Rosh Hashanah 25b

ראש השנה כ״ה ע״ב

Learn Rosh Hashanah 25b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Obeying the leader of your generation, and how בית דין sanctifies the new month

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a ברייתא with more פסוקים showing that an appointed leader must be obeyed like the greatest leaders of the past, each in his own generation. The גמרא then returns to the משנה: רבי יהושע came to רבן גמליאל with his staff and money. רבן גמליאל kissed him and called him 'my teacher and my student,' and he praised a generation in which the great listen to the lesser. The second פרק ends here, and the third פרק, ראוהו בית דין, begins with a new משנה about cases where the court or three judges saw the new moon. The גמרא explains why each detail of the משנה is needed. It shows that sanctifying the month must be finished by day, because the פסוק calls it משפט. It also shows that one expert cannot sanctify the month alone, because even משה needed אהרן. Finally, the גמרא asks whether a witness can become a judge and begins a ברייתא about רבי עקיבא, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (33)

1. ProofA second verse puts weaker leaders next to the greatest ones
2. ConclusionEach leader in his own generation is like the greatest leaders
3. ProofThe judge 'in those days' means the judge of your own time
4. ProofDon't say the old days were better
5. StatementBack to the משנה: רבי יהושע takes his staff and money
6. Statementרבן גמליאל stands, kisses רבי יהושע, and greets him
7. StatementWhy רבי יהושע is both teacher and student
8. ConclusionFortunate is the generation where the great listen to the lesser
9. ChallengeHow can obeying greater people be a קל וחומר?
10. ResolutionThe lesser people make the קל וחומר for themselves
11. ConclusionHadran — Closing פרק אם אינן מכירין
12. StatementMoon seen by everyone, but not declared before night
13. StatementOnly בית דין saw the moon
14. StatementOnly three judges saw the moon
15. QuestionWhy mention that the court and all Israel saw it?
16. ResponseEven a widely seen moon still needs the declaration
17. ChallengeWhy mention questioning witnesses?
18. ResolutionReading it as a second case
19. ChallengeWhy teach the witness case at all?
20. ResolutionNot like money cases that finish at night
21. ChallengeMaybe the court really can finish at night
22. ResolutionThe פסוק calls it משפט, so it must be by day
23. Statementמשנה: if the court saw the moon, two testify
24. ChallengeWhy isn't seeing better than hearing?
25. Resolutionרבי זירא: they saw it at night
26. Statementמשנה: three judges saw it
27. ChallengeThe same question on the three judges
28. ChallengeThe night answer would just repeat the earlier case
29. ResolutionThe second case teaches that one judge cannot act alone
30. ChallengeWhy not let an expert act alone here too
31. ResolutionEven משה רבינו needed אהרן with him
32. QuestionCan a witness also be a judge
33. ChallengePerhaps the משנה goes against רבי עקיבא