Taanis 18a

תענית י״ח ע״א

Taanit 18a

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Topic

Days next to the holidays of מגילת תענית: why some days are listed twice, and how רב, שמואל and רבי יוחנן rule

Overview

מגילת תענית is a list of happy days on which fasting and eulogies are forbidden. The גמרא explains that a day which is already a holiday, like פסח or ראש חודש ניסן, is listed only to forbid the day next to it. This follows רבי יוסי, who forbids both the day before and the day after. The גמרא then challenges this. The 29th of אדר is already forbidden because it comes after the 28th, the day Rome's decree against Torah, ברית מילה and שבת was cancelled. אביי answers that the listing matters when אדר has 30 days. רב אשי answers that the 29th, sitting between two holidays, forbids even הספד. The גמרא adds a third answer: a second listing keeps a day forbidden even if the first celebration is cancelled, which also explains why the שבועות line starts from the eighth of ניסן. Finally, רב rules like רבי יוסי, and שמואל first rules like רבי מאיר and then switches to the more lenient רבן שמעון בן גמליאל. רבי יוחנן is reported to rule like רבי יוסי for the no-fasting days, and the גמרא begins challenging that report from an unnamed משנה about reading the מגילה early, a challenge that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (18)

1. ResolutionA listed holiday is there to forbid the day next to it
2. ResponseThis follows רבי יוסי
3. ChallengeThe 29th of אדר is already forbidden for another reason
4. ProofThe 28th of אדר is a listed happy day
5. StatementRome's decree and the plan of יהודה בן שמוע
6. StatementCrying out at night, and the decree is cancelled
7. Resolutionאביי: listing ראש חודש ניסן matters when אדר has 30 days
8. Resolutionרב אשי: The 29th is stricter because it sits between two holidays
9. StatementQuoting the line about the eighth of ניסן
10. ChallengeWhy start from the eighth if it is already forbidden?
11. ResolutionThe eighth stands on its own if the earlier days are canceled
12. ResolutionThe same logic gives a third answer for the 29th of אדר
13. Statementרב and שמואל disagree about whose opinion is the הלכה
14. Challengeשמואל elsewhere rules like רבן שמעון בן גמליאל
15. Resolutionשמואל changed his mind to the most lenient opinion
16. Statementרבי יוחנן also rules like רבי יוסי
17. Statementרבי יוחנן's ruling covers only the no-fasting days
18. ChallengeDid רבי יוחנן really rule like רבי יוסי?