Gemara Clarity

Rosh Hashanah 23a

ראש השנה כ״ג ע״א

Learn Rosh Hashanah 23a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Rosh Hashanah 23a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Why torches announced only חסר months, the types of cedar used for them, and רבי יוחנן's teachings drawn from the trees in ישעיהו

Overview

This amud finishes the discussion of the torches (משואות) lit on mountaintops to announce ראש חודש. Torches were lit only after a חסר month. The גמרא shows why lighting for every month could be misread, and why lighting only for מלא months would cost people two days of work, as אביי explains. Next the גמרא turns to the משנה's long poles. רב יהודה counts four types of cedar, while the school of רב counts ten, based on a פסוק in ישעיהו plus three added trees. One of the added trees is coral, which leads to a side discussion about how coral is pulled from the sea and how valuable it is. רבי יוחנן then gives three teachings: the trees taken from ירושלים will be returned, the myrtle in the wilderness as a picture of learning and teaching תורה, and nothing can replace רבי עקיבא and his colleagues. Finally the גמרא returns to the משנה and asks what בית בלתין is. רב's answer comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

לְמִיטְעֵי, אָמְרִי:

to make a mistake, for they will say:

הַאי חָסֵר הוּא,

This month is deficient (29 days),

וְהַאי דְּלָא עֲבִיד מֵאֶתְמוֹל,

and the reason it was not done yesterday

מִשּׁוּם דְּלָא אֶפְשָׁר.

is because it was impossible.

The steps (20)

  1. ResponseLighting after a full month would confuse people when שבת gets in the way
  2. ChallengeProposal: light for every month but skip when שבת gets in the way
  3. ResolutionPeople might think the torches were just prevented
  4. ChallengeProposal: light only for full months
  5. Resolutionאביי: people would lose two days of work
  6. StatementBack to the משנה: four types of cedar
  7. StatementIdentifying the tree called קתרום
  8. StatementThe school of רב counts ten types of cedar
  9. ChallengeBut the פסוק lists only seven
  10. Resolutionרב דימי adds three more trees
  11. ResolutionA second version of the added three
  12. StatementWhat is צי אדיר?
  13. QuestionHow do they bring up the coral?
  14. ResponseSinking and raising the ship to pull up coral
  15. StatementHow valuable coral is, and where it comes from
  16. StatementEvery acacia tree taken from Jerusalem will be returned
  17. StatementOne who learns but does not teach is like a myrtle in the wilderness
  18. StatementAnother version: teaching where there are no scholars is precious
  19. StatementNothing can replace רבי עקיבא and his colleagues
  20. QuestionBack to the משנה: what is בית בלתין?