In this and the next session, we will study the concept of זכות אבות, the merits of the forefathers, which is mentioned in the Talmud but not very clearly elucidated, leaving quite a bit of room for speculation and interpretation.
In this session, we will study the primary source in the Talmud which mentions זכות אבות and brings different opinions as to when it ended. We will study these different opinions and try to see from them what we can understand about the meaning of the concept and why it is important for Jewish faith and what it means that the merit of the fathers ended. In doing this we will use some of the comments of Rashi and Tosafot on the sugya.
I have posted sources for your convenience, and you are welcome to view them before the class.
(In the following, final, session of this series we will study a number of later sources that give deeper, more elaborate, and more contemporary explanations of this Talmudic concept.)