Rosh Hashanah 62

ומיבנה לאושא ומאושא ליבנה ומיבנה לאושא ומאושא לשפרעם ומשפרעם לבית שערים ומבית שערים לצפורי ומצפורי לטבריא וטבריא עמוקה מכולן שנאמר (ישעיהו כט, ד) ושפלת מארץ תדברי

and from Jabneh to Usha,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This was in the time of Rabban Gamaliel II.');">¹</span> and from Usha [back] to Jabneh, and from Jabneh [back] to Usha, and from Usha to Shefar'am,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The last three in the time of R. Simeon b. Gamaliel. [The Sanhedrin met at Usha mostly after the Hadrianic persecutions, and apparently ceased functioning during the reign of Verus, and re-established in Shefar'am under Marcus Aurelius; v. Horowitz, Palestine, p. 34.]');">²</span> and from Shefar'am to Beth She'arim, and from Beth She'arim to Sepphoris, and from Sepphoris to Tiberias;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The last three were in the time of Rabbi.');">³</span>

רבי אלעזר אומר שש גלות שנאמר (ישעיהו כו, ה) כי השח יושבי מרום קריה נשגבה ישפילנה ישפילה עד ארץ יגיענה עד עפר א"ר יוחנן ומשם עתידין ליגאל שנאמר (ישעיהו נב, ב) התנערי מעפר קומי שבי:

and Tiberias is the lowest-lying of them all,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Being on Lake Galilee below sea-level. This is a figurative way of saying that at Tiberias the authority of the Sanhedrin sank to its lowest level.');">⁴</span> as it says, And brought down thou shalt speak out of the ground.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XXIX, 4.');">⁵</span> R'Eleazar says: There were six banishments, as it says, For he hath brought down them that dwell on high, the lofty city, laying it low, laying it low even to the ground, bringing it even to th dust.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXVI, 5. The six are (i) he hath brought down, (ii) laying it low, (iii) laying it low, (iv) even to the ground, (v) bringing it, (vi) even to the dust.');">⁶</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> אמר ר' יהושע בן קרחה ועוד זאת התקין רבן יוחנן בן זכאי שאפילו ראש בית דין בכל מקום שלא יהו העדים הולכין אלא למקום הוועד:

Said R'Johanan: And from there they are destined to be redeemed, as it says, Shake thyself from the dust, arise.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. LII, 2.');">⁷</span> <big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>R'JOSHUA B. KORHA SAID: THIS FURTHER REGULATION DID R'JOHANAN B. ZACCAI MAKE, THAT SHOULD THE HEAD OF THE BETH DIN BE IN SOME OTHER PLACE THE WITNESSES SHOULD STILL PROCEED ONLY TO THE PLACE OF THE ASSEMBLY.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And the Beth din should declare the New Moon hallowed without the head, though by rights this was his privilege, v. sura 24a. tjh,p');">⁸</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> ההיא איתתא דאזמנוה לדינא קמיה דאמימר בנהרדעי אזל אמימר למחוזא ולא אזלה בתריה כתב פתיחא עילווה אמר ליה רב אשי לאמימר והא אנן תנן אפילו ראש בית דין בכל מקום שלא יהו העדים הולכין אלא למקום הוועד

<big><b>GEMARA: </b></big>A certain woman was summoned to appear before Amemar in Nehardea. Meanwhile Amemar went to Mahuza, but she did not follow him. He accordingly wrote out a summons [under the penalty of the ban]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Heb. lit., 'opening' of legal proceedings.');">⁹</span>

א"ל הנ"מ לענין עדות החדש דא"כ נמצאת מכשילן לעתיד לבא אבל הכא (משלי כב, ז) עבד לוה לאיש מלוה

against her. Said R'Ashi to Amemar: [Is this right] seeing that we have learnt: SHOULD THE HEAD OF THE BETH DIN BE IN SOME OTHER PLACE THE WITNESSES SHOULD STILL PROCEED ONLY TO THE PLACE OF THE ASSEMBLY? - He replied: This refers only to the testimony with regard to the new moon, and [the reason for it is that] if this<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., that they should go after the head.');">¹⁰</span> [were to be insisted on], the result might be to put a stumbling block in their way for the future;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As the messengers will refrain from going to all this trouble in order to give evidence.');">¹¹</span>

ת"ר אין כהנים רשאין לעלות בסנדליהן לדוכן וזו אחד מתשע תקנות שהתקין ריב"ז שית דהאי פירקא וחדא דפירקא קמא

but in this case, the borrower is a servant to the lender.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Quoted from Prov. XXII, 7.');">¹²</span> Our Rabbis have taught: 'The priests are not permitted to ascend the duchan<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos.');">¹³</span> in their sandals, and this i one of the nine regulations laid down by Rabban Johanan B'Zaccai'.

ואידך דתני' גר שנתגייר בזמן הזה צריך שיפריש רובע לקינו אמר רשב"א כבר נמנה עליה רבן יוחנן וביטלה מפני התקלה

[What are these nine? ] - Six mentioned in this chapter<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., (i) that the shofar should be blown on Sabbath wherever there is a Beth din, (ii) that the lulab should be taken in the provinces seven days, (iii) that new corn should be forbidden the whole of the sixteenth of Nisan, (iv) that testimony with regard to the new moon should be received the whole day, (v) that witnesses should go only to the place of assembly, (vi) and that the priests should not ascend the duchan in their sandals. [Read with R. Hananel: 'One, the one (first stated) , five in this chapter'.]');">¹⁴</span> and one in the preceding chapter<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the witnesses should be allowed to profane Sabbath only for Nisan and Tishri, v. supra 21b.');">¹⁵</span> and the following one, as it has been taught: 'One who becomes a proselyte at the present time<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., when there is no Temple. gcur');">¹⁶</span>

ואידך פלוגתא דרב פפא ורב נחמן בר יצחק רב פפא אמר כרם רבעי רב נחמן בר יצחק אמר לשון של זהורית

must set aside a quarter<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It is not certain whether this means a quarter of a shekel (== half a denar) or a quarter of a denar. V. Tosaf. s.v. .');">¹⁷</span> for a nest of pigeons'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' While the Temple stood a new convert had to bring a sacrifice (v. Ker. 9a) , a couple of pigeons being the smallest, and after the destruction of the Temple the Rabbis still insisted on his bringing them in case the Temple should be rebuilt.');">¹⁸</span> Said R'Simeon B'Eleazar: Rabban Johanan took a vote on it and annulled this rule, because it may lead to wrongdoing.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because the money set aside might be used for secular purposes.');">¹⁹</span>

רב פפא אמר כרם רבעי (דתניא) כרם רבעי היה עולה לירושלים מהלך יום לכל צד וזו היא תחומה אילת מן (הצפון) ועקרבת מן (הדרום) לוד מן המערב וירדן מן המזרח

As to the last,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'and the other'.');">²⁰</span> there is a difference of opinion between R'Papa and R'Nahman B'Isaac. R'Papa said it was [the regulation] regarding a vine of the fourth year, whereas R'Nahman B'Isaac said it was the one regarding the thread<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., tongue'. The explanation follows immediately.');">²¹</span>

ואמר עולא ואיתימא רבה בר עולא א"ר יוחנן מה טעם כדי לעטר שוקי ירושלים בפירות

of scarlet. R'Papa said it was the regulation regarding the vine of the fourth year', for we have learnt: [The fruit of] a vine in the fourth year was taken to Jerusalem from any point within a day's journey on all sides.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' According to Lev. XIX, 24 fruit produced by a tree in its fourth year was to be 'holy for giving praise to the Lord' and the Rabbis interpreted this to mean that it was to be consumed in Jerusalem. If, however, the tree was not in the Jerusalem district, the money value of the fruit could be taken to Jerusalem instead of the fruit itself.');">²²</span> The boundary of this area was as follows: Elath on the north, Akrabath on the south,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Mishnah M.Sh. V, 2 reverses: Elath on the south, Akrabath on the north. Akrabath is perhaps the modern Akrabah twenty-five miles north of Jerusalem, and Elath is identified with (a) Eleutheropolis (Horowitz, Palestine, p. 41) (b) Beth Elonim near Hebron (Klein, D.J. s.v.) .]');">²³</span>

ותניא כרם רבעי היה לו לרבי אליעזר במזרח לוד בצד כפר טבי וביקש ר' אליעזר להפקירו לעניים

Lydda on the west, and Jordan on the east'. [In reference to this] 'Ulla (or as some say, Rabbah B''Ulla) said in the name of R'Johanan: What was the reason? To decorate the streets of Jerusalem with fruit.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence all this area was put by the Rabbis under the same rule as Jerusalem itself.');">²⁴</span>

אמרו לו תלמידיו רבי כבר נמנו חבריך עליו והתירוהו מאן חבריך רבן יוחנן בן זכאי

It has been further taught: R'Eliezer had a vine in its fourth year east of Lydda<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., between Lydda and Jerusalem.');">²⁵</span> at the side of Kefar Tabi, and R'Eliezer had a mind to declare it free to the poor,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So as not to have the trouble of taking it to Jerusalem.');">²⁶</span> but his disciples said to him, Rabbi, your colleagues have already taken a vote on it and declared it permitted'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because as there was no longer a Temple, there was no point any more in decorating the streets of Jerusalem.');">²⁷</span>

רב נחמן בר יצחק אמר לשון של זהורית דתניא בראשונה היו קושרין לשון של זהורית על פתח אולם מבחוץ הלבין היו שמחין לא הלבין היו עצבין התקינו שיהו קושרין אותו על פתח אולם מבפנים

Who are his 'colleagues'? - Rabban Johanan B'Zacca. R'Nahman B'Isaac said it was the tongue of scarlet', as it has been taught: 'Originally they used to fast the thread of scarlet on the door of the [Temple] court on the outside.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' After the High Priest had performed the service on the Day of Atonement. V. Yoma, 67a.');">²⁸</span> If it turned white the people used to rejoice,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This being a sign that their sins had been forgiven.');">²⁹</span>

ועדיין היו מציצין ורואין הלבין היו שמחין לא הלבין היו עצבין התקינו שיהו קושרין אותו חציו בסלע וחציו בין קרניו של שעיר המשתלח

and if it did not turn white they were sad. They therefore made a rule that it should be fastened to the door of the court on the inside. People, however, still peeped in and saw, and if it turned white they rejoiced and if it did not turn white they were sad.

רב נחמן בר יצחק מאי טעמא לא אמר כרב פפא אמר לך אי סלקא דעתך רבן יוחנן בן זכאי חבריו דרבי אליעזר מי הוה רבו הוה ואידך כיון דתלמידים הוו לאו אורח ארעא למימרא ליה לרביה רבך

They therefore made a rule that half of it should be fastened to the rock and half between the horns of the goat that was sent [to the wilderness]'. Why did not R'Nahman B'Isaac accept the view of R'Papa? - He could reply: If you assume that it was R'Johanan B'Zaccai [who made the rule about the vine], was he the colleague of R'Eliezer? He was his teacher! [What replies] the other [to this]? - Since they were his disciples [who reported the rule to him], it was not polite of them to say to their teacher, 'your teacher'.

ורב פפא מאי טעמא לא אמר כרב נחמן בר יצחק אמר לך אי ס"ד רבן יוחנן בן זכאי בימי רבן יוחנן בן זכאי מי הוה לשון של זהורית והתניא כל שנותיו של רבן יוחנן בן זכאי מאה ועשרים שנה מ' שנה עסק בפרקמטיא מ' שנה למד מ' שנה לימד

Why did not R'Papa accept the view of R'Nahman B'Isaac? - He could reply: If you assume It was R'Johanan B'Zaccai [who made the rule], was there in the days of R'Johanan B'Zaccai a thread of scarlet [which turned white]? Has it not been taught: R'Johanan B'Zaccai lived altogether a hundred and twenty years. For forty years he was in business, forty years he studied, and forty years he taught', and it has further been taught: 'For forty years before the destruction of the Temple the thread of scarlet never turned white but it remained red'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When then could R Johanan have had an opportunity of making this rule?');">³⁰</span>

ותניא מ' שנה קודם שנחרב הבית לא היה לשון של זהורית מלבין אלא מאדים ותנן משחרב הבית התקין רבן יוחנן בן זכאי ואידך אותם ארבעים שנה דלמד תלמיד יושב לפני רבו הוה ואמר מילתא ואסתבר טעמיה

Further, the statement of the Mishnah is, 'After the destruction of the Temple R'Johanan B'Zaccai made a rule'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This applies presumably to all his rules and regulations.');">³¹</span> [What says] the other [to this]? - During those forty years that he studied<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' While the Temple still existed.');">³²</span> his status was that of a disciple sitting before his teacher, and he would offer a suggestion and make good his reasons