## Megillah Daf 2b

###### Megillah 2b:1
[Megillah 2b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:1)

וּמוֹקֵים לַהּ לְבָרַיְיתָא כְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר יְהוּדָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**and he establishes the *baraita* in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda,** rather than Rabbi Yehuda.


###### Megillah 2b:2
[Megillah 2b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:2)

וּמִי אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה ״בִּזְמַן הַזֶּה, הוֹאִיל וּמִסְתַּכְּלִין בָּהּ — אֵין קוֹרִין אוֹתָהּ אֶלָּא בִּזְמַנָּהּ״? וּרְמִינְהִי, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: אֵימָתַי — מָקוֹם שֶׁנִּכְנָסִין בַּשֵּׁנִי וּבַחֲמִישִׁי. אֲבָל מָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין נִכְנָסִין בַּשֵּׁנִי וּבַחֲמִישִׁי — אֵין קוֹרִין אוֹתָהּ אֶלָּא בִּזְמַנָּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains the apparent contradiction: **And did Rabbi Yehuda** actually **say** that **nowadays, since** people **look** to the reading of the Megilla and use it to calculate when Passover begins, **one may read** the Megilla **only in its** designated **time?** The Gemara **raises a contradiction** from a mishna (5a): **Rabbi Yehuda said: When** is one permitted to read the Megilla from the eleventh of Adar? In **a place where** the villagers generally **enter** town **on Monday and Thursday. However,** in **a place where they do not** generally **enter** town **on Monday and Thursday, one may read** the Megilla **only in its** designated **time,** the fourteenth of Adar.


###### Megillah 2b:3
[Megillah 2b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:3)

מְקוֹם שֶׁנִּכְנָסִין בַּשֵּׁנִי וּבַחֲמִישִׁי מִיהָא קָרֵינַן, וַאֲפִילּוּ בִּזְמַן הַזֶּה! וּמוֹקֵים לַהּ לְבָרַיְיתָא כְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר יְהוּדָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The mishna indicates that, **at least** in **a place where** the villagers **enter** town **on Monday and Thursday, one may read** the Megilla from the eleventh of Adar **even nowadays. And** due to this contradiction, Rav Ashi **establishes the *baraita* in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda.**


###### Megillah 2b:4
[Megillah 2b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:4)

וּמִשּׁוּם דְּקַשְׁיָא לֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה אַדְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה מוֹקֵים לָהּ לְבָרַיְיתָא כְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר יְהוּדָה?!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara expresses surprise: **Because** Rav Ashi poses **a difficulty** due to the apparent contradiction between the opinion of **Rabbi Yehuda** in the *baraita* and the opinion cited in a mishna in the name of **Rabbi Yehuda, he establishes the *baraita* in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda?** How could he have emended the text just because he had a difficulty that he did not know how to resolve?


###### Megillah 2b:5
[Megillah 2b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:5)

רַב אָשֵׁי שְׁמִיעַ לֵיהּ דְּאִיכָּא דְּתָנֵי לַהּ כְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְאִיכָּא דְּתָנֵי לַהּ כְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר יְהוּדָה, וּמִדְּקַשְׁיָא לֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה אַדְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה, אָמַר: מַאן דְּתָנֵי לַהּ כְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה — לָאו דַּוְוקָא, מַאן דְּתָנֵי לַהּ כְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר יְהוּדָה — דַּוְוקָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains: **Rav Ashi heard that there were those who taught** the *baraita* in the name of **Rabbi Yehuda, and there were those who taught it** in the name of **Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda. And since he had a difficulty** with the apparent contradiction between one ruling of **Rabbi Yehuda and** another ruling of **Rabbi Yehuda, he said: The one who taught it** in the name of **Rabbi Yehuda is not precise,** whereas **the one who taught it** in the name of **Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda is precise,** and in this way he eliminated the contradiction.


###### Megillah 2b:6
[Megillah 2b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:6)

כְּרַכִּים הַמּוּקָּפִים חוֹמָה מִימוֹת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן קוֹרִין בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר וְכוּ׳. מְנָהָנֵי מִילֵּי? אָמַר רָבָא, דְּאָמַר קְרָא: ״עַל כֵּן הַיְּהוּדִים הַפְּרָזִים הַיּוֹשְׁבִים בְּעָרֵי הַפְּרָזוֹת וְגוֹ׳״. מִדִּפְרָזִים בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר — מוּקָּפִין בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ We learned in the mishna: **Cities that have been surrounded by a wall since the days of Joshua, son of Nun, read** the Megilla **on the fifteenth** of Adar. The Gemara asks: **From where are these matters** derived, as they are not stated explicitly in the Megilla? **Rava said:** It is **as the verse states: “Therefore the Jews of the villages, who dwell in the unwalled towns,** make the fourteenth day of the month of Adar a day of gladness and feasting” (Esther 9:19). **From** the fact that **the unwalled towns** celebrate Purim **on the fourteenth,** it may be derived that **the walled cities** celebrate Purim **on the fifteenth.**


###### Megillah 2b:7
[Megillah 2b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:7)

וְאֵימָא: פְּרָזִים בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר, מוּקָּפִין כְּלָל כְּלָל לָא! וְלָאו יִשְׂרָאֵל נִינְהוּ? וְעוֹד: ״מֵהוֹדּוּ וְעַד כּוּשׁ״ כְּתִיב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara challenges this answer: **Say** that the **unwalled towns** celebrate Purim **on the fourteenth,** as indicated in the verse, and **the walled cities** do **not** celebrate it **at all.** The Gemara expresses astonishment: **And are they not Jews? And furthermore: It is written** that the kingdom of Ahasuerus was **“from Hodu until Cush”** (Esther 1:1), and the celebration of Purim was accepted in all of the countries of his kingdom (Esther 9:20–23).


###### Megillah 2b:8
[Megillah 2b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:8)

וְאֵימָא: פְּרָזִים בְּאַרְבֵּיסַר מוּקָּפִין בְּאַרְבֵּיסַר וּבַחֲמֵיסַר, כְּדִכְתִיב: ״לִהְיוֹת עוֹשִׂים אֵת יוֹם אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר לְחֹדֶשׁ אֲדָר וְאֵת יוֹם חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר [בּוֹ] בְּכׇל שָׁנָה״!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rather, the following challenge may be raised: **Say** that **the unwalled towns** celebrate Purim **on the fourteenth** and **the walled cities** celebrate it **on the fourteenth and on the fifteenth, as it is written: “That they should keep the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and the fifteenth day of the same, in every year”** (Esther 9:21). This verse can be understood to mean that there are places where Purim is celebrated on both days.


###### Megillah 2b:9
[Megillah 2b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:9)

אִי הֲוָה כְּתִב ״אֵת יוֹם אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר וַחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר״ — כִּדְקָאָמְרַתְּ, הַשְׁתָּא דִּכְתִיב ״אֵת יוֹם אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר וְאֵת יוֹם חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר״ — אֲתָא ״אֵת״ וּפָסֵיק: הָנֵי בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר, וְהָנֵי בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this argument: **If it had been written** in the verse: **The fourteenth day and [*ve*] the fifteenth,** it would be **as you** originally **said.** However, **now that it is written: The fourteenth day and [*ve’et*] the fifteenth day,** the particle ***et*** used here to denote the accusative **comes and interrupts,** indicating that the two days are distinct. Therefore, residents of **these** locations celebrate Purim **on the fourteenth, and** residents of **those** locations celebrate it **on the fifteenth.**


###### Megillah 2b:10
[Megillah 2b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:10)

וְאֵימָא: פְּרָזִים — בְּאַרְבֵּיסַר, מוּקָּפִין — אִי בָּעוּ בְּאַרְבֵּיסַר, אִי בָּעוּ בַּחֲמֵיסַר! אָמַר קְרָא ״בִּזְמַנֵּיהֶם״, זְמַנּוֹ שֶׁל זֶה לֹא זְמַנּוֹ שֶׁל זֶה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara suggests: **Say** that residents of **unwalled towns** celebrate Purim **on the fourteenth,** as stated in the verse, and with regard to residents of **walled cities, if they wish** they may celebrate it **on the fourteenth,** and **if they wish** they may celebrate it **on the fifteenth.** The Gemara responds: **The verse states: “In their times”** (Esther 9:31), indicating that **the time** when the residents of **this** place celebrate Purim **is not the time** when the residents of **that** place celebrate Purim.


###### Megillah 2b:11
[Megillah 2b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:11)

וְאֵימָא בִּתְלֵיסַר! כְּשׁוּשָׁן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara raises another challenge: **Say** that the walled cities should celebrate Purim **on the thirteenth** of Adar and not on the fifteenth. The Gemara answers: It stands to reason that the residents of walled cities, who do not celebrate Purim on the fourteenth, celebrate it **as** it is celebrated in **Shushan,** and it is explicitly stated that Purim was celebrated in Shushan on the fifteenth.


###### Megillah 2b:12
[Megillah 2b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:12)

אַשְׁכְּחַן עֲשִׂיָּיה, זְכִירָה מְנָלַן? אָמַר קְרָא: ״וְהַיָּמִים הָאֵלֶּה נִזְכָּרִים וְנַעֲשִׂים״, אִיתַּקַּשׁ זְכִירָה לַעֲשִׂיָּיה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara comments: **We found** a source for **observing** the holiday of Purim on the fourteenth of Adar in unwalled towns and on the fifteenth of Adar in walled cities; **from where do we** derive that **remembering** the story of Purim through the reading of the Megilla takes place on these days? The Gemara explains that **the verse states: “That these days should be remembered and observed”** (Esther 9:28), from which it is derived that **remembering is compared to observing.**


###### Megillah 2b:13
[Megillah 2b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:13)

מַתְנִיתִין דְּלָא כִּי הַאי תַּנָּא. דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קׇרְחָה אוֹמֵר: כְּרַכִּין הַמּוּקָּפִין חוֹמָה מִימוֹת אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ קוֹרִין בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara notes that **the mishna is not in accordance with** the opinion of **this *tanna*, as it is taught** in the *Tosefta* (1:1) that **Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa says: Cities that have been surrounded by a wall since the days of Ahasuerus read** the Megilla **on the fifteenth.** According to the *Tosefta*, the status of walled cities is determined based upon whether they were walled in the time of Ahasuerus rather than the time of Joshua.


###### Megillah 2b:14
[Megillah 2b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:14)

מַאי טַעְמָא דְּרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קׇרְחָה? כִּי שׁוּשָׁן. מָה שׁוּשָׁן מוּקֶּפֶת חוֹמָה מִימוֹת אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ וְקוֹרִין בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר — אַף כֹּל שֶׁמּוּקֶּפֶת חוֹמָה מִימוֹת אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ קוֹרִין בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **What is the reason for** the opinion of **Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa?** The Gemara explains that the Megilla is read on the fifteenth in cities that are **like Shushan: Just as Shushan** is a city **that was surrounded by a wall since the days of Ahasuerus, and one reads** the Megilla there **on the fifteenth, so too every** city **that was walled since the days of Ahasuerus reads** the Megilla **on the fifteenth.**


###### Megillah 2b:15
[Megillah 2b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:15)

וְתַנָּא דִּידַן, מַאי טַעְמָא? יָלֵיף ״פְּרָזִי״ ״פְּרָזִי״. כְּתִיב הָכָא: ״עַל כֵּן הַיְּהוּדִים הַפְּרָזִים״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: ״לְבַד מֵעָרֵי הַפְּרָזִי הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד״. מָה לְהַלָּן מוּקֶּפֶת חוֹמָה מִימוֹת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן, אַף כָּאן מוּקֶּפֶת חוֹמָה מִימוֹת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **What is the reason for** the opinion of **the *tanna* of our** mishna? The Gemara explains: It is **derived** through a verbal analogy between one instance of the word **unwalled and** another instance of the word **unwalled. It is written here: “Therefore the Jews of the villages,** who dwell in the unwalled towns” (Esther 9:19), **and it is written there,** in Moses’ statement to Joshua before the Jewish people entered Eretz Yisrael: “All these cities were fortified with high walls, gates and bars; **besides unwalled towns, a great many”** (Deuteronomy 3:5). **Just as there,** in Deuteronomy, the reference is to a city **that was surrounded by a wall from the days of Joshua, son of Nun, so too here** it is referring to a city **that was surrounded by a wall from the days of Joshua, son of Nun.**


###### Megillah 2b:16
[Megillah 2b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:16)

בִּשְׁלָמָא רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קׇרְחָה לָא אָמַר כְּתַנָּא דִּידַן — דְּלֵית לֵיהּ ״פְּרָזִי״ ״פְּרָזִי״, אֶלָּא תַּנָּא דִּידַן מַאי טַעְמָא לָא אָמַר כְּרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קׇרְחָה?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara continues: **Granted** that **Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa did not state** his explanation **in accordance with** the opinion of **the *tanna* of our** mishna **because he did not hold** that a verbal analogy can be established between one verse that employs the word **unwalled** and the other verse that employs the word **unwalled. However, what is the reason** that **the *tanna*** of **our** mishna **did not state** his explanation **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa?**


###### Megillah 2b:17
[Megillah 2b:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:17)

מַאי טַעְמָא?! דְּהָא אִית לֵיהּ ״פְּרָזִי״ ״פְּרָזִי״! הָכִי קָאָמַר: אֶלָּא שׁוּשָׁן, דְּעָבְדָא כְּמַאן? לָא כִּפְרָזִים וְלָא כְּמוּקָּפִין!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara expresses astonishment: **What is the reason? Isn’t it** because **he holds** that it is derived from the verbal analogy between one usage of the word **unwalled** and the other usage of the word **unwalled?** The Gemara explains: **This is what he said,** i.e., this was the question: According to the *tanna* of our mishna, **in accordance with whom does Shushan observe** Purim? Shushan is **not like the unwalled towns and not like the walled cities,** as residents of Shushan celebrate Purim on the fifteenth, but the city was not surrounded by a wall since the days of Joshua.


###### Megillah 2b:18
[Megillah 2b:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:18)

אָמַר רָבָא, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ כְּדִי: שָׁאנֵי שׁוּשָׁן — הוֹאִיל וְנַעֲשָׂה בָּהּ נֵס.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava said, and some say it unattributed** to any particular Sage: **Shushan is different since the miracle occurred in it** on the fifteenth of Adar, and therefore Purim is celebrated on that day. However, other cities are only considered walled cities and read the Megilla on the fifteenth of Adar if they were walled since the days of Joshua.


###### Megillah 2b:19
[Megillah 2b:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:19)

בִּשְׁלָמָא לְתַנָּא דִּידַן, הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: ״מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָה וְעִיר וָעִיר״. ״מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָה״ — לְחַלֵּק בֵּין מוּקָּפִין חוֹמָה מִימוֹת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן לְמוּקֶּפֶת חוֹמָה מִימוֹת אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **Granted, according** to **the *tanna* of our** mishna, **this is** the meaning of **what is written:** “And these days should be remembered and observed throughout every generation, every family, **every province, and every city”** (Esther 9:28). The phrase **“every province [*medina*]”** is expressed in the verse using repetition, so that it reads literally: Every province and province, and therefore contains a superfluous usage of the word province, is meant **to distinguish between** cities **that were surrounded by a wall since the days of Joshua, son of Nun,** where the Megilla is read on the fifteenth, **and** a city that **was surrounded by a wall since the days of Ahasuerus,** where the Megilla is read on the fourteenth.


###### Megillah 2b:20
[Megillah 2b:20](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:20)

״עִיר וְעִיר״ נָמֵי, לְחַלֵּק בֵּין שׁוּשָׁן לִשְׁאָר עֲיָירוֹת. אֶלָּא לְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קׇרְחָה, בִּשְׁלָמָא ״מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָה״ — לְחַלֵּק בֵּין שׁוּשָׁן לִשְׁאָר עֲיָירוֹת, אֶלָּא ״עִיר וְעִיר״ לְמַאי אֲתָא?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The phrase **“every city,”** which is similarly expressed through repetition and contains a superfluous usage of the word city, **also** serves **to distinguish between Shushan and other cities,** as Purim is celebrated in Shushan on the fifteenth despite the fact that it was not walled since the time of Joshua. **However, according to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa, granted** that the phrase **“every province”** comes **to distinguish between Shushan and other cities** that were not walled since the days of Ahasuerus; **but what does** the phrase **“every city” come** to teach?


###### Megillah 2b:21
[Megillah 2b:21](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:21)

אָמַר לְךָ רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קׇרְחָה: וּלְתַנָּא דִּידַן מִי נִיחָא? כֵּיוָן דְּאִית לֵיהּ ״פְּרָזִי״ ״פְּרָזִי״ — ״מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָה״ לְמָה לִי? אֶלָּא קְרָא לִדְרָשָׁה הוּא דַּאֲתָא, וְכִדְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי הוּא דַּאֲתָא. דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: כְּרַךְ, וְכׇל הַסָּמוּךְ לוֹ, וְכׇל הַנִּרְאֶה עִמּוֹ — נִידּוֹן כִּכְרַךְ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains that **Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa** could have **said to you: According to the *tanna* of our** mishna, **does it work out well? Since he holds** that it is derived from the verbal analogy between one verse that employs the word **unwalled** and the other verse that employs the word **unwalled, why do I** need the phrase **“every province”? Rather, the verse comes for** a midrashic **exposition, and it comes** to indicate that the *halakha* is **in accordance with** the ruling issued by **Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi. As Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: A** walled **city, and all** settlements **adjacent to it, and all** settlements that can be **seen with it,** i.e., that can be seen from the walled city, are **considered like the** walled **city,** and the Megilla is read there on the fifteenth.


###### Megillah 2b:22
[Megillah 2b:22](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:22)

עַד כַּמָּה? אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה וְאִיתֵּימָא רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא: כְּמֵחַמָּתָן לִטְבֶרְיָא — מִיל. וְלֵימָא מִיל! הָא קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן: דְּשִׁיעוּרָא דְמִיל כַּמָּה הָוֵי — כְּמֵחַמָּתָן לִטְבֶרְיָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **Up to what** distance is considered adjacent? **Rabbi Yirmeya said, and some say** that it was **Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba** who said: The limit is **like** the distance **from** the town of **Ḥamtan to Tiberias,** a ***mil*.** The Gemara asks: **Let him say** simply that the limit is a ***mil*;** why did he have to mention these places? The Gemara answers that the formulation of the answer **teaches us this: How much** distance comprises **the measure** of a ***mil*?** It is **like** the distance **from Ḥamtan to Tiberias.**


###### Megillah 2b:23
[Megillah 2b:23](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:23)

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה וְאִיתֵּימָא רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא: מַנְצְפַךְ — צוֹפִים אֲמָרוּם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ Having cited a statement of Rabbi Yirmeya, which some attribute to Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, the Gemara cites other statements attributed to these Sages. **Rabbi Yirmeya said, and some say** that it was **Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba** who said: **The Seers,** i.e., the prophets, were the ones who **said** that the letters ***mem*, *nun*, *tzadi*, *peh*,** and ***kaf*** [***mantzepakh***], have a different form when they appear at the end of a word.


###### Megillah 2b:24
[Megillah 2b:24](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Megillah/r/2b:24)

וְתִסְבְּרָא? וְהָכְתִיב: ״אֵלֶּה הַמִּצְוֹת״, שֶׁאֵין נָבִיא רַשַּׁאי לְחַדֵּשׁ דָּבָר מֵעַתָּה? וְעוֹד, הָאָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: מֵם וְסָמֶךְ שֶׁבַּלּוּחוֹת

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And** how can **you understand** it that way? **Isn’t it written: “These are the commandments** that the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel in Mount Sinai” (Leviticus 27:34), which indicates **that a prophet is not permitted to initiate** or change **any matter** of *halakha* **from now on?** Consequently, how could the prophets establish new forms for the letters? **And furthermore, didn’t Rav Ḥisda say:** The letters ***mem* and *samekh* in the tablets** of the covenant given at Sinai