There was a big debate with the Baytusim regarding the date of the bringing of the Omer which affected the date of Shavuot. The debate between them is brought as well as rituals that were instituted to make it the rabbi’s position public due to the debate
Menachot 65
10.14.2018 | ה׳ בחשון תשע״ט
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Menachot 65
וְהַיְינוּ דִּתְנַן: פְּתַחְיָה עַל הַקִּינִּין זֶה מָרְדֳּכַי, לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ פְּתַחְיָה – שֶׁפּוֹתֵחַ דְּבָרִים וְדוֹרְשָׁן, וְיוֹדֵעַ בְּשִׁבְעִים לָשׁוֹן.
And this is as we learned in a mishna (Shekalim 13b): Petaḥya was responsible for the nests of birds, i.e., the doves or pigeons brought by a zav, a zava, a woman after childbirth, and a leper. These individuals would place the appropriate sum of money into the horn designated for this purpose, and each day Petaḥya oversaw the purchase of birds from that money and their sacrifice in the proper manner. This Sage is Mordekhai; and why was he called Petaḥya, which resembles the word for opening [petaḥ]? The reason is that he would open, i.e., elucidate, difficult topics and interpret them to the people, and because he knew all seventy languages known in that region at the time.
כּוּלְּהוּ סַנְהֶדְרִין נָמֵי יָדְעִי שִׁבְעִים לָשׁוֹן! דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אֵין מוֹשִׁיבִים בַּסַּנְהֶדְרִין אֶלָּא בַּעֲלֵי חׇכְמָה, בַּעֲלֵי מַרְאֶה, בַּעֲלֵי קוֹמָה, בַּעֲלֵי זִקְנָה, בַּעֲלֵי כְשָׁפִים, וְיוֹדְעִים שִׁבְעִים לָשׁוֹן, שֶׁלֹּא תְּהֵא סַנְהֶדְרִין שׁוֹמַעַת מִפִּי הַתּוּרְגְּמָן.
The Gemara asks: What was unique about Petaḥya? All of the members of the Sanhedrin also know all seventy languages. As Rabbi Yoḥanan says: They place on the Great Sanhedrin only men of wisdom, and of pleasant appearance, and of high stature, and of suitable age so that they will be respected. And they must also be masters of sorcery, i.e., they know the nature of sorcery, so that they can judge sorcerers, and they must know all seventy languages in order that the Sanhedrin will not need to hear testimony from the mouth of a translator in a case where a witness speaks a different language.
אֶלָּא, דַּהֲוָה בָּיֵיל לִישָּׁנֵי וְדָרֵישׁ, וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב בְּמׇרְדֳּכַי ״בִּלְשָׁן״.
The Gemara answers: Rather, Petaḥya was unique as he not only knew all seventy languages, but also had the ability to combine various languages and interpret them. This is the meaning of that which is written with regard to Mordekhai: “Bilshan” (Nehemiah 7:7). Bilshan is interpreted as another name for Mordekhai, as he would combine [balil] languages [lashon].
מַתְנִי׳ כֵּיצַד הֵן עוֹשִׂין שְׁלוּחֵי בֵּית דִּין יוֹצְאִין מֵעֶרֶב יוֹם טוֹב, וְעוֹשִׂין אוֹתָן כְּרִיכוֹת בִּמְחוּבָּר לְקַרְקַע, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא נוֹחַ לִקְצוֹר. כׇּל הָעֲיָירוֹת הַסְּמוּכוֹת לְשָׁם מִתְכַּנְּסוֹת לְשָׁם, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא נִקְצָר בְּעֵסֶק גָּדוֹל.
MISHNA: How would they perform the rite of the harvest of the omer? Emissaries of the court would emerge on the eve of the festival of Passover and fashion the stalks of barley into sheaves while the stalks were still attached to the ground, so that it would be convenient to reap them. The residents of all the towns adjacent to the site of the harvest would assemble there, so that it would be harvested with great fanfare.
כֵּיוָן שֶׁהֶחְשִׁיכָה, אוֹמֵר לָהֶן: ״בָּא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ?״ אוֹמֵר: ״הֵין״. ״בָּא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ?״ אוֹמֵר: ״הֵין״. ״מַגָּל זוֹ?״ אוֹמֵר: ״הֵין״. ״מַגָּל זוֹ?״ אוֹמֵר: ״הֵין״. ״קוּפָּה זוֹ?״ אוֹמֵר: ״הֵין״. ״קוּפָּה זוֹ?״ אוֹמֵר: ״הֵין״.
Once it grew dark, the court emissary says to those assembled: Did the sun set? The assembly says in response: Yes. The emissary repeats: Did the sun set? They again say: Yes. The court emissary next says to those assembled: Shall I reap the sheaves with this sickle? The assembly says in response: Yes. The emissary repeats: With this sickle? The assembly says: Yes. The court emissary then says to those assembled: Shall I place the gathered sheaves in this basket? The assembly says in response: Yes. The emissary repeats: In this basket? The assembly says: Yes.
בַּשַּׁבָּת, אוֹמֵר לָהֶן: ״שַׁבָּת זוֹ?״ אֹמֵר: ״הֵין״. ״שַׁבָּת זוֹ?״ אֹמֵר: ״הֵין״. ״אֶקְצוֹר?״ וְהֵם אוֹמְרִים לוֹ: ״קְצוֹר״. ״אֶקְצוֹר?״ וְהֵם אוֹמְרִים לוֹ: ״קְצוֹר״.
If the sixteenth of Nisan occurs on Shabbat, the court emissary says to the assembled: Shall I cut the sheaves on this Shabbat? The assembly says in response: Yes. The emissary repeats: On this Shabbat? The assembly says: Yes. The court emissary says to those assembled: Shall I cut the sheaves? And they say to him in response: Cut. The emissary repeats: Shall I cut the sheaves? And they say to him: Cut.
שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים עַל כׇּל דָּבָר וְדָבָר, וְהֵן אוֹמְרִים לוֹ: הֵין, הֵין, הֵין. כׇּל כָּךְ לָמָּה לִי? מִפְּנֵי הַבַּיְיתּוֹסִים, שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים: אֵין קְצִירַת הָעוֹמֶר בְּמוֹצָאֵי יוֹם טוֹב.
The emissary asks three times with regard to each and every matter, and the assembly says to him: Yes, yes, yes. The mishna asks: Why do I need those involved to publicize each stage of the rite to that extent? The mishna answers: It is due to the Boethusians, as they deny the validity of the Oral Law and would say: There is no harvest of the omer at the conclusion of the first Festival day of Passover unless it occurs at the conclusion of Shabbat. The publicity was to underscore that the sixteenth of Nisan was the proper time for the omer harvest.
גְּמָ׳ תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אִלֵּין יוֹמַיָּא דְּלָא לְהִתְעַנָּאָה בְּהוֹן, וּמִקְצָתְהוֹן דְּלָא לְמִסְפַּד בְּהוֹן. מֵרֵישׁ יַרְחָא דְּנִיסָן עַד תְּמָנְיָא בֵּיהּ – אִיתּוֹקַם תְּמִידָא דְּלָא לְמִסְפַּד, וּמִתְּמָנְיָא בֵּיהּ וְעַד סוֹף מוֹעֲדָא – אִיתּוֹתַב חַגָּא דְשָׁבוּעַיָּא דְּלָא לְמִסְפַּד.
GEMARA: The Sages taught in a baraita: These are the days on which fasting is prohibited, and on some of them eulogizing is prohibited as well: From the New Moon of Nisan until the eighth of the month, the proper sacrifice of the daily offering was established, and therefore it was decreed not to eulogize on these dates. And furthermore, from the eighth of Nisan until the end of the festival of Passover, the correct date for the festival of Shavuot was restored, and it was similarly decreed not to eulogize during this period.
מֵרֵישׁ יַרְחָא דְּנִיסָן וְעַד תְּמָנְיָא בֵּיהּ אִיתּוֹקַם תְּמִידָא, דְּלָא לְמִסְפַּד – שֶׁהָיוּ צַדּוּקִים אוֹמְרִים: יָחִיד מִתְנַדֵּב וּמֵבִיא תָּמִיד. מַאי דְּרוּשׁ? ״אֶת הַכֶּבֶשׂ הָאֶחָד תַּעֲשֶׂה בַבֹּקֶר וְאֵת הַכֶּבֶשׂ הַשֵּׁנִי תַּעֲשֶׂה בֵּין הָעַרְבָּיִם״.
The Gemara discusses the baraita: From the New Moon of Nisan until the eighth of the month the proper sacrifice of the daily offering was established, and therefore it was decreed not to eulogize on these dates. The Gemara explains that the Sadducees would say: An individual may donate and bring the daily offering, in opposition to the accepted tradition that the daily offering must be brought from communal funds. What verse did the Sadducees expound? “The one lamb shall you offer [ta’aseh] in the morning, and the other lamb shall you offer in the afternoon” (Numbers 28:4). Since the verse is in the singular form, the Sadducees maintained that even an individual may donate the daily offering.
מַאי אַהְדַּרוּ? ״אֶת קׇרְבָּנִי לַחְמִי לְאִשַּׁי תִּשְׁמְרוּ״, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כּוּלָּן בָּאִין מִתְּרוּמַת הַלִּשְׁכָּה.
The Gemara asks: What did the Sages reply to refute the argument of the Sadducees? They cited the verse: “Command the children of Israel, and say to them: My food that is presented to Me for offerings made by fire, of a pleasing aroma unto Me, you shall observe [tishmeru] to offer to Me in its due season” (Numbers 28:2). The term: “You shall observe” is in the plural form, which indicates that all of the daily offerings should come from the collection of the Temple treasury chamber. Since during that period, between the New Moon of Nisan and the eighth of Nisan, the Sages overruled the Sadducees, it was established as a period of rejoicing, and it was prohibited to eulogize on those dates.
מִתְּמָנְיָא בֵּיהּ, וְעַד סוֹף מוֹעֲדָא, אִיתּוֹתַב חַגָּא דְשָׁבוּעַיָּא, דְּלָא לְמִסְפַּד, שֶׁהָיוּ בַּיְיתּוֹסִין אוֹמְרִים: עֲצֶרֶת אַחַר הַשַּׁבָּת.
The Gemara discusses the next period listed in the baraita: From the eighth of Nisan until the end of the festival of Passover, the correct date for the festival of Shavuot was restored, and it was similarly decreed not to eulogize during this period. As the Boethusians would say that the festival of Shavuot always occurs after Shabbat, on a Sunday. Their reasoning was that the verse states, with regard to the omer offering and the festival of Shavuot that follows seven weeks later: “And you shall count for you from the morrow after the day of rest [hashabbat], from the day that you brought the sheaf [omer] of the waving; seven weeks shall there be complete” (Leviticus 23:15). Disregarding the oral tradition, the Boethusians interpreted the phrase “from the morrow after the day of rest [hashabbat]” literally, as referring to Shabbat, not the Festival day.
נִיטְפַּל לָהֶם רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי, וְאָמַר לָהֶם: שׁוֹטִים, מִנַּיִן לָכֶם? וְלֹא הָיָה אָדָם אֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה מְשִׁיבוֹ, חוּץ מִזָּקֵן אֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה מְפַטְפֵּט כְּנֶגְדּוֹ, וְאָמַר: מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ אוֹהֵב יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיָה, וְיוֹדֵעַ שֶׁעֲצֶרֶת יוֹם אֶחָד הוּא, עָמַד וְתִקְּנָהּ אַחַר שַׁבָּת כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְעַנְּגִין שְׁנֵי יָמִים. קָרָא עָלָיו מִקְרָא זֶה: ״אַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם מֵחוֹרֵב דֶּרֶךְ הַר שֵׂעִיר״.
At the time, Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai joined the discussion with the Boethusians and said to them: Fools! From where have you derived this? And there was no man who answered him, except for one elderly man who was prattling [mefatpet] at him, and he said: Moses, our teacher, was a lover of the Jewish people and he knew that Shavuot is only one day. Therefore, he arose and established it after Shabbat, in order that the Jewish people would enjoy themselves for two days. Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai recited this verse in response to that old man: “It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea by the way of Mount Seir” (Deuteronomy 1:2).
וְאִם מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ אוֹהֵב יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיָה, לָמָּה אִיחֲרָן בְּמִדְבָּר אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה? אָמַר לוֹ: רַבִּי, בְּכָךְ אַתָּה פּוֹטְרֵנִי? אָמַר לוֹ: שׁוֹטֶה! וְלֹא תְּהֵא תּוֹרָה שְׁלֵמָה שֶׁלָּנוּ כְּשִׂיחָה בְּטֵילָה שֶׁלָּכֶם!
And if Moses, our teacher, was a lover of the Jewish people, why did he delay them in the wilderness forty years? The elderly man said to him: My teacher, you dismiss me with this retort? Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Zakkai said to him: Fool! And will our perfect Torah not be as worthy as your frivolous speech? Your claim can easily be refuted.
כָּתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר: ״תִּסְפְּרוּ חֲמִשִּׁים יוֹם״, וְכָתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר: ״שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת תְּמִימֹת תִּהְיֶינָה״.
Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Zakkai cites a proof that Shavuot does not need to occur specifically on a Sunday. One verse states: “Even to the morrow after the seventh week you shall number fifty days; and you shall present a new meal offering to the Lord” (Leviticus 23:16), and one verse, the preceding one, apparently contradicts this when it states: “And you shall count for you from the morrow after the day of rest, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the waving; seven weeks shall there be complete.” Is the festival of Shavuot seven full weeks after Passover, i.e., counting from Sunday through Shabbat seven times; or is it fifty days after Passover?
הָא כֵּיצַד? כָּאן – בְּיוֹם טוֹב שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת, כָּאן – בְּיוֹם טוֹב שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בְּאֶמְצַע שַׁבָּת.
The Gemara explains: How so, i.e., how can one reconcile these two verses? Here, the verse that mentions seven complete weeks, is referring to a year when the festival of Passover occurs on Shabbat. In such a year, the fifty-day period between Passover and Shavuot contains seven complete weeks, from Sunday through Shabbat. There, the verse that defines the period as fifty days, is referring to a year when the festival of Passover occurs in the middle of the week.
(שֶׁל רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר: סוֹפֵר, רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: מוֹנֶה, רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: מְעַמֵּר, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: לְמַטָּה – סִימָן.)
The Gemara presents a mnemonic for several other proofs in refutation of the claim of the Boethusians: That of Rabbi Eliezer: Number; Rabbi Yehoshua: Count; Rabbi Yishmael: From the omer; Rabbi Yehuda: Below.
רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ, הֲרֵי הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״תִּסְפׇּר לָךְ״, סְפִירָה תְּלוּיָה בְּבֵית דִּין, שֶׁהֵם יוֹדְעִים לְחַדֵּשׁ. ״מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת״ – מָחֳרַת יוֹם טוֹב, יָצָאת שַׁבַּת בְּרֵאשִׁית שֶׁסְּפִירָתָהּ בְּכׇל אָדָם.
Rabbi Eliezer says: The previous proof is not necessary, as the verse states: “Seven weeks you shall number for you; from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain you shall begin to number seven weeks” (Deuteronomy 16:9). The term “for you” indicates that the counting of the weeks is dependent upon the decision of the court, as they know how to calculate the new months, upon which the date of the Festival depends. Therefore, when the verse states: “The morrow after the day of rest [hashabbat]” (Leviticus 23:16), it means: The morrow after the Festival, as the determination of Festivals is by the court. This serves to exclude the interpretation that the counting starts after the Shabbat of Creation, i.e., a regular weekly Shabbat, whose counting can be performed by every person, not exclusively by the court.
רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר: אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה מְנֵה יָמִים וְקַדֵּשׁ חֹדֶשׁ, מְנֵה יָמִים וְקַדֵּשׁ עֲצֶרֶת. מָה חֹדֶשׁ סָמוּךְ לְבִיאָתוֹ נִיכָּר, אַף עֲצֶרֶת סָמוּךְ לְבִיאָתָהּ נִיכֶּרֶת.
Citing a different proof, Rabbi Yehoshua says: The Torah said to count days, as it is stated: “A month of days” (Numbers 11:20), and then sanctify the month with offerings. And the Torah also said to count days from Passover and then sanctify the festival of Shavuot with offerings, as it is stated: “You shall count fifty days” (Leviticus 23:16). From this comparison, one can learn that just as the start of the counting toward the new month is known even before it comes, as one begins counting toward the following new month on the first day of a month, so too the start of the counting toward the festival of Shavuot is known even before it comes, as one begins counting toward Shavuot on a fixed day of the month.
וְאִם תֹּאמַר: עֲצֶרֶת לְעוֹלָם אַחַר הַשַּׁבָּת, הֵיאַךְ תְּהֵא נִיכֶּרֶת מִשֶּׁלְּפָנֶיהָ?
The Gemara elaborates: And if you say that the festival of Shavuot always occurs the day after Shabbat, how is the counting toward Shavuot known based on what came before it? If the occurrence of Shavuot depends upon a Shabbat, there would be no specific date after Passover upon which the counting occurs yearly.
רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר: אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה הָבֵא עוֹמֶר בַּפֶּסַח, וּשְׁתֵּי הַלֶּחֶם בָּעֲצֶרֶת. מָה לְהַלָּן – רֶגֶל וּתְחִלַּת רֶגֶל, אַף כָּאן – רֶגֶל וּתְחִלַּת רֶגֶל.
Rabbi Yishmael says there is another refutation of the Boethusian interpretation. The Torah said: Bring the omer offering on the festival on Passover and the two loaves on Shavuot. Just as there, with regard to the offering on the festival of Shavuot, the two loaves are brought at the beginning of the Festival, as it lasts only one day, so too here, with regard to the festival of Passover, the omer must be brought at the beginning of the Festival. If the omer were to always be brought on a Sunday, this might occur at the end of the festival of Passover. For example, if Passover started on a Monday, the omer would be brought only on the next Sunday, at the end of the Festival.
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בְּתִירָא אוֹמֵר: נֶאֱמַר ״שַׁבָּת״ לְמַעְלָה, וְנֶאֱמַר ״שַׁבָּת״ לְמַטָּה. מָה לְהַלָּן – רֶגֶל, וּתְחִלַּת רֶגֶל סָמוּךְ לָהּ, אַף כָּאן – רֶגֶל, וּתְחִלַּת רֶגֶל סָמוּךְ לָהּ.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira says there is yet another refutation. It is stated “shabbat” above (Leviticus 23:15), with regard to starting the counting of the omer, and it is also stated “shabbat” below (Leviticus 23:16), with regard to the commencement of the festival of Shavuot. Just as there, with regard to the festival of Shavuot, it is stated: “Even until the morrow after the seventh week [hashabbat] you shall number fifty days,” and the word shabbat is referring to the beginning of the Festival and it immediately follows the end of the seventh week; so too here, with regard to the bringing of the omer, the word shabbat means Festival, so that the omer offering immediately follows the beginning of the Festival, on the second day of Passover. According to the Boethusians, the commencement of the counting could start well after the beginning of Passover. For example, if Passover occurs on a Sunday, the counting of the omer would start only the following Sunday.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם״, שֶׁתְּהֵא סְפִירָה לְכׇל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד.
The Sages taught in a baraita: The verse states: “And you shall count for you from the morrow after the day of rest [hashabbat], from the day that you brought the sheaf of the waving; seven weeks there shall be complete” (Leviticus 23:15). The phrase: “And you shall count for you,” teaches that the mitzva of counting is not a communal obligation. Rather, there should be a counting by each and every person.
״מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת״ – מִמָּחֳרַת יוֹם טוֹב, אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא לְמָחֳרַת שַׁבַּת בְּרֵאשִׁית? רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: הֲרֵי הוּא אוֹמֵר ״תִּסְפְּרוּ חֲמִשִּׁים יוֹם״, כׇּל סְפִירוֹת שֶׁאַתָּה סוֹפֵר לֹא יְהוּ אֶלָּא חֲמִשִּׁים יוֹם.
The baraita continues: From the morrow after the day of rest [hashabbat], this means from the morrow after the festival of Passover. Or perhaps this is not the meaning of the verse, but rather it means after the Shabbat of Creation, i.e., Sunday. Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda says: This cannot be correct, as the verse states: “Even until the morrow after the seventh week you shall number fifty days” (Leviticus 23:16). This teaches that all the countings that you count shall be only fifty days.
וְאִם תֹּאמַר מִמָּחֳרַת שַׁבַּת בְּרֵאשִׁית, פְּעָמִים שֶׁאַתָּה מוֹצֵא חֲמִשִּׁים וְאֶחָד, וּפְעָמִים שֶׁאַתָּה מוֹצֵא חֲמִשִּׁים וּשְׁנַיִם, חֲמִשִּׁים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה, חֲמִשִּׁים וְאַרְבָּעָה, חֲמִשִּׁים וַחֲמִשָּׁה, חֲמִשִּׁים וְשִׁשָּׁה.
Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda elaborates: And if you say that the clause: “From the morrow after the day of rest [hashabbat],” is referring to the Shabbat of Creation, sometimes you will find a count of fifty-one days from the first day of Passover, which is the date that the count began the previous year, until Shavuot; and sometimes you will find fifty-two, or fifty-three, or fifty-four, or fifty-five, or fifty-six. For example, in one year, Passover occurs on Shabbat, and the counting of the omer would start on Sunday, the sixteenth of Nisan, and Shavuot would occur fifty days later. Another year, Passover occurs on a Friday, and the counting starts on Sunday, then the date that Shavuot will occur this year is fifty-one days from the sixteenth of Nisan. If Passover occurs on a Thursday, and the counting begins on the following Sunday, Shavuot will occur fifty-two days from the sixteenth of Nisan.
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בְּתִירָא אוֹמֵר: אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ,
Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira says: That proof is not necessary,
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My first Talmud class experience was a weekly group in 1971 studying Taanit. In 2007 I resumed Talmud study with a weekly group I continue learning with. January 2020, I was inspired to try learning Daf Yomi. A friend introduced me to Daf Yomi for Women and Rabbanit Michelle Farber, I have kept with this program and look forward, G- willing, to complete the entire Shas with Hadran.
Lorri Lewis
Palo Alto, CA, United States
I started the daf at the beginning of this cycle in January 2020. My husband, my children, grandchildren and siblings have been very supportive. As someone who learned and taught Tanach and mefarshim for many years, it has been an amazing adventure to complete the six sedarim of Mishnah, and now to study Talmud on a daily basis along with Rabbanit Michelle and the wonderful women of Hadran.
Rookie Billet
Jerusalem, Israel
I started learning daf in January, 2020, being inspired by watching the Siyyum Hashas in Binyanei Haumah. I wasn’t sure I would be able to keep up with the task. When I went to school, Gemara was not an option. Fast forward to March, 2022, and each day starts with the daf. The challenge is now learning the intricacies of delving into the actual learning. Hadran community, thank you!
Rochel Cheifetz
Riverdale, NY, United States
It happened without intent (so am I yotzei?!) – I watched the women’s siyum live and was so moved by it that the next morning, I tuned in to Rabbanit Michelle’s shiur, and here I am, still learning every day, over 2 years later. Some days it all goes over my head, but others I grasp onto an idea or a story, and I ‘get it’ and that’s the best feeling in the world. So proud to be a Hadran learner.
Jeanne Yael Klempner
Zichron Yaakov, Israel
The start of my journey is not so exceptional. I was between jobs and wanted to be sure to get out every day (this was before corona). Well, I was hooked after about a month and from then on only looked for work-from-home jobs so I could continue learning the Daf. Daf has been a constant in my life, though hurricanes, death, illness/injury, weddings. My new friends are Rav, Shmuel, Ruth, Joanna.
Judi Felber
Raanana, Israel
I began Daf Yomi with the last cycle. I was inspired by the Hadran Siyum in Yerushalayim to continue with this cycle. I have learned Daf Yomi with Rabanit Michelle in over 25 countries on 6 continents ( missing Australia)
Barbara Goldschlag
Silver Spring, MD, United States
I was moved to tears by the Hadran Siyyum HaShas. I have learned Torah all my life, but never connected to learning Gemara on a regular basis until then. Seeing the sheer joy Talmud Torah at the siyyum, I felt compelled to be part of it, and I haven’t missed a day!
It’s not always easy, but it is so worthwhile, and it has strengthened my love of learning. It is part of my life now.
Michelle Lewis
Beit Shemesh, Israel
Studying has changed my life view on הלכה and יהדות and time. It has taught me bonudaries of the human nature and honesty of our sages in their discourse to try and build a nation of caring people .
Goldie Gilad
Kfar Saba, Israel
I started learning after the siyum hashas for women and my daily learning has been a constant over the last two years. It grounded me during the chaos of Corona while providing me with a community of fellow learners. The Daf can be challenging but it’s filled with life’s lessons, struggles and hope for a better world. It’s not about the destination but rather about the journey. Thank you Hadran!
Dena Lehrman
אפרת, Israel
I started learning Dec 2019 after reading “If all the Seas Were Ink”. I found
Daily daf sessions of Rabbanit Michelle in her house teaching, I then heard about the siyum and a new cycle starting wow I am in! Afternoon here in Sydney, my family and friends know this is my sacred time to hide away to live zoom and learn. Often it’s hard to absorb and relate then a gem shines touching my heart.
Dianne Kuchar
Dover Heights, Australia
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 have joined the community of daf yomi learners at the start of this cycle. I have studied in different ways – by reading the page, translating the page, attending a local shiur and listening to Rabbanit Farber’s podcasts, depending on circumstances and where I was at the time. The reactions have been positive throughout – with no exception!
Silke Goldberg
Guildford, United Kingdom
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
In January 2020 on a Shabbaton to Baltimore I heard about the new cycle of Daf Yomi after the siyum celebration in NYC stadium. I started to read “ a daily dose of Talmud “ and really enjoyed it . It led me to google “ do Orthodox women study Talmud? “ and found HADRAN! Since then I listen to the podcast every morning, participate in classes and siyum. I love to learn, this is amazing! Thank you
Sandrine Simons
Atlanta, 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
After reading the book, “ If All The Seas Were Ink “ by Ileana Kurshan I started studying Talmud. I searched and studied with several teachers until I found Michelle Farber. I have been studying with her for two years. I look forward every day to learn from her.
Janine Rubens
Virginia, United States
I started learning daf in January, 2020, being inspired by watching the Siyyum Hashas in Binyanei Haumah. I wasn’t sure I would be able to keep up with the task. When I went to school, Gemara was not an option. Fast forward to March, 2022, and each day starts with the daf. The challenge is now learning the intricacies of delving into the actual learning. Hadran community, thank you!
Rochel Cheifetz
Riverdale, NY, United States
I was moved to tears by the Hadran Siyyum HaShas. I have learned Torah all my life, but never connected to learning Gemara on a regular basis until then. Seeing the sheer joy Talmud Torah at the siyyum, I felt compelled to be part of it, and I haven’t missed a day!
It’s not always easy, but it is so worthwhile, and it has strengthened my love of learning. It is part of my life now.
Michelle Lewis
Beit Shemesh, Israel
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
I started learning Daf Yomi inspired by תָּפַסְתָּ מְרוּבֶּה לֹא תָּפַסְתָּ, תָּפַסְתָּ מוּעָט תָּפַסְתָּ. I thought I’d start the first page, and then see. I was swept up into the enthusiasm of the Hadran Siyum, and from there the momentum kept building. Rabbanit Michelle’s shiur gives me an anchor, a connection to an incredible virtual community, and an energy to face whatever the day brings.
Medinah Korn
בית שמש, Israel
Menachot 65
וְהַיְינוּ דִּתְנַן: פְּתַחְיָה עַל הַקִּינִּין זֶה מָרְדֳּכַי, לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ פְּתַחְיָה – שֶׁפּוֹתֵחַ דְּבָרִים וְדוֹרְשָׁן, וְיוֹדֵעַ בְּשִׁבְעִים לָשׁוֹן.
And this is as we learned in a mishna (Shekalim 13b): Petaḥya was responsible for the nests of birds, i.e., the doves or pigeons brought by a zav, a zava, a woman after childbirth, and a leper. These individuals would place the appropriate sum of money into the horn designated for this purpose, and each day Petaḥya oversaw the purchase of birds from that money and their sacrifice in the proper manner. This Sage is Mordekhai; and why was he called Petaḥya, which resembles the word for opening [petaḥ]? The reason is that he would open, i.e., elucidate, difficult topics and interpret them to the people, and because he knew all seventy languages known in that region at the time.
כּוּלְּהוּ סַנְהֶדְרִין נָמֵי יָדְעִי שִׁבְעִים לָשׁוֹן! דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אֵין מוֹשִׁיבִים בַּסַּנְהֶדְרִין אֶלָּא בַּעֲלֵי חׇכְמָה, בַּעֲלֵי מַרְאֶה, בַּעֲלֵי קוֹמָה, בַּעֲלֵי זִקְנָה, בַּעֲלֵי כְשָׁפִים, וְיוֹדְעִים שִׁבְעִים לָשׁוֹן, שֶׁלֹּא תְּהֵא סַנְהֶדְרִין שׁוֹמַעַת מִפִּי הַתּוּרְגְּמָן.
The Gemara asks: What was unique about Petaḥya? All of the members of the Sanhedrin also know all seventy languages. As Rabbi Yoḥanan says: They place on the Great Sanhedrin only men of wisdom, and of pleasant appearance, and of high stature, and of suitable age so that they will be respected. And they must also be masters of sorcery, i.e., they know the nature of sorcery, so that they can judge sorcerers, and they must know all seventy languages in order that the Sanhedrin will not need to hear testimony from the mouth of a translator in a case where a witness speaks a different language.
אֶלָּא, דַּהֲוָה בָּיֵיל לִישָּׁנֵי וְדָרֵישׁ, וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב בְּמׇרְדֳּכַי ״בִּלְשָׁן״.
The Gemara answers: Rather, Petaḥya was unique as he not only knew all seventy languages, but also had the ability to combine various languages and interpret them. This is the meaning of that which is written with regard to Mordekhai: “Bilshan” (Nehemiah 7:7). Bilshan is interpreted as another name for Mordekhai, as he would combine [balil] languages [lashon].
מַתְנִי׳ כֵּיצַד הֵן עוֹשִׂין שְׁלוּחֵי בֵּית דִּין יוֹצְאִין מֵעֶרֶב יוֹם טוֹב, וְעוֹשִׂין אוֹתָן כְּרִיכוֹת בִּמְחוּבָּר לְקַרְקַע, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא נוֹחַ לִקְצוֹר. כׇּל הָעֲיָירוֹת הַסְּמוּכוֹת לְשָׁם מִתְכַּנְּסוֹת לְשָׁם, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא נִקְצָר בְּעֵסֶק גָּדוֹל.
MISHNA: How would they perform the rite of the harvest of the omer? Emissaries of the court would emerge on the eve of the festival of Passover and fashion the stalks of barley into sheaves while the stalks were still attached to the ground, so that it would be convenient to reap them. The residents of all the towns adjacent to the site of the harvest would assemble there, so that it would be harvested with great fanfare.
כֵּיוָן שֶׁהֶחְשִׁיכָה, אוֹמֵר לָהֶן: ״בָּא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ?״ אוֹמֵר: ״הֵין״. ״בָּא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ?״ אוֹמֵר: ״הֵין״. ״מַגָּל זוֹ?״ אוֹמֵר: ״הֵין״. ״מַגָּל זוֹ?״ אוֹמֵר: ״הֵין״. ״קוּפָּה זוֹ?״ אוֹמֵר: ״הֵין״. ״קוּפָּה זוֹ?״ אוֹמֵר: ״הֵין״.
Once it grew dark, the court emissary says to those assembled: Did the sun set? The assembly says in response: Yes. The emissary repeats: Did the sun set? They again say: Yes. The court emissary next says to those assembled: Shall I reap the sheaves with this sickle? The assembly says in response: Yes. The emissary repeats: With this sickle? The assembly says: Yes. The court emissary then says to those assembled: Shall I place the gathered sheaves in this basket? The assembly says in response: Yes. The emissary repeats: In this basket? The assembly says: Yes.
בַּשַּׁבָּת, אוֹמֵר לָהֶן: ״שַׁבָּת זוֹ?״ אֹמֵר: ״הֵין״. ״שַׁבָּת זוֹ?״ אֹמֵר: ״הֵין״. ״אֶקְצוֹר?״ וְהֵם אוֹמְרִים לוֹ: ״קְצוֹר״. ״אֶקְצוֹר?״ וְהֵם אוֹמְרִים לוֹ: ״קְצוֹר״.
If the sixteenth of Nisan occurs on Shabbat, the court emissary says to the assembled: Shall I cut the sheaves on this Shabbat? The assembly says in response: Yes. The emissary repeats: On this Shabbat? The assembly says: Yes. The court emissary says to those assembled: Shall I cut the sheaves? And they say to him in response: Cut. The emissary repeats: Shall I cut the sheaves? And they say to him: Cut.
שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים עַל כׇּל דָּבָר וְדָבָר, וְהֵן אוֹמְרִים לוֹ: הֵין, הֵין, הֵין. כׇּל כָּךְ לָמָּה לִי? מִפְּנֵי הַבַּיְיתּוֹסִים, שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים: אֵין קְצִירַת הָעוֹמֶר בְּמוֹצָאֵי יוֹם טוֹב.
The emissary asks three times with regard to each and every matter, and the assembly says to him: Yes, yes, yes. The mishna asks: Why do I need those involved to publicize each stage of the rite to that extent? The mishna answers: It is due to the Boethusians, as they deny the validity of the Oral Law and would say: There is no harvest of the omer at the conclusion of the first Festival day of Passover unless it occurs at the conclusion of Shabbat. The publicity was to underscore that the sixteenth of Nisan was the proper time for the omer harvest.
גְּמָ׳ תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אִלֵּין יוֹמַיָּא דְּלָא לְהִתְעַנָּאָה בְּהוֹן, וּמִקְצָתְהוֹן דְּלָא לְמִסְפַּד בְּהוֹן. מֵרֵישׁ יַרְחָא דְּנִיסָן עַד תְּמָנְיָא בֵּיהּ – אִיתּוֹקַם תְּמִידָא דְּלָא לְמִסְפַּד, וּמִתְּמָנְיָא בֵּיהּ וְעַד סוֹף מוֹעֲדָא – אִיתּוֹתַב חַגָּא דְשָׁבוּעַיָּא דְּלָא לְמִסְפַּד.
GEMARA: The Sages taught in a baraita: These are the days on which fasting is prohibited, and on some of them eulogizing is prohibited as well: From the New Moon of Nisan until the eighth of the month, the proper sacrifice of the daily offering was established, and therefore it was decreed not to eulogize on these dates. And furthermore, from the eighth of Nisan until the end of the festival of Passover, the correct date for the festival of Shavuot was restored, and it was similarly decreed not to eulogize during this period.
מֵרֵישׁ יַרְחָא דְּנִיסָן וְעַד תְּמָנְיָא בֵּיהּ אִיתּוֹקַם תְּמִידָא, דְּלָא לְמִסְפַּד – שֶׁהָיוּ צַדּוּקִים אוֹמְרִים: יָחִיד מִתְנַדֵּב וּמֵבִיא תָּמִיד. מַאי דְּרוּשׁ? ״אֶת הַכֶּבֶשׂ הָאֶחָד תַּעֲשֶׂה בַבֹּקֶר וְאֵת הַכֶּבֶשׂ הַשֵּׁנִי תַּעֲשֶׂה בֵּין הָעַרְבָּיִם״.
The Gemara discusses the baraita: From the New Moon of Nisan until the eighth of the month the proper sacrifice of the daily offering was established, and therefore it was decreed not to eulogize on these dates. The Gemara explains that the Sadducees would say: An individual may donate and bring the daily offering, in opposition to the accepted tradition that the daily offering must be brought from communal funds. What verse did the Sadducees expound? “The one lamb shall you offer [ta’aseh] in the morning, and the other lamb shall you offer in the afternoon” (Numbers 28:4). Since the verse is in the singular form, the Sadducees maintained that even an individual may donate the daily offering.
מַאי אַהְדַּרוּ? ״אֶת קׇרְבָּנִי לַחְמִי לְאִשַּׁי תִּשְׁמְרוּ״, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כּוּלָּן בָּאִין מִתְּרוּמַת הַלִּשְׁכָּה.
The Gemara asks: What did the Sages reply to refute the argument of the Sadducees? They cited the verse: “Command the children of Israel, and say to them: My food that is presented to Me for offerings made by fire, of a pleasing aroma unto Me, you shall observe [tishmeru] to offer to Me in its due season” (Numbers 28:2). The term: “You shall observe” is in the plural form, which indicates that all of the daily offerings should come from the collection of the Temple treasury chamber. Since during that period, between the New Moon of Nisan and the eighth of Nisan, the Sages overruled the Sadducees, it was established as a period of rejoicing, and it was prohibited to eulogize on those dates.
מִתְּמָנְיָא בֵּיהּ, וְעַד סוֹף מוֹעֲדָא, אִיתּוֹתַב חַגָּא דְשָׁבוּעַיָּא, דְּלָא לְמִסְפַּד, שֶׁהָיוּ בַּיְיתּוֹסִין אוֹמְרִים: עֲצֶרֶת אַחַר הַשַּׁבָּת.
The Gemara discusses the next period listed in the baraita: From the eighth of Nisan until the end of the festival of Passover, the correct date for the festival of Shavuot was restored, and it was similarly decreed not to eulogize during this period. As the Boethusians would say that the festival of Shavuot always occurs after Shabbat, on a Sunday. Their reasoning was that the verse states, with regard to the omer offering and the festival of Shavuot that follows seven weeks later: “And you shall count for you from the morrow after the day of rest [hashabbat], from the day that you brought the sheaf [omer] of the waving; seven weeks shall there be complete” (Leviticus 23:15). Disregarding the oral tradition, the Boethusians interpreted the phrase “from the morrow after the day of rest [hashabbat]” literally, as referring to Shabbat, not the Festival day.
נִיטְפַּל לָהֶם רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי, וְאָמַר לָהֶם: שׁוֹטִים, מִנַּיִן לָכֶם? וְלֹא הָיָה אָדָם אֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה מְשִׁיבוֹ, חוּץ מִזָּקֵן אֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה מְפַטְפֵּט כְּנֶגְדּוֹ, וְאָמַר: מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ אוֹהֵב יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיָה, וְיוֹדֵעַ שֶׁעֲצֶרֶת יוֹם אֶחָד הוּא, עָמַד וְתִקְּנָהּ אַחַר שַׁבָּת כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְעַנְּגִין שְׁנֵי יָמִים. קָרָא עָלָיו מִקְרָא זֶה: ״אַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם מֵחוֹרֵב דֶּרֶךְ הַר שֵׂעִיר״.
At the time, Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai joined the discussion with the Boethusians and said to them: Fools! From where have you derived this? And there was no man who answered him, except for one elderly man who was prattling [mefatpet] at him, and he said: Moses, our teacher, was a lover of the Jewish people and he knew that Shavuot is only one day. Therefore, he arose and established it after Shabbat, in order that the Jewish people would enjoy themselves for two days. Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai recited this verse in response to that old man: “It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea by the way of Mount Seir” (Deuteronomy 1:2).
וְאִם מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ אוֹהֵב יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיָה, לָמָּה אִיחֲרָן בְּמִדְבָּר אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה? אָמַר לוֹ: רַבִּי, בְּכָךְ אַתָּה פּוֹטְרֵנִי? אָמַר לוֹ: שׁוֹטֶה! וְלֹא תְּהֵא תּוֹרָה שְׁלֵמָה שֶׁלָּנוּ כְּשִׂיחָה בְּטֵילָה שֶׁלָּכֶם!
And if Moses, our teacher, was a lover of the Jewish people, why did he delay them in the wilderness forty years? The elderly man said to him: My teacher, you dismiss me with this retort? Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Zakkai said to him: Fool! And will our perfect Torah not be as worthy as your frivolous speech? Your claim can easily be refuted.
כָּתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר: ״תִּסְפְּרוּ חֲמִשִּׁים יוֹם״, וְכָתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר: ״שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת תְּמִימֹת תִּהְיֶינָה״.
Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Zakkai cites a proof that Shavuot does not need to occur specifically on a Sunday. One verse states: “Even to the morrow after the seventh week you shall number fifty days; and you shall present a new meal offering to the Lord” (Leviticus 23:16), and one verse, the preceding one, apparently contradicts this when it states: “And you shall count for you from the morrow after the day of rest, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the waving; seven weeks shall there be complete.” Is the festival of Shavuot seven full weeks after Passover, i.e., counting from Sunday through Shabbat seven times; or is it fifty days after Passover?
הָא כֵּיצַד? כָּאן – בְּיוֹם טוֹב שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת, כָּאן – בְּיוֹם טוֹב שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בְּאֶמְצַע שַׁבָּת.
The Gemara explains: How so, i.e., how can one reconcile these two verses? Here, the verse that mentions seven complete weeks, is referring to a year when the festival of Passover occurs on Shabbat. In such a year, the fifty-day period between Passover and Shavuot contains seven complete weeks, from Sunday through Shabbat. There, the verse that defines the period as fifty days, is referring to a year when the festival of Passover occurs in the middle of the week.
(שֶׁל רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר: סוֹפֵר, רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: מוֹנֶה, רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: מְעַמֵּר, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: לְמַטָּה – סִימָן.)
The Gemara presents a mnemonic for several other proofs in refutation of the claim of the Boethusians: That of Rabbi Eliezer: Number; Rabbi Yehoshua: Count; Rabbi Yishmael: From the omer; Rabbi Yehuda: Below.
רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ, הֲרֵי הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״תִּסְפׇּר לָךְ״, סְפִירָה תְּלוּיָה בְּבֵית דִּין, שֶׁהֵם יוֹדְעִים לְחַדֵּשׁ. ״מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת״ – מָחֳרַת יוֹם טוֹב, יָצָאת שַׁבַּת בְּרֵאשִׁית שֶׁסְּפִירָתָהּ בְּכׇל אָדָם.
Rabbi Eliezer says: The previous proof is not necessary, as the verse states: “Seven weeks you shall number for you; from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain you shall begin to number seven weeks” (Deuteronomy 16:9). The term “for you” indicates that the counting of the weeks is dependent upon the decision of the court, as they know how to calculate the new months, upon which the date of the Festival depends. Therefore, when the verse states: “The morrow after the day of rest [hashabbat]” (Leviticus 23:16), it means: The morrow after the Festival, as the determination of Festivals is by the court. This serves to exclude the interpretation that the counting starts after the Shabbat of Creation, i.e., a regular weekly Shabbat, whose counting can be performed by every person, not exclusively by the court.
רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר: אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה מְנֵה יָמִים וְקַדֵּשׁ חֹדֶשׁ, מְנֵה יָמִים וְקַדֵּשׁ עֲצֶרֶת. מָה חֹדֶשׁ סָמוּךְ לְבִיאָתוֹ נִיכָּר, אַף עֲצֶרֶת סָמוּךְ לְבִיאָתָהּ נִיכֶּרֶת.
Citing a different proof, Rabbi Yehoshua says: The Torah said to count days, as it is stated: “A month of days” (Numbers 11:20), and then sanctify the month with offerings. And the Torah also said to count days from Passover and then sanctify the festival of Shavuot with offerings, as it is stated: “You shall count fifty days” (Leviticus 23:16). From this comparison, one can learn that just as the start of the counting toward the new month is known even before it comes, as one begins counting toward the following new month on the first day of a month, so too the start of the counting toward the festival of Shavuot is known even before it comes, as one begins counting toward Shavuot on a fixed day of the month.
וְאִם תֹּאמַר: עֲצֶרֶת לְעוֹלָם אַחַר הַשַּׁבָּת, הֵיאַךְ תְּהֵא נִיכֶּרֶת מִשֶּׁלְּפָנֶיהָ?
The Gemara elaborates: And if you say that the festival of Shavuot always occurs the day after Shabbat, how is the counting toward Shavuot known based on what came before it? If the occurrence of Shavuot depends upon a Shabbat, there would be no specific date after Passover upon which the counting occurs yearly.
רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר: אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה הָבֵא עוֹמֶר בַּפֶּסַח, וּשְׁתֵּי הַלֶּחֶם בָּעֲצֶרֶת. מָה לְהַלָּן – רֶגֶל וּתְחִלַּת רֶגֶל, אַף כָּאן – רֶגֶל וּתְחִלַּת רֶגֶל.
Rabbi Yishmael says there is another refutation of the Boethusian interpretation. The Torah said: Bring the omer offering on the festival on Passover and the two loaves on Shavuot. Just as there, with regard to the offering on the festival of Shavuot, the two loaves are brought at the beginning of the Festival, as it lasts only one day, so too here, with regard to the festival of Passover, the omer must be brought at the beginning of the Festival. If the omer were to always be brought on a Sunday, this might occur at the end of the festival of Passover. For example, if Passover started on a Monday, the omer would be brought only on the next Sunday, at the end of the Festival.
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בְּתִירָא אוֹמֵר: נֶאֱמַר ״שַׁבָּת״ לְמַעְלָה, וְנֶאֱמַר ״שַׁבָּת״ לְמַטָּה. מָה לְהַלָּן – רֶגֶל, וּתְחִלַּת רֶגֶל סָמוּךְ לָהּ, אַף כָּאן – רֶגֶל, וּתְחִלַּת רֶגֶל סָמוּךְ לָהּ.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira says there is yet another refutation. It is stated “shabbat” above (Leviticus 23:15), with regard to starting the counting of the omer, and it is also stated “shabbat” below (Leviticus 23:16), with regard to the commencement of the festival of Shavuot. Just as there, with regard to the festival of Shavuot, it is stated: “Even until the morrow after the seventh week [hashabbat] you shall number fifty days,” and the word shabbat is referring to the beginning of the Festival and it immediately follows the end of the seventh week; so too here, with regard to the bringing of the omer, the word shabbat means Festival, so that the omer offering immediately follows the beginning of the Festival, on the second day of Passover. According to the Boethusians, the commencement of the counting could start well after the beginning of Passover. For example, if Passover occurs on a Sunday, the counting of the omer would start only the following Sunday.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם״, שֶׁתְּהֵא סְפִירָה לְכׇל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד.
The Sages taught in a baraita: The verse states: “And you shall count for you from the morrow after the day of rest [hashabbat], from the day that you brought the sheaf of the waving; seven weeks there shall be complete” (Leviticus 23:15). The phrase: “And you shall count for you,” teaches that the mitzva of counting is not a communal obligation. Rather, there should be a counting by each and every person.
״מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת״ – מִמָּחֳרַת יוֹם טוֹב, אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא לְמָחֳרַת שַׁבַּת בְּרֵאשִׁית? רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: הֲרֵי הוּא אוֹמֵר ״תִּסְפְּרוּ חֲמִשִּׁים יוֹם״, כׇּל סְפִירוֹת שֶׁאַתָּה סוֹפֵר לֹא יְהוּ אֶלָּא חֲמִשִּׁים יוֹם.
The baraita continues: From the morrow after the day of rest [hashabbat], this means from the morrow after the festival of Passover. Or perhaps this is not the meaning of the verse, but rather it means after the Shabbat of Creation, i.e., Sunday. Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda says: This cannot be correct, as the verse states: “Even until the morrow after the seventh week you shall number fifty days” (Leviticus 23:16). This teaches that all the countings that you count shall be only fifty days.
וְאִם תֹּאמַר מִמָּחֳרַת שַׁבַּת בְּרֵאשִׁית, פְּעָמִים שֶׁאַתָּה מוֹצֵא חֲמִשִּׁים וְאֶחָד, וּפְעָמִים שֶׁאַתָּה מוֹצֵא חֲמִשִּׁים וּשְׁנַיִם, חֲמִשִּׁים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה, חֲמִשִּׁים וְאַרְבָּעָה, חֲמִשִּׁים וַחֲמִשָּׁה, חֲמִשִּׁים וְשִׁשָּׁה.
Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda elaborates: And if you say that the clause: “From the morrow after the day of rest [hashabbat],” is referring to the Shabbat of Creation, sometimes you will find a count of fifty-one days from the first day of Passover, which is the date that the count began the previous year, until Shavuot; and sometimes you will find fifty-two, or fifty-three, or fifty-four, or fifty-five, or fifty-six. For example, in one year, Passover occurs on Shabbat, and the counting of the omer would start on Sunday, the sixteenth of Nisan, and Shavuot would occur fifty days later. Another year, Passover occurs on a Friday, and the counting starts on Sunday, then the date that Shavuot will occur this year is fifty-one days from the sixteenth of Nisan. If Passover occurs on a Thursday, and the counting begins on the following Sunday, Shavuot will occur fifty-two days from the sixteenth of Nisan.
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בְּתִירָא אוֹמֵר: אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ,
Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira says: That proof is not necessary,
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