Megillah 19b — the Talmud in English

Levi bar Shmuel was reading the Megilla before Rav Yehuda, from a Megilla ![](pamud.bmp "

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written among the other sacred books.

He said to him

Rav Yehuda:

They said: One who reads from a Megilla written among the other sacred books—

has not fulfilled his obligation!

Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yohanan said: One who reads from a Megilla written among the other sacred books—

has not fulfilled his obligation.

And they struck this statement on the head,

meaning, after he stated his teaching, he struck it on the head, refuting part of it and said: Only

in a congregation did they teach this,

but when reading alone, he has fulfilled his obligation.

And

further

Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yohanan said:

The law of

leaving a section of the stitching,

meaning, when one sews a Torah scroll, he should not begin the stitching immediately at the top of the sheet; rather, he must leave a small portion unstitched above and below, and then begin to sew—is

a halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai

.

And they struck this statement on the head,

meaning, after he stated this halakha, he went back and refuted his words: it is not a halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai

and they did not state

this law

except so that the scroll would not tear

the scroll.

That is, if he does not leave a section unstitched, then if he tightens the scroll too much when rolling it, the place of the stitching may tear completely. But now, when he leaves a small portion unstitched, if he sees that it is beginning to tear as he tightens it, he will refrain from tightening it further.

And

further

Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yohanan said: Had there not remained in the cave in which Moses and Elijah stood

when the Lord passed before them [as it is written with regard to Moses: “And I will place you in the cleft of the rock,” and with regard to Elijah it is written: “And he came there to the cave, and he lodged there; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him: Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord; and behold, the Lord is passing by”] an opening

the size of the eye of a fine sewing needle

[a thin needle, called a “sewing needle” because it is used to sew tears in garments]—

they would not have been able to withstand the light, as it is stated: “For no man shall see Me and live.”

Rather, the Holy One, blessed be He, shielded them, as it is written with regard to Moses: “And I will shield you with My hand until I have passed by”.

And Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yohanan said: What

is this

that is written: “And upon them, according to all the words that the Lord spoke with you on the mountain”?

This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed Moses the fine details of the Torah,

meaning the amplifications, which are derived wherever the words “et” and “also” appear, and the limitations, which are derived wherever the words “but” and “only” appear.

And the fine details of the scribes,

meaning what later scholars carefully inferred from the wording of the teachings of the earlier Sages.

And what the scribes would introduce in the future.

And this phrase, “what the scribes would introduce in the future”—

what is it?

The reading of the Megilla.

.

Mishna:

Everyone is fit to read the Megilla, except for a deaf-mute,

,

and

a deranged person and a minor.

.

Rabbi Yehuda deems a minor fit.

.

Gemara:

We raise the following question:

Who

is this

tanna

who holds that a

deaf-mute

even

after the fact may not

read the Megilla?

Rav Mattana said: It is Rabbi Yosei.

As we learned in a Mishna: One who recites the Shema but does not make it audible to his ear—

has fulfilled his obligation.

Rabbi Yosei says: He has not fulfilled his obligation.

We see that Rabbi Yosei holds that even after the fact one may not recite it if he cannot make it audible to his ear.

And we challenge this:

And from where

does it follow that the phrase taught in our Mishna, “except for a deaf-mute,”

is referring to Rabbi Yosei, and even after the fact he has not

?

Perhaps it is Rabbi Yehuda

[the first tanna of that Mishna]

and

the Mishna is saying that

initially a

deaf-mute

may not

read, but

after the fact—

it is effective,

and he has fulfilled his obligation!?

We answer:

It should not enter your mind

to say this.

For

the Mishna

teaches

in our Mishna

a

deaf-mute—

analogous to a deranged person and a minor. Just as a deranged person and a minor

even

after the fact may not

read, so too a deaf-mute—

even after the fact may not.

And

we ask: From where?

Perhaps this—

a deranged person and a minor—

is as it is stated,

that even after the fact they may not;

but this—

a deaf-mute—

is as it is stated,

that only initially may he not read, but after the fact it is effective!?

We answer:

From the fact that it teaches

in the

conclusion: Rabbi Yehuda deems a minor fit, it follows that the opening

is not Rabbi Yehuda.

We challenge this:

Perhaps the entire Mishna is Rabbi Yehuda

[Are the opening and conclusion comparable, with the opening disqualifying and the conclusion validating? Perhaps the entire Mishna is Rabbi Yehuda],

and

two varieties

[two types]

of minor are taught, and

the Mishna

is incomplete,

,

and this is what it teaches:

Everyone is fit to read the Megilla—

except for a deaf-mute, a deranged person, and a minor.

When are these words applicable,

that a minor may not read?

With regard to a minor who has not reached

the time of

education

in mitzvot.

But a minor who has reached the age of education,

meaning, approximately nine or ten years old, \-

\-

even initially

may read,

for

indeed

Rabbi Yehuda deems a minor fit.

We challenge this:

According to what

have you established our Mishna?

According to Rabbi Yehuda, and

you have taught us that when Rabbi Yehuda says: “One who recites the Shema but does not make it audible to his ear has fulfilled his obligation,” he means

after the fact,

but initially he may not recite it. For otherwise, the statement in our Mishna that a deaf-mute may not read would be difficult; necessarily, the Mishna means that initially he may not read, but after the fact he has fulfilled his obligation!?

Rather,

from now on, this statement is difficult:

that which Yehuda, son of Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi, taught: A deaf-mute who can speak but cannot

hear

may separate

teruma

initially,

even though he is required to recite a blessing and cannot hear the blessing that he utters—

whose opinion is this?

If it is Rabbi Yehuda,

then he holds that

after the fact

yes,

but

initially

no,

as initially he must make it audible to his ears!

And

if it is Rabbi Yosei,

then he holds that even

after the fact he has not

fulfilled his obligation!

If so, which tanna holds that he may separate teruma even initially?

We ask:

But rather, what

do you wish to say—that the teaching of Yehuda, son of Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi, is according to

Rabbi Yehuda

?

he

holds that Rabbi Yehuda permits one to recite the Shema even initially, despite the fact that he does not make it audible to his ear; therefore, with regard to teruma, he may separate it—

even initially,

and likewise he may read the Megilla even initially, while our Mishna is only according to Rabbi Yosei?

If so,

then what of that which was taught in a beraita: A person should not recite Grace after Meals silently,

,

but if he recited it—

he has fulfilled his obligation

after the fact—

whose opinion is this?

For it cannot be established

neither

according to

Rabbi Yehuda nor

according to

Rabbi Yosei!

For

if

it is according to

Rabbi Yehuda,

he holds that

even initially

he may recite it!

If it is Rabbi Yosei,

then he holds that

even after the fact he has not fulfilled his obligation!?