Rosh Hashanah 35

כאן קודם גזר דין כאן לאחר גזר דין הכא נמי ביחיד

One text speaks of God's attitude before the final sentence, the other of his attitude after the final sentenc - Here too the case is that of an individual. On the question of the final sentence of an individual there is a difference between Tannaim, as it has been taught: R'Meir used to say: Two men take to their bed suffering equally from the same disease, or two men are before a criminal court to be judged<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So Rashi: Aliter: 'ascend the scaffold to be punished'.]');">¹</span> for the same offence; yet one gets up<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'comes down', i.e., from the bed.');">²</span>

וגזר דין דיחיד תנאי היא דתניא היה רבי מאיר אומר שנים שעלו למטה וחוליין שוה וכן שנים שעלו לגרדום לידון ודינן שוה זה ירד וזה לא ירד זה ניצל וזה לא ניצל

and the other does not get up, one escapes death and the other does not escape death. Why does one get up and the other not? Why does one escape death and the other not?

מפני מה זה ירד וזה לא ירד זה ניצל וזה לא ניצל זה התפלל ונענה וזה התפלל ולא נענה מפני מה זה נענה וזה לא נענה זה התפלל תפלה שלימה נענה וזה לא התפלל תפלה שלימה לא נענה

Because one prayed and was answered, and the other prayed and was not answered. Why was one answered and the other not? One prayed with his whole heart<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'a perfect prayer'.');">³</span>

ר' אלעזר אמר כאן קודם גזר דין כאן לאחר גזר דין רבי יצחק אמר יפה צעקה לאדם בין קודם גזר דין בין לאחר גזר דין

and was therefore answered, the other did not pray with his whole heart and was not answered. R'Eleazar, however, said: The one man was praying before his final sentence had been pronounced [in heaven], the other after his final sentence had been pronounced. R'Isaac said: Supplication<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'cry'.');">⁴</span>

וגזר דין דצבור מי מיקרע והא כתוב אחד אומר (ירמיהו ד, יד) כבסי מרעה לבך וכתיב (ירמיהו ב, כב) כי אם תכבסי בנתר ותרבי לך בורית נכתם עונך לפני מאי לאו כאן קודם גזר דין כאן לאחר גזר דין

is good for a man whether before the final sentence has been pronounced or after. But can the final sentence on a community be rescinded? Have we not one text which says, Wash they heart from wickedness,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jer. IV, 14.');">⁵</span>

לא אידי ואידי לאחר גזר דין ולא קשיא כאן בגזר דין שיש עמו שבועה כאן בגזר דין שאין עמו שבועה

and another which says, For though thou wash thee with nitre and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. II, 22.');">⁶</span> and does not the one text apply before the final sentence is pronounced and the other after? - No; both apply after the final sentence has been pronounced, yet there is no contradiction; in the one case the final sentence has been accompanied by an oath, in the other it has not been accompanied by an oath. This accords with the dictum of R'Samuel B'Ammi.

כדרב שמואל בר אמי דאמר רב שמואל בר אמי ואמרי לה אמר רב שמואל בר נחמני אמר רב יונתן מנין לגזר דין שיש עמו שבועה שאינו נקרע שנאמר (שמואל א ג, יד) [ו] לכן נשבעתי לבית עלי אם יתכפר עון בית עלי בזבח ובמנחה

For R'Samuel B'Ammi (or, as some say R'Samuel B'Nahmani) said in the name of R'Jonathan: How do we know that a final sentence accompanied by an oath is never rescinded? Because it says, Therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Sam. III, 14. vcr');">⁷</span> Raba said: With sacrifice and offering it cannot be expiated, but it can be expiated with Torah.

אמר רבא בזבח ובמנחה אינו מתכפר אבל מתכפר בתורה אביי אמר בזבח ומנחה אינו מתכפר אבל מתכפר בתורה ובגמילות חסדים רבה ואביי מדבית עלי קאתו רבה דעסק בתורה חיה ארבעין שנין אביי דעסק בתורה ובגמילות חסדים חיה שיתין שנין

Abaye said: With sacrifice and offering it cannot be expiated, but it can be expiated with Torah and charitable deeds. Rabbah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Bar Nahmani, the colleague of R. Hisda. V. Tosaf. s.v. .');">⁸</span> and Abaye were of the house of Eli.

תנו רבנן משפחה אחת היתה בירושלים שהיו מתיה מתין בני י"ח שנה באו והודיעו את רבן יוחנן בן זכאי אמר להם שמא ממשפחת עלי אתם דכתיב ביה (שמואל א ב, לג) וכל מרבית ביתך ימותו אנשים לכו ועסקו בתורה וחיו הלכו ועסקו בתורה וחיו והיו קורין אותה משפחת רבן יוחנן על שמו

Rabbah who devoted himself to the Torah lived forty years, Abaye who devoted himself both to the Torah and to charitable deeds lived sixty years.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Forty and sixty are mere round figures, as there is evidence that Rabbah lived more than forty years. The main thing the Talmud wishes to point out is that Abaye lived longer than Rabbah for the reason stated. V. Funk. S., Die Juden in Babylonian II, Note I and cf. A.Z., Sonc. ed., p. 101, n. 6.]');">⁹</span> The Rabbis taught: There was a family in Jerusalem the members of which used to die at the age of eighteen. They came and told Rabban Johanan B'Zaccai.

אמר רב שמואל בר איניא משמיה דרב מניין לגזר דין של צבור שאינו נחתם אינו נחתם והכתיב (ירמיהו ב, כב) נכתם עונך לפני אלא אע"ג שנחתם נקרע שנאמר (דברים ד, ז) כה' אלהינו בכל קראנו אליו

He said to them, Perhaps you are of the family of Eli, to whom it was said, and all the increase of thy house shall die young men.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Sam. II, 33.');">¹⁰</span> Go and study the Torah and you may live. They went and studied the Torah and lived, and they used to call that family the family of Rabban Johanan after his name.

והכתיב (ישעיהו נה, ו) דרשו ה' בהמצאו התם ביחיד הכא בצבור

R'Samuel B'Inia said in the name of Rab: Whence do we know that the final sentence on a community is never sealed? - Never sealed , [you say]? Is it not written, Thine iniquity is marked before me?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jer. II, 22.');">¹¹</span> What he should say is, [How do we know that] although it is sealed it can yet be rescinded?

ביחיד אימת אמר רבה בר אבוה אלו עשרה ימים שבין ר"ה ליוה"כ (שמואל א כה, לח) ויהי כעשרת הימים ויגף ה' את נבל [י' ימים] מאי עבידתייהו אמר רב יהודה אמר רב כנגד עשר לגימות שנתן נבל לעבדי דוד (אמר) רב נחמן אמר רבה בר אבוה אלו י' ימים שבין ר"ה ליוה"כ:

Because it says, as the Lord our God is whenever we call upon him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. IV, 7.');">¹²</span> But it is written, Seek ye the Lord while he may be found?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. LV, 6. This implies that God cannot always be found.');">¹³</span> - This verse speaks of an individual, the other of community.

בר"ה כל באי העולם עוברין לפניו כבני מרון: מאי כבני מרון הכא תרגימו כבני אמרנא ריש לקיש אמר כמעלות בית מרון (אמר) רב יהודה אמר שמואל כחיילות של בית דוד

When can an individual [find God]? - Rabbah B'Abbuha said: These are the ten days between New Year and the Day of Atonement. And it came to pass after the ten days that the Lord smote Nabal.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Sam. XXV, 38. The question is suggested by the use of the definite article with the word 'ten'.');">¹⁴</span> How come these ten days here? - Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: They correspond to the ten dishes which Nabal gave to the servants of David.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' David sent to Nabal ten young men (I Sam. XXV, 5) , and Nabal according to tradition gave them each one meal. This hospitable act secured for him some respite. iurn');">¹⁵</span>

אמר רבב"ח א"ר יוחנן וכולן נסקרין בסקירה אחת אמר ר"נ בר יצחק אף אנן נמי תנינא (תהלים לג, טו) היוצר יחד לבם המבין אל כל מעשיהם מאי קאמר אילימא ה"ק דברנהו לכולי עלמא ומייחד לבייהו כהדדי והא קא חזינן דלאו הכי הוא אלא לאו הכי קאמר היוצר רואה יחד לבם ומבין אל כל מעשיהם:

R'Nahman said in the name of Rabbah B'Abbuha: These are the ten days between New Year and the Day of Atonement. ON NEW YEAR ALL MANKIND PASS BEFORE HIM LIKE CHILDREN OF MARON.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' . trnt');">¹⁶</span> What is the meaning of the expression 'like children of Maron'? - In Babylon it was translated, 'like a flock of sheep'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Passing through a wicket to be counted one by one. The word 'maron' is here connected with the Aramaic , a sheep.');">¹⁷</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> על ששה חדשים השלוחין יוצאין על ניסן מפני הפסח על אב מפני התענית על אלול מפני ר"ה על תשרי מפני תקנת המועדות על כסליו מפני חנוכה ועל אדר מפני הפורים

Resh Lakish said: As [in] the ascent of Beth Maron.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Var. lec. Beth Horon. A narrow pass where wayfarers had to proceed in single file. ,urn ihrnub');">¹⁸</span> Rab Judah said in the name of Samuel: Like the troops of the house of David.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which pass in review one by one. The word 'maron' is here connected with , 'lordship'. [Cf. the reading of the Vienna MS.:');">¹⁹</span> Rabbah B'Bar Hanah said in the name of R'Johanan: [All the same] they are all viewed with a simple glance.

וכשהיה בהמ"ק קיים יוצאין אף על אייר מפני פסח קטן

R'Nahman B'Isaac said: We also have learnt the same idea: He that fashioneth the hearts of them all, that considereth all their doings.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XXXIII, 15.');">²⁰</span> What does this mean? Shall I say that it means this, that [God] has created all creatures and unites all their hearts together?

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> וליפקו נמי אתמוז וטבת

But we see that this is not so! No; what it means is this: 'The Creator sees<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This word being supplied from 'beholdeth' in v. 13.');">²¹</span> their hearts together and considereth all their doings'. <big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>THERE ARE SIX NEW MOONS TO REPORT WHICH<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., to report whether the Beth din in Jerusalem have made the New Moon on the thirtieth or the thirty-first day after the preceding New Moon. Lit., 'for six months'.');">²²</span> MESSENGERS GO FORTH [FROM JERUSALEM<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As soon as the New Moon has been declared, on the twenty-ninth or the thirtieth day as the case may be.');">²³</span> TO THE DIASPORA]. [THE NEW MOON] OF NISAN ON ACCOUNT OF PASSOVER,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that before Passover arrives the Jews in the Diaspora will know which day is the fifteenth.');">²⁴</span> OF AB<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' There is no need for them to go on Sivan, because the date of Pentecost is known from the counting of the 'Omer.');">²⁵</span> ON ACCOUNT OF THE FAST,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The ninth of Ab.');">²⁶</span> OF ELUL ON ACCOUNT OF NEW YEAR,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Knowing the New Moon of Elul, the Jews of the Diaspora will fix New Year thirty days later, Elul usually having twenty-nine days, though there is still a risk that the Beth din may in any particular year declare Elul to have thirty.');">²⁷</span> OF TISHRI FOR THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE FESTIVALS,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., the Day of Atonement and Tabernacles, about which they could not be any more sure than about New Year.');">²⁸</span> OF KISLEV ON ACCOUNT OF HANUKAH,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which commences on Kislev 25.');">²⁹</span> AND OF ADAR ON ACCOUNT OF PURIM.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Adar the 14th.');">³⁰</span> WHEN THE TEMPLE STOOD, THEY USED ALSO TO GO FORTH TO REPORT IYAR ON ACCOUNT OF THE LESSER PASSOVER.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Passover for the unclean, kept on the fourteenth of Iyar. V. Num. IX, 1-14.');">³¹</span> <big><b>GEMARA: </b></big>Why should they not also go forth to report Tammuz and Tebeth<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On account of the fasts of the seventeenth of Tammuz and the tenth of Tebeth.');">³²</span>