The Eddie B. Sit Edition presents an audio series of the Talmud Bavli, focusing on Masechet Rosh Hashanah. This series has been generously sponsored by Mr. Solly and Cheryl Mizrahi, may Hashem bless them with success, health, happiness, and much nachat from their children. Today’s study is dedicated to the speedy recovery of Ahava bat Esther and Esther bat Bertha, as well as in memory of Avraham ben Esther. May their souls rest in Gan Eden. We also pray for the healing of Eliyahu Chaim ben Shapia Sophia, and may he experience a complete recovery soon.
As we begin today’s daf, we find ourselves on daf kaf amud rishon, starting from the second line. The Gemara introduces the phrase ika d'amri, indicating that we will present a proof regarding the month of Adar. Specifically, we will discuss that the Adar preceding Nissan is always chaser, meaning it consists of only twenty-nine days, with the thirtieth day marking Rosh Chodesh Nissan.
The Gemara states ika d'amri, presenting an alternative version. Rav Nachman asserts that we have also learned in the Mishna that regarding two months, the witnesses who testify in Yerushalayim can mechalel the Shabbat. This applies specifically to the months of Nissan and Tishrei. If you say that Adar is always chaser, then it makes sense that we would mechalel the Shabbat in order to sanctify Rosh Chodesh Nissan on the thirtieth day, as it is a mitzvah to sanctify based on the sighting of the moon.
However, if you argue that Adar can sometimes be malei (full) and sometimes chaser, then we must question why we would allow the witnesses to travel on Shabbat. Why not simply postpone the sanctification to the next day? If Adar can be either twenty-nine or thirty days, we could wait and sanctify on the thirty-first day. Thus, the Gemara concludes that Adar must be consistently chaser.
The Gemara further discusses the scenario where the thirtieth day of Adar falls on Shabbat. In this case, we cannot sanctify on Shabbat if the witnesses do not arrive. If the witnesses do not arrive by Shabbat, we cannot sanctify on the following day, as it would be too late. Therefore, if the thirty-first day is Shabbat, we must instruct the witnesses to travel on Shabbat to ensure the sanctification occurs.
The Gemara also presents a question from Rav Kahana, who notes that during the time of the Beit HaMikdash, they would mechalel Shabbat for all twelve months, not just Nissan and Tishrei. This was done for the purpose of establishing the korbanot that needed to be brought at the proper time. The Gemara then clarifies that the mitzvah to sanctify the month based on sighting the moon is not the only reason for this practice; it is also important for establishing the holidays at the correct time.
If we accept that Adar can fluctuate between malei and chaser, then we must also consider why we would allow the Shabbat to be mechalel for this purpose. The Gemara concludes that if Adar is always chaser, then we know the sanctification must occur on the thirtieth day, regardless of the witnesses’ arrival.
As the discussion continues, the Gemara notes that if the witnesses arrive on day thirty, we can instruct them not to testify, pushing the sanctification to the next day. However, if the witnesses claim they saw the moon when they did not, this would be unacceptable. The Gemara emphasizes that we cannot coerce witnesses to testify falsely.
The Gemara also explores the implications of having the new moon visible at different times, depending on whether it was born before or after chatzot. If the new moon was born before chatzot, it will be visible before sunset, but if it was born after chatzot, it will not be visible until after sunset. This distinction is crucial for determining the validity of witness testimony.
In conclusion, the Gemara reinforces the importance of understanding the cycles of the moon and the timing of Rosh Chodesh. The discussions highlight how these calculations and halachic decisions impact the sanctification process, ensuring that the Jewish calendar remains accurate and aligned with the mitzvot.