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Rosh Hashanah 28b

ראש השנה כ״ח ע״ב

Learn Rosh Hashanah 28b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Does a מצוה need כוונה? רבא holds it does not. The גמרא tests this against several sources and against בל תוסיף, and ends with רבא's rule about when breaking a מצוה needs כוונה.

Overview

Just before this amud, רבא ruled that someone who blew שופר only to make music still fulfilled the מצוה. The גמרא explains why this needed saying and concludes that רבא holds מצוות אין צריכות כוונה. Challenges from a משנה about reading שמע, our own משנה about hearing שופר outside the בית הכנסת, and a ברייתא about the blower's intent are all pushed off. In each case, the only intent needed is to do the act properly, not intent to fulfill the מצוה. אביי then asks: if so, why isn't sleeping in the סוכה on שמיני עצרת a violation of בל תוסיף? רבא answers that בל תוסיף applies only during a מצוה's time. רב שמן בר אבא challenges this from a כהן adding his own blessing to ברכת כהנים, and the גמרא answers that the whole day is that מצוה's time. It then tries to prove this idea from a משנה about mixed blood of קרבנות. Finally, רבא gives his settled rule: fulfilling a מצוה needs no כוונה, breaking it during its time needs no כוונה, and breaking it outside its time does need כוונה.

Opening lines

אֲבָל הָכָא, ״זִכְרוֹן תְּרוּעָה״ כְּתִיב,

But here, 'a remembrance of blasts' is written,

וְהַאי מִתְעַסֵּק בְּעָלְמָא הוּא —

and this one is merely acting without awareness —

קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.

so it teaches us [that he still fulfills it].

אַלְמָא קָסָבַר רָבָא:

Apparently, Rava holds:

The steps (36)

  1. ResolutionWhy רבא's שופר ruling was needed
  2. Conclusionרבא holds מצוות do not need intent
  3. ChallengeChallenge from reading שמע in the תורה
  4. ResolutionIntent to read, not intent to fulfill
  5. ChallengeBut he is already reading
  6. ResolutionHe was reading to check the scroll
  7. ChallengeChallenge from hearing שופר outside the בית הכנסת
  8. ResolutionDirected his heart means intent to hear
  9. ChallengeBut he already heard it
  10. ResolutionHe thought it was just a donkey
  11. ChallengeChallenge from a ברייתא requiring intent from blower and listener
  12. RejectionPerhaps he was making barking sounds
  13. Challengeאביי: sleeping in the סוכה on שמיני עצרת
  14. Resolutionרבא: You Only Break the Rule of Adding During the מצוה's Time
  15. ChallengeChallenge from the כהן Who Adds His Own Blessing
  16. ResolutionThe כהן Had Not Finished Yet
  17. ChallengeBut a ברייתא Says He Did Finish
  18. ResolutionHe Finished Only One of the Blessings
  19. ChallengeA ברייתא says he finished all his blessings
  20. ResolutionFor ברכת כהנים the whole day is its time
  21. ProofWhere do we learn this? A משנה about mixed blood
  22. StatementThe argument: four placings mixed with one
  23. ChallengeEach side warns the other: בל תגרע versus בל תוסיף
  24. Resolutionרבי אליעזר: Do Not Add Only Applies to Unmixed Blood
  25. Resolutionרבי יהושע: Do Not Diminish Also Only Applies to Unmixed Blood
  26. Proofרבי יהושע: Better to Break a Rule Passively Than Actively
  27. ProofThe Proof: The Whole Day Counts as the Time for Sprinkling
  28. RejectionRejection: Maybe רבי יהושע Holds Do Not Add Applies Even After the Time
  29. QuestionWhy did רב שמן בר אבא skip the משנה?
  30. ResponseThe משנה can be pushed off
  31. ChallengeThe ברייתא can be pushed off the same way
  32. ResolutionRequired versus optional
  33. Resolutionרבא: breaking a מצוה needs כוונה
  34. ChallengeThe blood case breaks the rule without כוונה
  35. Conclusionרבא refines his rule: in its time or not
  36. Statementרבי זירא speaks to his attendant