Chagigah 9a — the Talmud in English

They taught this

in the beraita, that he does not celebrate all seven days,

but

when he

did not finish [Rashi: he explains it and proceeds].

[the Gemara explains this statement as it proceeds].

But if he finished,

it is the case that he

returns and offers

throughout all seven days the offerings that he had set aside on the first day.

And we explain it:

What does “finished”

mean? If you say: he finished

offering all

his offerings

that he had set aside, it is impossible to explain it in this way. For if so,

what does “offers”

mean throughout all seven days, when he had already finished his offerings?

Rather,

this is what he is saying: They taught that he does not offer throughout all seven days only when he

did not finish

—the

day

ended before he managed to offer all the offerings that he had set aside.

But

if

the day ended

before he managed to offer all of them, it is the case that he

returns and offers

throughout all seven days. Thus we learn from Rabbi Yohanan’s own words that since there is no proof that from the outset he had intended to offer them on the next day, rather, it can be said that because the day ended he did not offer them that day, he returns and offers throughout all seven days the offerings that he had set aside on the first day.

Mishna:

One who did not celebrate

[did not bring a festival-offering]

on the first festival day of the festival,

it is the case that he

celebrates throughout the entire pilgrimage festival,

for all of it is fit for compensation,

and

even

the final festival day of the festival

[Sukkot], although it is a pilgrimage festival in its own right [Rashi].

If the pilgrimage festival passed and he did not celebrate, he is not liable for it

that is, he no longer has compensation.

And

concerning this it is said: “That which is crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.”

Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya says

and adds [Meiri]:

What is that which is crooked that cannot be made straight

[which transgression is not repaired through repentance]?

This is one who has intercourse with a forbidden woman and fathered a mamzer from her,

since he brought disqualified ones into Israel, and they will be a remembrance of his sin; therefore his sins are not erased through repentance.

For

if you say, in the case of one who steals and robs—

I do not call him “one who cannot make it straight,” because

he can return it, and he will make straight

himself from the sin.

Rabbi Shimon ben Yohai says: They call “crooked”

[spoiled]

only one who was straight at first and

then

became crooked.

And who is this?

This is a Torah scholar who separates himself from the Torah.

Gemara:

And we raise the question:

From where are these words

that even the final festival day of the festival is fit for compensation?

Rabbi Yohanan said in the name of Rabbi Yishmael

it is learned from a gzera shava:

“Assembly” is stated concerning the seventh day of Passover

[“Six days you shall eat matza, and on the seventh day there shall be an assembly”],

and “assembly” is stated concerning the eighth day of the festival

[“And on the eighth day there shall be an assembly for you”].

Just as there—

the seventh day of Passover, which is part of the pilgrimage festival—is fit

for compensation,

so too here—

the final festival day of the festival—is fit

for compensation,

although it is a pilgrimage festival in its own right.

And the Gemara explains: Necessarily, this gzera shava is

openly available [the two words that teach the gzera shava are superfluous, in order that the teaching of the gzera shava be learned through their superfluity], and thereby it is a gzera shava against which one does not raise an objection.

[the two words from which the inference is derived are superfluous, so that their repetition indicates that this method is to be used]. Consequently, this is an inference based on an identical expression that may not be challenged.

For if it were not openly available,

there

would be a basis for refuting

this gzera shava:

What is there concerning the seventh day of Passover? It is not distinct from the day before it

[it is one pilgrimage festival together with the days before it];

can you say the same concerning the eighth day of the festival, which is distinct from the day before it

[it is a pilgrimage festival in its own right], and it can be said that there is no compensation on it.

Indeed,

and in fact

it is openly available!

Now,

then

what

is the meaning of

“assembly”

stated concerning the Eighth Day of Assembly?—

An abstention from work!

And if so, the word “assembly” is superfluous, to derive it through a gzera shava.

For already

it is written

in both of them

“You shall not perform work,”

and if so,

“assembly” that

the Merciful One

again wrote—

why do I need it?

Rather, learn from it: it is for making it available

for a gzera shava.

And the tanna

in the beraita

brings it—

brings a teaching concerning compensation

from here:

For it was taught:

It is written concerning the festival of Sukkot: “But on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, and you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of a hadar tree,

and you shall celebrate it as a festival to Hashem for seven days.”

One might have thought that he celebrates and continues throughout all seven days

[offers seven festival-offerings, on the seven days].

The verse says:

“And you shall celebrate”

“it,”

which implies only one day [Rashi in the portion of Emor].

To teach you:

it

alone

you celebrate, but you do not celebrate throughout all seven days.

If so, why is it stated

“And you shall celebrate”

“seven”—

for compensation.

for making up

And from where

that if he did not celebrate

on the first festival day of the festival, and he celebrates and continues

for compensation

throughout the entire pilgrimage festival,

and even

the final festival day?

The verse says: “In the seventh month you shall celebrate it,”

to include even the final festival day.

If [the verse says] “in the seventh month,” one might have thought that he celebrates and continues

for compensation throughout the entire

month?

The verse says:

“In the seventh month you shall celebrate”

“it.”

It

[within the pilgrimage festival],

you celebrate, but you do not celebrate outside it.

And what is compensation

[what is the nature of compensation]?

Rabbi Yohanan said:

All of them are

compensation for the first.

That is to say: the obligation applies to him only on the first day, and the other days are only compensation for the obligation of the first day.

And Rabbi Oshaya said: They are compensation for one another.

That is to say: the days of the pilgrimage festival are not compensation only for the first day; rather, they are “compensation” for that day on which he became obligated. If he became obligated on the first day, then the days after it are compensation for it; and if he did not become obligated on the first day because he was exempt, then he becomes obligated on the day on which his exemption is removed from him. For each day of the pilgrimage festival is a renewed cause to obligate him in the festival-offering. And once he becomes obligated, the days after it become compensation for him [Rashi].

What is the difference between them?

Rabbi Zeira said:

One who was

lame on the first day

and is not obligated in the festival-offering,

and became healed on the second day

or on another day of the pilgrimage festival,

there is a difference between them

as to whether he is obligated in compensation:

Rabbi Yohanan said: Compensation for the first,

and therefore:

since he was not fit on the first day,

since he was not fit on the first day for the offering, for he was lame and exempt from it,

he is not fit

[he did not become obligated] even

on the second,

for there can be no compensation for something to which he did not become obligated.

And Rabbi Oshaya said: Compensation for one another,

and therefore:

even though he was not fit on the first day,

it is the case that he is

fit

[he becomes obligated]

on the second,

not by virtue of compensation, but by virtue of a new obligation.

The following passage is explained according to the words of the Sefat Emet and the Hashek Shlomo, and the foundation of their interpretation is explained in the Meiri; Rashi’s method requires study.

And we are astonished:

And did Rabbi Yohanan say this,

that they are compensation for the first, and if he did not become obligated on the first day, such as when he was lame or impure, he no longer brings a festival-offering?!

But Hezekiah said:

One who was pure at the beginning of the first day of the festival, and

became impure in

the middle of the

day

the first day, it is the case that he

brings

a festival-offering as compensation when he becomes pure, since he was fit for one hour on the first day to bring his festival-offering.

But if he became impure

at night

of the first day, and was not fit even for one hour on the first day to bring his festival-offering—in such a case

he does not bring

a festival-offering as compensation, because there is no compensation for one who was not fit on the first day, at the time fit for the offering [on the day].

And Rabbi Yohanan said:

Even

if he became impure

at night, he also brings

the compensation for his festival-offering when he becomes pure, for even one who did not become obligated on the first day becomes obligated on the other days of the pilgrimage festival [this is the initial understanding of the matter].

Thus Rabbi Yohanan’s view is that they are all compensation for one another, so how did you say that according to him they are all compensation for the first?!

He said,

explaining:

Rabbi Jeremiah:

Rabbi Yohanan always holds that they are all compensation for the first. But

impurity is different

on the first day, for it has compensation even though he did not become obligated, since

it has compensation on the Second Passover.

For one who was impure on the first Passover completes it on the Second Passover even though he was not fit on the first; therefore, one who is impure on the first day of the pilgrimage festival also completes it on the other days of the pilgrimage festival.

Rav Pappa raised an objection against this: