Talmud su Levitico 23:2

“If they sanctified it before its time or after its lengthening, should I assume it was lengthened? The verse says, them, them; not these are My holidays? Before its time, the 29th day; after its lengthening, the 32nd day.”¹⁸Sifra Emor Parashah 9(3). Lev. 23:2 prescribes publication of the dates of festivals. The masoretic text has אֹתָם “them” as if it were אַתֶּם “you”, empowering the High Court to determine the times even in disagreement with the astronomical data. From where that one intercalates for the year because of the diaspora¹⁹The Babylonians who come to Jerusalem in caravans to celebrate Passover. who set out but did not yet arrive? The verse says, the Children of Israel. Make the holidays so they can be observed by all of Israel. Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman said, only if they had reached the river Euphrates.

If they sanctified it before its time or after its lengthening, should I assume it was lengthened⁵³Since a month can only be either 29 or 30 days, New Year’s Day can be only the 30th or the 31st of Elul. If the Synhedrion did not proclaim New Year’s on the 30th of Elul, then the 31st is automatically sanctified; whether it needs a proclamation is a matter of controversy (Mishnah Roš Haššanah 2:8).? The verse says (Lev. 23:2) “them”, you, “these are My holidays.⁵⁴This is explained in Babli Roš Haššanah 25a and Sifra Behar Parashah 9(3). In Lev. 23:2 (Tell the Children of Israel and say to them, the holidays of the Eternal, you have to proclaim them as holy assemblies, these are My holidays), Lev. 22:4 (These are the holidays of the Eternal, holy assemblies; you have to declare them at their times), and Lev. 22:37 (These are the holidays of the Eternal; you have to declare them as holy assemblies) the word “them” is written defective אֹתָם so that it could also be read as אַתֶּם “you”. This is taken to imply that no holiday is sacred that is not proclaimed by the Synhedrion. Since the Synhedrion is human, it is error prone. The three “them - you” are explained in the Babli as “you, even if unintended, you, even if intentionally wrong, you, even in error.” In the Sifra, the three cases are “even if forced by an act of God, unintended, or in error.” This interpretation is the basis of the Jewish computed calendar which, being based on a constant mean synodal month and a base line outside the Land of Israel, is necessarily in error if compared with astronomical computations of the motions of the moon.” Before its time is not “My holidays.” Before its time, the 29^th day, after its lengthening, the 32^nd day. From where that one intercalates the year because of the [men of the] diaspora that set out but did not yet arrive⁵⁵This argument does not belong to the discussion about one or two days of the New Year since the intercalary month always has to precede Passover. The intercalary month is a necessary feature of any lunar-solar calendar. It is included here probably because it refers to the same verse and appears in Sifra Behar Parashah 9(1). Since both the Children of Israel and God’s holidays are mentioned in Lev. 23:2, it is inferred that the holidays must be appropriate for all Children of Israel. {The rule itself, without Scriptural justification, is in Babli Sanhedrin 11a.}? The verse says (Lev. 23:2), “the Children of Israel, my holidays”. Make the holidays so they can be observed by all of Israel. Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman said, only if they had reached the river Euphrates.

Rebbi Eleazar said, παρά βασιλέως ‘ο νόμος ʼάγραφος²³²“For the king the law is unwritten.”. Usually in the world a king of flesh and blood decides a decision. If he desires it, he keeps it. If he²³³Translated following G and A. In the text: “if they want”. desires it, others keep it. But the Holy One, praise to Him, is not so but if He decides a decision He keeps it first. What is the reason? They have to keep My watch, I am the Eternal²³⁴Lev. 22:9., I am He Who keeps the commandments of the Torah first. Rebbi Simon said, it is written, before white hairs you have to stand, and honor the presence of an elderly person, and to fear your God, I am the Eternal²³⁵Lev. 19:32.. I am He Who first stood before an elderly person²³⁶Gen. 18:2.. Rebbi Simon said, it is written²³⁷Deut. 4:8, misquoted.: for who is a great people which has just laws and ordinances, etc. <For who is this great people that has God close to it²³⁸Deut. 4:7, text of G. A only quotes the first words of the verse, but clearly this indicates v. 7, not v. 8. Since in the ms. the start of v. 7 is grafted on the text of v. 8 it is reasonable to assume that the original quote is v. 7..> Rebbi Ḥama ben Rebbi Ḥanina and Rebbi Hoshaia. One said, is there a people like this people? Usually in the world a person who knows that he will stand in trial dresses in black, wears black headdress, and lets his beard grow, since he does not know how his trial will end. But Israel are not so, but they wear white, wear white headdress, cut their beard, eat, and drink, and are happy²³⁹On New Year’s Day.. They know that the Holy One, praise to Him, will perform wonders for them. But the other one said, is there a people like this people? Usually in the world if the ruler says, the trial is today, but the robber²⁴⁰Greek ληστής. says, tomorrow is the trial, whom does one listen to, not the ruler? But the Holy One, praise to Him, is not like this. If the Court said, today is New Year’s Day, the Holy One, praise to Him, says to the angels of service, put up the dais, [summon defenders²⁴¹Greek συνήγορος., summon accusers²⁴²Greek κατήγωρ. A instead reads ספיקטורין which probably is shortened from ספקלטורין, Semitic plural of Latin speculator “examiner.”, for My children said that today is New Year’s Day.]²⁴³Corrector’s addition, confirmed by G. If the Court took counsel to transfer it to the next day, the Holy One, praise to Him, says to the angels of service, remove the dais, remove the defenders, remove the accusers, for My children took counsel to transfer to tomorrow. What is the reason? Certainly, it is a rule for Israel, a law of the God of Jacob²⁴⁴Ps. 81:5.. If it is not a rule for Israel, so to speak²⁴⁵The customary expression to excuse anthropomorphisms. Babli 8b. it is not a law for the God of Jacob. Rebbi Crispus in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: In the past, the festive times of the Eternal, from then and onwards which You shall declare²⁴⁶Lev. 23:2. While the holidays are declared to be “the Eternal’s holidays”,
since they depend on calendar dates, the actual dates are fixed not by God but by the calendar authorities. Cf. Shevi`it10:2 Notes 53–54.. Rebbi Ila said, if you declare them they are My festive times, otherwise they are not My festive times. Rebbi Simon said, it is written, great things You did, You, Eternal my God, Your wonders and intentions regarding us²⁴⁷Ps. 40:6.. In the past, great things You did; from then onwards, Your wonders and intentions regarding us²⁴⁸This passage is explained in A: “From the creation of the world up to Moses did the Holy One, praise to Him, compute the motions of the stars, and New Moons, and turning points (Note 161). When Moses was appointed, He handed over to him the secret of the calendar as it is said, this month is for you the head of months. Up to this time it was Mine, from now on it is delivered to you.” The following parables have to be explained as exploring the meaning of this handing over the sacred calendar to human interpretation.. Rebbi <Joshua ben>²⁴⁹Added from G and A. This attribution is most likely correct even though the Yerushalmi, in contrast to the Babli, does not in general follow a chronological sequence of the quotes. R. Joshua ben Levi, great authority of the first generation of Amoraim, can precede the second generation authority R. Yose ben Ḥanina better than the third generation preacher (but not halakhic authority) R. Levi. Levi said, a parable of a king who had a watch; when his son came of age, he handed it to him. Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina said, a parable of a king who had a watch-box; when his son came of age, he handed it to him. Rebbi Aḥa said, a parable of a king who had a ring; when his son came of age, he handed it to him. Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said, a parable of a carpenter who had carpenter’s tools; when his son came of age, he handed them to him. Rebbi Isaac said, a parable of a king who had treasures; when his son came of age, he handed them to him. But the rabbis say, a parable of a healer who had a box of medicines; when his son came of age, he handed it to him.

MISHNAH: Rabban Gamliel sent to him, I am decreeing about you that you shall come to me with your staff and your money purse on the day when the Day of Atonement¹¹²When it is forbidden to carry in the public domain since all the rules of the Sabbath are applicable to the Day of Atonement. As the sequel shows, the disagreement must have been about the determination of Elul. should be according to your computation. Rebbi Aqiba went and found him afflicted. He said to him, I have to infer that all which Rabban Gamliel does is valid, as it is said¹¹³Lev. 23:2., these are the festive times of the Eternal which you have to proclaim. Whether on the correct time or not the correct time, I only have these as festive times¹¹⁴Those which are proclaimed by the court entrusted with the regulation of the calendar..

MISHNAH: If one who cannot walk saw the new moon one transports him on a donkey, even on a litter³¹³On a Sabbath.. If they are fearful³¹⁴Of wild animals or any other form of attack., they take sticks with them. If the distance was great they take with them food, for on a distance of walking a night and a day one desecrates the Sabbath and goes for testimony of the new moon, as it is said³¹⁵Lev. 23:2., these are the festive times of the Eternal, proclaimed as holy.

I could think that just as one desecrates the Sabbath to testify about them, so one desecrates the Sabbath to proclaim that they were fixed³¹⁹The messengers sent out to inform the people about the fixation of the holidays must keep the Sabbath, in contrast to the people who go to testify about a new moon on the Sabbath. Babli 21b; Sifra Emor Pereq 10(7).. The verse says³¹⁵Lev. 23:2., which you shall call out. About its being called you desecrate the Sabbath, you do not desecrate the Sabbath to proclaim that they were fixed.