## Rosh Hashanah Daf 18a

###### Rosh Hashanah 18a:1
[Rosh Hashanah 18a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/18a:1)

כָּאן קוֹדֶם גְּזַר דִּין, כָּאן לְאַחַר גְּזַר דִּין! הָכָא נָמֵי בְּיָחִיד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Here** the verse is referring to the time **before** one’s **sentence** is issued, when God shows favor and forgives; and **there** the verse is referring to the time **after** the **sentence** has been issued, when He no longer forgives. This implies that after a sentence has been issued, there is no possibility of repentance, which seems to contradict the statement of Rabbi Yoḥanan. The Gemara answers: **Here too** it is referring to **an individual,** but a community is granted forgiveness even after its sentence has been issued.


###### Rosh Hashanah 18a:2
[Rosh Hashanah 18a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/18a:2)

וּגְזַר דִּין דְּיָחִיד תַּנָּאֵי הִיא. דְּתַנְיָא, הָיָה רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: שְׁנַיִם שֶׁעָלוּ לַמִּטָּה וְחוֹלְיָין שָׁוֶה, וְכֵן שְׁנַיִם שֶׁעָלוּ לַגַּרְדּוֹם לִידּוֹן וְדִינָן שָׁוֶה. זֶה יָרַד וְזֶה לֹא יָרַד, זֶה נִיצַּל וְזֶה לֹא נִיצַּל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The question of whether or not **an individual’s sentence** can be rescinded **is** a dispute between ***tanna’im*, as it is taught** in a *baraita* that **Rabbi Meir would say: Two** people **take to** their **beds, and their illness is the same, or two** people **ascend to the tribunal [*gardom*] for judgment, and their** potential **sentence is the same;** but **this** one **comes down** from his bed, **while that** one **does not come down from his bed, and this** one **is saved** from death, **while that** one **is not saved.**


###### Rosh Hashanah 18a:3
[Rosh Hashanah 18a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/18a:3)

מִפְּנֵי מָה זֶה יָרַד וְזֶה לֹא יָרַד, זֶה נִיצַּל וְזֶה לֹא נִיצַּל? זֶה הִתְפַּלֵּל וְנַעֲנָה, וְזֶה הִתְפַּלֵּל וְלֹא נַעֲנָה. מִפְּנֵי מָה זֶה נַעֲנָה וְזֶה לֹא נַעֲנָה? זֶה הִתְפַּלֵּל תְּפִלָּה שְׁלֵימָה — נַעֲנָה, וְזֶה לֹא הִתְפַּלֵּל תְּפִלָּה שְׁלֵימָה — לֹא נַעֲנָה

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**For what** reason **did this** one recover and **come down** from his bed, **while that** one **did not** recover and **come down from his bed;** and why **was this one saved** from death, **while that one was not saved?** The difference between them is that **this** one **prayed and was answered, while that** one **prayed, but was not answered. And for what** reason **was this** one **answered and that** one **not answered? This** one **prayed a prayer** with his **whole** heart and consequently **was answered, while that** one **did not pray a prayer** with his **whole** heart and therefore **was not answered.**


###### Rosh Hashanah 18a:4
[Rosh Hashanah 18a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/18a:4)

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר: כָּאן קוֹדֶם גְּזַר דִּין, כָּאן לְאַחַר גְּזַר דִּין. רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר: יָפָה צְעָקָה לָאָדָם בֵּין קוֹדֶם גְּזַר דִּין בֵּין לְאַחַר גְּזַר דִּין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Elazar said:** Not so; rather, **here** he prayed **before** his heavenly **sentence** was issued, and so he was answered, whereas **there** the other one prayed **after** his heavenly **sentence** was issued, and therefore he was not answered. **Rabbi Yitzḥak** disagreed and **said: Crying out** to God **is effective for a person, both before** his **sentence** has been issued **and** also **after** his **sentence** has been issued, as even after his sentence has been issued, it can still be rescinded if he repents.


###### Rosh Hashanah 18a:5
[Rosh Hashanah 18a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/18a:5)

וּגְזַר דִּין דְּצִבּוּר מִי מִיקְּרַע? וְהָא כָּתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר: ״כַּבְּסִי מֵרָעָה לִבֵּךְ״, וּכְתִיב: ״כִּי אִם תְּכַבְּסִי בַּנֶּתֶר וְתַרְבִּי לָךְ בּוֹרִית נִכְתָּם עֲוֹנֵךְ לְפָנַי״, מַאי לָאו: כָּאן קוֹדֶם גְּזַר דִּין, כָּאן לְאַחַר גְּזַר דִּין!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **Can a sentence of a community** really **be torn up** because they have repented? **But one verse says:** “O Jerusalem, **wash your heart from wickedness,** that you may be saved” (Jeremiah 4:14), **and** elsewhere **it is written: “For though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap, yet the stain of your iniquity is before Me,** says the Lord God” (Jeremiah 2:22). **What, is it not** that **here** the verse is referring to the time **before the sentence,** when the heart can still be washed with repentance, whereas **there** the verse is referring to the time **after the sentence,** when washing no longer helps, as the sentence cannot be canceled?


###### Rosh Hashanah 18a:6
[Rosh Hashanah 18a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/18a:6)

לָא, אִידֵּי וְאִידֵּי לְאַחַר גְּזַר דִּין, וְלָא קַשְׁיָא: כָּאן בִּגְזַר דִּין שֶׁיֵּשׁ עִמּוֹ שְׁבוּעָה, כָּאן בִּגְזַר דִּין שֶׁאֵין עִמּוֹ שְׁבוּעָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **No,** both **this** verse **and that** verse refer to the time **after the sentence** has been decreed, **and** still it is **not difficult: Here** the verse is referring to **a sentence accompanied by an oath** taken by God not to cancel the sentence, whereas **there** the verse is referring to **a sentence that is not accompanied by** God’s **oath** not to cancel the sentence, and so the sentence can in fact be canceled through repentance.


###### Rosh Hashanah 18a:7
[Rosh Hashanah 18a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/18a:7)

כִּדְרַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר אַמֵּי. דְּאָמַר רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר אַמֵּי. וְאָמְרִי לַהּ, אָמַר רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי אָמַר רַב יוֹנָתָן: מִנַּיִן לִגְזַר דִּין שֶׁיֵּשׁ עִמּוֹ שְׁבוּעָה שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִקְרָע — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״[וְ]לָכֵן נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לְבֵית עֵלִי אִם יִתְכַּפֵּר עֲוֹן בֵּית עֵלִי בְּזֶבַח וּבְמִנְחָה״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
This is **like** what **Rav Shmuel bar Ami** said, **as Rav Shmuel bar Ami** said, **and some say** that it was **Rav Shmuel bar Naḥmani** who **said** that **Rabbi Yonatan said: From where** is it derived **that a sentence accompanied by** God’s **oath** not to cancel it **cannot be torn up** or canceled? **As it is stated: “And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house will not be purged with sacrifice nor offering forever”** (I Samuel 3:14).


###### Rosh Hashanah 18a:8
[Rosh Hashanah 18a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/18a:8)

אָמַר רָבָא: בְּזֶבַח וּבַמִּנְחָה אֵינוֹ מִתְכַּפֵּר — אֲבָל מִתְכַּפֵּר בְּתוֹרָה. אַבָּיֵי אָמַר: בְּזֶבַח וּמִנְחָה אֵינוֹ מִתְכַּפֵּר — אֲבָל מִתְכַּפֵּר בְּתוֹרָה וּבִגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים. רַבָּה וְאַבָּיֵי מִדְּבֵית עֵלִי קָאָתוּ. רַבָּה דַּעֲסַק בַּתּוֹרָה — חֲיָה אַרְבְּעִין שְׁנִין, אַבָּיֵי דַּעֲסַק בְּתוֹרָה וּבִגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים — חֲיָה שִׁיתִּין שְׁנִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
With regard to this verse **Rava said: With sacrifice or offering** the sin of Eli’s house **is not atoned, but it can be atoned through Torah** study. **Abaye said: With sacrifice or offering** the sin of Eli’s house **is not atoned, but it is atoned through Torah** study **and** the performance of **acts of kindness.** It is related that **Rabba and Abaye came from the house of Eli,** which was subject to the curse that most of its members would die young. **Rabba, who engaged** almost exclusively **in Torah** study, **lived for forty years,** whereas **Abaye, who engaged in** both **Torah** study **and in** the performance of **acts of kindness lived for sixty years.**


###### Rosh Hashanah 18a:9
[Rosh Hashanah 18a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/18a:9)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מִשְׁפָּחָה אַחַת הָיְתָה בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁהָיוּ מֵתֶיהָ מֵתִין בְּנֵי שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה. בָּאוּ וְהוֹדִיעוּ אֶת רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי, אָמַר לָהֶם: שֶׁמָּא מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת עֵלִי אַתֶּם, דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ: ״וְכׇל מַרְבִּית בֵּיתְךָ יָמוּתוּ אֲנָשִׁים״ — לְכוּ וְעִסְקוּ בַּתּוֹרָה וִחְיוּ. הָלְכוּ וְעָסְקוּ בַּתּוֹרָה וְחָיוּ. וְהָיוּ קוֹרִין אוֹתָהּ מִשְׁפַּחַת רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן עַל שְׁמוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The Sages taught** in a *baraita*: **There was a certain family in Jerusalem whose members used to die at the age of eighteen,** and they did not know why. **They came and told Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai** about their situation. **He said to them: Perhaps you** are descended **from the family of Eli, as it is written about them: “And all the increase of your house shall die young men”** (I Samuel 2:33). If indeed this is so, the remedy is as follows: **Go and engage in Torah** study, in the merit of which **you will live. They went and engaged in Torah** study **and lived. And** people **would call that family** afterward **by the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan** in his honor.


###### Rosh Hashanah 18a:10
[Rosh Hashanah 18a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/18a:10)

אָמַר רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר אִינְיָא מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב: מִנַּיִין לִגְזַר דִּין שֶׁל צִבּוּר שֶׁאֵינוֹ נֶחְתָּם. אֵינוֹ נֶחְתָּם?! וְהָכְתִיב: ״נִכְתַּם עֲוֹנֵךְ לְפָנַי״! אֶלָּא: אַף עַל גַּב שֶׁנֶּחְתָּם — נִקְרָע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כַּה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּכׇל קׇרְאֵנוּ אֵלָיו״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Shmuel bar Inya said in the name of Rav: From where** is it derived **that the sentence of a community is never sealed [*neḥtam*]?** The Gemara immediately asks: **Is never sealed? But isn’t it written: “Yet the stain [*nikhtam*] of your iniquity is before Me”** (Jeremiah 2:22), which implies that the sentence of a community is indeed sealed. **Rather,** one must say that the question was as follows: From where is it known with regard to the sentence of a community that **although it is sealed, it can** still **be torn up? As it is stated: “As is the Lord our God whenever we call out to Him”** (Deuteronomy 4:7). This implies that there is always a way to draw close to God.


###### Rosh Hashanah 18a:11
[Rosh Hashanah 18a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/18a:11)

וְהָכְתִיב: ״דִּרְשׁוּ ה׳ בְּהִמָּצְאוֹ״! הָתָם בְּיָחִיד, הָכָא בְּצִבּוּר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But isn’t it written: “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him when He is near”** (Isaiah 55:6), which implies that there are times when He is not near and does not answer. The Gemara answers: **There** the verse is referring to **an individual,** to whom God is near only at certain times; **here** the verse is referring to **a community,** to which God is close whenever the people call out to Him.


###### Rosh Hashanah 18a:12
[Rosh Hashanah 18a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/18a:12)

בְּיָחִיד, אֵימַת? אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר אֲבוּהּ: אֵלּוּ עֲשָׂרָה יָמִים שֶׁבֵּין רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים. ״וַיְהִי כַּעֲשֶׂרֶת הַיָּמִים וַיִּגֹּף ה׳ אֶת נָבָל״ — עֲשָׂרָה יָמִים מַאי עֲבִידְתַּיְיהוּ? אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: כְּנֶגֶד עֶשֶׂר לְגִימוֹת שֶׁנָּתַן נָבָל לְעַבְדֵי דָּוִד. אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר אֲבוּהּ: אֵלּוּ עֲשָׂרָה יָמִים שֶׁבֵּין רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara asks: With regard to **an individual, when** is God near to him? **Rabba bar Avuh said: These are the ten days between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur.** The Gemara asks further: The verse states: **“And it came to pass about ten days after that the Lord smote Nabal, and he died”** (I Samuel 25:38). These **ten days, what are they doing here,** i.e., why was there a delay of ten days before Nabal died? **Rav Yehuda said** that **Rav said: They correspond to the ten meals that Nabal gave the servants of David** who came to visit him, as out of politeness he allowed David’s ten servants to eat, and therefore his punishment was delayed for ten days. **Rav Naḥman said** that **Rabba bar Avuh said: These are the ten days between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur,** during which everyone is given one last opportunity to repent for the sins he committed over the course of the previous year.


###### Rosh Hashanah 18a:13
[Rosh Hashanah 18a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/18a:13)

בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה כׇּל בָּאֵי הָעוֹלָם עוֹבְרִין לְפָנָיו כִּבְנֵי מָרוֹן. מַאי ״כִּבְנֵי מָרוֹן״? הָכָא תַּרְגִּימוּ: כִּבְנֵי אִמְּרָנָא. רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר: כְּמַעֲלוֹת בֵּית מָרוֹן. אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: כַּחֲיָילוֹת שֶׁל בֵּית דָּוִד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna teaches: **On Rosh HaShana all creatures pass before Him like *benei maron*.** The Gemara asks: **What is** the meaning of the phrase ***benei maron*?** The Gemara answers: **Here** in Babylonia **they interpreted it** to mean: **Like a flock of sheep [*kivnei imarna*]. Reish Lakish** disagreed and **said: Like the ascent of Beit Maron,** which was very steep; one standing at the summit could discern all those climbing the mountain with a single look. **Rav Yehuda said** that **Shmuel said** another opinion: **Like the soldiers of the house of** King **David,** who could be surveyed with a single glance.


###### Rosh Hashanah 18a:14
[Rosh Hashanah 18a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/18a:14)

אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: וְכוּלָּן נִסְקָרִין בִּסְקִירָה אַחַת. אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק, אַף אֲנַן נָמֵי תְּנֵינָא: ״הַיּוֹצֵר יַחַד לִבָּם הַמֵּבִין אֶל כׇּל מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם״. מַאי קָאָמַר? אִילֵּימָא הָכִי קָאָמַר: דִּבְרַנְהוּ לְכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא וּמְיַיחֵד לִבַּיְיהוּ כַּהֲדָדָי — וְהָא קָא חָזֵינַן דְּלָאו הָכִי הוּא! אֶלָּא לָאו, הָכִי קָאָמַר: הַיּוֹצֵר רוֹאֶה יַחַד לִבָּם וּמֵבִין אֶל כׇּל מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabba bar bar Ḥana said** that **Rabbi Yoḥanan said: And they are all scanned in a single scan. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: We, too, learn** this in the *baraita*: The verse states: **“He who fashions their hearts alike, who considers all their deeds”** (Psalms 33:15). **What is this** verse **saying? If we say this is what it is saying: That He created everyone and unites** all **their hearts together,** there is a difficulty, **since don’t we see that it is not so,** as the hearts of people are not united and are not similar to one another? **Rather, is this not what it is saying: The Creator sees their hearts together and considers all their deeds** with a single scan?


###### Rosh Hashanah 18a:15
[Rosh Hashanah 18a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/18a:15)

**מַתְנִי׳** עַל שִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים הַשְּׁלוּחִין יוֹצְאִין: עַל נִיסָן מִפְּנֵי הַפֶּסַח, עַל אָב מִפְּנֵי הַתַּעֲנִית, עַל אֱלוּל מִפְּנֵי רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, עַל תִּשְׁרֵי מִפְּנֵי תַּקָּנַת הַמּוֹעֲדוֹת, עַל כִּסְלֵיו מִפְּנֵי חֲנוּכָּה, וְעַל אֲדָר מִפְּנֵי הַפּוּרִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** **In six months** of the year **the messengers go out** from the court in Jerusalem to report throughout Eretz Yisrael and the Diaspora which day was established as the New Moon, the thirtieth or the thirty-first day since the previous New Moon. They go out **in** the month of **Nisan, due to Passover,** so that people will know on which day to celebrate it; **in** the month of **Av, due to the fast** of the Ninth of Av; **in Elul, due to Rosh HaShana,** which begins thirty days after the New Moon of Elul; **in Tishrei, due to the** need to establish the **correct** dates on which to celebrate **the Festivals** of Tishrei, i.e., Yom Kippur and *Sukkot*; **in Kislev, due to Hanukkah; and in Adar, due to Purim.**


###### Rosh Hashanah 18a:16
[Rosh Hashanah 18a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/18a:16)

וּכְשֶׁהָיָה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּים — יוֹצְאִין אַף עַל אִיָּיר מִפְּנֵי פֶּסַח קָטָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And when the Temple was standing,** messengers **would also go out in** the month of **Iyyar due to small Passover,** i.e., second *Pesaḥ*, which occurs on the fourteenth of Iyyar. This holiday allowed those who were ritually impure or on a distant journey on the fourteenth of Nisan, and therefore incapable of bringing the Paschal lamb at that time, to bring their Paschal lamb a month later.


###### Rosh Hashanah 18a:17
[Rosh Hashanah 18a:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/18a:17)

**גְּמָ׳** וְלִיפְּקוּ נָמֵי אַתַּמּוּז וְטֵבֵת!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The Gemara asks: **And** if they go out for the month of Av due to the fast, **let them go out also** in the months of **Tammuz and Tevet,** as they too contain public fast days.