Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Musar for Sanhedrin 21:14

תא חזי מאי איכא בין

or for [the repair of] bridges, or for the [drying of the] ovens<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' These were erected in the open and, being exposed to the winter weather, became slimy and unfit for use, except after being allowed some time to dry. ');"><sup>24</sup></span> [required for the roasting] of the paschal lambs, or for the sake of pilgrims<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit. 'Exiles of Israel', Jews from distant parts of the Diaspora. ');"><sup>25</sup></span> from distant lands who have left their homes and could not otherwise reach [Jerusalem] in time.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For the Passover Feast. ');"><sup>26</sup></span> But no intercalation may take place because of [heavy] snows or cold weather<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As this need not prevent pilgrims from proceeding to Jerusalem. ');"><sup>27</sup></span> or for the sake of Jewish exiles [from a distance] who have not yet set out. Our Rabbis taught: The year may not be intercalated on the ground that the kids<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Kids set aside for the Paschal Sacrifice. ');"><sup>28</sup></span> or the lambs or the doves are too young.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Doves were prescribed as offerings for women after confinement and for persons cured from gonorrhoea. These, as a rule, postponed their offerings until the Passover Pilgrimage. But the reason that doves were too young was inadequate for intercalation, since the law provided the alternative of young pigeons for such offerings. Cf. Lev. XII, 8. ');"><sup>29</sup></span> But we consider each of these circumstances as an auxiliary reason for intercalation.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Two reasons were required to justify intercalation, v. infra. ');"><sup>30</sup></span> How so? — R. Jannai [gave the following example of the law in operation], quoting from R. Simeon b. Gamaliel's [letter to the Communities]: 'We beg to inform you that the doves are still tender and the lambs still young, and the grain has not yet ripened. I have considered the matter and thought it advisable to add thirty days to the year. An objection was raised: How long a period was intercalated in the year? Thirty days. R. Simeon b. Gamaliel said: A month?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Twenty nine days; whereas R. Simeon b. Gamaliel fixed it at thirty days. ');"><sup>31</sup></span> — R. Papa Said: [The matter is left to the judgment of the intercalary court:] if they wish, they may add a month; or if they wish thirty days. Come now and see the difference between

Shenei Luchot HaBerit

G–d therefore told the moon that the adjective "small" that would be used for the righteous, such as in the case of Jacob, Samuel and David, would serve as assurance that the moon was not considered inferior. By the same token, there is no point in calling someone "small" unless this is in contrast to something else that is called "big. Here, the Jewish people as a whole may be considered "big," for G–d had referred to it as בני בכורי ישראל, "My firstborn son Israel." The three examples of "small" people selected were Jacob, Samuel and David because these three people are also described on occasion as the equivalent of "big". The prophet Samuel is described as שמואל הרמתי, "at home in an elevated place," (similar to Samuel I 8,4). The Talmud describes that Samuel "the small one" [a scholar in the third century] was of such a caliber that, had his personal merits only been the determining factor, the spirit of G–d would have come to rest on him. The prophet Samuel i.e. the "big" Samuel, was ranked equal to Moses in many respects. Taanit 25 relates that the "small" Samuel only had to decree a fast in order to pray for rain when rain would already materialize without the people having commenced their fast even. The fact that David was described on occasion as the "small one," suggests that there must also have been a "big" David. The "big" David will be David when he re-emerges as the Messiah. It is said of him (Psalms 72,8) : וירד מים עד הים ודוד שמו, "Let him rule from sea to sea, etc." The Psalmist means that whereas initially the domain of David would be small, eventually it would encompass the whole globe. The message is that "small" and "big" will combine, i.e. study and performance of Torah commandments together will bring about the ideal state, will make a "big one" out of a formerly "small one." This is different from דבור, words of Torah, which will be graciously received by G–d even if they do not reflect penetration to the deeper meaning of the Torah. In other words, words of Torah do not require to be supported by full understanding, whereas mere study, i.e. listening to someone else's discourse on Torah does. When we view the conversation in this light, we find that G–d certainly had the "last word," i.e. was not "defeated" in this verbal encounter. Nevertheless, when G–d saw that the moon was unhappy although it had been shown that it was wrong, He decided to assuage its feelings since He wants His creatures to be happy and content with the fate assigned to them.
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