Rosh Hashanah 42

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> על שני חדשים מחללין את השבת על ניסן ועל תשרי שבהן שלוחין יוצאין לסוריא ובהן מתקנין את המועדות וכשהיה בית המקדש קיים מחללין אף על כולן מפני תקנת הקרבן:

<big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>FOR THE SAKE OF TWO MONTHS SABBATH MAY BE PROFANED,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By witnesses who have seen the new moon, in order that they may give information in Jerusalem at the earliest possible moment. V. supra.');">¹</span> NAMELY, NISAN AND TISHRI, SINCE IN THEM MESSENGERS GO FORTH TO SYRIA AND IN THEM THE DATES OF THE FESTIVALS ARE FIXED.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It is difficult to see what reason this furnishes for allowing the witnesses to break the Sabbath. Rashi explains that if the witnesses are not allowed to bring the news on Sabbath, the New Moon will not be sanctified till Sunday, and so the messengers instead of setting out as soon as Sabbath is over will not set out till several hours later, and this might make them late in some places in giving notice of the date of Passover. V. Rashi and Tosaf.');">²</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> על ב' חדשים ותו לא ורמינהו על ו' חדשים השלוחין יוצאין

WHEN THE TEMPLE WAS STANDING THEY USED TO PROFANE SABBATH FOR ALL THE MONTHS, IN ORDER THAT THE SACRIFICE [OF NEW MOON] MIGHT BE OFFERED ON THE RIGHT DAY.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'for the proper adjustment of the sacrifice'.');">³</span> <big><b>GEMARA: </b></big>[Do messengers go forth] for two months only?

אמר אביי ה"ק על כולן שלוחין יוצאין מבערב על ניסן ועל תשרי עד שישמעו מפי ב"ד מקודש

The following was cited as conflicting with this: 'Messengers go forth to proclaim six months'!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., whenever the month is lengthened to thirty days.');">⁴</span> - Abaye replied: What is meant is this: For all [the other months] the messengers set out while is is still night,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the thirty-first day, since it is already certain that New Moon will be on this day.');">⁵</span>

תניא נמי הכי על כולן יוצאין מבערב על ניסן ועל תשרי עד שישמעו מפי ב"ד מקודש

but for Nisan and Tishri they do not set out till they have heard the Beth din proclaim, 'sanctified'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which would be at some hour in the daytime.');">⁶</span> It has been taught to the same effect: 'For all [the other months] they [the messengers] went forth while it was still night, but for Nisan and Tishri not until they had heard the Beth din proclaim 'sanctified'.

ת"ר מנין שמחללין עליהן את השבת ת"ל (ויקרא כג, לז) אלה מועדי ה' אשר תקראו אותם במועדם

Our Rabbis taught: How do we know [from the Scripture] that Sabbath may be profaned on account of these? Because it says, These are the appointed seasons of the Lord.

יכול כשם שמחללין עד שיתקדשו כך מחללין עד שיתקיימו ת"ל אשר תקראו אותם על קריאתם אתה מחלל ואי אתה מחלל על קיומן:

which ye shall proclaim in their appointed season.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXIII, 4. Stress is laid on the words 'in their appointed season'.');">⁷</span> I might say then that just as it may be profaned until they [the months] are sanctified, so it may be profaned [further] until they are promulgated?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I. e., to the Diaspora, by the messengers.');">⁸</span>

וכשהיה בהמ"ק קיים מחללין אף על כולן מפני תקנת הקרבן: ת"ר בראשונה היו מחללין אף על כולן משחרב בית המקדש אמר להן רבן יוחנן בן זכאי וכי יש קרבן התקינו שלא יהו מחללין אלא על ניסן ועל תשרי בלבד:

Not so, since it says, 'which ye shall proclaim:' fo their proclamation you may profane the Sabbath, but not for their promulgation.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I. e., the witnesses may profane, but not the messengers.');">⁹</span> WHEN THE TEMPLE WAS STANDING THEY USED TO PROFANE SABBATH FOR ALL THE MONTHS, IN ORDER THAT THE SACRIFICE MIGHT BE OFFERED ON THE RIGHT DAY.

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> בין שנראה בעליל בין שלא נראה בעליל מחללין עליו את השבת רבי יוסי אומר אם נראה בעליל אין מחללין עליו את השבת

Our Rabbis taught : Originally the Sabbath could be profaned for all of them. When the Temple was destroyed, Rabban Johanan B'Zakkai said to them [the Beth din], Is there then a sacrifice [waiting to be brought]?

מעשה שעברו יותר מארבעים זוג ועיכבם ר"ע בלוד שלח לו ר"ג אם מעכב אתה את הרבים נמצאת מכשילן לעתיד לבא:

They therefore ordained that Sabbath should not be profaned save for Nisan and Tishri alone.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On account of their extra sanctity.');">¹⁰</span> <big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>WHETHER [THE NEW MOON] HAS BEEN SEEN CLEARLY<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'in an 'alil'. V. Gemara infra.');">¹¹</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> מאי משמע דהאי עליל לישנא דמיגלי הוא א"ר אבהו אמר קרא (תהלים יב, ז) אמרות ה' אמרות טהורות כסף צרוף בעליל לארץ מזוקק שבעתים

OR HAS NOT BEEN SEEN CLEARLY, SABBATH MAY BE PROFANED ON ACCOUNT OF IT. R'JOSE SAYS, HOWEVER, THAT IF IT HAS BEEN SEEN CLEARLY SABBATH IS NOT TO BE PROFANED ON ACCOUNT OF IT.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' There being no necessity, as many people will have seen it.');">¹²</span>

רב ושמואל חד אמר נ' שערי בינה נבראו בעולם וכולן ניתנו למשה חסר אחד שנאמר (תהלים ח, ו) ותחסרהו מעט מאלהים

IT HAPPENED ONCE THAT MORE THAN FORTY PAIRS OF WITNESSES WERE ON THEIR WAY<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'were passing'.');">¹³</span> [TO JERUSALEM] AND R'AKIBA DETAINED THEM IN LYDDA.

(קהלת יב, י) בקש קהלת למצוא דברי חפץ בקש קהלת להיות כמשה יצתה בת קול ואמרה לו וכתוב יושר דברי אמת (דברים לד, י) ולא קם נביא עוד בישראל כמשה

R'GAMALIEL THEREUPON SENT TO HIM SAYING: IF YOU PREVENT THE MULTITUDE [FROM COMING TO GIVE EVIDENCE] YOU WILL PROVE TO BE THE CAUSE OF THEIR STUMBLING IN THE TIME TO COME.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As people will be reluctant to come to give evidence.');">¹⁴</span> <big><b>GEMARA: </b></big>How do we know that the word 'alil here means 'clear'? - R'Abbahu replied: Because the Scripture says, The words of the Lord are pure words, as silver tried in the clear sight [ba-'alil] of the earth refined seven times.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XII, 7. E.V. 'in a crucible'.');">¹⁵</span>

וחד אמר בנביאים לא קם במלכים קם אלא מה אני מקיים בקש קהלת למצוא דברי חפץ בקש קהלת לדון דינין שבלב שלא בעדים ושלא בהתראה יצתה ב"ק ואמרה לו וכתוב יושר דברי אמת (דברים יז, ו) על פי שנים עדים וגו':

Rab and Samuel [gave different interpretations of a certain text]. One said: Fifty gates of understanding were created in the world, and all were given to Moses save one, as it says, Yet thou hast made him but little lower than a God,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. VIII, 6. E.V. 'than the angels'.');">¹⁶</span> Now, Koheleth sought to find out words of delight.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Eccl. XII, 10.');">¹⁷</span> [That is to say,] Koheleth sought to be like Moses, but a bath kol<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A voice from heaven, V. Glos.');">¹⁸</span> went forth and said to him, It is written uprightly even words of truth,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid.');">¹⁹</span> 'There arose not a prophet again in Israel like Moses'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXXIV, 10.');">²⁰</span> The other said: Among the prophets there arose not, but among the kings there did arise. How then do I interpret the words, Koheleth sought to find out words of delight? Koheleth sought to pronounce verdicts from his own insight,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'that are in the heart'. [Omitted in MS.M.].');">²¹</span> without witnesses and without warning,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The forewarning required by law for the punishment of an offender.');">²²</span> whereupon a bath kol went forth and said, It is written uprightly even words of truth, 'At the mouth of two witnesses' etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XIX, 15.');">²³</span>