Rosh Hashanah 26

מקצתן נעשו עדים ומקצתן נעשו דיינין דברי רבי טרפון רבי עקיבא אומר כולן נעשין עדים ואין עד נעשה דיין

some of them are rendered witnesses and testify before the others and some of them become judges in the case; this is the statement of Rabbi Tarfon. Rabbi Akiva says: They are all rendered witnesses, and a witness cannot become a judge. It seems therefore that the mishna contradicts Rabbi Akiva’s opinion.

אפילו תימא רבי עקיבא עד כאן לא קאמר רבי עקיבא התם אלא בדיני נפשות דרחמנא אמר ושפטו העדה והצילו העדה וכיון דחזיוהו דקטל נפשא לא מצו חזו ליה זכותא אבל הכא אפילו רבי עקיבא מודה

The Gemara rejects this argument: You can even say that the mishna was taught in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Akiva, but we must distinguish between the cases. Rabbi Akiva states his position there only with regard to cases of capital law, for the Merciful One says: “And the congregation shall judge…and the congregation shall save” (Numbers 35:24–25), which requires a court to search for grounds to exonerate the defendant, but once they themselves have seen him kill a person, they will be unable to find grounds to exonerate him. But here, with regard to the sighting of the new moon, even Rabbi Akiva concedes that a witness can be rendered a judge.

מתני׳ כל השופרות כשרים חוץ משל פרה מפני שהוא קרן אמר רבי יוסי והלא כל השופרות נקראו קרן שנאמר במשוך בקרן היובל

MISHNA: The mishna begins to discuss the primary mitzva of Rosh HaShana, sounding the shofar. All shofarot are fit for blowing except for the horn of a cow, because it is a horn [keren] and not a shofar. Rabbi Yosei said: But aren’t all shofarot called horn, as it is stated: “And it shall come to pass, that when they sound a long blast with the horn [keren] of a ram [yovel]” (Joshua 6:5), and a ram’s horn is a shofar fit for sounding on Rosh HaShana?

גמ׳ שפיר קאמר רבי יוסי ורבנן כל השופרות אקרו שופר ואקרו קרן דפרה קרן אקרי שופר לא אקרי דכתיב בכור שורו הדר לו וקרני ראם קרניו

GEMARA: Rabbi Yosei is saying well, i.e., presents a convincing argument. Why do the Rabbis not accept it? The Gemara explains that the Rabbis counter Rabbi Yosei’s argument as follows: Indeed, all other shofarot are called shofar and they are also called keren, but that of a cow is called keren, but it is not called shofar, as it is written: “His firstborn bull, grandeur is his, and his horns [karnav] are the horns of [karnei] a wild ox” (Deuteronomy 33:17). It is therefore clear that the horns of a bull are called keren, and nowhere are they called shofar.

ורבי יוסי אמר לך דפרה נמי אקרי שופר דכתיב ותיטב לה׳ משור פר אם שור למה פר ואם פר למה שור אלא מאי שור פר משופר

And how would Rabbi Yosei counter this argument? He could have said to you: The horns of a cow are also called shofar, as it is written: “And it shall please the Lord better than an ox bull [shor par] that has horns and hoofs” (Psalms 69:32). The wording of the verse is strange: If it is an ox [shor], why is it also called a bull [par], and if it is a bull [par], why is it called an ox [shor]? Rather, what is the meaning of shor par? These two words must be read as if they were one single word: Than a shofar. According to this reading, even the horn of a cow is called a shofar.

ורבנן כדרב מתנה דאמר רב מתנה מאי שור פר שהוא גדול כפר

And how do the Rabbis explain the difficulty in this verse? They explain it as it was explained by Rav Mattana, as Rav Mattana said: What is the meaning of shor par? An ox [shor] that is as large as a bull [par], as the animal is called a shor from birth, but is called a par only from the age of three.

עולא אמר היינו טעמא דרבנן כדרב חסדא דאמר רב חסדא מפני מה אין כהן גדול נכנס בבגדי זהב לפני ולפנים לעבוד עבודה לפי שאין קטיגור נעשה סניגור

Ulla said: This is the reasoning of the Rabbis, who say that the horn of a cow is unfit for sounding on Rosh HaShana. They say this in accordance with the opinion of Rav Ḥisda, as Rav Ḥisda said: For what reason does the High Priest not enter the innermost sanctum, the Holy of Holies, with his golden garments to perform the service there on Yom Kippur? It is because a prosecutor [kateigor] cannot become an advocate [sanneigor]. Since the Jewish people committed the sin of worshipping the Golden Calf, the High Priest may not enter the Holy of Holies to atone for the Jewish people wearing golden garments, as they would bring that sin to mind.

ולא והא איכא דם פר הואיל ואשתני אשתני

The Gemara asks: But do we not use a cow in the Holy of Holies? But there is the blood of the bull that is brought there to be sprinkled on Yom Kippur, despite the fact that the Jewish people sinned with a calf. The Gemara answers: Since it has changed, i.e., it is not the bull itself, but only its blood, then it has changed, i.e., so it does not bring the sin of the Golden Calf to mind.

והא איכא ארון וכפורת וכרוב חוטא בל יקריב קאמרינן

The Gemara raises another difficulty: But there is the Ark, the Ark cover, and the cherub, all of which are plated with gold. If this is problematic, why are they in the Holy of Holies? The Gemara explains: What we are saying is that a sinner seeking atonement should not bring something made of gold into the Holy of Holies, as it would bring the sin of the Golden Calf to mind.

והא איכא כף ומחתה חוטא בל יתנאה קא אמרינן

The Gemara asks further: But there is the spoon and coal pan that are brought into the Holy of Holies, and they are made of gold. The Gemara answers: What we are saying is that a sinner seeking atonement should not adorn himself with ornaments of gold.

והא איכא בגדי זהב מבחוץ מבפנים קא אמרינן שופר נמי מבחוץ הוא כיון דלזכרון הוא כבפנים דמי

The Gemara raises yet another question: But there are the golden garments the High Priest wears outside the Holy of Holies. The Gemara answers: What we are saying is that a sinner should not adorn himself with gold inside the Holy of Holies, but outside there is no concern. The Gemara continues this line of questioning: If so, the shofar is also outside, since it is not brought into the Holy of Holies. The Gemara answers: Since the shofar is sounded in order to evoke God’s remembrance, it is considered as if it were sounded inside the Holy of Holies.

והא תנא מפני שהוא קרן קאמר חדא ועוד קאמר חדא דאין קטיגור נעשה סניגור ועוד מפני שהוא קרן

The Gemara asks: Is this indeed the reason that the Rabbis disqualify the use of a cow’s horn? But the tanna taught: The horn of a cow cannot be used because it is a keren. The Gemara answers: The tanna stated one reason and also another reason: One reason is that a prosecutor cannot become an advocate, and another is because it is called a keren and not a shofar.

ורבי יוסי אמר לך דקא אמרת אין קטיגור נעשה סניגור הני מילי מבפנים והאי שופר מבחוץ הוא ודקא אמרת מפני שהוא קרן כל השופרות נמי אקרו קרן

The Gemara asks: And how would Rabbi Yosei counter these arguments? The Gemara explains: He could have said to you: That which you said, that a prosecutor cannot become an advocate, is indeed true, but this applies only inside the Holy of Holies, and the shofar is sounded outside. And with regard to that which you said, because it is a keren, all shofarot are also called keren.

אביי אמר היינו טעמייהו דרבנן שופר אמר רחמנא ולא שנים ושלשה שופרות והא דפרה כיון דקאי גילדי גילדי מיתחזי כשנים ושלשה שופרות

Abaye said: This is the reasoning of the Rabbis: The Merciful One says to sound a single shofar, and not two or three shofarot together, but this horn of a cow, since it is comprised of layers, looks like two or three shofarot.

והא תנא מפני שהוא קרן קאמר חדא ועוד קאמר חדא דשופר אחד אמר רחמנא ולא שנים ושלשה שופרות ועוד מפני שהוא קרן

The Gemara asks: But the tanna taught: The horn of a cow cannot be used because it is a keren. Since the Rabbis’ reasoning appears clearly in the mishna, how can the reasoning provided by Abaye be correct? The Gemara replies: The tanna stated one reason and also another reason. One reason is that the Merciful One says to sound a single shofar, and not two or three shofarot together, and another is because it is a keren.

ורבי יוסי אמר לך דקאמרת שופר אחד אמר רחמנא ולא שנים ושלשה שופרות כיון דמחברי אהדדי חד הוא ודקאמרת מפני שהוא קרן כל השופרות נמי אקרו קרן

And Rabbi Yosei could have said to you: That which you said, that the Merciful One says in the Torah to sound a single shofar, and not two or three shofarot, is not a difficulty. Since the layers of the cow’s horn are connected to each other, it is considered a single shofar. And with regard to that which you said: Because it is a keren, all shofarot are also called keren.

מאי משמע דהאי יובלא לישנא דדכרא הוא דתניא אמר רבי עקיבא כשהלכתי לערביא היו קורין לדכרא יובלא

§ It is taught in the mishna that Rabbi Yosei proves from a verse that a the horn of a ram [yovel] is called a keren. The Gemara asks: From where may it be inferred that this term yovel denotes the horn of a ram? The Gemara answers: As it is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Akiva said: When I went to Arabia, I heard that they called a ram yovla, and from this we can infer the meaning of the term yovel in the related language of Hebrew.

ואמר רבי עקיבא כשהלכתי לגליא היו קורין לנדה גלמודה מאי גלמודה גמולה דא מבעלה ואמר רבי עקיבא כשהלכתי לאפריקי היו קורין למעה קשיטה למאי נפקא מינה לפרושי מאה קשיטה דאורייתא מאה דנקי

The Gemara records a series of similar statements: And Rabbi Akiva said: When I went to Galia, I heard that they called a menstruating woman galmuda, and this clarifies the meaning of that word in Scripture. It should be understood as follows: What does galmuda mean? She is separated [gemula da] from her husband, as all physical contact between a menstruating woman and her husband is forbidden. And Rabbi Akiva said: When I went to Africa, I heard that they called a ma’a, which is a certain coin, kesita. The Gemara asks: What is the practical significance of this? The Gemara answers: To explain that the words in the Torah relating to Jacob’s purchase of his field near Shechem: “And he bought the parcel of ground where he had spread his tent, from the sons of Hamor for a hundred kesita” (Genesis 33:19), denote a hundred dankei, i.e., a hundred ma’a.

אמר רבי כשהלכתי לכרכי הים היו קורין למכירה כירה למאי נפקא מינה לפרושי אשר כריתי לי

Similarly, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said: When I went to the sea towns, I heard that they called a sale kira. And the Gemara asks: What is the practical significance of this? The Gemara answers: To explain the verse relating to Jacob’s burial plot: “In my grave which I purchased [kariti] for myself, there shall you bury me” (Genesis 50:5).

אמר רבי שמעון בן לקיש כשהלכתי לתחום קן נשרייא היו קורין לכלה נינפי ולתרנגול שכוי לכלה נינפי מאי קרא יפה נוף משוש כל הארץ ולתרנגול שכוי אמר רב יהודה אמר רב ואיבעית אימא רבי יהושע בן לוי מאי קרא מי שת בטוחות חכמה או מי נתן לשכוי בינה מי שת בטוחות חכמה אלו כליות או מי נתן לשכוי בינה זה תרנגול

Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: When I went to the district of Kan Nishrayya, I heard that they called a bride ninfi and a rooster sekhvi. The Gemara explains how this information serves to clarify the meanings of biblical verses: A bride is called ninfi; what is the verse that uses a similar term? “Beautiful view [nof ], the joy of the whole earth, Mount Zion” (Psalms 48:3), which therefore means beautiful like a bride. And a rooster is called sekhvi; Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: And if you wish, you can say that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said this: What is the verse that employs this term? “Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the sekhvi” (Job 38:36), which should be understood as follows: “Who has put wisdom in the inward parts”: These are the kidneys that are hidden in the body; “or who has given understanding to the sekhvi”: This is a rooster, who knows to crow at fixed times during the night.

לוי איקלע לההוא אתרא אתא גברא לקמיה אמר ליה

Incidental to the discussion of the meanings of certain words in foreign countries, it was related that Levi once happened to come to a certain place, where a man came before him to complain about what had been done to him. This man said to him:

קבען פלניא לא הוה ידע מאי קאמר ליה אתא שאיל בי מדרשא אמר ליה גזלן אמר לך דכתיב היקבע אדם אלהים וגו׳ אמר ליה רבא מברניש לרב אשי אי הואי התם הוה אמינא ליה היכי קבעך במאי קבעך ואמאי קבעך וממילא הוה ידעינא ואיהו סבר מילתא דאיסורא קאמר ליה

So-and-so keva’a from me. Levi did not understand what that man was saying to him, as he did not know the meaning of the word kava. So he went and asked in the study hall. They said to him: That man said to you: He robbed me, as it is written: “Will a man rob [hayikba] God?” (Malachi 3:8). Rava from a place called Barnish said to Rav Ashi: Had I been there in Levi’s place I would have tried to uncover the meaning of the word in a different way, for I would have said to him: How did he keva’a you? With what did he keva’a you? And why did he keva’a you? And from his answers I would have understood on my own what was being said. The Gemara comments: And Levi, who did not do this, thought that the man was talking about a matter of prohibition and not a monetary matter, and so asking the man these questions would not have helped, as they are relevant only to monetary matters.

לא הוו ידעי רבנן מאי סירוגין שמעוה לאמתא דבי רבי דחזתנהו רבנן דהוו עיילי פסקי פסקי אמרה להו עד מתי אתם נכנסין סירוגין סירוגין

The Gemara continues its discussion of unusual words: The Sages did not know the meaning of the word seirugin, which is found in a mishna. One day they heard the maidservant in Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s house say to the Sages whom she saw entering the house not all at once, but intermittently: How long shall you enter seirugin seirugin? and from this they understood that the word seirugin means: At intervals.

לא הוו ידעי רבנן מאי חלוגלוגות יומא חד שמעוה לאמתא דבי רבי דחזית לההוא גברא דקא מבדר פרפחיניה אמרה ליה עד מתי אתה מפזר חלוגלוגך

It is similarly recounted that the Sages did not know the meaning of the word ḥaloglogot, which is mentioned in various mishnayot and baraitot. One day they heard the maidservant in Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s house say to a certain man whom she saw scattering his purslane plants: How long shall you scatter your ḥaloglogot? So they understood that ḥaloglogot means purslane.

לא הוו ידעי רבנן מאי סלסלה ותרוממך יומא חד שמעוה לאמתא דבי רבי דהוות אמרה לההוא גברא דהוה קא מהפך בשעריה אמרה ליה עד מתי אתה מסלסל בשערך

The Sages also did not know the meaning of the word salseleha in the verse: “Salseleha and it will exalt you” (Proverbs 4:8). One day they heard the maidservant in Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s house say to a certain man who was curling his hair: How long shall you mesalsel your hair? And from this they understood that the verse means: Turn wisdom about, and it will exalt you.

לא הוו ידעי רבנן מאי וטאטאתיה במטאטא השמד יומא חד שמעוה לאמתא דבי רבי דהוות אמרה לחבירתה שקולי טאטיתא וטאטי ביתא

It is further related that the Sages did not know the meaning of the words in the verse: “And sweep it [vetetetiha] with the broom [matatei] of destruction” (Isaiah 14:23). One day they heard the maidservant in Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s house saying to her workmate: Take a broom [tateita] and sweep [ta’ati] the house,” and they understood the meaning of these words.

לא הוו ידעי רבנן מאי השלך על ה׳ יהבך והוא יכלכלך אמר רבה בר בר חנה יומא חד הוה אזלינא בהדי ההוא טייעא הוה דרינא טונא ואמר לי שקול יהביך ושדי אגמלאי

The Sages also did not know the meaning of the word yehavkha in the verse: “Cast your load [yehavkha] upon the Lord and He will sustain you” (Psalms 55:23). Rabba bar bar Ḥana said: One day I was traveling with a certain Arab [Tayya’a], and I was carrying a load, and he said to me: Take your yehav and cast it on my camel, and from this I understood that yehav means a load.

מתני׳ שופר של ראש השנה של יעל פשוט ופיו מצופה זהב ושתי חצוצרות מן הצדדין שופר מאריך וחצוצרות מקצרות שמצות היום בשופר

MISHNA: The shofar that was used on Rosh HaShana in the Temple was made from the straight horn of an ibex, and its mouth, the mouthpiece into which one blows, was plated with gold. And there were two trumpets, one on each of the two sides of the person sounding the shofar. The shofar would sound a long blast, whereas the trumpets would sound a short blast, because the mitzva of the day is with the shofar.

ובתעניות בשל זכרים כפופין ופיהן מצופה כסף ושתי חצוצרות באמצע שופר מקצר וחצוצרות מאריכות שמצות היום בחצוצרות

And in contrast, the shofarot used on public fast days were made from the curved horns of rams, and their mouths were plated with silver. There were two trumpets in the middle between the shofarot, and the shofar would sound a short blast, whereas the trumpets would sound a long blast, for the mitzva of the day is with the trumpets.

שוה היובל לראש השנה לתקיעה ולברכות רבי יהודה אומר בראש השנה תוקעין בשל זכרים וביובלות בשל יעלים

Yom Kippur of the Jubilee Year is the same as Rosh HaShana with regard to both the shofar blasts that are sounded and the additional blessings that are recited in the Amida prayer. Rabbi Yehuda disagrees and says: There is a difference between the two days: On Rosh HaShana one blows with horns of rams, whereas in Jubilee Years one blows with horns of ibexes.

גמ׳ אמר רבי לוי מצוה של ראש השנה ושל יום הכפורים בכפופין ושל כל השנה בפשוטין והתנן שופר של ראש השנה של יעל פשוט הוא דאמר כי האי תנא דתניא רבי יהודה אומר בראש השנה היו תוקעין בשל זכרים כפופין וביובלות בשל יעלים

GEMARA: Rabbi Levi said: The mitzva of Rosh HaShana and of Yom Kippur of the Jubilee Year is to blow with curved shofarot, and that of the rest of the year, on fast days, is to blow with straight shofarot. The Gemara raises a difficulty: But didn’t we learn differently in the mishna: The shofar that was used on Rosh HaShana was made from the straight horn of an ibex? The Gemara answers: Rabbi Levi said his statement in accordance with the opinion of that tanna, Rabbi Yehuda, as it was taught in a baraita: Rabbi Yehuda says: On Rosh HaShana they would blow with the curved horns of rams, and on the Days of Atonement of the Jubilee Years with the horns of ibexes.

ולימא הלכתא כרבי יהודה אי אמרת הלכתא כרבי יהודה הוה אמינא אפילו של יובל נמי כרבי יהודה סבירא ליה קא משמע לן

The Gemara asks: If so, let it simply say that the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda. Why was it necessary to quote the baraita in full, as if it provided new information? The Gemara explains: If you had said that the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda, I would have said that he, Rabbi Levi, holds in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda even with regard to the shofar used in the Jubilee Year, i.e., that one must blow with the horn of ibexes at that time. Therefore, the Gemara teaches us that he agrees with Rabbi Yehuda only with regard to Rosh HaShana, and not with regard to any other matter.

במאי קמיפלגי מר סבר בראש השנה כמה דכייף איניש דעתיה טפי מעלי וביום הכפורים כמה דפשיט איניש דעתיה טפי מעלי ומר סבר בראש השנה כמה דפשיט איניש דעתיה טפי מעלי ובתעניות כמה דכייף איניש דעתיה טפי מעלי

The Gemara asks: With regard to what principle do these tanna’im disagree? One Sage, Rabbi Yehuda, holds that on Rosh HaShana the more a person bends his mind and humbles himself by bending in prayer, the better. Therefore, a curved shofar is sounded as an allusion to our bent minds and bodies. But on Yom Kippur, the more a person straightens his mind and prays with simplicity, the better. Therefore, a straight shofar is sounded. The other Sage, the anonymous tanna of the mishna, maintains the opposite: On Rosh HaShana, the more a person straightens his mind and avoids any crookedness, the better. On fasts, on the other hand, the more a person bends his mind and humbles himself, the better.