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Megillah 4a

מגילה ד׳ ע״א

Learn Megillah 4a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Walled cities from יהושע's time, רבי יהושע בן לוי's rulings on reading the מגילה, and why villages may read early

Overview

This amud finishes רבי יהושע בן לוי's statement that לוד, אונו, and גיא החרשים have been walled since the days of יהושע בן נון. The גמרא asks how that can be, since verses say that אלפעל and later אסא built these cities. רבי אלעזר explains the history: the cities were walled in יהושע's time, destroyed in the war of פילגש בגבעה, rebuilt by אלפעל, and restored by אסא. The wording of אסא's verse, 'these cities', supports this. Next come more rulings of רבי יהושע בן לוי. Women are obligated in מקרא מגילה because they were part of the miracle. When פורים falls on שבת, people still learn its laws, and this is allowed despite רבה's גזירה. The מגילה must also be read at night and again by day, which רבי ירמיה and עולא ביראה confirm. Finally, the גמרא returns to the משנה, and רבי חנינא explains why villages may read early on יום הכניסה.

Opening lines

לוֹד וְאוֹנוֹ וְגֵיא הַחֲרָשִׁים —

Lod, and Ono, and Gei HaCharashim

מוּקָּפוֹת חוֹמָה מִימוֹת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן הֲווֹ.

were surrounded by a wall since the days of Joshua son of Nun.

וְהָנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּנַנְהִי?

And did Joshua build these?

וְהָא אֶלְפַּעַל בְּנַנְהִי,

But Elpaal built them,

The steps (15)

  1. StatementThree cities walled since the time of יהושע
  2. ChallengeChallenge: a verse says אלפעל built these cities
  3. RejectionCounter: by that logic אסא built them too
  4. Resolutionרבי אלעזר's history: walled, destroyed, rebuilt, restored
  5. ProofProof from the wording of אסא's verse
  6. StatementWomen are obligated to hear the מגילה
  7. StatementLearning the laws of פורים when it falls on שבת
  8. ChallengeWhy single out פורים, when every holiday has this rule?
  9. Resolutionפורים needed to be mentioned because of רבה's decree
  10. StatementReading the מגילה at night and again by day
  11. StatementSome students misunderstand the word 'to repeat it'
  12. Rejectionרבי ירמיה explains that it means reading the מגילה again
  13. ProofAnother אמורא says the same ruling
  14. StatementThe גמרא quotes the משנה about villages reading early
  15. StatementWhy villages were allowed to read early