Arakhin 22

Chapter 22

א על עסקי קול רב אשי אמר מהכא (דה"ב ה, יג) ויהי כאחד למחצצרים ולמשוררים להשמיע קול אחד
1 [i.e.,] concerning the voice.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He commanded him concerning the voice of song, Moses being a Levite.');"><sup>1</sup></span> R'Ashi<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Marginal Gloss suggests R. Oshaia, the usual disputant of R. Jonathan who follows.');"><sup>2</sup></span> derived it from here: It came even to pass when the trumpeters and singers were as one to make one sound to be heard.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Chron. V, 13.');"><sup>3</sup></span>
ב רבי יונתן אמר מהכא (במדבר יח, ג) ולא ימותו גם הם גם אתם מה אתם בעבודת מזבח אף הם בעבודת מזבח
2 R'Jonathan derived it from here: That they die not, neither they, nor ye.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XVIII, 3. The only altar service of fit Levites was the singing. Anyone performing at the altar any service for which he is unfitted, as e.g.. exchanging the Levite's task for that of the priest's incurs that penalty.');"><sup>4</sup></span> [i.e.,] just as you at the service of the altar, so they, too, at the service of the alta taught also thus: 'That they die not, neither they, nor ye.
ג תניא נמי הכי ולא ימותו גם הם גם אתם אתם בשלהם והם בשלכם במיתה הם בשלהם אינן במיתה אלא באזהרה
3 viz. , ye by engaging in their work, or they by engaging in yours, would incur penalty of death; they, however, by engaging in [another's] work of their<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If a Levite engaged in the work of another Levite, his offence is not as serious as that of one who had undertaken Priest's work; still, it is an offence.');"><sup>5</sup></span> own [group] would be incurring penalty for transgression, but not death.
ד אמר אביי נקיטינן משורר ששיער בשל חבירו במיתה שנאמר (במדבר ג, לח) והחונים לפני המשכן קדמה לפני אהל מועד וגו' והזר הקרב יומת מאי זר אילימא זר ממש הכתיב חדא זימנא אלא לאו זר דאותה עבודה:
4 Abaye said: We have it on tradition that a singing Levite who did his colleague's work at the gate incurs the penalty of death,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Abaye does not appear satisfied with the distinction made just now, because he found a teaching much more severe,');"><sup>6</sup></span> as it is said: And those that were to pitch before the tabernacle eastward before the tent of meeting toward the sunrising, were Moses and Aaron, etc. and the stranger that drew nigh was to be put to death.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. III, 38. The Torah would not state anything twice. In III, 10: The stranger that draweth nigh shall be put to death (i.e., by the hand of heaven) . Hence the statement involving a similar penalty to the stranger in verse 38 must refer to another 'stranger', a Levite who was a 'stranger' because unfit for that service allotted to another.');"><sup>7</sup></span> What 'stranger' is meant here? Would you say a real stranger [non-priest]? But that has been mentioned [by Scripture] already! Rather, must it mean a 'stranger' to this particular service. An objection was raised: Concerning a Levite chorister that attended to the Temple gates, or a gate-keeping Levite who sang, as to whether they are guilty of a transgression or incurring penalty of death, that is a matter of dispute among Tannaim, for it was taught: It happened that R'Joshua B'Hananyia went to assist R'Johanan B'Gudgeda in the fastening of the Temple doors,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Both Rabbis were Levites.');"><sup>8</sup></span>
ה מיתיבי משורר ששיער ומשוער ששורר אינן במיתה אלא באזהרה
5 whereupon he [the latter] said to him: My son, turn back, for you are of the choristers, not of the door-keepers.
ו תנאי היא דתניא מעשה בר' יהושע בר חנניה שהלך לסייע בהגפת דלתות אצל ר' יוחנן בן גודגדא אמר לו בני חזור לאחוריך שאתה מן המשוררים ולא מן המשוערים
6 Would you not say that they were of divided opinion herein, that one held<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When a chorister or doorkeeper do each other's work.');"><sup>9</sup></span> he incurs the penalty of death, and for this reason the Rabbis forbade [their assisting], whereas the other held that only a transgression was involved, whence [the Rabbis] did not decree this preventive measure? - No, both agree that only a transgression is involved; [and their point of issue is the following:] one holds that the Rabbis forbade assisting as a preventive measure, the other holding that they did not forbid assisting as a preventive measure.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Johanan held that if a chorister did gate-service alone he incurred penalty of death, hence if he assisted in such work as was not allotted to him, he, at any rate, fell under the interdiction of the Sages, whence he advised him to return; the interdiction of the Sages having for its purpose the prevention of any Levite's doing his neighbour's work unassisted, which offence would involve death as the penalty. But R. Joshua held that even if a Levite did his neighbour's work alone, no more than a transgression of a prohibition, without attendant severe penalty, was involved; hence if one only assisted one's neighbour, not even Rabbinic interdiction was transgressed.');"><sup>10</sup></span> R'Abin asked: Does a freewill burnt-offering of a community require song or not?
ז מאי לאו בהא קמיפלגי דמר סבר מיתה היא וגזרו בה רבנן ומ"ס אזהרה היא ולא גזרו בה
7 The Divine Law says: Your burnt-offerings<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. X, 10.');"><sup>11</sup></span> , which means no matter whether they are obligatory or freewill-offerings; or in saying 'your burnt-offerings' does perhaps the Divine Law mean those of all Israel?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Restricting it, however, to obligatory dues.');"><sup>12</sup></span> - Come and hear: And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt-offering upon the altar. And when the burnt-offering began, the song of the Lord began also, and the trumpets, together with the instruments of David, King of Israel.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Chron. XXIX, 27. Obviously he had been consulted, otherwise he would not have commanded a self-evident thing. Hence the matter must have been non-obvious.');"><sup>13</sup></span>
ח דכ"ע אזהרה היא מר סבר מסייע גזרו ביה רבנן ומר סבר לא גזרו ביה רבנן
8 What need was there here for song? Would you say it was on account of [the daily] obligatory burnt-offering? That surely needed no consultation?
ט בעי רבי אבין עולת נדבת ציבור טעונה שירה או אינה טעונה שירה {במדבר י } עולותיכם אמר רחמנא אחת עולת חובה ואחת עולת נדבה או דלמא עולותיכם דכולהו ישראל קאמר רחמנא
9 Rather, it was one in connection with a freewill burnt-offering! Said R'Joseph: No, it was the burnt-offering [offered] on the new moon, and it was questionable as to whether the new month has been fixed in its right time so that it should be offered up, or not. Said Abaye to him: How can you say so,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That this was on the new moon,');"><sup>14</sup></span> is it not written: And on the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end. then Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt.
י ת"ש (דה"ב כט, כז) ויאמר חזקיהו להעלות העולה (על המזבח) ובעת החל העולה החל שיר ה' והחצוצרות ע"י כלי (שיר) דוד מלך ישראל האי שירה מאי עבידתה אילימא דעולת חובה ל"ל אימלוכי אלא לאו דעולת נדבה
10 offering upon the altar, etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 17.');"><sup>15</sup></span> ? - Rather, said Rami the son of R'Yeba: The question was with reference to the lamb offered up with the 'Omer,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Lev. XXIII, 12. The lamb was an obligatory burnt-offering.');"><sup>16</sup></span> [namely]: Was the new month decreed in its right time or not so that the lamb may be offered? - R'Avya demurred to this: They should have seen when the paschal lamb had been sacrificed, when the leavened bread had been eaten!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Aliter: How could they have offered up if the date was not clear to them?');"><sup>17</sup></span> Rather, said R'Ashi: It is the same as with the messenger of the congregation, who consults [formally asks for permission to start the prayer].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Similarly with the case of Hezekiah, formal permission was first obtained from him before sacrificing the lamb offered in connection with the omer, though it was an obligatory one.');"><sup>18</sup></span>
יא א"ר יוסף לא עולת ראש חודש הוה וקא מיבעיא להו מי הוקבע ר"ח בזמנו דליקרב או לא
11 Now that you have come to this answer, say: Even if it was the case of the [daily] obligatory burnt-offering, [yet there is no difficulty]: It is the same a with any messenger of a community, who consults [his congregation]. Come and hear: R'Jose said, Good<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.g., the redemption from Egypt, as well as the final redemption, fall into the month of Nisan. In Num. XIV, 1 the whole congregation is reported to 'have lifted up their voice and cried', complaining against Moses and Aaron, and against God. That evil day fell on the ninth of Ab. The ninth of Ab therefore was a day predestined to disaster. (R. Gershom.)');"><sup>19</sup></span>
יב אמר ליה אביי ומי מצית אמרת הכי והכתיב (דה"ב כט, יז) ביום ששה עשר לחדש הראשון וגו' ויאמר חזקיהו להעלות העולה (על המזבח)
12 things are brought about on a good [auspicious] day, and evil ones on a bad one. It is said, The day on which the first Temple was destroyed was the ninth of Ab, and it was at the going out of the Sabbath,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., Sunday.');"><sup>20</sup></span> and at the end of the seventh [Sabbatical] year. The [priestly] guard was that of Jehojarib, the priests and Levites were standing on their platform singing the song.
יג אלא אמר רמי בריה דרב ייבא כבש הבא עם העומר קמיבעיא להו מי קבע ר"ח בזמנו דליקריב או לא
13 What song was it? And He hath brought upon them their iniquity, and will cut them off in their evil.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XCIV, 23.');"><sup>21</sup></span>
יד מתקיף לה רב אויא וליחזי פסח היכי עביד מצה היכי אכיל
14 They had no time to complete [the psalm with] 'The Lord our God will cut them off', before the enemies came and overwhelmed them. The same happened the second time [the second Sanctuary's destruction].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Ta'an, 27a.');"><sup>22</sup></span> Now what need was there for song?
טו אלא אמר רב אשי מידי דהוה אשליחא דציבורא דממליך השתא דאתית להכי אפילו תימא עולת חובה מידי דהוה אשליחא דציבורא דממליך
15 Would you say that it was on account of the [daily] burnt-offering? But that could not be, for on the seventeenth of Tammuz the continual sacrifice had been abolished.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because no lambs were left for the sacrifice and none would be imported on account of the siege.');"><sup>23</sup></span> Hence it was on account of a freewill burnt-offering! But how could you think so?
טז ת"ש רבי יוסי אומר מגלגלין זכות ליום זכאי וחובה ליום חייב
16 Why should an obligatory-offering have been impossible and a freewill-offering available? - That is no difficulty: A young ox may accidentally have come to them!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The siege had prevented the securing of proper animals (lambs) for the continual offering. but any cattle was fit for the freewill burnt-offering.');"><sup>24</sup></span> Said Raba, or, as some say, R'Ashi: But how could you think so?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the song referred to is the song sung in connection with offerings.');"><sup>25</sup></span>
יז אמרו כשחרב הבית בראשונה אותו היום תשעה באב היה ומוצאי שבת היה ומוצאי שביעית היתה ומשמרתו של יהויריב היתה והיו כהנים ולוים עומדים על דוכנן ואומרים שירה ומה שירה אמרו (תהלים צד, כג) וישב עליהם את אונם וברעתם יצמיתם ולא הספיקו לומר יצמיתם ה' אלהינו עד שבאו אויבים וכבשום וכן בשניה
17 The song of the day was: The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XXIV, 1. This is the song for Sunday; every day had its song definitely arranged.');"><sup>26</sup></span> whereas the verse, 'And He hath brought upon them their iniquity' belongs to the song due on the fourth day of the week! Rather [what you must say is.] It was just a lamentation text that had come to their mouth. But it says: 'They were standing upon the platform'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [How then could it be assumed that the references to a freewill-offering; surely not all the Levites would take their stand on the platform for the offering of a freewill sacrifice (v. R. Gershom) .]');"><sup>27</sup></span>
יח האי שירה מאי עבידתיה אילימא דעולת חובה מי הואי בי"ז בתמוז בטל התמיד אלא לאו דעולת נדבה
18 [Rather, say] That is in accord with Resh Lakish who said: The song may be sung even without any [attending] sacrifice.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [So that the song could have been sung though there was no continual sacrifice. Consequently the song in the cited Baraitha may refer to the one sung in connection with the obligatory daily burnt-offerings, affording no solution to R. Abin's query.]');"><sup>28</sup></span> But that principle might be applied to a voluntary burnt-offering, too?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If a song was in order even without any sacrifice being offered, the answer would have been found for the question above of R. Abin');"><sup>29</sup></span> - That might lead to an offence.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' One would have inferred that no freewill-offering may be offered up without a song, so that if no Levites were present or available, as happened in the time of Ezra, no freewill burnt-offerings would be made at all! (R. Gershom.) According to Rashi: If voluntary singing were permitted, its very voluntariness would occasion legal laxities, and such laxities would be transferred to obligatory songs. too.');"><sup>30</sup></span> How is it therewith?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' What is the answer to R. Abin's question?');"><sup>31</sup></span>
יט ותסברא מ"ש דעולת חובה דלא הואי ומ"ש דעולת נדבה דהואי הא לא קשיא בן בקר אקראי בעלמא הוא דאיתרמיא להו
19 - Come and hear: R'Mari the son of R'Kahana taught: Over your burnt-offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace-offerings;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. X, 10. Here Scripture compares the freewill peace offering to the burnt-offering, in connection with prescribed music.');"><sup>32</sup></span> just as the burntoffering is Most Holy, so are the peace-offerings [referred to] Most Holy;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., congregational peace-offerings, v. Lev. XXIII, 19.');"><sup>33</sup></span> and just as the peace-offerings have a definite time fixed for them, so have the burnt-offerings a definite time fixed for them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Only burnt-offerings due at a definite time, i,e., only prescribed, obligatory ones, require a song, but not voluntary ones.');"><sup>34</sup></span>
כ אמר רבא ואיתימא רב אשי ותסברא שירה דיומיה (תהלים כד, א) לה' הארץ ומלואה וישב עליהם את אונם בשיר דארבעה בשבת הוא אלא אילייא בעלמא הוא דנפל להו בפומייהו
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כא והא עומדין על דוכנן קתני כדר"ל דאמר אומר שלא על הקרבן אי הכי בעולת נדבה נמי לימא נפיק מינה חורבא
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כב מאי הוה עלה ת"ש דתני רב מרי בריה דרב כהנא (במדבר י, י) על עולותיכם ועל זבחי שלמיכם
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כג מה עולה קודש קדשים אף שלמים קודש קדשים ומה שלמים קבוע להם זמן אף עולה קבוע לה זמן:
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