Megillah 22b (כב:) — the Talmud in English

Therefore, he recited a blessing before it because of a decree. However,

they did not leave

before they had

finished the reading, and therefore he did not recite a blessing afterward, since they saw the person called up after him—and there was no concern that they would err.

Come and hear: This is the principle: Whenever there is a cessation of work for the people

because they remain late in the synagogue,

such as a communal fast and Tisha BeAv,

during which work is permitted [on Tisha BeAv, work is permitted except in a place where the custom is to prohibit it]—

three read

from the Torah.

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

[when there is not such a significant cessation of work, since women do not work on those days ]

and on the intermediate days of a Festival

[when only work involving the prevention of financial loss is performed]—

four read.

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

And we conclude:

Conclude from here.

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

As we learned: This is the principle: On every day that has an additional offering and is not a Festival—

four read.

What is the purpose of this “principle”?

Is it not intended to include a communal fast and Tisha BeAv,

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

And we ask:

But according to Rav Ashi, who is the author of the Mishna? It is neither the first tanna nor Rabbi Yosei!?

As it is taught in a beraita: If

Tisha BeAv

falls on Monday or Thursday—

three read and one serves as the maftir

[the third is the maftir] . And if it falls

on Tuesday or Wednesday—

one reads and one serves as the maftir,

since the reader is the maftir.

Rabbi Yosei says: It is always the case that—

three read and one serves as the maftir.

In any event, we see that according to everyone, four do not read on Tisha BeAv!?

Rather, it is difficult:

What does this phrase cited in the Mishna come to include:

“This is the principle”?

And we answer:

No. “This is the principle” comes to include the New Moon and a Festival

—that is what it comes to include.

And we ask:

It is stated explicitly

at the beginning, as it says:

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

And we answer:

The tanna provides a mere mnemonic

with this principle.

Lest you say

that

a Festival and the intermediate days of a Festival

are equivalent,

and on both four read,

rather, take this principle in your hand: Every

day

that has more

than another

has one additional person

reading from the Torah.

Therefore:

On the New Moon and

the intermediate days of a

Festival, when there is

in them

an additional offering—

four read.

On a Festival,

which has an additional factor, since

work is prohibited—

they read

five.

On Yom Kippur, when one is liable

for its violation

to karet—

they read

six.

On

Shabbat, when there is a prohibition carrying the penalty of stoning—

they read

seven.

And now we return to

the body

of the statement that we cited above:

Rav happened to be in Babylonia on a communal fast. He stood and read from the scroll. He began—

he recited a blessing; he concluded—

but he did not recite a blessing. Everyone prostrated themselves on their faces, but Rav did not prostrate himself on his face.

And we inquire:

Why did Rav not prostrate himself on his face?

And we answer: Because

there was a stone floor

there.

And it is taught in a beraita:

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 may not prostrate yourselves

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

And this is

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

only a stone floor,

so that they should not make one in a synagogue for prostration, after the model of the Temple floor. And therefore Rav did not prostrate himself on his face, because there was a stone floor .

And we object:

If so, why specifically

only

Rav

did not prostrate himself on his face?

Everyone else should also

not have prostrated themselves!?

And we answer: This stone floor

was before Rav

alone

;

there was no such floor before the congregation.

And we object:

Let

Rav

go to the congregation and prostrate himself

there

on his face?

And we answer: Rav

did not wish

to

trouble the congregation,

as he was concerned that if he went there, the congregation would stand before him.

And if you wish, say: Rav would prostrate himself with his hands and feet extended, and

he held

in accordance with Ulla,

that the prohibition applies specifically in such a manner. But the congregation did not prostrate itself with hands and feet extended, and therefore there was no prohibition of a stone floor .

For Ulla said: The Torah prohibited

prostration upon a figured stone

only

with

the hands and feet extended.

And we object:

Let

Rav

prostrate himself on his face without extending his hands and feet!?

And we answer:

He did not depart from his practice,

as Rav did not wish to change his customary practice.

And if you wish, say:

Rav was not accustomed to prostrating himself on his face at all, because

a distinguished person

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

For Rabbi Elazar said: A distinguished person is not permitted to prostrate himself on his face

and humiliate himself before the congregation ,

unless

he is confident in his deeds that he will be

answered

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

As

we find with

Joshua son of Nun, as it is written

concerning him:

“And the Lord said to Joshua: Rise, go forth, etc.:

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

The Sages taught:

Wherever

bowing

on the face

is mentioned, it refers to bowing on one’s face.

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

Kneeling

on the knees

is meant.

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

Prostration—

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

The expression “to the ground” indicates that his entire body is flat on the ground.

Levi demonstrated bowing on his face before Rabbi—

and he became lame

[he became lame]. When he demonstrated bowing, he placed his thumbs on the ground, supporting himself upon them, and bent until he kissed the floor, then straightened himself. Since he could not support himself on his thumbs, and his hands did not assist him in straightening himself, he had to exert himself with his loins, and as a result he became lame in his thigh.

And we wonder:

But

since

this

demonstration of bowing

caused him

to become lame?

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

and became lame .

And who was

that great person—

Levi!?

And we answer:

Both this and that,

the two things,

caused him

to become lame. Because he directed harsh words toward Heaven, he was stricken at the time of danger.