Megillah 29b — the Talmud in English

that the Israelites should bring their shekels to the Temple,

and concerning diverse kinds,

that is, they warn them to uproot the diverse kinds of seeds, which are already recognizable at that time among the grain.

And we raised an objection:

Granted, concerning diverse kinds

they announce it—for the reason

that it is the time of sowing. But concerning the shekels—

from where do we derive this?

Rabbi Tavi said in the name of Rabbi Yoshiya: For Scripture says: “This is the burnt offering of the month in its month

for the months of the year.”

And it is difficult: Why do I need all these expressions of “months” that are written here?

Rather,

the Torah said: Renew

one of the months of the year,

and bring

in it

the offering [of the daily and additional offerings]

of the daily and additional offerings

from the new contribution.

And this month is Nisan, for we derive it by a gezera shava: “year”—“year.” For it is written here: “for the months of the year,” and it is written concerning Nisan: “It is the first for you, for the months of the year.”

And since in Nisan one must offer from the new contribution, we precede and read

the passage of the shekels

on the first of Adar—

so that

people

will bring shekels to the Temple.

According to whom

does this beraita come, that we precede and read one month before the time—

not according to Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel.

For if it were according to Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, he says

that we precede

by two Sabbaths!

As it was taught: They ask about the laws of Passover thirty days before Passover .

Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Two Sabbaths

before Passover.

And we reject this:

You may even say

that it also accords with

Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel. Since the master said: On the fifteenth of it [in the month of Adar]—

in the month of Adar,

the money-changers [A0044]—the owners of coins who exchange silver shekels for small coins—

belonging to the money changers who exchanged silver shekels for small coins

sit in the province,

in order to exchange the contributors’ small coins for half-shekels.

And on the twenty-fifth

of the month—

they sit

the money-changers

in the Temple,

and this is a sign that the time has already approached to contribute the chamber’s contents into three boxes, and the people should hurry to bring their shekels.

Because of the money-changers—

we precede and read

the passage of the shekels two Sabbaths before the setting up of the money-changers.

What

is it,

the passage of the shekels?

Rav said: “Command the children of Israel and say to them: My offering, My food.”

And Shmuel said: “When you take.”

For the commandment of giving the half-shekel is written there.

And we raised an objection:

Granted, according to the one who says

that we read

“When you take”—

this is why he calls it: “the passage of the shekels,”

for

there

is written in it

in this passage

[the matter of] shekels.

But according to the one who says

that we read:

“My offering, My food,” here

is anything concerning shekels written there?

And we answer:

Yes.

For

what is the reason

we bring shekels?—

As Rabbi Tavi said,

so that they may offer the offerings on the first of Nisan from the new contribution; and the commandment of offering an offering from the new contribution, which we derive from what is written: “This is the burnt offering of the month in its month, and so on,” is written there, in the passage of “My offering, My food.”

And we object:

Granted, according to the one who says: “Command the children of Israel,” because offerings are written there,

and

as Rabbi Tavi said.

But according to the one who says: “When you take,”

shekels for

offerings—are they written

there? They are

shekels for sockets that are written

there! For it is written: “And you shall take the silver of the atonements and put it toward the service of the Tent of Meeting,” and this means the work of the sockets, as it is written afterward [Exodus 38:25]: “And the silver of those counted of the assembly, and it was one hundred talents of silver for casting the sockets of the Sanctuary, and so on”?

And we answer:

As Rav Yosef taught: There are three contributions

that were stated in Scripture, as it is written: “A half-shekel, a contribution to the Lord”; “he shall give the contribution of the Lord”; “to give the contribution of the Lord, to atone for your souls.”

And this means: the contribution

of the altar—

for the altar,

to purchase the communal offerings for the entire year, and this is indicated by what is written there: “to atone for your souls.”

And that of the sockets—

to

make from them

sockets.

And that of the repair of the House—

for

the needs of

the repair of the House.

And we object:

Granted, according to the one who says

that we read the passage

“When you take,” this is why this

Rosh Hodesh Adar that occurs on Shabbat differs—we read in it “When you take,”

from the other Roshei Hodesh

that occur on Shabbat, for in them we read “Command the children of Israel, and so on: My offering, and so on.”

But according to the one who says “My offering, My food”—

what differs?

For on the other Roshei Hodesh as well we read that passage!?

And we answer:

This

Rosh Hodesh differs from the other Roshei Hodesh

! For whereas

on the other

Roshei Hodesh—

six are read

readers

in the matter of the day,

in the passage of that week,

and one—

reads

in the matter of Rosh Hodesh. But whereas today—

all of them,

all the readers—read

in the matter of Rosh Hodesh.

And we object:

This works according to the one who says [below in the Gemara] that what we said in the Mishna, “On the fifth they return to their order,” means

below in the Gemara that what we said in the Mishna, “On the fifth they return to their regular order,” means that

he returns to the order of the passages,

for on these Sabbaths they interrupt reading in the order of the entire year and read other passages, and on the fifth they return to the order of the passages of the entire year.

But according to the one who says

that only the haftarot are changed from the order of the entire year, and

he returns to the order of the haftarot

on the fifth Shabbat,

while the passage of the day—

of the order of the entire year—

we read

on these Sabbaths,

what differs

this Rosh Hodesh from the other Roshei Hodesh?

And we answer: Still,

it differs. For whereas

on the other

Roshei Hodesh—

six are read

readers

in the matter of the day, and one—

reads in the matter of Rosh Hodesh. But today,

on Rosh Hodesh Adar—

three are read in the matter of the day, and four—

are read in the matter of Rosh Hodesh.

A refutation was raised: When Rosh Hodesh Adar occurs on Shabbat, they read the passage of the shekels, and they read as the haftara about Jehoiada the priest.

Granted, according to the one who says

that we read

“When you take,” this is why they read as the haftara about Jehoiada the priest,

because

it resembles

the verse of the passage “When you take.”

For it is written

in that passage [I Kings 12:5]:

“The valuation of the persons’ silver,”

and it is written here: “And each man shall give an atonement for his soul.”

But according to the one who says

that we read

“My offering, My food,” does it resemble

Jehoiada the priest?

And we answer:

It resembles,

because in the passage “My offering, My food” there is also the matter of giving shekels, and

as Rabbi Tavi said,

who expounds from what is written in this passage: “This is the burnt offering of the month in its month”—renew [the year] and bring an offering from the new contribution, and this means from the contribution of the half-shekel.

A refutation was raised: If

Rosh Hodesh Adar

occurs in the passage adjacent to it—

to the passage of the shekels—

whether

Rosh Hodesh occurs

before it, and whether

it occurs

after it—

they read it, and repeat it

again on the second Shabbat.

Granted, according to the one who says

that we read

“When you take,” this is why it happens

that they read the passage of the shekels

at that time,

according to the order of the passages of the entire year.

But according to the one who says

that we read

“Command My offering,” does it happen

that we read this passage

at that time?

For it is in the passage of Pinhas, adjacent to the month of Av!?

And we answer:

Yes.

It happens to

the people of the West,

who do not finish reading the Five Books in one year, but

who complete [A0210]—who finish—

the reading

the Torah—

in three years [A0213]—for they divide every passage into three passages. Rabbeinu Hananel.

by dividing each passage into three passages. This is the explanation of Rabbeinu Hananel.

It was taught in accordance with Shmuel: When Rosh Hodesh Adar occurs on Shabbat, they read

in the passage

“When you take,” and they read as the haftara about Jehoiada the priest.

Rabbi Yitzhak Nappa said: When Rosh Hodesh Adar occurs on Shabbat, they take out three

Torah

scrolls, and read in them

as follows: In

one—

in the matter of the day. And

in

one—

in

the passage

of Rosh Hodesh. And

in

one—

in

the passage

“When you take.”

And Rabbi Yitzhak Nappa said: When Rosh Hodesh Tevet occurs on Shabbat, they bring out three

Torah

scrolls, and read in them

as follows: In

one—

in the matter of the day. And

in

one—

in

the passage

of Rosh Hodesh. And

in

one—

in

the reading of

Hanukkah.

And it is necessary to state

both of them, that concerning Rosh Hodesh Adar and that concerning Rosh Hodesh Tevet.

For had it been stated in this one—

concerning Rosh Hodesh Tevet—I might have said that

in this one Rabbi Yitzhak said

that three Torah scrolls are required,

but in that one,

Rosh Hodesh Adar—

he agrees with Rav, who said

that

the passage of the shekels—

“My offering, My food”

is,

and

if so,

two Torah scrolls are sufficient,

for the passage of Rosh Hodesh too is “My offering, My food”—

he teaches us this.

And we object:

Let him state this one,

concerning Rosh Hodesh Adar,

and there is no need for that one

concerning Tevet?

And we answer: In truth, Rabbi Yitzhak stated only this concerning Rosh Hodesh Adar, and

one—

was inferred from its companion,

for they learned from his words that the same law applies also to Rosh Hodesh Tevet.

It was stated: When Rosh Hodesh Tevet occurs on a weekday, Rabbi Yitzhak said: Three are read

readers

in

the reading of

Rosh Hodesh, and one

reads

in Hanukkah.

And Rav Dimi of Haifa said: Three are read

readers

in Hanukkah, and one—

in Rosh Hodesh.

Rabbi Mani said: The view of Rabbi Yitzhak Nappa is more plausible. For

here

that which is frequent and that which is not frequent—

the frequent comes first,

therefore three readers are read in the matter of Rosh Hodesh, for it is more frequent than Hanukkah .

Rabbi Avin said: The view of Rav Dimi is more plausible.

For

what caused the fourth to come? Rosh Hodesh!

For had there not been Rosh Hodesh, they would have read only three.

Therefore, the fourth

who comes because of Rosh Hodesh—

in

the matter of

Rosh Hodesh he must read.

What conclusion was reached about it?

Rav Yosef said: We do not give precedence to Rosh Hodesh

to make it primary; rather, the primary reading is that of Hanukkah.

And Rabba said: We do not give precedence to Hanukkah,

rather, we make the primary reading that of Rosh Hodesh.

And the halakha is: We do not give precedence to Hanukkah, and Rosh Hodesh is primary .

It was stated:

If

it occurs

Rosh Hodesh Adar

in

the passage

“And you shall command,” Rabbi Yitzhak Nappa said: Six are read

readers

from “And you shall command” until “When you take,”

that is, the entire passage of Tetzaveh,

and one

reads

from “When you take”—

until “And you shall make

a copper laver,” which is the reading of the passage of the shekels.