What are the upper and lower limits for arakhin? Does a porr person always give one shekel or does it depend on what he can afford? What if he was poor and then became rich? The next mishnayot discuss other situations with outer limits like a woman who gets confused about whether she is bleeding in her Niddah or zava days – how many days does she need to wait to be sure the next time she bleeds will be Niddah? For how many weeks could a person or a house potentially be “closed” (waiting period) for a priest to determine if it has leprosy?
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Arakhin 8
נָתַן אַרְבַּע לָרִאשׁוֹנָה וְאַחַת לַשְּׁנִיָּה — יְדֵי שְׁנִיָּה יָצָא, יְדֵי רִאשׁוֹנָה לֹא יָצָא, כּוּלְּהוּ מְשַׁעְבְּדָן לְרִאשׁוֹנָה.
By contrast, if he first gave four sela for payment of the first vow and then one sela for payment of the second vow, he has fulfilled his obligation with regard to the second vow, because all he had at that stage was one sela. But he has not fulfilled his obligation with regard to the first vow, because all five sela in his possession were liened for payment of the first vow, and therefore he did not fulfill his obligation by paying only four.
בָּעֵי רַב אַדָּא בַּר אַהֲבָה: הָיוּ בְּיָדוֹ חָמֵשׁ סְלָעִים וְאָמַר ״שֵׁנִי עֶרְכִּי עָלַי״ בְּבַת אַחַת, מַהוּ? כֵּיוָן דִּבְבַת אַחַת נָדַר — כִּי הֲדָדֵי תָּפְסָן, יָהֵיב תַּרְתֵּי וּפַלְגָא לְהַאי וְתַרְתֵּי וּפַלְגָא לְהַאי, אוֹ דִלְמָא כּוּלְּהוּ חַזְיָא לְהַאי וְכוּלְּהוּ חַזְיָא לְהַאי? תֵּיקוּ.
Rav Adda bar Ahava raises a dilemma: If one had in his possession five sela and he said: It is hereby incumbent upon me to donate my valuation twice, and consequently both obligations take effect simultaneously, what is the halakha? One can claim that since he vowed both vows simultaneously, they take effect together, and therefore he gives two and a half sela for this vow and two and a half sela for that vow; or perhaps all of the five sela are fit for this vow and all of them are also fit for that vow, and therefore he must pay five sela for each vow? The Gemara concludes: The dilemma shall stand unresolved.
אֵין בַּעֲרָכִין פָּחוֹת מִסֶּלַע וְלֹא יָתֵר כּוּ׳. הָא תּוּ לְמָה לִי?
§ The mishna teaches at its conclusion that there is no payment of valuations less than a sela; nor is there a payment greater than fifty sela. The Gemara asks: Why do I also need this statement, as this halakha was already stated at the beginning of the mishna?
הָא קָמַשְׁמַע לַן: פָּחוֹת מִסֶּלַע הוּא דְּלֵיכָּא, הָא יָתֵר עַל סֶלַע אִיכָּא; יָתֵר עַל חֲמִשִּׁים הוּא דְּלֵיכָּא, הָא פָּחוֹת מֵחֲמִשִּׁים אִיכָּא, וּסְתָמָא כְּרַבָּנַן.
The Gemara answers: This additional statement teaches us that there is no payment of valuations less than a sela, but, by inference, there is a payment of valuations more than a sela. Similarly, there is no payment of valuations for a sum greater than fifty sela, but there is a payment that is less than fifty sela. And this unattributed statement of the mishna is in accordance with the opinion of the Rabbis, who maintain that if one cannot pay the full amount of the valuation, he pays however much he can afford, even if it is more than a sela, rather than paying only one sela, as stated by Rabbi Meir.
מַתְנִי׳ אֵין ״פֶּתַח בְּטוֹעָה״ פָּחוֹת מִשִּׁבְעָה, וְלֹא יָתֵר עַל שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר.
MISHNA: If a woman experienced a discharge of blood and is unsure whether it was during her days of menstruation or during the eleven days that would render her a zava, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty does not occur in fewer than seven clean days, nor in more than seventeen clean days, depending on the number of days that she experiences the discharge.
גְּמָ׳ תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: טוֹעָה שֶׁאָמְרָה ״יוֹם אֶחָד טָמֵא רָאִיתִי״, פִּתְחָהּ שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר.
GEMARA: The Sages elaborated on the principle of the mishna, as taught in a baraita: With regard to a woman who had a discharge of blood and is unsure whether it was during her days of menstruation or during the eleven days that would render her a zava, who said: I saw one impure day, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for one day, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after seventeen clean days, i.e., seventeen days without any discharge. If her discharge occurred on the first of her days of menstruation, she has another six days of menstruation followed by eleven days of ziva; if she experiences a discharge after these seventeen clean days, she has certainly returned to her days of menstruation. If the initial discharge had been on any of the other days of the seven-day followed by eleven-day cycle, she would return to her days of menstruation after fewer days, but the definitive alleviation of her uncertainty does not occur until seventeen days.
״שְׁנֵי יָמִים טָמֵא רָאִיתִי״ — פִּתְחָהּ שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר.
If she said: I saw two impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for two days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences seventeen clean days. If the two days had been at the beginning of the days of her menstrual cycle, she would begin another menstrual cycle if she experienced her next discharge after sixteen clean days. Yet, there is a possibility that the first day of her discharge was on the last of the eleven days of ziva, and the second day was on the first of the days of her menstrual cycle. In that case, she would return to the beginning of her menstrual cycle only after the six remaining days of menstruation followed by eleven additional days, for a total of seventeen.
״שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים טָמֵא רָאִיתִי״ — פִּתְחָהּ שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר.
If she said: I saw three impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for three days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences seventeen clean days, as it is possible that the first two days of discharge were on the last two of the eleven days of ziva, and the third day of discharge was on the first of the days of her menstrual cycle.
״אַרְבָּעָה יָמִים טָמֵא רָאִיתִי״ — פִּתְחָהּ שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר.
If she said: I saw four impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for four days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences sixteen clean days. This is because the longest possible interval between these days of discharge and the beginning of her next menstrual cycle would occur if the first two days of discharge were at the end of her days of ziva and the other two were at the beginning of the days of her menstrual cycle. She would then require another five days of menstruation and the eleven days of ziva, for a total of sixteen.
״חֲמִשָּׁה יָמִים טָמֵא רָאִיתִי״ — פִּתְחָהּ חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר. ״שִׁשָּׁה יָמִים טָמֵא רָאִיתִי״ — פִּתְחָהּ אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר.
If she said: I saw five impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for five days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences fifteen clean days, to account for the possibility that the first two days of discharge occurred on the last two of the eleven days of ziva and the other three were on her days of her menstrual cycle. If she said: I saw six impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for six days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences fourteen clean days, to account for the possibility that the first two days of discharge occurred at the end of her days of ziva and the other four occurred at the beginning of her days of menstruation.
״שִׁבְעָה יָמִים טָמֵא רָאִיתִי״ — פִּתְחָהּ שְׁלֹשָׁה עָשָׂר.
If she said: I saw seven impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for seven days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences thirteen clean days, to account for the possibility that the first two days of discharge occurred on the last two of the eleven days of ziva and the other five occurred at the beginning of her menstrual cycle. In that case, she would have another two days to conclude her days of menstruation, followed by the eleven days of ziva, before she would start a new menstrual cycle.
״שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים טָמֵא רָאִיתִי״ — פִּתְחָהּ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר.
If she said: I saw eight impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for eight days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences twelve clean days, to account for the possibility that the first two days of discharge occurred on the last two of the eleven days of ziva and the other six occurred at the beginning of her menstrual cycle.
״תִּשְׁעָה יָמִים טָמֵא רָאִיתִי״ — פִּתְחָהּ אַחַד עָשָׂר.
If she said: I saw nine impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for nine days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences eleven clean days, to account for the possibility that the first two days of discharge occurred at the end of her days of ziva and the other seven occurred on the days of her menstrual cycle. In that case, she would have only the eleven days of ziva before beginning a new menstrual cycle.
״עֲשָׂרָה יָמִים טָמֵא רָאִיתִי״ — פִּתְחָהּ עֲשָׂרָה. ״אַחַד עָשָׂר״ — פִּתְחָהּ תִּשְׁעָה.
If she said: I saw ten impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for ten days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences ten clean days, to account for the possibility that the first two days of discharge occurred on the last two of the eleven days of ziva and the other eight occurred on the seven days of her menstrual cycle and one additional day. If she said: I saw eleven impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for eleven days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences nine clean days, to account for the worst-case scenario that the first two days of discharge occurred on the last two of the eleven days of ziva and the other nine occurred on the seven days of her menstrual cycle, followed by two additional days.
״שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר״ — פִּתְחָהּ שְׁמוֹנָה.
If she said: I saw twelve impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for twelve days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences eight clean days, to account for the worst-case scenario that the first two days of discharge occurred on the last two of the eleven days of ziva and the other ten occurred on the seven days of her menstrual cycle and the three subsequent days. If so, she would have another eight days until the end of the full eighteen-day cycle, and when she next experiences a discharge it is the beginning of her new menstrual cycle.
״שְׁלֹשָׁה עָשָׂר״ — פִּתְחָהּ שִׁבְעָה.
If she said: I saw thirteen impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for thirteen days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences seven clean days, to account for the possibility that the first two days of discharge occurred on the last two of the eleven days of ziva and the others occurred on the seven days of her menstrual cycle and the four subsequent days. If so, she would be left with only seven more days until the end of the full eighteen-day cycle, and when she next experiences a discharge it is the beginning of her new menstrual cycle.
שֶׁאֵין פֶּתַח בְּטוֹעָה פָּחוֹת מִשִּׁבְעָה, וְלֹא יָתֵר עַל שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר.
All this shows that there is no alleviation of a woman’s state of uncertainty if she had a discharge of blood and is unsure whether it was during her days of menstruation or during her days of ziva in fewer than seven clean days and in no more than seventeen clean days.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב אַדָּא בַּר אַהֲבָה לְרַבָּה: לְמָה לִי כּוּלֵּי הַאי? תִּימְנֵי שִׁבְעָה וְתִשְׁתְּרֵי!
Rav Adda bar Ahava said to Rabba: Why do I need all of these clean days? Let her count a mere seven clean days and be permitted to her husband. Regardless of whether the bleeding occurred during her days of menstruation or during her days of ziva, a woman can immerse in a ritual bath and become ritually pure and permitted to her husband after a maximum of seven clean days.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לְתַקּוֹנַהּ לִידֵי נִדָּה וּפִתְחָהּ קָאָמְרִינַן.
Rabba said to him: We say that she must experience seventeen clean days only with regard to setting her right concerning her status as a menstruating woman and the alleviation of her state of uncertainty. It is true that a woman can always become permitted to her husband after seven clean days. The discussion in the mishna and baraita concerns the resolution of uncertainty about whether her next discharge of blood will render her a menstruating woman or a zava. This is significant because if she is menstruating she can become ritually pure and permitted to her husband after seven days even if none of them are clean days, whereas if the discharge occurred over one or two days during the eleven days of ziva, she becomes pure after one clean day; and if the bleeding lasts three days or more during that time, she must wait for seven clean days.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: כׇּל הַטּוֹעוֹת זָבוֹת, מְבִיאוֹת קׇרְבָּן וְאֵינוֹ נֶאֱכָל, חוּץ מִפִּתְחָהּ שִׁבְעָה וּפִתְחָהּ שְׁמוֹנָה, שֶׁמְּבִיאוֹת קׇרְבָּן וְנֶאֱכָל.
§ The Sages taught in a baraita: All women who experience a discharge of blood and are unsure whether it is during the days of menstruation or the days of ziva are considered zavot. Therefore, they must bring the offering of a zava, in case they have this status; but it is not eaten by the priests, due to the possibility they were not actually zavot. This is the case for all women, except for a woman who experiences a discharge for thirteen consecutive days, whose alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after seven clean days, and for a woman who experiences a discharge for twelve consecutive days, whose alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after eight clean days. In those two instances, the women bring the offering of a zava and it is eaten by the priests.
אַטּוּ כׇּל הַטּוֹעוֹת זָבוֹת? וְתוּ, יוֹם אֶחָד וּשְׁנֵי יָמִים בַּת אֵיתוֹיֵי קׇרְבָּן הִיא?
The Gemara asks: Is that to say that all women who experience a discharge of blood and are unsure whether it is during the days of menstruation or the days of ziva are considered zavot? It is in fact unknown whether they are menstruating or are zavot. And furthermore, is a woman who experienced a discharge for one day or for two days fit to bring an offering? Only a zava who experienced a discharge for three consecutive days is required to bring an offering.
אֶלָּא, כׇּל זָבוֹת הַטּוֹעוֹת מְבִיאוֹת קׇרְבָּן וְאֵינוֹ נֶאֱכָל, חוּץ מִפִּתְחָהּ שִׁבְעָה, וּפִתְחָהּ שְׁמוֹנָה, שֶׁמְּבִיאוֹת קׇרְבָּן וְנֶאֱכָל.
The Gemara answers: Rather, the baraita means that all zavot, i.e., women who experienced a discharge for three consecutive days, who are unsure whether their discharge took place during the seven days of menstruation or the eleven days of ziva, can become ritually pure after seven clean days, at which point they bring an offering, but it is not eaten by the priests. This, the baraita continues, is the case for all women except for a woman who experiences a discharge for thirteen consecutive days, whose alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after seven clean days, and for a woman who experiences a discharge for twelve consecutive days, whose alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after eight clean days. These women bring the offering of a zava and it is eaten by the priests.
מַתְנִי׳ אֵין בִּנְגָעִים פָּחוֹת מִשָּׁבוּעַ אֶחָד, וְלֹא יָתֵר עַל שְׁלֹשָׁה שְׁבוּעוֹת.
MISHNA: There are symptoms of leprosy that a priest will immediately confirm to be ritually pure or ritually impure, and there are others for which the priest quarantines the leper in order to determine his status. With regard to leprous marks, there is no quarantine that is less than one week and none greater than three weeks.
גְּמָ׳ פָּחוֹת מִשָּׁבוּעַ — נִגְעֵי אָדָם, וְלֹא יָתֵר עַל שְׁלֹשָׁה שְׁבוּעוֹת — נִגְעֵי בָתִּים.
GEMARA: When the mishna states that there is no period of quarantine less than one week, it is referring to leprous marks that affect a person, as the priest issues a definitive decision about leprous symptoms on an inflammation or a burn after one week (see Leviticus 13:18–28). When the mishna states: And none greater than three weeks, it is referring to leprous marks that affect houses, as there are instances when a definitive decision is rendered only after the house has been quarantined for three weeks.
אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: ״צִדְקָתְךָ כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל״ — אֵלּוּ נִגְעֵי אָדָם, ״מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ תְּהוֹם רַבָּה״ — אֵלּוּ נִגְעֵי בָתִּים.
§ Rav Pappa says: In the phrase: “Your benevolence is like the mighty mountains” (Psalms 36:7), these acts of benevolence are referring to leprous marks that affect a person. When God punishes someone with benevolence, He afflicts the individual with leprous symptoms on his body that can be resolved in just one week. When the verse continues with the phrase, “Your judgments are like the great deep,” these judgments are referring to leprous marks that appear on houses, the status of which can take up to three weeks to be determined.
פְּשָׁטֵיהּ דִּקְרָא בְּמַאי כְּתִיב? אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה: אִלְמָלֵא ״צִדְקָתְךָ כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל״ — מִי יוּכַל לַעֲמוֹד לִפְנֵי ״מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ תְּהוֹם רַבָּה״. רַבָּה אָמַר: ״צִדְקָתְךָ כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל״ — מִפְּנֵי שֶׁ״מִּשְׁפָּטֶיךָ תְּהוֹם רַבָּה״.
The Gemara asks: To what does the plain meaning of the aforementioned verse refer? Rav Yehuda said that the plain meaning of the verse is as follows: If not for the fact that Your benevolence is like the mighty mountains, who could withstand Your judgments, which are like the great deep? Rabba says the verse should be understood differently: Your benevolence is like the mighty mountains, because Your judgments are like the great deep.
בְּמַאי קָמִיפַּלְגִי? בִּדְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא, דְּאִיתְּמַר: רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר: כּוֹבֵשׁ, רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא אָמַר: נוֹשֵׂא.
The Gemara asks: With regard to what principle do Rav Yehuda and Rabba disagree? The Gemara answers that they disagree with regard to the dispute between Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, about how God applies His attribute of “abundant in kindness” (Exodus 34:6) when He judges a person whose merits and sins are equal. As it was stated that Rabbi Elazar says: He hides away some sins and does not put them on the scale, thereby allowing the merits to outweigh the sins. Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says: He lifts the side of the scale that holds the sins so that the merits outweigh the sins.
רַבָּה כְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, וְרַב יְהוּדָה כְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא.
The Gemara explains the connection between the two disputes: Rabba holds in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Elazar, and therefore he interprets the verse as saying that God is benevolent because He discards one’s judgments, i.e., sins, by throwing them to the great deep, thereby allowing his merits to outweigh his sins. And Rav Yehuda holds in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, and therefore he interprets the verse to mean that God lifts the side of merits as high as the mighty mountains, and were it not for this act of benevolence no one could stand before God’s judgments, which are like the great deep.
מַתְנִי׳ אֵין פּוֹחֲתִין מֵאַרְבָּעָה חֳדָשִׁים הַמְעוּבָּרִים בְּשָׁנָה, וְלֹא נִרְאָה יָתֵר עַל שְׁמוֹנָה. שְׁתֵּי הַלֶּחֶם אֵין נֶאֱכָלִין פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁנַיִם, וְלֹא יָתֵר עַל שְׁלֹשָׁה. לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים אֵין נֶאֱכָל פָּחוֹת מִתִּשְׁעָה, וְלֹא יָתֵר עַל אַחַד עָשָׂר.
MISHNA: No fewer than four full thirty-day months may be established during the course of a year, and it did not seem appropriate to establish more than eight. The two loaves that are brought to the Temple on Shavuot are eaten by the priests not before the second and not after the third day from when they were baked. The shewbread is eaten not before the ninth day from when it was baked, which is the situation in a regular week when the bread is baked on Friday and eaten on the following Shabbat; and not after the eleventh day, when the two Festival days of Rosh HaShana occur on Thursday and Friday, as the shewbread is baked on Wednesday and not eaten until the following Shabbat.
אִין קָטָן נִימּוֹל פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁמוֹנָה, וְלֹא יָתֵר עַל שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר.
A minor boy is not circumcised before the eighth day after his birth and not after the twelfth day. Normally a newborn is circumcised on his eighth day. If he was born during twilight, which an uncertain period of day or night, he is circumcised on what would be the eighth day of his birth if he is was born at night, which is the ninth day if he was born during the day. If he was born during twilight on Shabbat eve, the circumcision cannot be performed on Friday, as he might have been born on Shabbat and therefore Friday is only the seventh day. And the circumcision cannot be on Shabbat, as perhaps he was born on Friday and only circumcision performed on the eighth day overrides Shabbat. Therefore, it is postponed until after Shabbat. If two days of Rosh HaShana occur on Sunday and Monday, the circumcision is postponed until Tuesday, the twelfth day after birth.
גְּמָ׳ מַאי ״לֹא נִרְאָה יָתֵר עַל שְׁמֹנָה״? אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: לֹא נִרְאָה לַחֲכָמִים לְעַבֵּר יָתֵר עַל שְׁמוֹנָה. מַאי שְׁנָא תִּשְׁעָה דְּלָא? אִם כֵּן
GEMARA: The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the statement of the mishna that it did not seem appropriate to establish more than eight? Rav Huna says: It did not seem appropriate to the Sages to extend more than eight months in a year and establish them as full, thirty-day months. The Gemara asks: What is different about nine months, in that the Sages did not deem it appropriate to establish that many full months in one year? Apparently, the Sages were concerned that if so, i.e., if there were that many full months,
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I graduated college in December 2019 and received a set of shas as a present from my husband. With my long time dream of learning daf yomi, I had no idea that a new cycle was beginning just one month later, in January 2020. I have been learning the daf ever since with Michelle Farber… Through grad school, my first job, my first baby, and all the other incredible journeys over the past few years!
Sigal Spitzer Flamholz
Bronx, United States
3 years ago, I joined Rabbanit Michelle to organize the unprecedented Siyum HaShas event in Jerusalem for thousands of women. The whole experience was so inspiring that I decided then to start learning the daf and see how I would go…. and I’m still at it. I often listen to the Daf on my bike in mornings, surrounded by both the external & the internal beauty of Eretz Yisrael & Am Yisrael!
Lisa Kolodny
Raanana, Israel
In early 2020, I began the process of a stem cell transplant. The required extreme isolation forced me to leave work and normal life but gave me time to delve into Jewish text study. I did not feel isolated. I began Daf Yomi at the start of this cycle, with family members joining me online from my hospital room. I’ve used my newly granted time to to engage, grow and connect through this learning.
Reena Slovin
Worcester, United States
What a great experience to learn with Rabbanit Michelle Farber. I began with this cycle in January 2020 and have been comforted by the consistency and energy of this process throughout the isolation period of Covid. Week by week, I feel like I am exploring a treasure chest with sparkling gems and puzzling antiquities. The hunt is exhilarating.
Marian Frankston
Pennsylvania, United States
While vacationing in San Diego, Rabbi Leah Herz asked if I’d be interested in being in hevruta with her to learn Daf Yomi through Hadran. Why not? I had loved learning Gemara in college in 1971 but hadn’t returned. With the onset of covid, Daf Yomi and Rabbanit Michelle centered me each day. Thank-you for helping me grow and enter this amazing world of learning.
Meryll Page
Minneapolis, MN, United States
Hearing and reading about the siyumim at the completion of the 13 th cycle Daf Yomi asked our shul rabbi about starting the Daf – he directed me to another shiur in town he thought would allow a woman to join, and so I did! Love seeing the sources for the Divrei Torah I’ve been hearing for the past decades of living an observant life and raising 5 children .
Jill Felder
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
In early January of 2020, I learned about Siyyum HaShas and Daf Yomi via Tablet Magazine’s brief daily podcast about the Daf. I found it compelling and fascinating. Soon I discovered Hadran; since then I have learned the Daf daily with Rabbanit Michelle Cohen Farber. The Daf has permeated my every hour, and has transformed and magnified my place within the Jewish Universe.
Lisa Berkelhammer
San Francisco, CA , United States
With Rabbanit Dr. Naomi Cohen in the Women’s Talmud class, over 30 years ago. It was a “known” class and it was accepted, because of who taught. Since then I have also studied with Avigail Gross-Gelman and Dr. Gabriel Hazut for about a year). Years ago, in a shiur in my shul, I did know about Persians doing 3 things with their clothes on. They opened the shiur to woman after that!
Sharon Mink
Haifa, Israel
I began daf yomi in January 2020 with Brachot. I had made aliya 6 months before, and one of my post-aliya goals was to complete a full cycle. As a life-long Tanach teacher, I wanted to swim from one side of the Yam shel Torah to the other. Daf yomi was also my sanity through COVID. It was the way to marking the progression of time, and feel that I could grow and accomplish while time stopped.
Leah Herzog
Givat Zev, Israel
I LOVE learning the Daf. I started with Shabbat. I join the morning Zoom with Reb Michelle and it totally grounds my day. When Corona hit us in Israel, I decided that I would use the Daf to keep myself sane, especially during the days when we could not venture out more than 300 m from our home. Now my husband and I have so much new material to talk about! It really is the best part of my day!
Batsheva Pava
Hashmonaim, Israel
When we heard that R. Michelle was starting daf yomi, my 11-year-old suggested that I go. Little did she know that she would lose me every morning from then on. I remember standing at the Farbers’ door, almost too shy to enter. After that first class, I said that I would come the next day but couldn’t commit to more. A decade later, I still look forward to learning from R. Michelle every morning.
Ruth Leah Kahan
Ra’anana, Israel
I heard the new Daf Yomi cycle was starting and I was curious, so I searched online for a women’s class and was pleasently surprised to find Rabanit Michelle’s great class reviews in many online articles. It has been a splendid journey. It is a way to fill my days with Torah, learning so many amazing things I have never heard before during my Tanach learning at High School. Thanks so much .
Martha Tarazi
Panama, Panama
Years ago, I attended the local Siyum HaShas with my high school class. It was inspiring! Through that cycle and the next one, I studied masekhtot on my own and then did “daf yomi practice.” The amazing Hadran Siyum HaShas event firmed my resolve to “really do” Daf Yomi this time. It has become a family goal. We’ve supported each other through challenges, and now we’re at the Siyum of Seder Moed!
Elisheva Brauner
Jerusalem, Israel
I started learning daf yomi at the beginning of this cycle. As the pandemic evolved, it’s been so helpful to me to have this discipline every morning to listen to the daf podcast after I’ve read the daf; learning about the relationships between the rabbis and the ways they were constructing our Jewish religion after the destruction of the Temple. I’m grateful to be on this journey!
Mona Fishbane
Teaneck NJ, United States
I started last year after completing the Pesach Sugiyot class. Masechet Yoma might seem like a difficult set of topics, but for me made Yom Kippur and the Beit HaMikdash come alive. Liturgy I’d always had trouble connecting with took on new meaning as I gained a sense of real people moving through specific spaces in particular ways. It was the perfect introduction; I am so grateful for Hadran!
Debbie Engelen-Eigles
Minnesota, United States
It has been a pleasure keeping pace with this wonderful and scholarly group of women.
Janice Block
Beit Shemesh, Israel
I read Ilana Kurshan’s “If All the Seas Were Ink” which inspired me. Then the Women’s Siyum in Jerusalem in 2020 convinced me, I knew I had to join! I have loved it- it’s been a constant in my life daily, many of the sugiyot connect to our lives. My family and friends all are so supportive. It’s incredible being part of this community and love how diverse it is! I am so excited to learn more!
Shira Jacobowitz
Jerusalem, Israel
I learned Talmud as a student in Yeshivat Ramaz and felt at the time that Talmud wasn’t for me. After reading Ilana Kurshan’s book I was intrigued and after watching the great siyum in Yerushalayim it ignited the spark to begin this journey. It has been a transformative life experience for me as a wife, mother, Savta and member of Klal Yisrael.
Elana Storch
Phoenix, Arizona, United States
My curiosity was peaked after seeing posts about the end of the last cycle. I am always looking for opportunities to increase my Jewish literacy & I am someone that is drawn to habit and consistency. Dinnertime includes a “Guess what I learned on the daf” segment for my husband and 18 year old twins. I also love the feelings of connection with my colleagues who are also learning.
Diana Bloom
Tampa, United States
I learned daf more off than on 40 years ago. At the beginning of the current cycle, I decided to commit to learning daf regularly. Having Rabanit Michelle available as a learning partner has been amazing. Sometimes I learn with Hadran, sometimes with my husband, and sometimes on my own. It’s been fun to be part of an extended learning community.
Miriam Pollack
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Arakhin 8
נָתַן אַרְבַּע לָרִאשׁוֹנָה וְאַחַת לַשְּׁנִיָּה — יְדֵי שְׁנִיָּה יָצָא, יְדֵי רִאשׁוֹנָה לֹא יָצָא, כּוּלְּהוּ מְשַׁעְבְּדָן לְרִאשׁוֹנָה.
By contrast, if he first gave four sela for payment of the first vow and then one sela for payment of the second vow, he has fulfilled his obligation with regard to the second vow, because all he had at that stage was one sela. But he has not fulfilled his obligation with regard to the first vow, because all five sela in his possession were liened for payment of the first vow, and therefore he did not fulfill his obligation by paying only four.
בָּעֵי רַב אַדָּא בַּר אַהֲבָה: הָיוּ בְּיָדוֹ חָמֵשׁ סְלָעִים וְאָמַר ״שֵׁנִי עֶרְכִּי עָלַי״ בְּבַת אַחַת, מַהוּ? כֵּיוָן דִּבְבַת אַחַת נָדַר — כִּי הֲדָדֵי תָּפְסָן, יָהֵיב תַּרְתֵּי וּפַלְגָא לְהַאי וְתַרְתֵּי וּפַלְגָא לְהַאי, אוֹ דִלְמָא כּוּלְּהוּ חַזְיָא לְהַאי וְכוּלְּהוּ חַזְיָא לְהַאי? תֵּיקוּ.
Rav Adda bar Ahava raises a dilemma: If one had in his possession five sela and he said: It is hereby incumbent upon me to donate my valuation twice, and consequently both obligations take effect simultaneously, what is the halakha? One can claim that since he vowed both vows simultaneously, they take effect together, and therefore he gives two and a half sela for this vow and two and a half sela for that vow; or perhaps all of the five sela are fit for this vow and all of them are also fit for that vow, and therefore he must pay five sela for each vow? The Gemara concludes: The dilemma shall stand unresolved.
אֵין בַּעֲרָכִין פָּחוֹת מִסֶּלַע וְלֹא יָתֵר כּוּ׳. הָא תּוּ לְמָה לִי?
§ The mishna teaches at its conclusion that there is no payment of valuations less than a sela; nor is there a payment greater than fifty sela. The Gemara asks: Why do I also need this statement, as this halakha was already stated at the beginning of the mishna?
הָא קָמַשְׁמַע לַן: פָּחוֹת מִסֶּלַע הוּא דְּלֵיכָּא, הָא יָתֵר עַל סֶלַע אִיכָּא; יָתֵר עַל חֲמִשִּׁים הוּא דְּלֵיכָּא, הָא פָּחוֹת מֵחֲמִשִּׁים אִיכָּא, וּסְתָמָא כְּרַבָּנַן.
The Gemara answers: This additional statement teaches us that there is no payment of valuations less than a sela, but, by inference, there is a payment of valuations more than a sela. Similarly, there is no payment of valuations for a sum greater than fifty sela, but there is a payment that is less than fifty sela. And this unattributed statement of the mishna is in accordance with the opinion of the Rabbis, who maintain that if one cannot pay the full amount of the valuation, he pays however much he can afford, even if it is more than a sela, rather than paying only one sela, as stated by Rabbi Meir.
מַתְנִי׳ אֵין ״פֶּתַח בְּטוֹעָה״ פָּחוֹת מִשִּׁבְעָה, וְלֹא יָתֵר עַל שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר.
MISHNA: If a woman experienced a discharge of blood and is unsure whether it was during her days of menstruation or during the eleven days that would render her a zava, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty does not occur in fewer than seven clean days, nor in more than seventeen clean days, depending on the number of days that she experiences the discharge.
גְּמָ׳ תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: טוֹעָה שֶׁאָמְרָה ״יוֹם אֶחָד טָמֵא רָאִיתִי״, פִּתְחָהּ שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר.
GEMARA: The Sages elaborated on the principle of the mishna, as taught in a baraita: With regard to a woman who had a discharge of blood and is unsure whether it was during her days of menstruation or during the eleven days that would render her a zava, who said: I saw one impure day, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for one day, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after seventeen clean days, i.e., seventeen days without any discharge. If her discharge occurred on the first of her days of menstruation, she has another six days of menstruation followed by eleven days of ziva; if she experiences a discharge after these seventeen clean days, she has certainly returned to her days of menstruation. If the initial discharge had been on any of the other days of the seven-day followed by eleven-day cycle, she would return to her days of menstruation after fewer days, but the definitive alleviation of her uncertainty does not occur until seventeen days.
״שְׁנֵי יָמִים טָמֵא רָאִיתִי״ — פִּתְחָהּ שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר.
If she said: I saw two impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for two days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences seventeen clean days. If the two days had been at the beginning of the days of her menstrual cycle, she would begin another menstrual cycle if she experienced her next discharge after sixteen clean days. Yet, there is a possibility that the first day of her discharge was on the last of the eleven days of ziva, and the second day was on the first of the days of her menstrual cycle. In that case, she would return to the beginning of her menstrual cycle only after the six remaining days of menstruation followed by eleven additional days, for a total of seventeen.
״שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים טָמֵא רָאִיתִי״ — פִּתְחָהּ שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר.
If she said: I saw three impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for three days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences seventeen clean days, as it is possible that the first two days of discharge were on the last two of the eleven days of ziva, and the third day of discharge was on the first of the days of her menstrual cycle.
״אַרְבָּעָה יָמִים טָמֵא רָאִיתִי״ — פִּתְחָהּ שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר.
If she said: I saw four impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for four days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences sixteen clean days. This is because the longest possible interval between these days of discharge and the beginning of her next menstrual cycle would occur if the first two days of discharge were at the end of her days of ziva and the other two were at the beginning of the days of her menstrual cycle. She would then require another five days of menstruation and the eleven days of ziva, for a total of sixteen.
״חֲמִשָּׁה יָמִים טָמֵא רָאִיתִי״ — פִּתְחָהּ חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר. ״שִׁשָּׁה יָמִים טָמֵא רָאִיתִי״ — פִּתְחָהּ אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר.
If she said: I saw five impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for five days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences fifteen clean days, to account for the possibility that the first two days of discharge occurred on the last two of the eleven days of ziva and the other three were on her days of her menstrual cycle. If she said: I saw six impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for six days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences fourteen clean days, to account for the possibility that the first two days of discharge occurred at the end of her days of ziva and the other four occurred at the beginning of her days of menstruation.
״שִׁבְעָה יָמִים טָמֵא רָאִיתִי״ — פִּתְחָהּ שְׁלֹשָׁה עָשָׂר.
If she said: I saw seven impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for seven days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences thirteen clean days, to account for the possibility that the first two days of discharge occurred on the last two of the eleven days of ziva and the other five occurred at the beginning of her menstrual cycle. In that case, she would have another two days to conclude her days of menstruation, followed by the eleven days of ziva, before she would start a new menstrual cycle.
״שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים טָמֵא רָאִיתִי״ — פִּתְחָהּ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר.
If she said: I saw eight impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for eight days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences twelve clean days, to account for the possibility that the first two days of discharge occurred on the last two of the eleven days of ziva and the other six occurred at the beginning of her menstrual cycle.
״תִּשְׁעָה יָמִים טָמֵא רָאִיתִי״ — פִּתְחָהּ אַחַד עָשָׂר.
If she said: I saw nine impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for nine days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences eleven clean days, to account for the possibility that the first two days of discharge occurred at the end of her days of ziva and the other seven occurred on the days of her menstrual cycle. In that case, she would have only the eleven days of ziva before beginning a new menstrual cycle.
״עֲשָׂרָה יָמִים טָמֵא רָאִיתִי״ — פִּתְחָהּ עֲשָׂרָה. ״אַחַד עָשָׂר״ — פִּתְחָהּ תִּשְׁעָה.
If she said: I saw ten impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for ten days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences ten clean days, to account for the possibility that the first two days of discharge occurred on the last two of the eleven days of ziva and the other eight occurred on the seven days of her menstrual cycle and one additional day. If she said: I saw eleven impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for eleven days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences nine clean days, to account for the worst-case scenario that the first two days of discharge occurred on the last two of the eleven days of ziva and the other nine occurred on the seven days of her menstrual cycle, followed by two additional days.
״שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר״ — פִּתְחָהּ שְׁמוֹנָה.
If she said: I saw twelve impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for twelve days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences eight clean days, to account for the worst-case scenario that the first two days of discharge occurred on the last two of the eleven days of ziva and the other ten occurred on the seven days of her menstrual cycle and the three subsequent days. If so, she would have another eight days until the end of the full eighteen-day cycle, and when she next experiences a discharge it is the beginning of her new menstrual cycle.
״שְׁלֹשָׁה עָשָׂר״ — פִּתְחָהּ שִׁבְעָה.
If she said: I saw thirteen impure days, i.e., I had a discharge of blood for thirteen days, the alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after she experiences seven clean days, to account for the possibility that the first two days of discharge occurred on the last two of the eleven days of ziva and the others occurred on the seven days of her menstrual cycle and the four subsequent days. If so, she would be left with only seven more days until the end of the full eighteen-day cycle, and when she next experiences a discharge it is the beginning of her new menstrual cycle.
שֶׁאֵין פֶּתַח בְּטוֹעָה פָּחוֹת מִשִּׁבְעָה, וְלֹא יָתֵר עַל שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר.
All this shows that there is no alleviation of a woman’s state of uncertainty if she had a discharge of blood and is unsure whether it was during her days of menstruation or during her days of ziva in fewer than seven clean days and in no more than seventeen clean days.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב אַדָּא בַּר אַהֲבָה לְרַבָּה: לְמָה לִי כּוּלֵּי הַאי? תִּימְנֵי שִׁבְעָה וְתִשְׁתְּרֵי!
Rav Adda bar Ahava said to Rabba: Why do I need all of these clean days? Let her count a mere seven clean days and be permitted to her husband. Regardless of whether the bleeding occurred during her days of menstruation or during her days of ziva, a woman can immerse in a ritual bath and become ritually pure and permitted to her husband after a maximum of seven clean days.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לְתַקּוֹנַהּ לִידֵי נִדָּה וּפִתְחָהּ קָאָמְרִינַן.
Rabba said to him: We say that she must experience seventeen clean days only with regard to setting her right concerning her status as a menstruating woman and the alleviation of her state of uncertainty. It is true that a woman can always become permitted to her husband after seven clean days. The discussion in the mishna and baraita concerns the resolution of uncertainty about whether her next discharge of blood will render her a menstruating woman or a zava. This is significant because if she is menstruating she can become ritually pure and permitted to her husband after seven days even if none of them are clean days, whereas if the discharge occurred over one or two days during the eleven days of ziva, she becomes pure after one clean day; and if the bleeding lasts three days or more during that time, she must wait for seven clean days.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: כׇּל הַטּוֹעוֹת זָבוֹת, מְבִיאוֹת קׇרְבָּן וְאֵינוֹ נֶאֱכָל, חוּץ מִפִּתְחָהּ שִׁבְעָה וּפִתְחָהּ שְׁמוֹנָה, שֶׁמְּבִיאוֹת קׇרְבָּן וְנֶאֱכָל.
§ The Sages taught in a baraita: All women who experience a discharge of blood and are unsure whether it is during the days of menstruation or the days of ziva are considered zavot. Therefore, they must bring the offering of a zava, in case they have this status; but it is not eaten by the priests, due to the possibility they were not actually zavot. This is the case for all women, except for a woman who experiences a discharge for thirteen consecutive days, whose alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after seven clean days, and for a woman who experiences a discharge for twelve consecutive days, whose alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after eight clean days. In those two instances, the women bring the offering of a zava and it is eaten by the priests.
אַטּוּ כׇּל הַטּוֹעוֹת זָבוֹת? וְתוּ, יוֹם אֶחָד וּשְׁנֵי יָמִים בַּת אֵיתוֹיֵי קׇרְבָּן הִיא?
The Gemara asks: Is that to say that all women who experience a discharge of blood and are unsure whether it is during the days of menstruation or the days of ziva are considered zavot? It is in fact unknown whether they are menstruating or are zavot. And furthermore, is a woman who experienced a discharge for one day or for two days fit to bring an offering? Only a zava who experienced a discharge for three consecutive days is required to bring an offering.
אֶלָּא, כׇּל זָבוֹת הַטּוֹעוֹת מְבִיאוֹת קׇרְבָּן וְאֵינוֹ נֶאֱכָל, חוּץ מִפִּתְחָהּ שִׁבְעָה, וּפִתְחָהּ שְׁמוֹנָה, שֶׁמְּבִיאוֹת קׇרְבָּן וְנֶאֱכָל.
The Gemara answers: Rather, the baraita means that all zavot, i.e., women who experienced a discharge for three consecutive days, who are unsure whether their discharge took place during the seven days of menstruation or the eleven days of ziva, can become ritually pure after seven clean days, at which point they bring an offering, but it is not eaten by the priests. This, the baraita continues, is the case for all women except for a woman who experiences a discharge for thirteen consecutive days, whose alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after seven clean days, and for a woman who experiences a discharge for twelve consecutive days, whose alleviation of her state of uncertainty occurs after eight clean days. These women bring the offering of a zava and it is eaten by the priests.
מַתְנִי׳ אֵין בִּנְגָעִים פָּחוֹת מִשָּׁבוּעַ אֶחָד, וְלֹא יָתֵר עַל שְׁלֹשָׁה שְׁבוּעוֹת.
MISHNA: There are symptoms of leprosy that a priest will immediately confirm to be ritually pure or ritually impure, and there are others for which the priest quarantines the leper in order to determine his status. With regard to leprous marks, there is no quarantine that is less than one week and none greater than three weeks.
גְּמָ׳ פָּחוֹת מִשָּׁבוּעַ — נִגְעֵי אָדָם, וְלֹא יָתֵר עַל שְׁלֹשָׁה שְׁבוּעוֹת — נִגְעֵי בָתִּים.
GEMARA: When the mishna states that there is no period of quarantine less than one week, it is referring to leprous marks that affect a person, as the priest issues a definitive decision about leprous symptoms on an inflammation or a burn after one week (see Leviticus 13:18–28). When the mishna states: And none greater than three weeks, it is referring to leprous marks that affect houses, as there are instances when a definitive decision is rendered only after the house has been quarantined for three weeks.
אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: ״צִדְקָתְךָ כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל״ — אֵלּוּ נִגְעֵי אָדָם, ״מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ תְּהוֹם רַבָּה״ — אֵלּוּ נִגְעֵי בָתִּים.
§ Rav Pappa says: In the phrase: “Your benevolence is like the mighty mountains” (Psalms 36:7), these acts of benevolence are referring to leprous marks that affect a person. When God punishes someone with benevolence, He afflicts the individual with leprous symptoms on his body that can be resolved in just one week. When the verse continues with the phrase, “Your judgments are like the great deep,” these judgments are referring to leprous marks that appear on houses, the status of which can take up to three weeks to be determined.
פְּשָׁטֵיהּ דִּקְרָא בְּמַאי כְּתִיב? אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה: אִלְמָלֵא ״צִדְקָתְךָ כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל״ — מִי יוּכַל לַעֲמוֹד לִפְנֵי ״מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ תְּהוֹם רַבָּה״. רַבָּה אָמַר: ״צִדְקָתְךָ כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל״ — מִפְּנֵי שֶׁ״מִּשְׁפָּטֶיךָ תְּהוֹם רַבָּה״.
The Gemara asks: To what does the plain meaning of the aforementioned verse refer? Rav Yehuda said that the plain meaning of the verse is as follows: If not for the fact that Your benevolence is like the mighty mountains, who could withstand Your judgments, which are like the great deep? Rabba says the verse should be understood differently: Your benevolence is like the mighty mountains, because Your judgments are like the great deep.
בְּמַאי קָמִיפַּלְגִי? בִּדְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא, דְּאִיתְּמַר: רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר: כּוֹבֵשׁ, רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא אָמַר: נוֹשֵׂא.
The Gemara asks: With regard to what principle do Rav Yehuda and Rabba disagree? The Gemara answers that they disagree with regard to the dispute between Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, about how God applies His attribute of “abundant in kindness” (Exodus 34:6) when He judges a person whose merits and sins are equal. As it was stated that Rabbi Elazar says: He hides away some sins and does not put them on the scale, thereby allowing the merits to outweigh the sins. Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says: He lifts the side of the scale that holds the sins so that the merits outweigh the sins.
רַבָּה כְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, וְרַב יְהוּדָה כְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא.
The Gemara explains the connection between the two disputes: Rabba holds in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Elazar, and therefore he interprets the verse as saying that God is benevolent because He discards one’s judgments, i.e., sins, by throwing them to the great deep, thereby allowing his merits to outweigh his sins. And Rav Yehuda holds in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, and therefore he interprets the verse to mean that God lifts the side of merits as high as the mighty mountains, and were it not for this act of benevolence no one could stand before God’s judgments, which are like the great deep.
מַתְנִי׳ אֵין פּוֹחֲתִין מֵאַרְבָּעָה חֳדָשִׁים הַמְעוּבָּרִים בְּשָׁנָה, וְלֹא נִרְאָה יָתֵר עַל שְׁמוֹנָה. שְׁתֵּי הַלֶּחֶם אֵין נֶאֱכָלִין פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁנַיִם, וְלֹא יָתֵר עַל שְׁלֹשָׁה. לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים אֵין נֶאֱכָל פָּחוֹת מִתִּשְׁעָה, וְלֹא יָתֵר עַל אַחַד עָשָׂר.
MISHNA: No fewer than four full thirty-day months may be established during the course of a year, and it did not seem appropriate to establish more than eight. The two loaves that are brought to the Temple on Shavuot are eaten by the priests not before the second and not after the third day from when they were baked. The shewbread is eaten not before the ninth day from when it was baked, which is the situation in a regular week when the bread is baked on Friday and eaten on the following Shabbat; and not after the eleventh day, when the two Festival days of Rosh HaShana occur on Thursday and Friday, as the shewbread is baked on Wednesday and not eaten until the following Shabbat.
אִין קָטָן נִימּוֹל פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁמוֹנָה, וְלֹא יָתֵר עַל שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר.
A minor boy is not circumcised before the eighth day after his birth and not after the twelfth day. Normally a newborn is circumcised on his eighth day. If he was born during twilight, which an uncertain period of day or night, he is circumcised on what would be the eighth day of his birth if he is was born at night, which is the ninth day if he was born during the day. If he was born during twilight on Shabbat eve, the circumcision cannot be performed on Friday, as he might have been born on Shabbat and therefore Friday is only the seventh day. And the circumcision cannot be on Shabbat, as perhaps he was born on Friday and only circumcision performed on the eighth day overrides Shabbat. Therefore, it is postponed until after Shabbat. If two days of Rosh HaShana occur on Sunday and Monday, the circumcision is postponed until Tuesday, the twelfth day after birth.
גְּמָ׳ מַאי ״לֹא נִרְאָה יָתֵר עַל שְׁמֹנָה״? אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: לֹא נִרְאָה לַחֲכָמִים לְעַבֵּר יָתֵר עַל שְׁמוֹנָה. מַאי שְׁנָא תִּשְׁעָה דְּלָא? אִם כֵּן
GEMARA: The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the statement of the mishna that it did not seem appropriate to establish more than eight? Rav Huna says: It did not seem appropriate to the Sages to extend more than eight months in a year and establish them as full, thirty-day months. The Gemara asks: What is different about nine months, in that the Sages did not deem it appropriate to establish that many full months in one year? Apparently, the Sages were concerned that if so, i.e., if there were that many full months,
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