Rosh Hashanah 49

Chapter 49

א וערבית במערב א"ר יוחנן בן נורי עדי שקר הם כשבאו ליבנה קיבלן רבן גמליאל
1 AND IN THE EVENING IN THE WEST.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' We should naturally suppose this to mean that they saw the old moon in the morning and the new moon in the evening.');"><sup>1</sup></span> R'JOHANAN B. NURI THEREUPON SAID, THEY ARE FALSE WITNESSES.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Presumably because according to what has been stated above (20b) the old moon is never visible for twenty-four hours before the new appears. But v. infra at the beginning of the Gemara and notes.');"><sup>2</sup></span> WHEN, HOWEVER, THEY CAME TO JABNEH RABBAN GAMALIEL ACCEPTED THEM.
ב ועוד באו שנים ואמרו ראינוהו בזמנו ובליל עיבורו לא נראה וקיבלן ר"ג
2 ON ANOTHER OCCASION TWO WITNESSES CAME AND SAID, WE SAW IT AT ITS PROPER TIME,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Apparently this must have been on the thirtieth day shortly before nightfall.');"><sup>3</sup></span> BUT ON THE NIGHT WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN NEW MOON<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'the night of its carry-over', i.e., after the nightfall with which the thirty-first day begins, when it should have been clearly visible.');"><sup>4</sup></span> IT WAS NOT SEEN, AND RABBAN GAMALIEL [HAD ALREADY] ACCEPTED THEIR EVIDENCE.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And declared the thirtieth day New Moon.');"><sup>5</sup></span>
ג אמר רבי דוסא בן הורכינס עדי שקר הן היאך מעידים על האשה שילדה ולמחר כריסה בין שיניה אמר לו רבי יהושע רואה אני את דבריך שלח לו ר"ג גוזרני עליך שתבא אצלי במקלך ובמעותיך ביוה"כ שחל להיות בחשבונך
3 RABBI DOSA B. HARKINAS SAID: THEY ARE FALSE WITNESSES. HOW CAN MEN TESTIFY THAT A WOMAN HAS BORN A CHILD WHEN ON THE NEXT DAY WE SEE HER BELLY STILL SWOLLEN?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'between her teeth'. Similarly the old moon would still be 'between the teeth' of the new.');"><sup>6</sup></span> SAID R'JOSHUA TO HIM: I SEE [THE FORCE OF] YOUR ARGUMENT.
ד הלך ומצאו ר"ע מיצר אמר לו יש לי ללמוד שכל מה שעשה ר"ג עשוי שנאמר (ויקרא כג, ד) אלה מועדי ה' מקראי קדש אשר תקראו אתם בין בזמנן בין שלא בזמנן אין לי מועדות אלא אלו
4 THEREUPON RABBAN GAMALIEL SENT TO HIM TO SAY, I ENJOIN UPON YOU TO APPEAR BEFORE ME WITH YOUR STAFF AND YOUR MONEY ON THE DAY WHICH ACCORDING TO YOUR RECKONING SHOULD BE THE DAY OF ATONEMENT.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The New Moon in question was that of Tishri, and consequently the Day of Atonement according to R. Joshua would fall a day later than according to R. Gamaliel.');"><sup>7</sup></span> R'AKIBA WENT [TO R'JOSHUA] AND FOUND HIM IN GREAT DISTRESS.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because he had been ordered to profane the Day of Atonement.');"><sup>8</sup></span> HE SAID TO HIM: I CAN BRING PROOF [FROM THE SCRIPTURE] THAT WHATEVER RABBAN GAMALIEL HAS DONE IS VALID, BECAUSE IT SAYS, THESE ARE THE APPOINTED SEASONS OF THE LORD, HOLY CONVOCATIONS, WHICH YE SHALL PROCLAIM IN THEIR APPOINTED SEASONS,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXIII, 4.');"><sup>9</sup></span>
ה בא לו אצל ר' דוסא בן הורכינס אמר לו אם באין אנו לדון אחר בית דינו של ר"ג צריכין אנו לדון אחר כל בית דין ובית דין שעמד מימות משה ועד עכשיו שנאמר (שמות כד, ט) ויעל משה ואהרן נדב ואביהוא ושבעים מזקני ישראל ולמה לא נתפרשו שמותן של זקנים אלא ללמד שכל שלשה ושלשה שעמדו בית דין על ישראל הרי הוא כבית דינו של משה
5 [WHICH MEANS TO SAY THAT] WHETHER THEY ARE PROCLAIMED AT THEIR PROPER TIME OR NOT AT THEIR PROPER TIME, I HAVE NO APPOINTED SEASONS SAVE THESE.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra. 89.');"><sup>10</sup></span> HE [R'JOSHUA] THEN WENT TO R'DOSA B. HARKINAS, WHO SAID TO HIM: IF WE CALL IN QUESTION [THE DECISIONS OF] THE BETH DIN OF RABBAN GAMALIEL, WE MUST CALL IN QUESTION THE DECISIONS OF EVERY BETH DIN WHICH HAS EXISTED SINCE THE DAYS OF MOSES UP TO THE PRESENT TIME. FOR IT SAYS, THEN WENT UP MOSES AND AARON, NADAB AND ABIHU AND SEVENTY OF THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXIV, 9.');"><sup>11</sup></span>
ו נטל מקלו ומעותיו בידו והלך ליבנה אצל ר"ג ביום שחל יוה"כ להיות בחשבונו עמד ר"ג ונשקו על ראשו אמר לו בוא בשלום רבי ותלמידי רבי בחכמה ותלמידי שקבלת את דברי:
6 WHY WERE NOT THE NAMES OF THE ELDERS MENTIONED? TO SHOW THAT EVERY GROUP OF THREE WHICH HAS ACTED AS A BETH DIN OVER ISRAEL IS ON A LEVEL WITH THE BETH DIN OF MOSES.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Seeing that most of the members of that Beth din also bore no names of distinction.');"><sup>12</sup></span> HE [R'JOSHUA] THEREUPON TOOK HIS STAFF AND HIS MONEY AND WENT TO JABNEH TO RABBAN GAMALIEL ON THE DAY ON WHICH THE DAY OF ATONEMENT FELL ACCORDING TO HIS RECKONING.
ז <big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> תניא אמר להם ר"ג לחכמים כך מקובלני מבית אבי אבא פעמים שבא בארוכה ופעמים שבא בקצרה
7 RABBAN GAMALIEL ROSE AND KISSED HIM ON HIS HEAD AND SAID TO HIM: COME IN PEACE, MY TEACHER AND MY DISCIPLE - MY TEACHER IN WISDOM AND MY DISCIPLE BECAUSE YOU HAVE ACCEPTED MY DECISION. <big><b>GEMARA: </b></big>It has been taught: Rabban Gamaliel said to the Sages: This formula has been handed down to me from the house of my father's father: Sometimes it [the moon] traverses [the heavens]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'it comes (to its setting place) '.');"><sup>13</sup></span> by a long course and sometimes by a short course.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This would seem to show that (in the first case mentioned in the Mishnah) the witnesses said that they saw the new moon on both occasions, and R. Johanan b. Nuri rejected them, on the ground that it could not go from, east to west so quickly, while R. Gamaliel held that it rea hsg could. V. Rashi s.v. in the MISHNAH:');"><sup>14</sup></span>
ח א"ר יוחנן מ"ט דבי רבי דכתיב (תהלים קד, יט) עשה ירח למועדים שמש ידע מבואו שמש הוא דידע מבואו ירח לא ידע מבואו
8 R'Johanan said: What is the reason of the house of Rabbi?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rabbi was a descendent of Rabban Gamaliel.');"><sup>15</sup></span> Because it is written, Who appointest the moon for seasons, the sun knoweth his going down.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. CIV, 19.');"><sup>16</sup></span> It is the sun which knows its going down, but the moon does not know its going down.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., its speed varies.');"><sup>17</sup></span>
ט רבי חייא חזייא לסיהרא דהוה קאי בצפרא דעשרים ותשעה שקל קלא פתק ביה אמר לאורתא בעינן לקדושי בך ואת קיימת הכא זיל איכסי א"ל רבי לר' חייא זיל לעין טב וקדשיה לירחא ושלח לי סימנא דוד מלך ישראל חי וקים
9 R'Hiyya once saw the [old] moon in the heavens on the morning of the twenty-ninth day.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which was a sign that the new moon would not appear for at least twenty-four hours.');"><sup>18</sup></span> He took a clod of earth and threw it at it, saying, Tonight we want to sanctify you,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that the Day of Atonement should not be on Sunday.');"><sup>19</sup></span> and are you still here! Go and hide yourself.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Before nightfall, so that there should be no appearance of the old moon after the closing of the twenty-ninth day, which would prevent the thirtieth day from being proclaimed New Moon (Rashi) ; v. supra p. 85, n. 5]. khz');"><sup>20</sup></span>
י ת"ר פעם אחת נתקשרו שמים בעבים ונראית דמות לבנה בעשרים ותשעה לחדש כסבורים העם לומר ר"ח ובקשו ב"ד לקדשו אמר להם ר"ג כך מקובלני מבית אבי אבא אין חדושה של לבנה פחותה מעשרים ותשעה יום ומחצה ושני שלישי שעה וע"ג חלקים
10 Rabbi thereupon said to R'Hiyya, Go to En Tob<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A place in Judah where the Beth din [used to meet to sanctify the month. V. Tosaf. s.v. .');"><sup>21</sup></span> and sanctify the month,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Disregarding what you have seen.');"><sup>22</sup></span> and send me the watchword, 'David king of Israel is alive and vigorous'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the moon is reborn. The expression is based on Ps. LXXXIX, 38.');"><sup>23</sup></span>
יא ואותו היום מתה אמו של בן זזא והספידה ר"ג הספד גדול לא מפני שראויה לכך אלא כדי שידעו העם שלא קידשו ב"ד את החדש:
11 Our Rabbis taught: Once the heavens were covered with clouds and the likeness of the moon was seen on the twenty-ninth of the month. The public were minded to declare New Moon, and the Beth din wanted to sanctify it, but Rabban Gamaliel said to them: I have it on the authority of the house of my father's father tha the renewal of the moon takes place after not less than twenty-nine days and a half and two-thirds of an hour and seventy-three halakin.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'parts' (sc. of one hour) , 73/1080 X 60 m == 4 m 3 1/3 sec. The new moon, therefore, could not be seen on the twenty-ninth day.');"><sup>24</sup></span> On that day the mother of Ben Zaza died, and Rabban Gamaliel made a great funeral oration over her, not because she had merited it, but so that the public should know that the Beth din had not sanctified the month.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As a funeral oration would not be delivered on New Moon, which was regarded as a holy day.');"><sup>25</sup></span>
יב הלך ר"ע (ומצאו) מיצר כו': איבעיא להו מי מיצר ר"ע מיצר או רבי יהושע מיצר ת"ש דתניא הלך ר"ע ומצאו לרבי יהושע כשהוא מיצר אמר לו [רבי] מפני מה אתה מיצר אמר לו (רבי) עקיבא ראוי לו שיפול למטה י"ב חדש ואל יגזור עליו גזירה זו
12 R'AKIBA WENT AND FOUND HIM<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [MS.M. omits 'HIM' which explains the question which follows].');"><sup>26</sup></span> IN GREAT DISTRESS. The question was asked, Who was in distress?
יג א"ל רבי תרשיני לומר לפניך דבר אחד שלמדתני אמר לו אמור אמר לו הרי הוא אומר (ויקרא כג, ב) אתם אתם אתם ג' פעמים
13 Was R'Akiba in distress or was R'Joshua in distress? - Come and hear, since it has been taught: R'Akiba went and found R'Joshua while he was in great distress. He said to him, Master, why are you in distress? He replied: Akiba, it were better for a man<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Var. lec.'me'. V. Maharsha.]');"><sup>27</sup></span>
יד אתם אפילו שוגגין אתם אפילו מזידין אתם אפילו מוטעין בלשון הזה אמר לו עקיבא נחמתני נחמתני:
14 to be on a sick-bed for twelve months than that such an injunction should be laid on him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Var. lec. 'on me'. V. Maharsha. o,ut o,t');"><sup>28</sup></span> He said to him, [Master,] will you allow me to tell you something which you yourself have taught me? He said to him, Speak.
טו בא לו אצל רבי דוסא בן הורכינס כו': ת"ר למה לא נתפרשו שמותם של זקנים הללו שלא יאמר אדם פלוני כמשה ואהרן פלוני כנדב ואביהוא פלוני כאלדד ומידד
15 He then said to him: The text says, 'you', 'you', 'you', three times,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the word (them) in Lev. XXII, 31, XXIII, 2 and XXIII, 4 is read (you) for homiletical purposes.');"><sup>29</sup></span> to indicate that 'you' [may fix the festivals] even if you err inadvertently, 'you', even you err deliberately, 'you', even if you are misled.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By the witnesses.');"><sup>30</sup></span> He replied to him in these words: 'Akiba, you have comforted me, you have comforted me'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By showing me that Rabban Gamaliel was within his rights. V. Maharsha ad loc.');"><sup>31</sup></span>
טז ואומר (שמואל א יב, ו) ויאמר שמואל אל העם ה' אשר עשה את משה ואת אהרן ואומר (שמואל א יב, יא) וישלח ה' את ירובעל ואת בדן ואת יפתח ואת שמואל ירובעל זה גדעון ולמה נקרא שמו ירובעל שעשה מריבה עם הבעל בדן זה שמשון ולמה נקרא שמו בדן דאתי מדן יפתח כמשמעו
16 HE THEN WENT TO R'DOSA B. HARKINAS etc. Our Rabbis taught: Why were not the names of these elders mentioned? So that a man should not say, Is So-and-so like Moses and Aaron? Is So-and-so like Nadab and Abihu? Is So-and-so like Eldad and Medad?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., if a man does say so about the Beth din in his own time, we can answer him that they may be at least like the seventy elders who are unknown by name.');"><sup>32</sup></span> Scripture also says, And Samuel said to the people, It is the Lord that made Moses and Aaron,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 1 Sam. XII, 6.');"><sup>33</sup></span> and it says [in the same passage], And the Lord sent Jerubaal and Bedan and Jepthah and Samuel.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid.11. These are here put on a par with Moses and Aaron.');"><sup>34</sup></span> Jerubaal is Gideon. Why is he called Jerubaal? Because he contended with Baal. Bedan is Samson. Why is he called Bedan? Because he came from Dan. Jepthah is Jepthah
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