Commentary for Rosh Hashanah 39:20

רב דימי מנהרדעא מתני איפכא מאיימין על העדים על החדש שלא נראה בזמנו לקדשו ואין מאיימין על העדים על החדש שנראה בזמנו לעברו

send to R'Ammi a message saying: Know that when R'Johanan was alive he used to teach us that witnesses may be intimidated into reporting [on the thirtieth day] the new moon which has not appeared in its due time, in order that the New Moon may be sanctified, and even though they have not seen it they may say, We have seen it? - Abaye said: There is no contradiction: the one rule<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the month may be sanctified to meet a special need.');">²³</span> holds good for Nisan and Tishri, the other for the other months of the year.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A 'special need' might arise in the other months of the year if, for instance, eight months in a year (which was the maximum) had already been made 'full' and in the next month the moon did not appear on the thirtieth: v. 'Ar. 8b.');">²⁴</span>

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