Gemara Clarity

Rosh Hashanah 31a

ראש השנה ל״א ע״א

Learn Rosh Hashanah 31a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The songs of the לויים in the בית המקדש (weekdays, שבת מוסף and מנחה), and the ten journeys of the שכינה and the exiles of the סנהדרין

Overview

The amud opens by rejecting a proof from the previous amud about which song the לויים sang when they were unsure whether it was ראש השנה. Then a ברייתא of רבי עקיבא lists the שיר של יום for each day of the week. Each song is tied to what ה׳ created on that day, and the שבת song is tied to a future 'day that is all שבת.' רבי נחמיה disagrees and explains the שבת song as referring to the first שבת, when ה׳ rested. The גמרא connects their argument to a disagreement between רב קטינא and אביי over how long the world will be destroyed. Next it gives the songs of שבת מוסף (האזינו in six sections, הזיו לך) and שבת מנחה (שירת הים and שירת הבאר), and proves that one section was sung each שבת. Finally, רבי יוחנן teaches that the שכינה left the מקדש in ten stages, each proven from a פסוק, and that it waited six months in the wilderness for תשובה. The matching ten exiles of the סנהדרין begin here and continue on the next amud.

Opening lines

שָׁאנֵי הָתָם,

It is different there,

דְּשִׁירָה דְּיוֹמֵיהּ הִיא.

because it is the song of its day.

תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר

It was taught: Rabbi Yehuda says

מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא:

in the name of Rabbi Akiva:

The steps (29)

  1. RejectionThe earlier case was different: that song fit the day anyway
  2. StatementSunday's song: the earth belongs to ה׳
  3. StatementMonday's song: ה׳ is great
  4. StatementTuesday's song: ה׳ stands among His people
  5. StatementWednesday's song: ה׳, God of vengeance
  6. StatementThursday's Song: Birds and Fish Praise ה׳
  7. StatementFriday's Song: ה׳ Finished His Work and Reigns
  8. Statementשבת Song: A Day That Is All שבת
  9. Challengeרבי נחמיה Asks Why the שבת Song Is Explained Differently
  10. Statementרבי נחמיה's Version: Days One Through Three
  11. Statementרבי נחמיה's Version: Days Four Through שבת, Because ה׳ Rested
  12. StatementThe Argument Depends on רב קטינא: One Thousand Years of Destruction
  13. Statementאביי: Two Thousand Years of Destruction
  14. QuestionWhat was sung at the שבת מוסף?
  15. Responseרב: They sang האזינו in six parts
  16. StatementThe synagogue divides האזינו the same way
  17. QuestionWhat was sung at שבת מנחה?
  18. Responseרבי יוחנן: The Song of the Sea and the Song of the Well
  19. QuestionAll the sections in one שבת, or one each week?
  20. Proofרבי יוסי: The second set cycles twice
  21. ConclusionConclusion: One section each שבת
  22. StatementThe שכינה left in ten stages, and the סנהדרין was exiled in ten matching stages
  23. StatementListing the ten journeys of the Divine Presence
  24. ProofVerses for the first stages: Ark cover, cherub, threshold
  25. ProofVerses for the threshold to the courtyard, and the courtyard to the altar
  26. ProofVerses for the altar to the roof, the roof to the wall, and the wall to the city
  27. ProofProving the last three journeys of the Divine Presence
  28. StatementThe Divine Presence waited six months for repentance
  29. StatementThe סנהדרין's matching exiles begin