Menachot 129
והיינו דתנן פתחיה על הקינין זה מרדכי למה נקרא שמו פתחיה פותח דברים ודורשן ויודע בשבעים לשון
<br> This is indeed what we have learnt: Petahiah was over the bird-offerings. This same Petahiah was Mordecai; why was his name called Petahiah? Because he was able to open matters and interpret them,' and he knew seventy languages. But did not every member of the Sanhedrin know seventy languages? For R. Johanan said, None are to be appointed members of the Sanhedrin but men of wisdom, of good appearance, of fine stature, of mature age. men with a knowledge of sorcery and who know seventy languages, in order that the court should have no need of an interpreter! - Say, rather, that he used to mix together expressions and explain them; and on that account it is written of Mordecai 'Bilshan'. <br>
כולהו סנהדרין נמי ידעי שבעים לשון דאמר רבי יוחנן אין מושיבים בסנהדרין אלא בעלי חכמה בעלי מראה בעלי קומה בעלי זקנה בעלי כשפים ויודעים שבעים לשון שלא תהא סנהדרין שומעת מפי התורגמן
MISHNAH. WHAT WAS THE PROCEDURE? THE MESSENGERS OF THE BETH DIN USED TO GO OUT ON THE DAY BEFORE THE FESTIVAL AND TIE THE UNREAPED CORN IN BUNCHES TO MAKE IT THE EASIER TO REAP. ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE TOWNS NEAR BY ASSEMBLED THERE, SO THAT IT MIGHT BE REAPED WITH MUCH DISPLAY. AS SOON AS IT BECAME DARK HE CALLED OUT, 'HAS THE SUN SET'? AND THEY ANSWERED. 'YES.' HAS THE SUN SET'? AND THEY ANSWERED, 'YES.' WITH THIS SICKLE'? AND THEY ANSWERED, 'YES'. 'WITH THIS SICKLE'? AND THEY ANSWERED, YES'. 'INTO THIS BASKET'? AND THEY ANSWERED, 'YES'. INTO THIS BASKET'? AND THEY ANSWERED. 'YES'. ON THE SABBATH HE CALLED OUT FURTHER, ON THIS SABBATH'? AND THEY ANSWERED. 'YES'. 'ON THIS SABBATH'? AND THEY ANSWERED. 'YES'. 'SHALL I REAP'? AND THEY ANSWERED, REAP'. 'SHALL I REAP'? AND THEY ANSWERED, 'REAP'. HE REPEATED EVERY MATTER THREE TIMES, AND THEY ANSWERED, 'YES.' 'YES.' 'YES'. AND WHY WAS ALL THIS? BECAUSE OF THE BOETHUSIANS WHO MAINTAINED THAT THE REAPING OF THE 'OMER WAS NOT TO TAKE PLACE AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE [FIRST DAY OF THE] FESTIVAL.
אלא דהוה בייל לישני ודריש והיינו דכתיב במרדכי (נחמיה ז, ז) בלשן:
GEMARA. Our Rabbis taught. 'On the following days fasting, and on some of them also mourning, is forbidden: From the first until the eighth day of the month of Nisan, during which time the Daily Offering was established, mourning is forbidden; from the eighth of the same until the close of the Festival, during which time the date for the Feast of Weeks was re-established, fasting is forbidden. 'From the first until the eighth day of the month of Nisan, during which time the Daily Offering was established, mourning is forbidden'. For the Sadducees used to say that an individual may of his own free will defray the cost of the Daily Offering. What was their argument? - It is written, [said they]. The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning and the other lamb shalt thou offer at dusk. And what was the reply [of the Rabbis]? - It is written, My food which is presented unto Me for offerings made by fire, of a sweet savour unto Me, shall ye observe. Hence all sacrifices were to be taken out of the Temple fund. <br>
<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> כיצד הן עושין שלוחי בית דין יוצאין מערב יום טוב ועושין אותן כריכות במחובר לקרקע כדי שיהא נוח לקצור כל העיירות הסמוכות לשם מתכנסות לשם כדי שיהא נקצר בעסק גדול
'From the eighth of the same until the close of the Festival [of Passover], during which time the date for the Feast of Weeks was re-established, fasting is forbidden'. For the Boethusians held that the Feast of Weeks must always be on the day after the Sabbath. But R. Johanan b. Zakkai entered into discussion with them saying, 'Fools that you are! whence do you derive it'? Not one of them was able to answer him, save one old man who commenced to babble and said, 'Moses our teacher was a great lover of Israel, and knowing full well that the Feast of Weeks lasted only one day he therefore fixed it on the day after the Sabbath so that Israel might enjoy themselves for two successive days'. [R. Johanan b. Zakkai] then quoted to him the following verse, 'It is eleven days' journey from Horeb unto Kadesh-Barnea by the way of mount Seir.
ניטפל להם רבן יוחנן בן זכאי ואמר להם שוטים מנין לכם ולא היה אדם אחד שהיה משיבו חוץ מזקן אחד שהיה מפטפט כנגדו ואמר משה רבינו אוהב ישראל היה ויודע שעצרת יום אחד הוא עמד ותקנה אחר שבת כדי שיהו ישראל מתענגין שני ימים קרא עליו מקרא זה (דברים א, ב) אחד עשר יום מחורב דרך הר שעיר