Megillah 14a

מגילה י״ד ע״א

Learn Megillah 14a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Megillah 14a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Why אחשורוש refused המן's money, the king's ring and תשובה, why there is no הלל on פורים, and the seven נביאות

Overview

This amud keeps explaining the פסוקים of מגילת אסתר. It starts with a משל of a mound and a ditch, which shows that אחשורוש wanted to destroy the Jews just as much as המן did. Next, רבי אבא בר כהנא teaches that the king's ring sealing the decree brought the Jews to תשובה, something 48 נביאים and 7 נביאות could not do. A ברייתא then says those prophets added nothing to the תורה except reading the מגילה, which they learned through a קל וחומר from the שירה sung at יציאת מצרים. The גמרא asks why we don't say הלל on פורים and gives three answers: the miracle happened outside ארץ ישראל, the מגילה reading is itself the הלל (רב נחמן), and we were still servants of אחשורוש (רבא). It then explains that there were really many more prophets, but only the prophecies needed for later generations were written down. Finally, the גמרא names the seven נביאות and brings a source for each one in turn: שרה, מרים, דבורה, חנה, and אביגיל. The story of אביגיל's clever halachic exchange with דוד continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (44)

1. StatementThe parable: one man has a mound, the other has a ditch
2. StatementThe punch line: 'Take it for free, and gladly!'
3. StatementThe king's ring did more than all the prophets
4. StatementThe prophets added nothing to the תורה except reading the מגילה
5. QuestionWhat reasoning allowed the prophets to add מקרא מגילה?
6. ResponseA קל וחומר: from death to life is greater than from slavery to freedom
7. ChallengeThen we should say הלל on פורים too
8. ResolutionNo הלל for a miracle outside ארץ ישראל
9. ChallengeBut יציאת מצרים also happened outside ארץ ישראל
10. ResolutionBefore entering the Land, every land was fit for שירה
11. Resolutionרב נחמן: reading the מגילה is itself הלל
12. Resolutionרבא: we were still servants of אחשורוש
13. ChallengeBoth new answers clash with the ברייתא about the Land
14. ResolutionAfter the exile, other lands became fit again
15. ChallengeWeren't there two hundred prophets?
16. ResolutionMany prophets, but only the needed ones were written
17. StatementTwo hills facing each other
18. StatementDescended from people at the height of the world
19. QuestionWho are these people?
20. ResponseThe sons of קרח on a high place in גיהנם
21. QuestionWho were the seven prophetesses?
22. ResponseThe list of the seven prophetesses
23. Proofשרה is יסכה, who saw through רוח הקודש
24. StatementA second meaning of יסכה: everyone gazed at her beauty
25. Proofמרים is called a נביאה outright
26. ChallengeWhy only 'sister of אהרן' and not of משה?
27. ResolutionShe prophesied before משה was born
28. StatementWhen משה was thrown in the river, her father doubted
29. ProofHis sister stood to see how her prophecy would end
30. Proofדבורה is called a נביאה outright
31. QuestionWhat does 'אשת לפידות' mean?
32. ResponseShe made wicks for the מקדש
33. QuestionWhy does the verse mention the palm tree?
34. ResponseShe sat outdoors to avoid being alone with men
35. ResponseThe palm tree as a symbol of one united heart
36. Proofחנה is a נביאה: the source verse
37. ProofHorn, not jug: the prophecy about lasting kingship
38. Statementה׳ outlasts what He makes
39. StatementNo artist like our God
40. Proofאביגיל is next on the list, with her verse
41. ChallengeWhy 'hidden side' and not just 'from the mountain'?
42. ResolutionBlood from hidden places: she showed דוד a blood stain
43. Responseדוד: blood is not examined at night
44. Challengeאביגיל: capital cases aren't judged at night either