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Rosh Hashanah 30a

ראש השנה ל׳ ע״א

Learn Rosh Hashanah 30a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Blowing שופר on שבת only with the בית דין (time or place), and רבן יוחנן בן זכאי's enactments of לולב and יום הנף as a זכר למקדש

Overview

The גמרא explains רב הונא's phrase "ועם בית דין": in יבנה, the שופר was blown on שבת only in front of the בית דין. רבא challenges this from the משנה's words "ועוד זאת", but the גמרא answers that ירושלים's extra advantage was that it blew even away from the court. In a second version, רב הונא's words mean the court's hours. רבא and רב ששת challenge this version from two ברייתות, and the גמרא answers each challenge: the יובל שופר may be blown away from the court, but only while it is in session. A teaching of רבי supports this, and רבי זירא's question about judges who began to rise ends in תיקו. The גמרא then explains the four conditions for towns near ירושלים. A new משנה lists רבן יוחנן בן זכאי's enactments: לולב for seven days everywhere as a זכר למקדש, and a ban on new grain for the whole יום הנף. The גמרא gives a פסוק as the source for זכר למקדש and a reason for the יום הנף ban. רב נחמן בר יצחק then begins a different explanation, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְעִם בֵּית דִּין.

"And with the court."

מַאי וְעִם בֵּית דִּין?

What does "and with the court" mean?

בִּפְנֵי בֵּית דִּין,

In the presence of the court,

לְאַפּוֹקֵי שֶׁלֹּא בִּפְנֵי בֵּית דִּין — דְּלָא.

to exclude a place not in the presence of the court, where they do not blow.

The steps (36)

  1. QuestionWhat does "with the court" mean?
  2. ResponseIt means in front of the court
  3. Challengeרבא objects from the משנה's "this additional"
  4. QuestionWhat does "this additional" mean?
  5. RejectionIt cannot mean only what the משנה spells out
  6. ResponseFirst suggestion: individuals could blow in ירושלים
  7. ChallengeBut individuals did blow in Yavne
  8. ChallengeThe real difference is timing, which contradicts רב הונא
  9. ResolutionThe difference is being in front of the court, not the time of day
  10. StatementA second version: רב הונא's words go on the יובל שופר
  11. QuestionWhat does 'with the court' mean?
  12. ResponseIt means during the court's hours
  13. Challengeרבא challenges from 'every man and his house'
  14. QuestionWhat does 'every man and his house' mean?
  15. RejectionIt cannot mean a man and his wife
  16. ChallengeSo it means each man at home, even outside court hours
  17. ResolutionStill only during court hours
  18. Challengeרב ששת quotes a ברייתא comparing the יובל and ראש השנה
  19. QuestionWhat does 'not every individual must blow' mean?
  20. RejectionIn יבנה individuals did blow on ראש השנה
  21. ChallengeSo the יובל שופר is blown even when the court is not in session
  22. ResolutionThe difference is being in front of the court, not the court's time
  23. Proofרבי: שופר is blown only while the court is sitting
  24. QuestionJudges who started to get up but stayed seated
  25. StatementExplaining the four conditions for towns near Jerusalem
  26. StatementNew משנה: taking the לולב all seven days after the מקדש
  27. StatementSecond enactment: the whole day of waving is forbidden
  28. QuestionWhere do we learn to act as a זכר למקדש?
  29. ResponseThe verse: Zion needs to be sought out
  30. QuestionWhy forbid the whole day of waving?
  31. ResponseThe worry: people will eat at dawn after the בית המקדש is rebuilt
  32. ResponseWhy the habit would be a mistake
  33. ChallengeWhen exactly would the בית המקדש be rebuilt?
  34. ChallengeIf rebuilt on the fifteenth, midday should permit the grain
  35. ResolutionRebuilt just before sunset or at night
  36. Statementרב נחמן בר יצחק begins a different reason