Berakhot 2a - laws for reciting the shema - are connected. Although separated by more than 2700 dafs, and by two laws that seem very different, both topics deal with similar times of day. One of the last words in Niddah 73a is night and one of the first words in Berakhot 2a is evening.
Taken together these two phrases hold powerful meanings:
"From when...Jewish laws" encompasses the broad scope of Jewish laws and learning.
"Jewish laws...from when" instructs us to being that learning as soon as possible.