Gemara Clarity

Rosh Hashanah 4a

ראש השנה ד׳ ע״א

Learn Rosh Hashanah 4a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Rosh Hashanah 4a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Proofs that כורש became corrupt, and פסח as ראש השנה לרגלים for בל תאחר

Overview

The גמרא continues asking whether כורש really 'soured' (אחמיץ). רב כהנא points to the king's generous daily gifts for the קרבנות. רבי יצחק answers from the next verse: the king gave so the Jews would pray for him and his sons. A ברייתא says that giving 'so my children will live' still makes one a צדיק גמור, but the גמרא answers that this applies to a Jew and not to a non-Jew. The גמרא then brings more proofs that כורש became corrupt. First, he built a burnable row of wood into the בית המקדש, and the גמרא shows how this differed from what שלמה did. Second, he kept a שגל, explained as a she-dog, beside him. A third proof, from the limits he placed on his gifts, is rejected. The גמרא then turns to the משנה's phrase 'ראש השנה לרגלים.' רב חסדא explains that פסח begins the order of festivals, which matters for בל תאחר according to רבי שמעון. A new ברייתא listing the obligations covered by בל תאחר begins and continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

״וּמָה חַשְׁחָן וּבְנֵי תוֹרִין

"And whatever they need, young bulls,

וְדִכְרִין וְאִמְּרִין לַעֲלָוָן

and rams and lambs for burnt-offerings

לֶאֱלָהּ שְׁמַיָּא

to the God of heaven,

חִנְטִין מְלַח חֲמַר וּמְשַׁח

wheat, salt, wine, and oil,

The steps (27)

  1. Challengeרב כהנא cites the king's generous daily sacrifices
  2. Resolutionרבי יצחק shows the king had a selfish motive
  3. ChallengeBut giving for a personal reward is still praiseworthy
  4. ResolutionA Jew versus a non-Jew
  5. ProofAnother proof: the row of wood in the בית המקדש
  6. ChallengeDidn't שלמה also build with a row of wood?
  7. ResolutionThree differences between שלמה's wood and כורש's wood
  8. ProofA new proof: the שגל sitting beside the king
  9. QuestionWhat does the word שגל mean?
  10. Responseשגל means a she-dog
  11. ChallengeChallenge from דניאל: does a dog drink wine?
  12. ResolutionThe dog was trained to drink
  13. ChallengeChallenge from תהלים: why would a prophet promise a dog?
  14. Resolutionתורה is as dear to Israel as the dog was to the nations
  15. ResolutionSecond answer: שגל usually means queen, but there is a special tradition about כורש
  16. QuestionWhy would a dog be called by the word for queen?
  17. ResponseThe dog was treated like a queen
  18. ProofA different proof that כורש became corrupt: he started limiting his gifts
  19. RejectionMaybe at first he just did not know the right amount
  20. ConclusionBack to the original proof from שגל
  21. ChallengeHow can the ראש השנה for רגלים be on the first of ניסן?
  22. Resolutionרב חסדא: the festival in ניסן starts the order of festivals
  23. StatementThe practical difference: when a vow-maker breaks 'do not delay'
  24. ProofThe ברייתא: three festivals passing means 'do not delay' is broken
  25. Proofרבי שמעון: three festivals in order, starting with פסח
  26. ProofSometimes three, four, or five festivals
  27. StatementA new ברייתא lists the obligations covered by 'do not delay'