Halakhah for Sanhedrin 20:12

זמן נשיא צריך גדי סימן: ת"ר אין מעברין את השנה אלא

but not months. R. SIMEON B. GAMALIEL SAYS, BY THREE etc. It has been taught: How [are weto understand] R. Simeon b. Gamaliel when he says, THE MATTER IS INITIATEDBY THREE, DISCUSSED BY FIVE AND DETERMINED BY SEVEN? — If, for example,one holds a meeting [for the purpose of considering the question ofintercalation] to be necessary, but two hold that it is unwarranted, theopinion of the single one, being in the minority, is overruled. If, however,two are in favour of the meeting and one is not, two more are co-opted, andthe matter is then discussed. Should then two [of the five] find intercalationnecessary, and three not, the opinion of the two, being in the minority,is overruled. If, however, three favour intercalation and two not, an additionaltwo are co-opted, as not less than seven form a quorum to determine anintercalation [where there is a division of opinion]. To what do these numbers, three, five and seven, correspond? — R. Isaacb. Nahmani, and an associate of his, namely, R. Simeon b. Pazi; or accordingto others [who invert the order], it was R. Simeon b. Pazi and an associateof his, namely. R. Isaac b. Nahmani, differ in the matter. One said [thatthe numbers, three, five and seven] correspond to [the respective numberof Hebrew words] in [the three verses of] the PriestlyBenediction;11 the other said, theycorrespond to the three keepers of thethreshold,12 the five of themthat saw the king's face,13 andthe seven … who saw the king'sface.14 R. Joseph learned: [The numbers] three, five and seven, correspond [as follows]:Three, to the keepers of the threshold, five, to those of themthat saw the king's face, and seven, to those who saw the king's face.Whereupon Abaye asked him: 'Why has the Master not explained it to us hitherto?'He answered: 'l knew not that you needed it. Did you ever ask me to interpretanything and I refused to do it?' (Mnemonic: Appointment, Nasi, Necessary, Kid.) Our Rabbis taught: The year can be intercalated only by a Court

Sefer HaChinukh

The laws of the commandment - for example, interrogating [those who offer] testimony concerning the new month; instilling fear in the witnesses on occasion; the law concerning circumstances under which the Shabbat may be desecrated for this testimony; for what [considerations] we do or do not intercalate; which month they would intercalate, i.e. Adar, as they, may their memory be blessed, expounded, "'You shall observe this commandment in its proper time' (Exodus 13:10), this teaches that we only intercalate at the time near the holiday"; and they, may their memory be blessed, further expounded on this verse, "From where do we know that we only intercalate the month during daytime? [We learn this from the] verse, [which] states, 'from year to year' (yamim yemima, literally from day to day) (Sanhedrin 10b); and they, may their memory be blessed, further expounded, "'For the months of the year' (Exodus 12:2) - it is months you calculate towards the year, not days" (Megillah 5a); furthermore did they say on this matter, "'A month of days' (Numbers 11:20), it is days you calculate towards the month, not hours" (Megillah 5a); and the rest of its details - are [all] elucidated in Tractate Rosh Hashanah, and in the first chapter of Sanhedrin, and similarly in Berakhot (see Mishneh Torah, Laws of Sanctification of the New Month 1).

Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy

Previous Verse Full Chapter Next Verse