Megillah 9a

מגילה ט׳ ע״א

Learn Megillah 9a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Megillah 9a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Which languages holy books may be written in, and why Greek is allowed for a ספר תורה (the story of תלמי המלך).

Overview

The גמרא is working on a contradiction. Our משנה says holy books may be written in any language, but a ברייתא says a verse written in translation is not holy, and a scroll only counts if it is written in אשורית. רבא first answers that the משנה means a foreign language written in Hebrew letters, but אביי knocks this down. The next two answers also fall. The first says the sources follow different תנאים, but that fails because רבן שמעון בן גמליאל allows Greek. The second says the ברייתא is about תפילין and מזוזות, which must stay 'as they are' because of 'והיו', but it fails because they contain no Aramaic. The גמרא then says the ברייתא is about the מגילה, which must be written 'ככתבם וכלשונם', and it does have Aramaic words like 'פתגם' and 'יקר'. רב אשי gives another answer: the ברייתא is about the other books of תנ״ך and follows רבי יהודה, who allowed Greek only for a ספר תורה. The amud ends with the reason Greek was allowed: the story of תלמי המלך, whose seventy-two separated זקנים all made the same changes in their translations.

Opening lines

The steps (25)

1. ResolutionOur letters versus their letters
2. Challengeאביי: then why mention translation at all?
3. ResolutionA new answer: the רבנן versus רבן שמעון בן גמליאל
4. ChallengeBut רבן שמעון בן גמליאל allows Greek
5. ResolutionScrolls versus תפילין and מזוזות
6. QuestionWhy must תפילין and מזוזות be written in אשורית?
7. ResponseThe word 'והיו' means they must stay as they are
8. ChallengeThere is no Aramaic in תפילין and מזוזות
9. ResolutionThe ברייתא is about מגילה, the משנה is about ספרים
10. QuestionWhy is the מגילה strict?
11. Response'ככתבם וכלשונם' means as written and in its language
12. ChallengeIs there any Aramaic in the מגילה?
13. ResolutionAramaic words in the מגילה: 'פתגם' and 'יקר'
14. Resolutionרב אשי: the ברייתא is about the other ספרים and follows רבי יהודה
15. ChallengeChallenge: Greek cannot be allowed for תפילין and מזוזות
16. ResolutionFirst fix: the ברייתא is about books, not תפילין
17. ChallengeChallenge: 'permitted' suggests the first תנא forbade Greek
18. ResolutionSecond fix: our Rabbis allowed only Greek
19. Proofרבי יהודה: Greek only for a ספר תורה
20. StatementThe story of תלמי המלך and the seventy-two זקנים
21. StatementThe changes the זקנים made: the first examples
22. StatementCreation finished on the sixth day, and 'He created him'
23. Statement'Let Me go down' and שרה laughing among her relatives
24. StatementAn ox and a trough, and משה's 'carrier of people'
25. StatementFour hundred years, and the 'elect' of Israel