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Rosh Hashanah 34b

ראש השנה ל״ד ע״ב

Learn Rosh Hashanah 34b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Pauses in שופר, the link between the blessings and the blasts, and whether the שליח ציבור covers everyone

Overview

The amud begins by finishing רבי יוחנן's ruling that the nine שופר blasts may be heard at nine different times of the day, and a ברייתא supports him. The גמרא challenges him twice with cases where a long pause forces one to start over. It answers that the הלל ruling is his teacher's view, and that his instruction to רבי אבהו followed רבי אבהו's own opinion. Next, a ברייתא teaches that the blasts and blessings of a תענית do not depend on each other, but on ראש השנה and יום הכיפורים they do. רבה explains why: מלכיות, זכרונות and the שופר form one request from הקדוש ברוך הוא. The גמרא learns from the משנה that the blasts should follow the order of the blessings, and רבא and a ברייתא limit this to a חבר עיר. The ברייתא adds that the שופר comes before the blessings, even when the שופר is uncertain and the blessings are certain. Finally, the חכמים and רבן גמליאל argue over whether the שליח ציבור fulfills everyone's obligation, and later sages disagree about whether the חכמים conceded. The גמרא then questions how רבי יוחנן's view was reported.

Opening lines

תֵּשַׁע תְּקִיעוֹת בְּתֵשַׁע שָׁעוֹת בַּיּוֹם —

the nine blasts at nine different times of the day —

יָצָא.

he has fulfilled his obligation.

תַּנְיָא נָמֵי הָכִי:

This is also taught in a ברייתא:

שָׁמַע תֵּשַׁע תְּקִיעוֹת

If one heard nine blasts

The steps (29)

  1. StatementNine blasts spread over the day still count
  2. ProofA ברייתא supports רבי יוחנן
  3. ChallengeChallenge: רבי יוחנן said a long pause means starting over
  4. ResolutionOne ruling is his own, the other is his teacher's
  5. ChallengeChallenge: רבי יוחנן himself told רבי אבהו to start over
  6. Resolutionרבי יוחנן was ruling for רבי אבהו's view, not his own
  7. StatementOn ראש השנה and יום הכיפורים the blasts and blessings are all required
  8. QuestionWhy are the Rosh HaShanah pieces all required
  9. Responseמלכיות, זכרונות and שופרות form one package
  10. StatementThe משנה's case of a שופר that arrived after the blessings
  11. ConclusionWith a שופר from the start, the blasts follow the order of the blessings
  12. Statementרב פפא בר שמואל asks to hear the שופר after each blessing
  13. Rejectionרבא: the order of the blessings matters only in a community setting
  14. ProofA ברייתא supports רבא
  15. StatementOne person may blow for another but may not say the blessings for him
  16. StatementGoing to the town with the שופר comes first
  17. ChallengeIsn't this obvious?
  18. ResolutionThe שופר wins even when it is only uncertain
  19. StatementQuoting the משנה: every individual is obligated like the prayer leader
  20. ChallengeThe חכמים ask: why does the congregation pray at all?
  21. Resolutionרבן גמליאל answers: to give the leader time to prepare
  22. Challengeרבן גמליאל asks back: why does the leader repeat the prayer?
  23. ResolutionThe חכמים answer: for someone who doesn't know how to pray
  24. Rejectionרבן גמליאל: if he can cover the non-expert, he can cover the expert too
  25. Statementרבי יוחנן: the חכמים agreed with רבן גמליאל
  26. Statementרב: it is still an argument
  27. Statementרבי חייא repeats the teaching before רב דימי בר חיננא, who answers with רב's view
  28. Statementרבי חייא: רבה בר בר חנה also reported that ריש לקיש disagreed with רבי יוחנן
  29. ChallengeDid רבי יוחנן really say the חכמים agreed?