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Rosh Hashanah 18a

ראש השנה י״ח ע״א

Learn Rosh Hashanah 18a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Rosh Hashanah 18a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Tearing up a heavenly גזר דין: individual versus community, the ten days of תשובה, judgment on ראש השנה, and the months when messengers go out

Overview

The גמרא explains that the rule 'no forgiveness after the גזר דין' applies only to a יחיד, while a ציבור can be forgiven even after its sentence. It then shows that the individual's case is a disagreement. רבי מאיר says a complete prayer decides, רבי אלעזר says prayer helps only before the sentence, and רבי יצחק says crying out helps both before and after. Next the גמרא asks whether even a community's decree can be torn up. It answers that only a decree sealed with a שבועה cannot be undone, as with ה׳'s oath against בית עלי. רבא and אביי say that תורה, and also גמילות חסדים, can still atone for that family, and stories about רבה, אביי and a family in ירושלים show it. רב teaches that a community's sealed decree can still be torn up. An individual, though, has a special time to reach ה׳: the ten days from ראש השנה to יום הכפורים. The גמרא then explains the משנה's phrase 'כבני מרון' and teaches that ה׳ sees everyone in one look. Finally a new משנה lists the months when messengers announce ראש חודש, and the גמרא asks why תמוז and טבת are not included.

Opening lines

כָּאן קוֹדֶם גְּזַר דִּין,

Here, it is before the sentence;

כָּאן לְאַחַר גְּזַר דִּין!

there, it is after the sentence!

הָכָא נָמֵי בְּיָחִיד.

Here too, it refers to an individual.

וּגְזַר דִּין דְּיָחִיד תַּנָּאֵי הִיא.

And the sentence of an individual is a dispute of תנאים.

The steps (39)

  1. ChallengeThe verse resolution seems to say no forgiveness after the sentence
  2. ResolutionHere too it refers to an individual
  3. StatementAn individual's sentence is a disagreement: רבי מאיר's two cases
  4. QuestionWhy did one survive and the other not?
  5. ResponseOne prayed and was answered, the other was not
  6. QuestionWhy was one prayer answered and not the other?
  7. ResponseA complete prayer is answered
  8. Statementרבי אלעזר: it depends on before or after the sentence
  9. Statementרבי יצחק: crying out helps both before and after the sentence
  10. ChallengeCan a community's sealed decree really be torn up?
  11. ResolutionDecrees with an oath versus decrees without an oath
  12. ProofProof from the oath against the house of Eli
  13. Statementרבא: Torah can still atone for the house of Eli
  14. Statementאביי: Torah and kindness both atone
  15. Proofרבה and אביי from the house of Eli
  16. ProofA family in ירושלים is saved by learning תורה
  17. StatementA community's decree is not sealed
  18. ChallengeBut a פסוק says the community's sin is sealed
  19. ResolutionEven when sealed, it can be torn up
  20. ChallengeBut God is found only at certain times
  21. ResolutionOne פסוק is about an individual, the other about a community
  22. QuestionWhen can an individual find God?
  23. ResponseThe ten days from ראש השנה to יום הכפורים
  24. QuestionWhy did נבל die ten days later?
  25. ResponseTen days for the ten portions נבל gave דוד's servants
  26. Responseנבל's ten days were the days of תשובה
  27. StatementThe גמרא returns to the phrase 'like בני מרון'
  28. QuestionWhat does 'like בני מרון' mean?
  29. ResponseFirst explanation: like a flock of sheep
  30. ResponseSecond explanation: like the path up בית מרון
  31. ResponseThird explanation: like the soldiers of בית דוד
  32. StatementEveryone is seen in one single look
  33. ProofA proof from a פסוק in תהלים
  34. QuestionWhat is the פסוק saying?
  35. RejectionIt cannot mean God makes all hearts the same
  36. ConclusionThe פסוק means God sees all hearts together
  37. StatementThe משנה: six months when messengers go out
  38. StatementDuring the בית המקדש: also in אייר for פסח שני
  39. ChallengeWhy not send messengers for תמוז and טבת too?