Talmud su Ester 9:78

Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish asked Rebbi Joḥanan: Is it not forbidden because of “do not split into sects”⁵³How can the Mishnah require people who move from place to place to follow the more restrictive practice? Does this not violate the basic principle of uniform practice based on an aggadic interpretation of Deut. 14:1. Babli Yebamot 13b.? He said to him⁵⁴He wants to restrict the prohibition of concurrent different practices to cases of fundamental differences in the formulation of rules, not to differing interpretations of existing rules., in case these follow the House of Shammai and those the House of Hillel. But between the House of Shammai and the House of Hillel does practice not follow the House of Hillel⁵⁵The answer is unsatisfactory since in post-Jabneh Judaism, practices of the House of Shammai are not recognized anyhow.? He said to him, in case these follow Rebbi Meïr and those follow Rebbi Yose. But between Rebbi Meïr and Rebbi Yose, does practice not follow Rebbi Yose? He answered him, there are two Tannaim regarding Rebbi Meïr and two Tannaim regarding Rebbi Yose⁵⁶While it is agreed as general rule that between R. Meïr and R. Yose practice follows R. Yose (Maˋserot 1:7 Note 200; Babli Eruvin 46b), this is only a general rule, not an invariable principle. There are many examples where other Tannaim follow the lines of argument of R. Meïr and R. Yose and practice was decided only in later generations.. He said to him, is there not New Year’s Day and the Day of Atonement, where in Judea one used to follow Rebbi Aqiba and in Galilee Rebbi Joḥanan ben Nuri⁵⁷Mishnah Roš Haššanah 4:6,7 explains their differences in the way prayers and shofar blowings are combined on New Year’s day and the Day of Atonement in a Yovel year.. He told him, there is a difference since if he changed and in Judea acted as in Galilee or in Galilee as in Judea he discharged his obligation⁵⁸Everybody will agree that either way fulfills the biblical requirement.. But is there not Purim, where these read on the fourteenth and those on the fifteenth⁵⁹Days of reading of the Esther scroll in the month of Adar. Since the date of reading is determined by the place of reading, it is obvious that a visitor has to read with the local people.? He told him, he who edited the Mishnah based it on Scripture⁶⁰Esth. 9:28. Since the differences are of biblical origin, the example is irrelevant for the rabbinic prohibition.: Family and family, country and country, and town and town.

“If he wrote it,” this implies that work is permitted. Should we say on the Fourteenth, in walled cities³⁹While the Mishnah permits the reader to be dozing occasionally because when he is reading he cannot do this without intent, the listener cannot be dozing and fulfill the obligation to hear the Scroll from beginning to end.? “Studied it,” only he should not let his mind wander to other topics. “He corrected it.” It was stated: one is not explicit about its mistakes. Rebbi Isaac bar Abba from Mehasia and Rebbi Ḥananel were sitting before Rav. One said, Yehudim. And the other one said, Yehudiim, and neither of them changed his opinion. Rebbi Joḥanan was reading always “Yehudim⁴⁰Irrespective of how it was written.”. Rebbi Ḥelbo, Rav Jeremiah in the name of Rav: One verse says “book⁴¹Esth. 9:32.”, another verse says “letter.⁴²Esth. 96:26.” How is this? They made it light for sewing. They were lenient regarding its sewing, that if he stitched two or three stitches it is qualified⁴³Babli 19a..

BARAITHA.⁸⁷K 23. R. Eliezer [b. Jacob] said: One should not put his money into a charity bag unless it is supervised by a learned man such as R. Ḥanina b. Teradion.
GEMARA. What did he do?⁸⁸R. Ḥanina b. Teradion, who was the treasurer of a charity fund. As it has been taught:⁸⁹‘A.Z. 17b (Sonc. ed., p. 89), 18a (Sonc. ed., pp. 91f). He said to him,⁹⁰R. Jose b. Ḳisma to R. Ḥanina b. Teradion. ‘Did anything happen to you?’ He replied, ‘Money for Purim [distribution]⁹¹Money set aside for distribution among the poor on Purim (cf. Esth. 9, 22) and such money may not be diverted to any other cause. R. Ḥanina, having inadvertently distributed the money as ordinary charity, made the allocation of Purim gifts from his own resources. was mixed with charity funds, so I distributed [my own money] to the poor’. He exclaimed, ‘May my portion be from your portion and my lot from your lot’.

They asked before Rebbi Ze`ira<sup>92</sup>Two generations before R. Yose, when the 14th on Monday and Sabbath was not impossible.: As you are saying there, if it falls so that in walled cities one should read on the Sabbath, one reads on Friday<sup>93</sup>Mishnah 4.. If it falls so that in villages one should read on the Sabbath, should one not read it on Friday<sup>100</sup>Since if the 15th is on a Sabbath one reads on the 14th, on Friday, there seems to be no reason why one should not read on Friday if the 14th is on the Sabbath, against the Mishnah.? But the Mishnah must be by two Tannaim. The first Tanna is of the opinion that any which is pushed away is pushed to the market day<sup>101</sup>This is the Mishnah.. [The other Tanna is of the opinion that not everything which is pushed away is pushed to the market day.]<sup>102</sup>Corrector’s addition. Probably not part of the original text, in which Rebbi Ze`ira immediately states that one follows Rav who explains that all Mishnaiot are consistent. He said to them, so says Rav: it is one Tanna. Why did they say, if for walled cities it falls on a Sabbath, one reads it on Friday? Because Rebbi Ḥelbo, Rebbi Ḥuna in the name of the Great Rebbi Ḥiyya: Everybody may fulfill his obligation on the Fourteenth, which is the time of its reading^67,Šeqalim 1:1, Note 24; also quoted twice in the sequel. He asserts that even though villagers may read early and inhabitants of walled cities have to read on the Fifteenth, reading on the Fourteenth satisfies the basic requirement. Those who are reading on both days, as mentioned later, because the tradition about the existence of a walled settlement in the days of Joshua bin Nun is not reliable, do not recite a benediction on the second day.¹⁰³If for walled cities it is a Sabbath, then Friday is the 14th and is valid reading for everybody (after the fact).. And similarly, if for villages it would fall on the Sabbath¹⁰⁴But if Sabbath is the 14th, Friday is not acceptable following R. Ḥelbo, and there are two reasons why one should read on Thursday.; as Rebbi Ḥelbo said, the Thirteenth was a day of war¹⁴Esth. 9:1.. It proves for itself that it was not a day of comfort. It is found stated, hamlets read on Friday¹⁰⁵Following R. La in the preceding Halakhah. Babli 5a.; large villages are pushed to the market day, and walled cities after the Sabbath. How does one act? Rebbi Yose said, it is impossible⁸⁷Who published the calendar rules which insure that the Day of Atonement never falls on Friday or Sunday (Eruvin Chapter 3, Note 199.), but if one would be possible, following the Mishnah⁹⁹In all actual cases one follows the applicable one of Mishnaiot 2–5.

May a village dweller free a city dweller of his obligation? Should it follow “anybody not obligated for something may not free the public from their obligation”⁵³Mishnah Roš Haššanah 3:8. By this argument, neither the village dweller on the 15^th nor the city dweller on the 14^th may read for another person’s benefit.? May a city dweller free a village dweller of his obligation? Should it follow “anybody not obligated for something may not free the public from their obligation”? Or should it follow what “Rebbi Ḥelbo said, Rebbi Ḥuna in the name of the Great Rebbi Ḥiyya: Everybody may fulfill his obligation on the Fourteenth, which is the time of its reading⁵⁴Chapter 1, Note 67. By this argument, everybody may read for other persons on the 14^th. The question is not resolved (but Tosaphot Yebamot 14a, s.v. כי read the text as following the first opinion.)”? Rebbi Yudan asked. [A village dweller who] decided to move in the night of the Fifteenth? Is that not the Mishnah, “a villager who went to a walled city”? The Mishnah if he was in the walled city. What is problematic for him, if he was in a village. But those on an ocean trip or passing through deserts read normally on the Fourteenth. Rebbi Mana said, if he intended to return to his place. Rebbi Phineas said, therefore the dispersed Jews⁵⁵Esth. 9:19., in that hour he was dispersed⁵⁶Since he could not possibly reach his home on Purim. Babli 19a..

HALAKHAH: “From where does a person start to read and fulfills his duty? Rebbi Meïr says, all of it. Rebbi Jehudah says, from a Jewish man⁴⁵Esth. 2:5.. Rebbi Yose says, from after these matters⁴⁶Esth. 3:1..” Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Eleazar: He who says all of it, about all words of this letter⁵⁷Esth. 9:26.. He who says from a Jewish man, what they understood about it⁵⁷Esth. 9:26.. He who says from after these matters, and what happened to them⁵⁷Esth. 9:26.. Rebbi Simon in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi. He who says all of it, all the facts of his strength and mightiness⁵⁸Esth. 10:2.. He who says from a Jewish man, the Chapter of the greatness of Mordocai⁵⁸Esth. 10:2.. He who says from after these matters, how the King aggrandized him⁵⁸Esth. 10:2.. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: strength, all strength, with all strength⁵⁹Esth. 9:29.. Strength, is Haman’s strength. All strength, is Mordocai’s strength. With all strength, is Ahasuerus’s strength. It was stated⁶⁰Babli 19a. In Tosephta 2:9 in the name of R. Simeon ben Eleazar.: Rebbi Simeon ben Yoḥay says, from in that night⁶¹Esth. 6:1.. From the place where there was Haman’s downfall came Mordocai’s rise.

HALAKHAH: “From where does a person start to read and fulfills his duty? Rebbi Meïr says, all of it. Rebbi Jehudah says, from a Jewish man⁴⁵Esth. 2:5.. Rebbi Yose says, from after these matters⁴⁶Esth. 3:1..” Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Eleazar: He who says all of it, about all words of this letter⁵⁷Esth. 9:26.. He who says from a Jewish man, what they understood about it⁵⁷Esth. 9:26.. He who says from after these matters, and what happened to them⁵⁷Esth. 9:26.. Rebbi Simon in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi. He who says all of it, all the facts of his strength and mightiness⁵⁸Esth. 10:2.. He who says from a Jewish man, the Chapter of the greatness of Mordocai⁵⁸Esth. 10:2.. He who says from after these matters, how the King aggrandized him⁵⁸Esth. 10:2.. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: strength, all strength, with all strength⁵⁹Esth. 9:29.. Strength, is Haman’s strength. All strength, is Mordocai’s strength. With all strength, is Ahasuerus’s strength. It was stated⁶⁰Babli 19a. In Tosephta 2:9 in the name of R. Simeon ben Eleazar.: Rebbi Simeon ben Yoḥay says, from in that night⁶¹Esth. 6:1.. From the place where there was Haman’s downfall came Mordocai’s rise.

“About these¹¹¹The days preceding Purim. it was said that one precedes and does not trail.” Reading the Scroll and paying the Sheqel tax one precedes and does not trail; the Meal of the New Moon and the Purim Meal one trails¹²²The meal at which the New Moon is declared by the calendar court by its nature cannot be celebrated before the New Moon has been declared; the Purim meal is scheduled for the afternoon of the 14th (or 15th), probably extending into the next night. but does not precede. Rebbi Ze`ira said before Rebbi Abbahu: then could one make it on the Sabbath¹²³For which one has to go to the expenses of a festive meal anyhow.? He answered him, to make them days of drinking and joy¹²⁴Esth. 9:22.; those whose joy depends on the court¹²⁵The calendar court, before the publication of the computed calendar. After the publication, every date is permanently depending on R. Yose’s court.; this excludes those whose joy depends on Heaven.

What does one read if it⁹⁵The New Moon of Adar. falls on a Friday? Rebbi Ze`ira says, one reads earlier<sup>96</sup>The Sabbath preceding. Babli 30a.. Rebbi Ila, Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: one reads later<sup>97</sup>The Sabbath following. Babli 30a.. Rebbi Ze`ira was looking at him. He said to him, why are you looking at me? I said to you from tradition, and you are saying an opinion⁹⁸R. Ila quotes R. Joḥanan while R. Ze`ira holds his opinion as a logical inference from Mishnah 5.; why are you looking at me? A baraita supports one and a baraita supports the other. A baraita supports Rebbi Ze`ira: What is the first week? Any in which the New Month of Adar falls, even on Friday. What Samuel stated supports Rebbi Ila: What is the second week⁹⁹The problem is that as they are formulated Mishnaiot 5 and 6 contradict one another. Mishnah 5 states that if Šeqalim is read before the day of New Moon then on the next Sabbath one reads a section in the regular sequence of Torah reading while Mishnah 6 supposes that one reads the 4 extra paragraphs (Note 92) one after the other without interruption and only afterwards returns to the regular readings. This is possible only if Šeqalim is read later and justifies R. Joḥanan. Babli 30a.? Any in which Purim falls, even on Friday. Rav Naḥman bar Jacob asked, think of it if the Fifteenth fell on a Sabbath? You may not read in the Esther scroll since one reads in Hagiographs only after afternoon prayers¹⁰⁰It seems from the old Midrash collections that after the Torah reading in the afternoon of the Sabbath one read a Haftara from Hagiographs, while in the morning the public reading after the Torah reading had to be from Prophets.. Could they not read remember¹⁰¹The reading Deut. 25:17–19.? He said to him, so says Rav, these days are remembered and executed¹⁰²Esth. 9:28., that the remembrance precedes the execution. Rebbi Abba the son of Rebbi Pappai asked, think of it if the Fourteenth fell on a Sabbath? Does not the remembrance precede the execution¹⁰³If one reads about Amaleq on the 14^th and then, because the Scroll cannot be read on the Sabbath one reads it on the 15^th, Rav’s condition is satisfied.? He said to him, was this not already contradicted, it cannot happen¹⁰⁴In the computed calendar; Chapter 1 Note 89.. And if it could happen it would be belated for towns¹⁰⁵Since it was determined that the Scroll may not be read after the appointed time (Chapter 1 Note 12), one would have to read the Scroll in towns on the 12^th or the 13^th..

Rebbi Ḥelbo, Rav Ḥama bar Guria in the name of Rav Ḥama bar Uqba in the name of Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina: Family and family⁷⁴Esth. 9:28., from here that the watches of priests and Levites will be unoccupied⁷⁵Since sexual activity pollutes and purity is regained only at sundown following immersion in water, priests and Levites officiating in the Temple have to serve far from their families. If they have to join their families for the celebration of Purim, the Temple service has to stop. Babli 3a.; Rebbi Ḥelbo said, from here that the house of assembly will be empty⁷⁶While the previous remark was theoretical, this one is practical and forbids sessions of the Academy in the afternoon of Adar 14.. Simeon bar Abba in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan, and their remembrance will not disappear from their descendants⁷⁴Esth. 9:28., from here that the Sages dedicated a Tractate to it.

This is fine for the Esther scroll since it is written there (Esther 9:27): “As they are written”¹⁸³The verse reads: “The Jews confirmed and accepted for themselves, not to be cancelled, that they would observe these two days as they are written and it its time, every single year.” Hence, the scroll must be read as it is written.. But for Hallel, since it is written (Ps. 113:3): “From sunrise to sunset, may the name of the Eternal be praised?”¹⁸⁴Since there is no difference between East and West, there should be no difference between before and after. What can you understand from that? Rebbi Abun said: It also is written in order. (Ps. 114:1) “When Israel left Egypt” in the past. (Ps. 115:1) “Not for us, o Eternal, not for us” in the present¹⁸⁵In the much more detailed parallel passage in the Babli (Pesaḥim 118a), this sentence is applied by Rebbi Yoḥanan either to the oppression by hostile governments or to the sufferings preceding the coming of the Messiah. That may be the meaning of the sentence here also. Alternatively, the psalm is interpreted there as the song of Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah in the fiery oven.. (Ps. 116:1) “I loved, truly the Eternal listened to my voice” in the days of the Messiah. (Ps. 118:27) “Bind the holiday sacrifice with ropes” in the days of Gog and Magog¹⁸⁶In the celebration after the final defeat of the forces of evil. In Midrash Tehillim, Ps. 118:24 “This is the day the Eternal made, let us rejoice and be happy on it” is taken to describe the time when one can be sure that the deliverance will not be followed by another oppression.. (Ps. 118:28) “You are my God” in the future world.

HALAKHAH: The Mishnah if it was intercalated and afterwards they read it; but if they read it and after that it was intercalated it does not apply¹⁵²In this rejected opinion, if the reading the first time was legitimate, it does not have to be repeated. The accepted opinion leaves open the question whether also the benedictions recited for the reading have to be repeated. Differently Babli 6b–7a.. The Mishnah does not say so, but “if the Scroll was read during the first Adar and then the year was intercalated one has to read it during the second Adar.” Rebbi Simon in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: it is written¹⁵³Esth. 9:29., to validate this Purim letter; why does the verse say, the second? But from here that If the Scroll was read during the first Adar and then the year was intercalated one has to read it during the second Adar.

¹⁵⁴Babli 7a. Rebbi Jeremiah in the name of Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac: What did Mordocai and Esther do? They wrote a letter and sent to our rabbis¹⁵⁵The established rabbinate in the Holy Land, the only one authorized to decree practices valid everywhere.. So they said to them, do you accept upon yourselves these two days every year? They answered them, are not the troubles which come upon us enough, that you want to add to ours the trouble of Haman? They insisted and wrote them a second letter; that is what is written¹⁵⁶Esth. 9:29., to confirm to them this second [Purim]letter. What was written in it? They told them, if this is your fear, already it is written and deposited in Archives¹⁵⁷Greek ’αρχεῑον.: are these not written in the annals of the kings of Media and Persia¹⁵⁸Esth. 10:2.. Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman in the name of Rebbi Jonathan: 85 Elders and among them more than 30 prophets¹⁵⁹In Babli sources: 120 Elders. were sorry about this matter. They said, it is written¹⁶⁰Lev. 27:34. Quoted in the same sense in the Babli Šabbat 104a, Yoma 80b, Temurah 16b.: These are the commandments which the Eternal commanded to Moses. These are the commandments which we were commanded by Moses’s saying. So did Moses say to us: No other prophet will reveal to you anything afterwards. And Mordocai and Esther want to introduce something new¹⁶¹Since from the middle of Chapter 9 to the end of the Scroll the rules of Purim are written to be interpreted as biblical laws. This cannot be compared to Ḥanukkah which is a purely rabbinical time of remembrance. Writing new rules of biblical status is a clear violation of the prohibition neither to add nor to subtract(Deut. 4:2). This is a sufficient reason for Sadducees to reject the scroll and the attendant questionable activities.? They did not move from there but discussed [the matter]¹⁶²Corrector’s addition in Babylonian style. until the Holy One, praise to Him, illuminated their eyes and they found it written in the Torah, in Prophets, and in Hagiographs. This is what is written¹⁶³Ex. 17:14., the Eternal said to Moses, write this in a book for remembrance. This is the Torah, as you are saying, this is the Torah which Moses put before the Children of Israel¹⁶⁴Deut. 4:44.. Remembrance are the Prophets, a book of remembrance is being written before Him for those who fear the Eternal,¹⁶⁵Mal. 3:16. etc. In a book are the Hagiographs, Esther’s word confirmed the matter of these Purim days and it was written in a book¹⁶⁶Esth. 9:32..

¹⁵⁴Babli 7a. Rebbi Jeremiah in the name of Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac: What did Mordocai and Esther do? They wrote a letter and sent to our rabbis¹⁵⁵The established rabbinate in the Holy Land, the only one authorized to decree practices valid everywhere.. So they said to them, do you accept upon yourselves these two days every year? They answered them, are not the troubles which come upon us enough, that you want to add to ours the trouble of Haman? They insisted and wrote them a second letter; that is what is written¹⁵⁶Esth. 9:29., to confirm to them this second [Purim]letter. What was written in it? They told them, if this is your fear, already it is written and deposited in Archives¹⁵⁷Greek ’αρχεῑον.: are these not written in the annals of the kings of Media and Persia¹⁵⁸Esth. 10:2.. Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman in the name of Rebbi Jonathan: 85 Elders and among them more than 30 prophets¹⁵⁹In Babli sources: 120 Elders. were sorry about this matter. They said, it is written¹⁶⁰Lev. 27:34. Quoted in the same sense in the Babli Šabbat 104a, Yoma 80b, Temurah 16b.: These are the commandments which the Eternal commanded to Moses. These are the commandments which we were commanded by Moses’s saying. So did Moses say to us: No other prophet will reveal to you anything afterwards. And Mordocai and Esther want to introduce something new¹⁶¹Since from the middle of Chapter 9 to the end of the Scroll the rules of Purim are written to be interpreted as biblical laws. This cannot be compared to Ḥanukkah which is a purely rabbinical time of remembrance. Writing new rules of biblical status is a clear violation of the prohibition neither to add nor to subtract(Deut. 4:2). This is a sufficient reason for Sadducees to reject the scroll and the attendant questionable activities.? They did not move from there but discussed [the matter]¹⁶²Corrector’s addition in Babylonian style. until the Holy One, praise to Him, illuminated their eyes and they found it written in the Torah, in Prophets, and in Hagiographs. This is what is written¹⁶³Ex. 17:14., the Eternal said to Moses, write this in a book for remembrance. This is the Torah, as you are saying, this is the Torah which Moses put before the Children of Israel¹⁶⁴Deut. 4:44.. Remembrance are the Prophets, a book of remembrance is being written before Him for those who fear the Eternal,¹⁶⁵Mal. 3:16. etc. In a book are the Hagiographs, Esther’s word confirmed the matter of these Purim days and it was written in a book¹⁶⁶Esth. 9:32..

“One does nor read the scroll before sunrise.” For it is written⁹¹Esth.9:1., on the day the enemies of the Jews thought they would rule over them.

Rav, and Rebbi Ḥanina, and Rebbi Jonathan, and Bar Qappara, and Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, this scroll had be said to Moses on Sinai; only there is no earlier and later in the Torah¹⁶⁷Babli Pesaḥim 6a. Since the Torah is a timeless document, the historical succession must be irrelevant. In philosophical terms, they support Mendelssohn and possibly Maimonides, proponents of an abstract Judaism, against Jehudah Hallevi’s Judaism as historical religion. The argument, mutatis mutandis, is found again in the attempts at justification of the medieval pseudepigraph Zohar as Tannaitic document.. Rebbi Joḥanan and Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish. Rebbi Joḥanan said, Prophets and Hagiographs will in the future be nullified, but the five books of the Torah will never be nullified. What is the reason? A strong voice, never ending¹⁶⁸Deut. 5:19.. Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, also the Esther scroll and practices will never be nullified. It is said here, a strong voice, never ending, and it is said there, their remembrance will not end from their descendants¹⁶⁹Esth. 9:28.. Practices? His practices are eternal¹⁷⁰Hab. 3:6. R. Joḥanan follows the first generation Amoraim in accepting Judaism as an abstract religion, which therefore is open to total re-interpretation [which even envisages disappearance of biblical holidays (Midrash Mishle 9[2]; Responsa Rashba #93.] R. Simeon ben Laqish accepts Judaism as historical religion whose rules do evolve but cannot be revolutionized..

Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Eleazar: Every year by year¹⁷²Esth. 9:21. The implication is that Purim should be celebrated in an intercalary year the way it is celebrated in a regular year.. It bundled an intercalary year with one which is not intercalary. Since in a year which is not intercalary Adar is next to Nisan, also in an intercalary year Adar is next to Nisan. Rebbi Ḥelbo said, in order to make one liberation close to the other liberation¹⁷³In the Babli 6b both reasons are attributed to Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel. The opposing opinion of R. Eleazar ben R. Yose is not mentioned in the Yerushalmi..

Rebbi Joshua the Southerner²⁸¹Rebbi Joshua ben Levi. said: Three things did the earthly court decree and the Heavenly Court agreed with them, and they are the following: The ban on Jericho, the Esther scroll, and greeting people using the Name. The ban on Jericho (Jos. 7:11): “Israel sinned²⁸²Joshua decreed a ban on all property of the city of Jericho as ḥērem for the Eternal. After Akhan had taken property for himself, Israel was defeated at the Ai and Joshua was informed that “Israel sinned,” i. e., a transgression of his command was equated with a transgression of a divine command. Hence, Heaven accepted his human decree in the Heavenly Court. [While everybody can declare his own possession ḥērem or qorbān whereby its use is forbidden by a divine command (Lev. 27), Joshua here forbade the use of things that did not belong to him and, under usual circumstances, his decree would be invalid in a court of law.].” But was not Joshua the one who decreed it? This certainly implies that the Heavenly Court agreed with them. The Esther scroll (Esth. 9:27): “They confirmed and accepted, etc.” Rav said, “accepted” is written in singular²⁸³It is written קבל and read קִבְּלוּ.; this implies that they²⁸⁴In fact, He (God) accepted it. accepted. Greeting people using the Name (Ruth 2:4): “Lo, Boaz came from Bethlehem.” And from where that the Heavenly court agreed with them? The verse says (Jud. 6:12): “The Eternal is with you, o hero!²⁸⁵This is the greeting of the angel to Gideon, telling him to fight the Midianites. This shows that heavenly beings adapted the human manner of greeting as exemplified by Boaz. The argument implies that Gideon, who was quite early in the time of Judges, came after Boaz. This is explicit in Midrash Seder Olam Chap. 12 (in the author’s edition and commentary, Northvale N.J. 1998, p. 121–123.) Boaz was the grandson of Naḥshon ben Aminadav, prince of Judah during the wanderings in the desert (Ruth 4:20–21.)” Rebbi Abun in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: Also tithes, as it is said (Mal. 3:10): “Bring all tithes²⁸⁶The problem alluded to here is discussed in Yerushalmi Shevi‘it 6:1, Qiddushin 1:9 and Babli Arakhin 32b, referring to the obligations of the farmer regarding the produce of the Holy Land. It is spelled out in the Torah many times that these obligations (the heave for the priests, tithes for the Levites and the poor, the Sabbatical Year, etc.) come into force “when you come to the Land and inherit it,” as duties on the land distributed as family heritage to the tribes by Moses and Joshua. These commandments became obsolete when the tribes were led into captivity, including the obligations of the remaining Israelite population of Galilee who, according to our sources, were never exiled and who reappear in history at the time of the Hasmonean revolt without any record of resettlement in Galilee. The continued obligation to observe the Laws that depend on the Land therefore is derived only from the voluntary covenant enacted by the people in the time of Ezra and Nehemia (Shevi‘it 6:1): “Rebbi Lezer says: they voluntarily accepted the duties of the tithes. Why do I say this? (Neh. 10:1) ‘With all this, we enact a written trust and covenant signed by our princes, Levites, and priests.’ How does R. Lezer explain the inclusion (Neh. 10:37) of ‘the firstborn of our cattle and flocks’ [an obligation that does not depend on the Land and therefore is universal]? Since they accepted the obligations (of heave and tithes) that they could have avoided, Scripture gives them credit for those obligations which they had to fulfill anyhow as if they had accepted these also voluntarily.” The same idea is also expressed by an opponent of rabbinic Judaism who is reported (Shevi‘it 9:9) to have said: “Ḥallah (the heave to be taken from bread dough) is a biblical obligation (Num. 15:20) but the Sabbatical year is now an obligation only by the authority of Rabban Gamliel and his colleagues.” [Cf. the author’s The Scholar’s Haggadah, p. 280–281, and Seder Olam p. 248–250.], etc.” What is: “²⁸⁷Mal. 3:10: “Bring the full tithe into the (Temple) storehouse, so that there may be food in My House, test Me in this,” said the Eternal of Hosts, “if I will not open for you the skylights of heaven, and I shall pour out for you blessing until ‘without enough.’ ” The obligation accepted by the people on Earth without Heavenly Command gives Divine Reward. Hence, the obligation was accepted as Divine Command of human origin. Until ‘without enough?’ ” Rebbi Yose bar²⁸⁸The Rome manuscript does not have the words “Yose bar”. A son of R. Simeon bar Abba is otherwise unknown but the attribution is possible. R. Shelomo Cirillo has the reading “R. Yose in the name of R. Simeon bar Abba.” Simeon bar Abba in the name of Rebbi Yoḥanan: The thing about which it is impossible to say “enough”, that is blessing. Rebbi Berekhiah and Rebbi Chelbo and Rebbi Abba bar Ilaï in the name of Rav: Until your lips will wear out²⁹⁰This is explained in detail in Midrash Samuel 1:1 (which contains an enlarged version of the Yerushalmi here to the end of the tractate) that Elkanah went to Siloh four times a year, three times for the three holidays of pilgrimage and once for his private vow as explained in 1Sam. 1:2, and that every year he chose a different road to tell people to go to Shiloh for the holidays. A similar version is in Tanna dbe Eliahu I:8. saying, we have enough blessings, we have enough blessings.

HALAKHAH: “The entire day is qualified to read the Scroll,” as it is written⁹¹Esth.9:1., on the day the enemies of the Jews thought they would rule over them. To read the Hallel, as it is written¹¹²Ps, 118:24., this is the day the Eternal made, let us enjoy and be happy on it. To blow the shofar, as it is written¹¹³Num. 29:1., a day to shofar blowing it shall be for you. To take the lulav, as it is written¹¹⁴Lev. 23:40, you shall take for yourselves on the first day. For the musaf prayer, and for musaf sacrifices, as it is written¹¹⁵Lev. 7:38. The verse continues: to bring their sacrifices to the Eternal., on the day on which He commanded the Children of Israel, etc.

A Gentile came to a Gentile woman and she gave birth. Rebbi Joḥanan said, Gentiles have family relationships¹³³The verse Gen. 2:24: “Therefore, a man abandons his father and his mother and clings to his wife so they will be one flesh” is interpreted to mean that, by the laws of Creation, incest between parents and children, adultery (with a wife not his own) and possibly homosexuality are forbidden. The question is whether a court can enforce the incest prohibition between father and daughter. If there is no recognized legal relationship, that cannot be enforced. R. Joḥanan holds that any court on earth, even a Jewish one, can punish incest between Gentile father and daughter. R. Simeon ben Laqish disagrees.
In the Babli, 62a, the parallel discussion is on a completely different topic, whether the firstborn of a proselyte who converted together with his father is entitled to the customary double portion of the inheritance. R. Joḥanan answers in the affermative, R. Simeon ben Laqish in the negative.. Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, Gentiles have no family relationships. But is it not written¹³⁴Is. 39:1.: “At that time, Merodakh-Baladan, son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Ḥizqiah.” Since he honored his elder¹³⁵Babli Sanhedrin 96a reports that Baladan was incapacitated and Merodakh added his father’s name to his own so that all acts of his regency should also be in his father’s name., he was honored with a family relationship. But is it not written¹³⁶1K. 15:18. The text is contaminated with 2Chr. 16:2.: “At that time, king Asa sent to Ben-Hadad, son of Tabrimon, son of Ḥezayon, king of Damascus, as follows.” Destroyer son of a destroyer. As you say¹³⁷Esth. 9:24. In Targum Šeni 3:1, the family tree of Haman is given up to his ancestor Esaw. It is not clear there whether “Hamedata the Agagite” is intended as a name or a title. In the latter case, Haman’s father’s name was Seraḥ.: “For Haman ben Hamedata was”. Was he the son of Hamedata? That means, oppressor son of an oppressor. So here also, destroyer son of a destroyer. Rebbi Tanḥuma said, so did Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish answer Rebbi Joḥanan, but is there not written¹³⁸2S. 9:10. In v. 2, Ṣiba is called “ ‘ebed of the House of Saul”. Since in v. 9 he is called “esquire of Saul”, it seems that ‘ebed represents the usage of the time the book was finally edited, the later kingdom of Judah, when ‘ebed was the recognized title of officials directly responsible to the king.: “Ṣiba had sixteen sons and twenty slaves.” Do slaves have family relationships¹³⁹Not being able to legally marry, they are empowered to be promiscuous without guilt.? It is to enumerate those who served Mephiboshet together.

The following words are written without a waw,¹At the end of the word. but are to be read with the waw: and offered it;²1 Sam. 7, 9. said;³ibid. 19. Here and in the other verses which are cited the kethib is the singular and the ḳerë the plural. and [they] said;⁴ibid. XII, 10. and they spoke;⁵1 Kings 12, 7. shall they take away;⁶2 Kings 20, 18. and let them deliver;⁷ibid. XXII, 5. and eat;⁸Isa. 37, 30. together;⁹Jer. 48, 7, yaḥdaw to be read for yaḥad. and they shall profane it;¹⁰Ezek. 7, 21. and they offered;¹¹Ezra 3, 3. was made;¹²Dan. 5, 21. and took upon them;¹³Esth. 9, 27. Hananiah;¹⁴Added by GRA and H. The name Hananiah indicates Neh. 3, 30 where the text omits the waw at the end of ’aḥaraw (after him). Malchijah.¹⁵Indicating ibid. 31 where the waw at the end of ’aḥaraw is also omitted. The reverse of this [occurs in the following words]:¹⁶A superfluous waw is written but not read. my feet;¹⁷2 Sam. 22, 34; the kethib is ‘his feet’. [Although not included here, in the preceding verse my way is ‘his way’ in the kethib.] throw her down;¹⁸2 Kings 9, 33. [The added waw is due to dittography and superfluous.] and … commanded;¹⁹ibid. XVI, 15. The kethib means ‘commanded him’. straight before him;²⁰In Ezek. 46, 9 where the verb shall go forth is written as plural but to be read as singular. the fountain gate;²¹In Neh. 3, 15 where the kethib is ‘they set up’ and the ḳerë (he) set up. and called him;²²In 1 Kings 12, 3. The reference is to the word which follows which is plural in the kethib and singular in the ḳerë. and he assembled;²³ibid. 21. Here the reference is to the first verb was come which is written as plural but to be read as singular. took.²⁴In 2 Kings 14, 13. The reference is again to the verb came with the singular to be read for the plural in the text.

¹⁴¹Soferim 12:8–12. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, in the Levites’ song they should not have less than six readings¹⁴²The song Mosis (Deut. 32:1–43), parts of which are sung during the presentation of the musaf sacrifice of Sabbath has to be split into six parts, to be sung during six consecutive Sabbaths.; its mnemonic is hazayu laḵ¹⁴³The starting letters of verses 1,7,13,19,29,40 which determine the text to be sung. Babli Roš Haššanah 31a.. Rebbi Ze`ira, Rebbi¹⁴⁴Read “Rav”. Jeremiah in the name of Rav: [the Song on the Sea] and Deborah’s song are written space on brick and brick on space¹⁴⁵These songs have to be written etc. Babli 16b.. The ten sons of Haman¹⁴⁶Esth. 9:7–10. and the kings of Canaan¹⁴⁷Jos. 12:9–24. are written space on space and brick on brick¹⁴⁸These songs have to be written etc., since any such building will not stand. How is that, as meritorious act or as impediment¹⁴⁹If they are written differently, may the scroll be used in public service or not?? Rebbi¹⁵⁰In Soferim 13:4: R. Yose bar Ḥanina the brother of Rebbi Hoshaia said … said to Rebbi Ḥanania the son of Rav Hoshaia’s brother, do you remember when we were standing in front of your uncle’s store that Rebbi Abba bar Zavda passed by and we asked him when he said in the name of Rav: an impediment?

The scroll of Esther⁷Which is read on Purim. requires ruled lines⁸To guide the scribe in writing the letters which are suspended from them. as does the real⁹lit. ‘its truth of’. Torah,¹⁰Here denotes the Pentateuch. because it is called ‘a scroll’.¹¹The text corrected by GRA. V has ‘scroll called’. ‘Scroll’ is lit. ‘book’, the word used in Esth. 9, 32. For another reason, cf. Meg. 16b (Sonc. ed., p. 100).

The ten sons of Haman¹²Esth. 9, 7-9. and the kings of Canaan¹³Josh. 12, 9-24. are written in the form of a half-brick over a half-brick and a brick over a brick.¹⁴Like the song of Ha’azinu (cf. above XII, 8). Such a structure¹⁵In which bricks and half-bricks rest one above the other and do not overlap. does not endure.¹⁶And so is symbolic of the fate of Haman’s sons. What is implied by ‘such’?¹⁷The statement ‘such a structure does not last’. Does it indicate a recommendation¹⁸As the arrangement is only a symbol, a deviation from it would not disqualify the scroll. or an indispensable condition?¹⁹A deviation would then lead to disqualification. The answer follows in the next Rule.

R. Ḥiyya b. R. Adda of Jaffa, quoting R. Jeremiah in the name of R. Ze‘ira, said: The names of the ten sons of Haman and the word ten²¹Esth. 9, 10. must be recited in one breath.

R. Jose b. Abin said: When they²²The names of Haman’s sons. are written down, the word ’ish²³Man, the last word of Esth. 9, 6. must be at the top of the column²⁴And at the beginning of the first line. and each we’eth²⁵Sign of the defined accusative which occurs ten times, each preceding the names of the ten sons. at the end [of the lines, a total] of eleven lines,²⁶The first line consisting of ’ish on the right and we’eth on the left, the next nine lines having the name on the right and we’eth on the left, while the eleventh line has the name Wayezatha on the right and ‘asereth (ten) on the left. and ‘asereth at the end of the column. Thus, in reading transversely, the columns²⁷On the right (consisting of ’ish and the ten names), and the left (ten times we’eth and ‘asereth). appear laced and closely corded like transverse lacing [of a web].²⁸The reading of V is corrupt and the translation follows GRA, N.Y. and Jastrow. It symbolizes that when [the ten sons] fall there will be no rising for them.
The phrase ’aḥar haddebarim … Hammedatha²⁹Esth. 3, 1, E.V. After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha. was translated by R. Joseph as follows:³⁰R. Joseph is the reputed author of a later Aramaic translation of the Prophets and Hagiographa. ‘After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Aggagite, son of Seraḥ,³¹A name derived from a root ‘to stink’. The object of the genealogy is to trace Haman, the symbol of the enemies of Jews throughout their history, through a chain of despicable men to Esau, the brother but enemy of the patriarch Jacob. son of Buza, son of Aflutos,³²Buza means ‘contempt’, and Aflutos is probably Plutos, a heathen god. son of Deosis,³³Dionysus (?). son of Padom,³⁴Or, Pados (putrid?). son of Ma‘adi,³⁵Meaning ‘sickness’. son of Be‘alkon,³⁶The meaning is ‘cunning’. son of Antamarus,³⁷Signifying ‘crushed stones’. son of Ḥarum,³⁸Or, Ḥuram, possibly the heathen god Ares. son of Hadoram,³⁹Or, Heridos, i.e. Herod who is known in history as a tyrant. son of Shazar,⁴⁰Meaning ‘hip disease’ son of Nagar,⁴¹Or, possibly, Negad (a whip). son of Parshandatha,⁴²This and the following were also names of two of Haman’s sons. son of Wayezatha, son of ‘Amaleḳ,⁴³The ancestor of the people who were the first to attack Israel after their exodus from Egypt. son of the concubine of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau; he advanced him and set his seat above all his princes and his servants, because pride goeth before destruction’.⁴⁴The last four words come from Prov. 16, 18. The translation of the paragraph embodies most of GRA’s emendations.

R. Ze‘ira said: The waw of Wayezatha⁴⁵Esth. 9, 9. must project like a boat-pole on the river Libruth.⁴⁶i.e. the waw must be longer than the other letters. The ruling is quoted from Meg. 16b (Sonc. ed., p. 99). The river has not been identified.

As we read [the weekly portion] from the Torah and the hafṭarah from the Prophet in daytime, so it is obligatory to read the scroll of Esther in daytime;⁷⁵This is a repetition of R. Levi’s teaching quoted in the preceding paragraph, except that it is more specific. The word welishnothah (translated ‘repeated’) might be mistranslated as ‘the study of the Mishnah’ on the Megillah. The wording here precludes such a rendering. as it is stated, In the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped,⁷⁶Esth. 9, 1. on which it was taught in the Mishnah:⁷⁷Meg. II, 5 (Sonc. ed., p. 124). The whole of the day is a proper time for the reading of the scroll of Esther.

To what does the foregoing apply? To fasting in private, but it is forbidden to proclaim a public fast until Nisan has passed.
On the first day of Adar a public proclamation is made regarding the shekels.¹⁴Every adult had the obligation to give one half-shekel as a contribution to the Temple. Why on the first of Adar? Because it was foreseen, revealed and known before Him Who spoke and the world came into being that Haman would in time to come weigh [shekels] against Israel.¹⁵Cf. Esth. 3, 9. He, therefore, forestalled him and instructed Moses that the shekels of Israel should precede Haman’s. It is required that Israel shall give their shekels before [43b] the Sabbath of Remember;¹⁶The Sabbath before Purim when the mafṭir reads the passage beginning Remember (Deut. 25, 17-19). and it is forbidden to say of them¹⁷The half-shekels. that they are ‘for a ransom’ [but must be given] for a freewill-offering. From the proceeds water and food should be supplied for their poor brethren on account of a sacrifice¹⁸Reading ḳorban with GRA. V has ‘on account of complaints’ (ḳoblin). [M has ḳislin which Krauss, Lehnwörter, p. 531, renders ‘feast’.] and gifts to the poor.¹⁹Cf. Esth. 9, 22. Some supply bread and wine, others supply bread and fish; in any event not less than two gifts²⁰Since Esth. loc. cit. speaks of gifts, in the plural, which indicates not less than two. should be given, although they consist only of wheat and beans.