In which — of course! — we’re talking about Yalta. If you don’t already know who she is, you’ll be glad to find out (one of the few contemporary women of the Talmud who appears in her own right, with her own name, and with a whole lot of personality).

Plus a puzzling passage about what the Angel of Death says R. Yehoshua ben Levi can do to prevent his appearance — puzzling because it’s not readily apparent what, if anything, these 3 activities have in common. Let us know your thinking here too, please!

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