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Rosh Hashanah 8a

ראש השנה ח׳ ע״א

Learn Rosh Hashanah 8a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Why the משנה lists four ראשי השנים, the source of the dispute over the New Year for מעשר בהמה, and what 'the first of תשרי is ראש השנה for years' means: documents, the תקופה, or judgment

Overview

This amud first finishes the question of why the משנה counts only four ראשי השנים. The גמרא defends the rule about יובל by saying the משנה follows רבי ישמעאל בנו של רבי יוחנן בן ברוקה. רב אשי then gives another answer: the משנה lists the New Years that fall on a ראש חודש, with the first of שבט being part of the dispute between בית שמאי and בית הלל. Next, רבי יוחנן says רבי מאיר (אלול) and רבי אלעזר and רבי שמעון (תשרי) argue about מעשר בהמה based on one פסוק in תהלים about when sheep conceive. The order of that פסוק fits only רבי מאיר, so רבא moves the argument to ״עַשֵּׂר תְּעַשֵּׂר״, a היקש between מעשר בהמה and מעשר דגן that each side reads differently. The גמרא then asks what 'the first of תשרי is ראש השנה for years' is for. Three answers are given: dating documents (רב פפא, with ניסן for Jewish kings and תשרי for non-Jewish kings), the solar cycles (רבי זירא), and the day of judgment (רב נחמן בר יצחק). The amud ends as the גמרא begins proving from the שופר פסוק in תהלים that the judgment is in תשרי, a proof that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וַהֲרֵי יוֹבְלוֹת!

But there are the Jubilee Years!

רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בְּנוֹ שֶׁל

Rabbi Yishmael, the son of

רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן בְּרוֹקָה הִיא.

Rabbi Yochanan ben Beroka, is the author (of the Mishnah).

וְרַב אָשֵׁי אָמַר:

And Rav Ashi said:

The steps (26)

  1. ChallengeChallenge from the Jubilee Year
  2. ResolutionThe משנה follows רבי ישמעאל בנו של רבי יוחנן בן ברוקה
  3. Resolutionרב אשי: four New Years that fall on the first of a month
  4. ChallengeChallenge: does the first of שבט follow בית שמאי?
  5. ResolutionThree agreed by all, and שבט is disputed
  6. Statementרבי יוחנן: both sides learned from one verse
  7. Statementרבי מאיר's reading leads to אלול
  8. Statementרבי אלעזר and רבי שמעון read the verse as pointing to ניסן
  9. ChallengeChallenge to רבי מאיר from the second half of the verse
  10. ResolutionThe ניסן phrase refers to late sheep
  11. ChallengeChallenge to רבי אלעזר and רבי שמעון from the first half of the verse
  12. ResolutionThe אדר phrase refers to early sheep
  13. ChallengeThe order of the verse fits only רבי מאיר
  14. Resolutionרבא says everyone agrees about אדר and the argument is about a different verse
  15. Resolutionרבי מאיר: Animal tithe is taken right after the animals are complete, like grain
  16. Resolutionרבי אלעזר and רבי שמעון: Animal tithe shares grain's New Year in תשרי
  17. QuestionWhat practical law comes from תשרי being the New Year for years?
  18. Responseרב פפא: It is for dating loan documents
  19. ChallengeChallenge: רב חסדא already said documents follow ניסן
  20. ResolutionAnswer: ניסן for Jewish kings, תשרי for non-Jewish kings
  21. ChallengeDid רב חסדא just repeat the משנה?
  22. Resolutionרב חסדא was explaining פסוקים
  23. ResolutionSecond answer: רב חסדא reads the משנה like רבי זירא
  24. Responseרב נחמן בר יצחק: תשרי is the New Year for judgment
  25. QuestionHow do we know the day of judgment is in תשרי?
  26. ResponseThe verse about blowing the שופר on the covered festival day