Rosh Hashanah 7a

ראש השנה ז׳ ע״א

Learn Rosh Hashanah 7a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Rosh Hashanah 7a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Finishing the בכור discussion, then the ברייתא on ניסן as ראש השנה for months, leap years, and the שקלים, with their sources and laws

Overview

This amud first finishes an earlier discussion about the one-year period for eating a בכור. Counting from birth applies to a בעל מום that we know was carried full term. Next comes a ברייתא: the first of ניסן is ראש השנה for months, for leap years, and for the שקלים collection. The גמרא looks for a source that ניסן is the first month. Proofs from the תורה, based on ripening and gathering, are rejected because the פסוקים never say 'most'. Instead, רבינא and other אמוראים prove it from נביאים and כתובים, which name each month with its number. ניסן as the 'new year for leap years' turns out to mean the deadline for declaring one, and the גמרא explains the dispute over whether that deadline is פורים or the end of אדר. For the שקלים, רבי יאשיה learns from a פסוק and a גזירה שווה that offerings come from a new collection starting in ניסן. שמואל adds that old funds are still valid, and a ברייתא says a private donor may give communal offerings if he hands them to the community. The amud ends in the middle of the גמרא's answer to why that last point needed to be said.

Opening lines

The steps (46)

1. ResolutionCounting from birth applies to a blemished animal
2. ChallengeCan a blemished newborn really be eaten right away?
3. ResolutionWhen we know the pregnancy was full term
4. StatementA ברייתא lists what the first of ניסן is the new year for
5. QuestionWhat is the source for counting months from ניסן?
6. ProofThe פסוק in שמות: the month of the פסח lamb is the first month
7. ProofThe month of ripening is ניסן, so ניסן is the first month
8. ChallengeMaybe the month is אייר
9. Resolutionאייר has no ripening
10. ChallengeMaybe the month is אדר
11. ResolutionWe need most of the ripening
12. RejectionThe verse never says most
13. Proofרב חסדא proves it from סוכות in the seventh month
14. ChallengeMaybe it is מרחשון, seventh from אייר
15. Resolutionמרחשון has no gathering
16. ChallengeMaybe it is אלול, seventh from אדר
17. ResolutionWe need most of the gathering
18. RejectionThe verse never says most gathering
19. Proofרבינא learns it from the נביאים: שבט is the eleventh month
20. Proofרבה בר עולא learns it from אסתר: טבת is the tenth month
21. Proofרב כהנא's proof from זכריה: כסלו is the ninth month
22. Proofרב אחא בר יעקב's proof from אסתר: סיון is the third month
23. Proofרב אשי's proof from אסתר: אדר is the twelfth month
24. ProofThe clearest proof: 'The first month, which is ניסן'
25. QuestionWhy didn't everyone use the clearest verse?
26. Response'First' may only mean first in that story
27. ResponseWhy our משנה does not list ניסן as new year for months
28. ChallengeDo we really count leap years from ניסן?
29. ProofA ברייתא: leap years are declared only after ראש השנה, and only אדר is added
30. ResolutionLeap years means the cutoff for declaring them
31. ProofProof that a leap year can be declared through all of אדר
32. QuestionWhy limit leap years to פורים?
33. ResponseAfter פורים people start preparing for פסח
34. ResponseThe other view: people know leap years depend on calculation
35. QuestionWhy does our משנה leave this out?
36. ResponseOur משנה lists only beginnings, not endings
37. QuestionWhat is the source for the שקלים new year?
38. ResponseBring offerings from a new collection
39. ResponseThe word 'year' links it to ניסן
40. ChallengeWhy not learn from תשרי?
41. ResolutionMatch 'year with months' to 'year with months'
42. StatementNew funds are best, old funds still work
43. ProofA ברייתא supports שמואל
44. StatementA private donor may give communal offerings
45. ChallengeIsn't this obvious?
46. ResolutionYou might have worried that perhaps