Megillah 3a

מגילה ג׳ ע״א

Learn Megillah 3a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Megillah 3a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The final letters, the origins of the תרגום, דניאל's vision, and stopping Temple service and Torah study to hear the מגילה.

Overview

This עמוד finishes the discussion of the final letters מנצפ״ך. They existed at Sinai, were forgotten, and the צופים only restored them, because a נביא may not add new laws. The גמרא then brings more teachings of רבי ירמיה (or רבי חייא בר אבא). אונקלוס הגר wrote the תרגום of the תורה, and יונתן בן עוזיאל wrote the תרגום of the נביאים. When יונתן translated the נביאים, the land shook, but he was not allowed to translate the כתובים, because they hide the time of משיח. The תרגום of the תורה existed in עזרא's time, was forgotten, and was restored by אונקלוס. The נביאים translation shook the land because it revealed hidden passages, as רב יוסף shows from a פסוק in זכריה. The same רבי ירמיה says the men with דניאל were חגי, זכריה, and מלאכי, which leads to רבינא's advice about sudden, unexplained fear. Finally, the גמרא returns to מגילת אסתר: even כהנים, לוים, and ישראל stop their Temple service to hear the מגילה, and בית רבי learn that תלמוד תורה is stopped too. The גמרא then questions whether Temple service is really greater than Torah study, using the story of יהושע and the angel, which continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

The steps (38)

1. ChallengeThe closed letters already existed at Sinai
2. ResolutionBoth forms existed, but their placement was unknown
3. ChallengeEven fixing placement would be a new law
4. ConclusionThe forms were forgotten and later restored
5. Statementאונקלוס wrote the Aramaic translation of the תורה
6. Statementיונתן בן עוזיאל wrote the translation of the נביאים
7. StatementThe land quaked and a heavenly voice protested
8. Statementיונתן בן עוזיאל explains why he translated the נביאים
9. StatementA בת קול stops the translation of the כתובים
10. QuestionWhy was the translation of the כתובים stopped
11. ResponseThe כתובים contain the time of משיח
12. ChallengeDid the תרגום of the תורה already exist in עזרא's time
13. ResolutionThe translation was forgotten and restored
14. QuestionWhy did only the translation of the נביאים shake the land?
15. ResponseThe תורה is clear, but the נביאים have hidden passages
16. Proofרב יוסף: without the תרגום we could not understand this פסוק
17. QuestionWho were the men with דניאל who did not see the vision?
18. ResponseThe men were חגי, זכריה, and מלאכי
19. ConclusionEach side was greater than the other in a different way
20. ChallengeIf they did not see the vision, why were they afraid?
21. ResolutionTheir guardian angels saw it
22. Statementרבינא: Unexplained fear means your מזל sees something
23. QuestionWhat should such a person do?
24. ResponseThree remedies: קריאת שמע, moving away, or a protective saying
25. QuestionWhat does 'משפחה ומשפחה' come to teach?
26. ResponseEven כהנים and לוים stop their service to hear the מגילה
27. Proofרב: כהנים, לוים, and ישראל all stop to hear the מגילה
28. ProofA ברייתא supports the teaching about stopping Temple service
29. Statementבית רבי learn that Torah study is also stopped for the מגילה
30. ChallengeIs Temple service really more important than Torah study?
31. ChallengeHow could יהושע bow to an unknown figure?
32. ResolutionThe figure said he was the captain of God's army
33. ChallengeMaybe the שד was lying
34. Resolutionשדים do not say God's name for nothing
35. ProofThe angel lists two things יהושע neglected
36. Questionיהושע asks which sin the angel came about
37. ResponseThe angel answers: I came because of now
38. Proofיהושע immediately responds, and רבי יוחנן is introduced