fol.69d Mishnah 1: The scroll1 is read on the Eleventh, the Twelfth, the Thirteenth, the Fourteenth, the Fifteenth2, no less and no more. Places walled3 from the days of Joshua bin Nun4 read on the Fifteenth. Hamlets5 and large villages read on the Fourteenth, except that hamlets precede to the market day6. 1 The Esther scroll read on Purim. On these days one reads the scroll in the 2 Of Adar; in an intercalary year the Adar local synagogue for the benefit of the preceding Nisan. peasants who come to town to sell their 3 Greek “palisade”. produce on the market. If the 14th, Purim, is 4 The reason is explained in the third on Sunday, one reads for the peasants on the paragraph of the Halakhah. 11th. If it falls on Wednesday or Sabbath, 5 Who either have no organized prayer one reads on the 12th; on Tuesday or Friday service since they count less than ten adult one reads on the 13th. (In the computed males or they have nobody competent to calendar, the 14th never falls on Monday, read the scroll. Wednesday, or Sabbath; Note 89.) 6 Monday or Thursday preceding Purim. 69d line 60 HALAKHAH 1 189 “The scroll is read,” etc. Rebbi Ila, Simeon bar Abba in the name of Rebbi Johanan: To confirm these Purim days in their times7. Why does the verse say, in their times? Rebbi Jonah and Rebbi Yose. Rebbi Jonah says, to give them other times8. Rebbi Yose says, times which the Sages fixed for them. And those are these: the Eleventh, the Twelfth, the Thirteenth, the Fourteenth, the Fifteenth9. Or maybe only the Sixteenth and the Seventeenth? Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Eleazar: and it shall not pass by10, one shall not impregnate11. Rebbi Isaac bar Nahman in the name of Samuel: and it shall not pass by, and one shall not let it pass12. Maybe it is only the Ninth and the Tenth? Samuel bar Nahman in the name of Rebbi Jonathan: It is not written “days” but like the days13, pair days with days, the Eleventh and Twelfth corresponding to Fourteenth and Fifteenth. Or the Twelfth and Thirteenth corresponding to Fourteenth and Fifteenth? Rebbi Helbo said, the Thirteenth was a day of war14. It proves for itself that it was not a day of co mfort. Then one should not read on this day. One reads before and after, on the day one should not read15? Or only the Ninth and the Tenth? Like the days, days close to the days. But if days close to the days, {maybe} only Sixteenth and Seventeenth? You cannot, for Rebbi Abbahu said in the name of Rebbi Eleazar: and it shall not pass by, one shall not impregnate11. [Rebbi Isaac bar Nahman in the name of Samuel: and it shall not pass by, and one shall not let it pass.16] 7 Esth. 9:31. 10 Esth. 9:27. 8 He would allow other days than those 11 The language is taken from calendar enumerated in the Mishnah if circumstances computation where “intercalation” is called demand it. “impregnation”. Here it means “changing 9 Since the days enumerated in the the usual calendar data.” Mishnah are supposed to have been decreed 12 Reading the root not as rabbinic by the Great Assembly, they could be Hebrew “to be pregnant” but as biblical modified only by an assembly of greater Hebrew “to pass by”. One may not celebrate authority. It is unlikely that such an Purim later than the last date mentioned in assembly ever could be convened. the Scroll, the 15th of Adar. Differently in the Babli, 2a. 190 MEGILLAH CHAPTER ONE 13 Esth. 9:22. ed. M. Herschler, pp. 14/15. 14 Esth. 9:1. 16 Corrector’s addition from the earlier 15 Excluding the 13th would be text, totally out of place since one speaks of technically impossible. Cf. Meïri Megillah, predating, not postdating. 70a line 2 It was stated in the name of Rebbi Nathan: The entire month is qualified for reading the scroll17. What is the reason? The month which for them was turned from sorrow to joy18. Rebbi Helbo said, but only up to the Fifteenth. As Rebbi Abbahu said in the name of Rebbi Eleazar: and it shall not pass by, one shall not impregnate11. Rebbi Isaac bar Nahman in the name of Samuel: and it shall not pass by, and one shall not let it pass. That is what you are saying to read the scroll. But making a dinner19 one makes only on the Fourteenth and the Fifteenth; and one distributes [to the poor]20 only on the Fourteenth and the Fifteenth. The eyes of the poor are only directed to the Fourteenth and the Fifteenth21. Then these should be for reading and those for the dinner? Rebbi Helbo, Rebbi Huna in the name of Rav: These days are remembered and executed22. Remembered by reading. And executed by dinner. This implies that the Scroll is given to be analyzed23 Rebbi Helbo, Rebbi Yasa in the name of Rebbi Eleazar: It is said here24, words of peace and truth. And it is said there,25 truth buy but do not sell26. It is like the truth of the Torah. This one needs ruling, that one needs ruling27. This one is given HALAKHAH 1 191 to be analyzed, that one is given to be analyzed. Rebbi Jeremiah in the name of Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac: The scroll which Samuel handed to David28 is given to be analyzed. What is the reason? 298Everything in writing, that is the Masora. For the hand of the Eternal, that is the Holy Spirit. To me for understanding, from here that it is given to be analyzed. Rebbi Jeremiah asked, and why do we not say, the plan of everything was in spirit with him30? Rebbi Mana said, the wind of his mouth31. 17 For example a person going on a trip canonical book, this elevation of the scroll who probably will not have a scroll to Pentateuchal status must be considered an available to him on the days enumerated in anti-Sadducee demonstration. the Mishnah can discharge his obligation by 24 Esth. 9:30. reading the scroll before his departure. 25 Prov. 23:23. 18 Esth. 9:22. 26 It is permitted to pay for instruction in 19 The obligatory dinner to celebrate the Torah but forbidden to take money for Purim. teaching others. “Truth” in Proverbs always 20 A separate obligation to give to the refers to the Torah. poor, Esth. 9:22. 27 Torah verses, as well as a Torah scroll, 21 Babli 4b. may only be written on lines, if parchment 22 Esth. 9:28. or leather impressed into the material with a 23 While in principle a text posterior to the metal ruler, if on paper the latter must be Pentateuch cannot prescribe any new lined. (Babli 16b.) obligation, only testify to the practice of 28 With the plan for the building of the earlier generations in the interpretation of Temple. the law, an exception is made for the Esther 29 1Chr. 28:19. scroll, whose prescriptions are considered 30 1Chr. 28:12. divine and in which the story is repeated in 31 may be interpreted as Divine Chapter 9 for legal interpretation only. Since inspiration only if indicated as such in the Sadducees did not recognize Esther as a verse. 7a line 21 192 MEGILLAH CHAPTER ONE “Places walled from the days of Joshua bin Nun read on the Fifteenth.” Rebbi Simon in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: They honored the Land of Israel which was desolate in those days and attached it to the days of Joshua bin Nun. Then should not everybody read on the Fifteenth? Rebbi Abbahu analyzed “dwelling, dwelling”. Since “dwelling” mentioned there refers to the days of Joshua bin Nun, so also “dwelling” mentioned here refers to the days of Joshua bin Nun32. Then should not everybody read on the Fourteenth? Rebbi Jehudah bar Pazy analyzed “open, openness.” It is said here “openness” and it said there33 except for very many open towns. Since “open” mentioned there refers to the days of Joshua bin Nun, so also “openness” mentioned here refers to the days of Joshua bin Nun34. It was stated35: “Rebbi Joshua ben Qorha says, from the days of Ahasuerus. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Jehudah said to him, what has the reference to Susa the Fortress to do here? If you are inferring from Susa the Fortress then one should read in Susa the Fortress, but not read at any other place36.” It seems that there are three Tannaim. The first Tanna intends to say, from the days of Joshua bin Nun. Another Tanna intends to say, from the days of Ahasuerus. Another Tanna intends to say, “town” in any case37. It turns out that you may say that Rebbi Joshua ben Qorha and Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Jehudah say the same38, only that each one of them infers from a separate argument; and it was stated so35: “what is close to a walled place and what is seen with it has the same standing as it39.” Rebbi Ayvo bar Naggari in the name of Rebbi Hiyya HALAKHAH 1 193 bar Abba: For example like Hamata. Since he only said “like”, therefore Hamata itself was walled in the days of Joshua bin Nun. From the following40: Fortified towns, Hassiddim, Ser, and Hamat, Raqqat, and Kinneret. Hassiddim is Wheat village41, Ser is next to it, Hamat Hamata42, Raqqat Tiberias43, Kinneret, Genezareth. Rebbi Levi objected, is it not written44, the prairie to the Kinneret lake? Were there two Genesareths45? Or were there only two autonomous districts46, like Bet Yerah and Zinbarai, which are towers on Lake Kinneret, where the fortification was abandoned and taken over by Gentiles.