Megillah 22b — the Talmud in English

And therefore he recited a blessing before it, because of a decree. But

they did not leave

before they had finished the reading, and therefore he did not recite a blessing afterward, for they saw the person who came after him—and there was no possibility of error.

finished the reading, and therefore he did not recite a blessing afterward, since they could see the person called up after him, and there was no concern that they would make a mistake.

Come and hear: This is the general rule: whenever there is cessation of work for the people

because they remain delayed in the synagogue,

such as a public fast and the Ninth of Av

when work is permitted [for on the Ninth of Av work is permitted, except in a place where the custom is to forbid it]—

three read

readers.

But when there is no cessation of work for the people, such as the New Moons

[for there is not so much cessation of work on them, since the women do not perform work on them ]

and the intermediate days of the Festival

[for only work involving a lost matter is performed on them]—

four read.

We see explicitly in the beraita that on a public fast three read!

And we conclude:

Conclude from it.

Rav Ashi said: But we did not learn so!?

For we learned: This is the general rule: every day on which there is an additional offering and which is not a Festival—

four read.

What does this “general rule” come to include? Is it not

to include a public fast and the Ninth of Av,

on which four also read, because they have an additional prayer service!?

And we object:

And according to Rav Ashi, who is the author of the Mishna? Neither the first tanna nor Rabbi Yose!?

For it was taught: If the Ninth of Av happens

to fall

on Monday or Thursday—

three read and one concludes with the haftara

[the third is the one who concludes with the haftara ]. And if it happens

on Tuesday or Wednesday—

one reads and one concludes with the haftara,

for the reader is the one who concludes with the haftara.

Rabbi Yose says: Always—

three read and one concludes with the haftara.

In any event, we see that according to everyone four do not read on the Ninth of Av!?

But rather, it is difficult:

what does this statement that is taught in the Mishna come to include:

“This is the general rule”?

And we answer:

No. “This is the general rule” comes to include the New Moon and the Festival

that it comes to include.

And we ask:

It explicitly teaches this

at the beginning, for it teaches:

“On the New Moons and the Festival four read”!?

And we answer:

He gives merely a sign

the tanna in this general rule.

Lest you say

that

the Festival and the intermediate days of the Festival—

are equivalent,

and on both of them four read,

rather, hold this general rule in your hand: every

day

that has something added to it

more than its fellow—

has one additional person added to it

in the Torah reading.

Therefore—

On the New Moon and the

intermediate days of the

Festival, when there is

on them

an additional offering—

four read.

On the Festival,

for there is something added to them, that

performing work is forbidden—

read

five.

On the Day of Atonement, when one is punished

for its desecration

with karet—

read

six.

On

Shabbat, when there is a prohibition punishable by stoning—

read

seven.

And now we return to the

body

of the statement that we brought above:

Rav happened to come to Babylonia on a public fast. He stood and read from the scroll. He began—

he recited a blessing; he concluded—

but he did not recite a blessing. Everyone fell on their faces, but Rav did not fall on his face.

And we consider it:

What is the reason that Rav did not fall on his face?

And we reply: because

there was a stone floor

there.

And it was taught:

It is written:

“And a figured stone

you shall not place in your land to prostrate yourselves upon it,”

and we expound:

“Upon it you shall not prostrate yourselves”—

in your land; but you may prostrate yourselves upon stones in the Temple .

And

in accordance with Ulla. For Ulla said: The Torah forbade—

only a stone floor,

not to make it in a synagogue in order to prostrate oneself upon it, resembling the floor of the Temple. And therefore Rav did not fall on his face, because there was a stone floor .

And we object:

If so, why specifically

only

Rav

did not fall on his face;

even everyone else likewise

should not fall!?

And we answer: this stone floor

before Rav

alone

was,

but before the public there was none.

And we object:

Let Rav go

to

the public, and let him fall

there

on his face?

And we answer: Rav

did not want

to

trouble the public,

and he was concerned that if he went there, the public would stand before him.

And if you wish, say: Rav performed prostration with outstretched hands and feet, and

he held

in accordance with Ulla,

that the prohibition exists specifically in such a manner. But the public did not fall on its face with outstretched hands and feet, and in this there was no prohibition of a stone floor .

For Ulla said: The Torah forbade

prostration upon a figured stone—

only

with

outstretched hands and feet.

And we object:

Let

Rav

fall on his face, but not perform prostration with outstretched hands and feet!?

And we answer:

He did not depart from his practice,

Rav did not wish to depart from his practice.

And if you wish, say:

Rav was not accustomed to fall on his face at all, for

an important person—

is different, and this is in accordance with Rabbi Elazar.

For Rabbi Elazar said: An important person is not permitted to fall on his face

and degrade himself before the public ,

unless

he is certain of his deeds, that he will be

answered

in his prayer; for otherwise, perhaps he will not be answered in his prayer—and they will shame him .

As

we find with

Joshua son of Nun, for it is written

concerning him:

“And the Lord said to Joshua, Arise, go up, etc.

Why are you falling on your face?” We see that it is not proper to do so [so Rashi explained in our passage] .

The Sages taught:

Every place in which

“bowing”

is upon the face

itself.

As it is stated: “And Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground.”

Kneeling

is upon the knees

itself.

And so it says: “From kneeling upon his knees.”

Prostration—

this is outstretching of hands and feet. As it is stated: “Shall I, and your mother, and your brothers indeed come to bow down to you to the ground?”

for “to the ground” implies that his entire body is flat upon the ground.

Levi demonstrated bowing before Rabbi—

and became lame

[he became lame]. For when he demonstrated bowing, he planted his thumbs in the ground, leaned upon them, and bent until he kissed the floor—and straightened up. And since he could not lean upon his thumbs, and his hands did not assist him in straightening up, he had to exert himself with his loins; because of this he became lame in the thigh bone.

And we wonder:

And

why

that

he demonstrated bowing

caused him

to become lame?

But Rabbi Elazar said: A person should never direct words against Heaven, for a great person directed words against Heaven—

and became lame .

And who was he?

That great person—

Levi!?

And we answer:

Both this and that,

the two things,

caused him

to become lame. For because he directed words against Heaven, he was afflicted at the time of danger.