מאי גולה אמר רב יוסף זו פומבדיתא מאי כמדורת האש תנא כל אחד ואחד נוטל אבוקה בידו ועולה לראש גגו
It has been taught: R'Simeon B'Eleazar says: [Beacon fires were lit] also on Harim and Kayir and Geder and the neighbouring places'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [These places are likewise difficult to identify. For various attempts v. Horowitz loc. cit. Graetz, Geschichte p. 67, n. 1 emends on the basis of rsdu rhhfu ohrj rsdu ruufn hrv the Tosef. a.l. into the mountains of Macherus (in the south) and Gedera in the north. 'The neighbouring places' will include Tabor which is also mentioned in the Tosef.]');"><sup>3</sup></span> Some say that these places are between [those mentioned in the Mishnah].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And therefore in Palestine.');"><sup>4</sup></span> Others say that they are on the further side from the Land of Israel, and that one authority [the Mishnah] reckons the places on one side,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Perhaps those nearer to Jerusalem.');"><sup>5</sup></span>
Tosefta Rosh Hashanah (Lieberman)
Formerly it was customary to signal with beacons on the high mountain peaks: on the Mount of Olives, on Sartaba, on Agrippina, on the Tabor, on the Hauran and Bet Bilti. R. Shimon ben Elazar says: Also the mountains of Machaerus and Gadara and similar. When do you signal the month? [Answer:] On the night it was switched on. How [one should understand this] ? [Answer:] He fell on a Friday or Sabbath, one signals on Sunday because of it; when the month comes in its time, one signals for it; but if not, one does not signal for his sake. Because of all the months one signaled with signal fires. Said one: Before the sun , so he said nothing. [He said:] To the south of her, his words are valid. If one said: I saw him two ox sticks high, and if one said: three, then the testimony is valid. If one says three, and one says five, they are not taken together; but he is taken together with others [who make the same statement]. Says one I have seen him erect, and one says: I have seen him bent, so they are not taken together, but he is taken together with others [who make the same statement]. If he saw him half in the water, he said nothing; [he saw] him halfway through a cloud, he said nothing. [If he saw] him half through glass, he said nothing. R. Elazar ben R. Zadok says: If he is not seen in his time, the month is not sanctified; because heaven has it already sanctified. And likewise, R. Eleazar ben R. Zadok used to say: The messengers do not go to Syria until they have heard from the mouth of the court: Sanctified.
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