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Megillah 24a

מגילה כ״ד ע״א

Learn Megillah 24a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Rules for the מתורגמן and skipping in the reading, and why the מפטיר leads the prayers

Overview

This amud finishes the משנה's rules for reading with a מתורגמן. In נביא the reader may give three verses at a time, unless each verse is its own paragraph. Skipping is allowed in נביא but not in the Torah. The גמרא explains that the three-verse minimum for each Torah reader matches תורה, נביאים, and כתובים (רב אסי), and it gives ישעיה 52:3-5 as an example of verses that are separate paragraphs. A contradiction from the כהן גדול's יום כיפור reading leads אביי to rule that in the Torah one may skip within one topic, and a ברייתא confirms this. A second ברייתא forbids skipping from one book of נביא to another, though skipping forward within תרי עשר is allowed. A new משנה then gives the מפטיר the honor of leading the prayers and lists what a קטן, a פוחח, and a סומא may and may not do. The גמרא asks why the מפטיר leads. רב פפא says it is for honor, and רבה בר שימי says it is to prevent quarrels. The case of a child מפטיר is answered with the honor of his father and teacher.

Opening lines

וּבַנָּבִיא שְׁלֹשָׁה.

And in the Prophets, three [verses at a time].

הָיוּ שְׁלָשְׁתָּן שָׁלֹשׁ פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת —

If the three of them were three separate paragraphs,

קוֹרִין אֶחָד אֶחָד.

they read them one by one.

מְדַלְּגִין בַּנָּבִיא

One may skip in the Prophets

The steps (25)

  1. StatementReading three verses at a time to the translator in the Prophets
  2. StatementSkipping is allowed in the Prophets but not in the Torah
  3. QuestionWhat do the three verses correspond to?
  4. Responseרב אסי: corresponding to תורה, נביאים, and כתובים
  5. StatementThe גמרא repeats the translator rule from the משנה
  6. StatementAn example of three verses that are three separate paragraphs
  7. StatementThe גמרא quotes the משנה's rule on skipping
  8. ChallengeContradiction from the כהן גדול's יום כיפור reading
  9. Resolutionאביי's first answer: it depends on how long the skip takes
  10. ChallengeThe משנה's time limit was given only for Prophets
  11. Resolutionאביי's second answer: one topic versus two topics
  12. ProofA ברייתא supports the one-topic answer
  13. StatementAnother teaching on skipping between books of the Prophets
  14. StatementThe הפטרה reader leads the other parts of the service
  15. StatementWhat a child may and may not do in בית הכנסת
  16. StatementWhat a person with exposed limbs may and may not do
  17. StatementA blind person may lead the שמע blessings and translate
  18. QuestionWhy does the הפטרה reader get to lead the prayers?
  19. ResponseFirst answer: to give him honor
  20. ResponseSecond answer: to prevent quarrels
  21. QuestionWhat is the practical difference between the two reasons?
  22. ResponseThe difference: when the prayer leader serves for free
  23. ChallengeChallenge from the case of a child reader
  24. ChallengeThe same problem hits the honor reason
  25. ResolutionThe honor belongs to the father and teacher