תּלמוד אויף דברים 26:13

MISHNAH: The following are recited in the vernacular: The verses of the suspect wife¹The verses the Cohen has to read to the wife before she drinks. While the scroll has to be written in Hebrew, the wife has to understand them and, therefore, they have to be translated into her vernacular., and the declaration of tithes²Deut. 26:12–16., and the recitation of the Šema‘³Cf. Berakhot, Chapters 1–2., and prayer⁴The eighteen (respectively 7 or 9) benedictions of the ‘Amidah; cf. Berakhot, Chapters 1–2., and grace⁵After a meal., and the oath of a witness⁶If somebody puts an oath on a possible witness that he should come and testify for him; Lev. 5:1. Testimony itself is given without an oath., and the oath about a deposit⁷Ex. 22:6–12..

HALAKHAH: “The priest anointed for war,” etc. Why⁴Why must he speak in Hebrew only? the priest anointed for war? Because it is written “he shall speak⁵Deut. 20:2.”? But about the reading of the Šema‘ it is written: “You shall speak about them,” and it may be recited in any language. But because it is written there “saying⁶Deut. 20:3.”. But for the declaration of tithes it is written “saying⁷Deut. 26:13.” and it may be recited in any language! Rebbi Ḥaggai said, it says here “to come close⁵Deut. 20:2.” and it says there, “the Levitic Cohanim shall come close⁸Deut. 21:5.;” since “coming close” there implies [recitation in] the holy language⁹Mishnah 7:2., so also “coming close” here implies [recitation in] the holy language¹⁰This is an example of an argument outside the hermeneutic rules, used quite frequently in the Babli but very sparingly in the Yerushalmi. It is not an “equal cut” since there is no transfer of meaning involved; it is what is known as הֶקֵּשׁ “tying together”. Both in the case of the priest chosen for war and the calf selected to atone for an unsolved murder case, it should be quite clear that the people involved cannot be heard unless they are reasonably close. In both cases, the note that they have to come near is somewhat redundant. Therefore, one may conclude that the additional expression was used to indicate similar circumstances, which by rabbinic authority is declared to concern the language to be used.. That follows Rebbi Aqiba who says, these are expressions of additions¹¹This refers to the ceremony for the unsolved murder case, where R. Jehudah in 7:2 states that common use of the roots אמר, ענה implies use of the holy language. That argument is acceptable only following R. Aqiba, not following R. Ismael. For the latter, the argument of R. Ḥaggai does not prove anything.. Following Rebbi Ismael who says, these are double expressions? Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said, it says here “to come close” and it says there, “Moses shall come close to the mist¹²Ex. 20:21; the word order is incorrect in the quote.”, since “coming close” there implies [recitation in] the holy language¹³Since Moses was deputized by the people to speak to God Who obviously spoke to them and him in Hebrew. This reference to the holy language is acceptable to R. Ismael., so also “coming close” here implies [recitation in] the holy language.

“The declaration of tithes, as it is written¹⁷There is no such verse. It really should read (Deut. 26:13): “You should say before the Eternal, your God,” Who understands all languages, in contrast to the declaration of First Fruits (v. 3), where it says “you should say to him (the priest)”, who is supposed to speak only Hebrew. The quote contradicts Halakhah 2, Notes 43ff; it is correct in Sifry Deut. 303 and in the Babli, 32b, where it is pointed out that “declare and say” always means Hebrew only (as in Deut. 27:14).: “You should declare and say.”