Gittin 119

מי קוראין לא הוה בידיה אתא ושייליה לרבי יצחק נפחא א"ל אחריהן קוראין ת"ח הממונין פרנסים על הצבור ואחריהן ת"ח הראויין למנותם פרנסים על הציבור ואחריהן בני ת"ח שאבותיהן ממונים פרנסים על הצבור ואחריהן ראשי כנסיות וכל אדם

who are to be called up? He did not know what to reply, so he went and asked R. Isaac Nappaha. who said to him: After them are called up the scholars who are appointed Parnasim<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Plur. of Parnas. In Galilee the office of Parnas was connected with the political organization of the town and its title denoted usually a general leader of the people and sometimes also a member of the council. Elsewhere the function of the Parnas was that of a charity overseer. V. Buchler, Sepphoris, pp. 14ff.] ');">¹</span>

שלחו ליה בני גליל לר' חלבו מהו לקרות בחומשים בבהכ"נ בציבור לא הוה בידיה אתא שייליה לר' יצחק נפחא לא הוה בידיה אתא שאיל בי מדרשא ופשטוה מהא דא"ר שמואל בר נחמני א"ר יוחנן ס"ת שחסר יריעה אחת אין קורין בו

of the community, and after them scholars who are qualified to be appointed Parnaasim of the community, and after them the sons of scholars whose fathers had been appointed Parnasim of the community and after them heads of synagogues<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [The archisynagogos, the supreme authority over the synagogues in the town. V. Sot. (Sonc. ed,) p. 202, n. 5.] ');">²</span>

ולא היא התם מחסר במילתיה הכא לא מחסר במילתיה רבה ורב יוסף דאמרי תרוייהו אין קוראין בחומשין בבית הכנסת משום כבוד צבור

and members of the general public.

ורבה ורב יוסף דאמרי תרוייהו האי ספר אפטרתא אסור למקרי ביה בשבת מאי טעמא דלא ניתן ליכתב

The Galileans sent to inquire of R. Helbo: Is it permissible to read separate humashin [of each book of the Torah]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Plur. of Humesh, one of the five books of the Pentateuch. In olden days these too were written on scrolls. ');">³</span>

מר בר רב אשי אמר לטלטולי נמי אסור מ"ט דהא לא חזי למיקרי ביה ולא היא שרי לטלטולי ושרי למיקרי ביה

in the synagogue in public? He did not know what to answer, so he inquired in the <i>Beth Hamidrash</i>. They settled the question in the light of what R. Samuel b. Nahmani had said in the name of R. Johanan, that a scroll of the Law which is short of one flap may not be read from. This, however, is not conclusive: in that case something essential was lacking, in this case nothing essential is lacking. Rabbah and R. Joseph both concurred in ruling that separate humashin should not be read from out of respect for the congregation. Rabbah and R. Joseph also concurred in ruling that a scroll containing only the haftarahs<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The portions from the prophets read after the weekly portion of the Law. ');">⁴</span>

דר' יוחנן ור"ש בן לקיש מעייני בספרא דאגדתא בשבתא והא לא ניתן ליכתב אלא כיון דלא אפשר (תהלים קיט, קכו) עת לעשות לה' הפרו תורתך ה"נ כיון דלא אפשר עת לעשות לה' הפרו תורתך

should not be read from on Sabbath. What is the reason? Because it is not proper to write [sections of the prophets separately]. Mar son of R. Ashi said: It is forbidden also to carry them on Sabbath, for the reason that they are not fitting to be read from.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the principle that what may not be used on Sabbath may not be carried. ');">⁵</span>

בעא מיניה אביי מרבה מהו לכתוב מגילה לתינוק להתלמד בה תיבעי למאן דאמר תורה מגילה מגילה ניתנה תיבעי למאן דאמר תורה חתומה ניתנה

This, however, is not correct: it is permitted to carry them and it is permitted to read from them. For R. Johanan and R. Simeon b. Lakish used to look through a book of Aggada on Sabbath. Now Aggada is not meant to be written down?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' According to the rule laid down infra. ');">⁶</span>

תיבעי למ"ד תורה מגילה מגילה ניתנה כיון דמגילה מגילה ניתנה כותבין או דילמא כיון דאידבק אידבק

We say, however, that since this cannot be dispensed with,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As otherwise the Aggada might be forgotten. ');">⁷</span>

תיבעי למ"ד תורה חתומה ניתנה כיון דחתומה ניתנה אין כותבין או דילמא כיון דלא אפשר כתבינן א"ל אין כותבין ומה טעם לפי שאין כותבין

when it is a time to work for the Lord, they break thy Torah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. CXIX, 126. E.V. 'It is a time to work for the Lord, for they have broken thy commandments.' ');">⁸</span>

איתיביה אף היא עשתה טבלא של זהב שפרשת סוטה כתובה עליה א"ר שמעון בן לקיש משום ר' ינאי באל"ף בי"ת

Here too, since it cannot be dispensed with,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since some congregations cannot obtain a complete copy of the Prophets. ');">⁹</span>

איתיביה כשהוא כותב רואה וכותב מה שכתוב בטבלא אימא כמה שכתוב בטבלא

we say, 'when it is a time to work for the Lord, they break the law.'

איתיביה כשהוא כותב רואה בטבלא וכותב מה שכתוב בטבלא מה הוא כתוב בטבלא (במדבר ה, יט) אם שכב אם לא שכב הכא במאי עסקינן בסירוגין

Abaye asked Rabbah: Is it permitted to write out a scroll [containing a passage] for a child to learn from? This is a problem alike for one who holds that the Torah was transmitted [to Moses] scroll by scroll,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., as each section was transmitted to Moses, he wrote it down, and in the end joined all the sections together. ');">¹⁰</span>

כתנאי אין כותבין מגילה לתינוק להתלמד בה ואם דעתו להשלים מותר ר' יהודה אומר בבראשית עד דור המבול בתורת כהנים עד ויהי ביום השמיני

and for one who holds that the Torah was transmitted entire. It is a problem for one who holds that the Torah was transmitted scroll by scroll: since it was transmitted scroll by scroll, may we also write separate scrolls, or do we say that since it has all been joined together it must remain so? It is equally a problem for one who holds that the Torah was transmitted entire: since it was transmitted entire, is it improper to write [separate scrolls], or do we say that since we cannot dispense with this we do write them? — He replied: We do not write. What is the reason? — Because we do not write.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., there is no reason, it is a tradition. ');">¹¹</span>

א"ר יוחנן משום רבי בנאה תורה מגילה מגילה ניתנה שנא' (תהלים מ, ח) אז אמרתי הנה באתי במגילת ספר כתוב עלי ר"ש בן לקיש אומר תורה חתומה ניתנה שנאמר (דברים לא, כו) לקוח את ספר התורה הזאת

He then raised an objection: 'She<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Queen Helena of Adiabene, v. Yoma 37a, and Nazir 119b. ');">¹²</span>

ואידך נמי הכתיב לקוח ההוא לבתר דאידבק

also made a tablet of gold on which was written the section of the Sotah'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Unfaithful wife. V. Num. V, 11ff. This proves that separate sections may be written. ');">¹³</span>

ואידך נמי הכתיב במגילת ספר כתוב עלי ההוא דכל התורה כולה איקרי מגילה דכתיב (זכריה ה, ב) ויאמר אלי מה אתה רואה ואומר אני רואה מגילה עפה

— R. Simeon b. Lakish had [already] explained in the name of R. Jannai: Only the first letters<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'Alphabetically'. ');">¹⁴</span>

אי נמי לכדרבי לוי דאמר רבי לוי שמנה פרשיות נאמרו ביום שהוקם בו המשכן אלו הן פרשת כהנים ופרשת לוים ופרשת טמאים ופרשת שילוח טמאים ופרשת אחרי מות

[of each word were written there]. He then raised [the following objection]: 'As he<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The priest who transcribes the section of the Sotah. ');">¹⁵</span> writes he looks at the tablet and writes what is written in the tablet'? — Read, 'He writes according to what is written in the tablet.' He then raised [the following objection]: 'As he writes he looks at the tablet and writes what is written in the tablet, If one lay, if one did not lie.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This should be, If thou hast gone aside&nbsp;… if thou hast nor gone aside. Ibid. 19, 20. ');">¹⁶</span> — What is meant is that it was written irregularly.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Only the beginnings of the verses were in full and the later words with first letter only. ');">¹⁷</span> On this point Tannaim differ [as we were taught]: 'A scroll should not be written for a child to learn from; if, however, it is the intention of the writer to complete it, he may do so. R. Judah says: He may write from Bereshith<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'In the beginning'. Gen. I, 1. ');">¹⁸</span> to [the story of the generation of the] Flood, or in the Priests' Law<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Leviticus. ');">¹⁹</span> up to, And it came to pass on the eighth day.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev., IX, 1. I.e., the whole of the rules of the sacrifices, and so with any other complete section. ');">²⁰</span> R. Johanan said in the name of R. Bana'ah: The Torah was transmitted in separate scrolls, as it says, Then said I, Lo I am come, in the roll of the book it is written of me.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XL, 8. According to the Rabbis, this is a reference to the story of Lot and his daughters, to which David here appeals as a proof against his calumniators that his coming was heralded in the Torah, he being descended from Ruth the Moabite. ');">²¹</span> R. Simeon b. Lakish said: The Torah was transmitted entire, as it says, Take this book of the law.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXXI, 26. ');">²²</span> What does the other make of this verse 'Take etc.'? — This refers to the time after it had been joined together. And what does the other [Resh Lakish] make of the verse, 'in a roll of the book written of me'? — That is [to indicate] that the whole Torah is called a roll, as it is written, And he said unto me, what seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Zech. V, 2. This is interpreted by the Rabbis to refer to the Torah. ');">²³</span> Or perhaps [it is called roll] for the reason given by R. Levi, since R. Levi said: Eight sections were given forth<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And written by Moses on separate rolls, before the writing down of the whole Torah. ');">²⁴</span> on the day on which the Tabernacle was set up. They are: the section of the priests,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXI, containing the rules of uncleanness for the priests. ');">²⁵</span> the section of the Levites,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. VIII, 5-26. The Levites were required for the service of song on that day. ');">²⁶</span> the section of the unclean,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who would be required to keep the Passover in the second month, Num. IX, 9-14. ');">²⁷</span> the section of the sending of the unclean [out of the camp],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. V, 1-4. This also had to take place before the Tabernacle was set up. ');">²⁸</span> the section commencing 'After the death',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XVI, dealing with the service of the Day of Atonement, which, as stated in the text, was transmitted immediately after the death of the two sons of Aaron. ');">²⁹</span>