Aramaic key words and what they signal

In his words

Some words are signposts. When the Gemara leaves a question open it may say teiku. This word teiku is really what we call an acronym 30:12, he explains, for Tishbi yetaretz kushyos v'ibayos (Eliyahu will resolve difficulties and questions). And: Sometimes the gemara when it remains with a question will say kashya. 43:16 Ta shma, "come and hear", announces a proof (see the Ta Shma lesson); mai, "what is it?", can ask a whole series at once.

Worked example from a class

At the end of Rabbi Yirmiyah's questions (55:45), the single word מַאי asks about all four cases at once: is the rule about value or about bother? In the next class he reaches תֵּיקוּ (29:20) and spells out its four letters.

Hear him teach it

309 moments found so far in 281 transcribed classes; more appear as transcription continues. Tap one to play from that moment.

1. Westwood · Beginner class, Nov 16, 2011 · 56:03“My is going back on all four questions.”The single word 'mai' asks which reason is true and applies to all four questions at once.
2. Westwood · Beginner class, Nov 21, 2011 · 43:16“Sometimes the gemara when it remains with a question will say kashya.”He contrasts teiku, used for an unresolved 'is it this or that' question, with kashya, used for an unanswered challenge.
3. Westwood · Beginner class, Nov 30, 2011 · 21:58“But ki in Aramaic usually only means one of two things. Like or when. So you just have to plug in the one that fits the best.”Aramaic 'ki' means either 'like' or 'when'; choose by context.
4. Westwood · Beginner class, Dec 5, 2011 · 17:00“whenever it says Ta Shma anywhere in Shas, it's always coming to do the same thing.”Ta Shma always signals an attempt to resolve an issue from a source.
5. Westwood · Beginner class, Dec 7, 2011 · 35:36“So usually if the morrow brings a Ta Shma and the guy is zapped, the expression of the morrow will be t'yuvta.”Teyuvta signals a definitive refutation; its absence hints the proof can still be deflected.
6. Westwood · Advanced class, Dec 9, 2011 · 27:14“What does dixiv mean? A quote. That it's written and we bring down a pusset.”'Diksiv' signals that a pasuk is being quoted, so this step simply brings the source.
7. Westwood · Beginner class, Dec 12, 2011 · 8:45“Because Rabbi Yitzchak never really said what he said to answer this question about the money. He said it somewhere else.”Explains that 'Hasam nami' signals borrowing a statement made elsewhere and applying it here.
8. Westwood · Beginner class, Dec 21, 2011 · 30:55“Tashamah means a question, so Amar, and Amar means an answer.”Keyword function: Ta Shma brings a challenge; 'amar' introduces the answer.
9. Westwood · Beginner class, Jan 4, 2012 · 47:23“Now, just in the first two words alone, Ta Shma.”The words Ta Shma alone tell you a new attempt to resolve Abaye and Rava is starting.
10. Westwood · Beginner class, Jan 11, 2012 · 28:51“B'shlamah is a universal gemara word all over the place, and it always means the same thing, it always means it's good.”Bishlama is a recurring key word with one fixed meaning.