## Rosh Hashanah Daf 19b

###### Rosh Hashanah 19b:1
[Rosh Hashanah 19b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/19b:1)

וַחֲכָמִים מְטַהֲרִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**whereas the Sages declare it pure.** According to them, it is still considered a broken utensil. Rabbi Meir himself lived after the destruction of the Second Temple. The festive day commemorating the annulling of the decree of Rome was instituted as a result of an incident involving his student, Rabbi Yehuda ben Shammua. From this, it is clear that *Megillat Ta’anit* had not yet been nullified.


###### Rosh Hashanah 19b:2
[Rosh Hashanah 19b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/19b:2)

תַּנָּאֵי הִיא. דְּתַנְיָא: הַיָּמִים הָאֵלּוּ הַכְּתוּבִין בִּמְגִילַּת תַּעֲנִית, בֵּין בִּזְמַן שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּים בֵּין בִּזְמַן שֶׁאֵין בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּים — אֲסוּרִין, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: בִּזְמַן שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּים — אֲסוּרִין, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁשִּׂמְחָה הִיא לָהֶם. אֵין בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּים — מוּתָּרִין, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵבֶל הוּא לָהֶם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: The question whether or not *Megillat Ta’anit* has been nullified is the subject of a dispute between ***tanna’im*, as it is taught** in a *baraita*: **These days, which are written in *Megillat Ta’anit*, both when the Temple is standing and when the Temple is not standing, are** days on which fasting is **prohibited;** this is **the statement of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yosei says: When the Temple is standing,** these days **are prohibited** for fasting **because** these days **are** a source of **joy for** Israel. But when **the Temple is not standing,** these days **are permitted** for fasting **because these** days **are** a source of **mourning for them.**


###### Rosh Hashanah 19b:3
[Rosh Hashanah 19b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/19b:3)

וְהִלְכְתָא בָּטְלוּ, וְהִלְכְתָא לֹא בָּטְלוּ. קַשְׁיָא הִלְכְתָא אַהִלְכְתָא! לָא קַשְׁיָא: כָּאן בַּחֲנוּכָּה וּפוּרִים, כָּאן בִּשְׁאָר יוֹמֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara concludes: **And the *halakha* is** that these days **were nullified, and the *halakha* is** that **they were not nullified.** The Gemara asks: This **is difficult,** as one ***halakha*** contradicts **the** other ***halakha*.** The Gemara answers: **It** is **not difficult. Here,** it is referring to **Hanukkah and Purim.** These Festival days were never nullified, and Hanukkah is listed among the Festivals of *Megillat Ta’anit*. **There,** the *halakha* is referring to **the rest of the days** listed in *Megillat Ta’anit*, all of which were nullified.


###### Rosh Hashanah 19b:4
[Rosh Hashanah 19b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/19b:4)

עַל אֱלוּל מִפְּנֵי רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, וְעַל תִּשְׁרִי מִפְּנֵי תַּקָּנַת הַמּוֹעֲדוֹת. כֵּיוָן דְּנָפְקִי לְהוּ אַאֱלוּל, אַתִּשְׁרִי לְמָה לְהוּ?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna taught: Messengers go out to inform about the sanctification of the New Moon **in Elul, due to Rosh HaShana, and in Tishrei, due to the** need to establish the **correct** dates on which to celebrate **the Festivals** of Tishrei. The Gemara asks: **Once** the messengers **have gone out in** the month of **Elul** to inform the people when the New Moon was declared, **why do they** need to go out again **in Tishrei,** as the New Moon of Tishrei always falls on the thirtieth day after the New Moon of Elul?


###### Rosh Hashanah 19b:5
[Rosh Hashanah 19b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/19b:5)

וְכִי תֵּימָא דִּלְמָא עַבְּרוּהּ לֶאֱלוּל, וְהָאָמַר רַבִּי חִינָּנָא בַּר כָּהֲנָא אָמַר רַב: מִימוֹת עֶזְרָא וְאֵילָךְ לֹא מָצִינוּ אֱלוּל מְעוּבָּר!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And if you say** that messengers must go out for Tishrei as well, as **perhaps the** court **added** another day to the month of **Elul,** so that Rosh HaShana occurs on the thirty-first day after the New Moon of Elul, there is a difficulty. **Didn’t Rabbi Ḥinnana bar Kahana say** that **Rav said: From the days of Ezra and onward, we have never found that** the month of **Elul** had **an additional** day. Consequently, it is simple to calculate the days on which the Festivals of Tishrei occur, and there should be no need to send out messengers in Tishrei.


###### Rosh Hashanah 19b:6
[Rosh Hashanah 19b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/19b:6)

לֹא מָצִינוּ — דְּלָא אִיצְטְרִיךְ, הָא אִיצְטְרִיךְ — מְעַבְּרִינַן לֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: When we say: **We have not** found that the month of Elul ever had an additional day, this does not mean that Elul cannot have an additional day, but only that it never happened **because it was not necessary** to add a day. **But** if it had been **necessary, they would** have added **an additional** day. Since it is possible that the month of Elul could have had another day added, there is reason to send out messengers for the month of Tishrei, so that all will know when to celebrate the Festivals.


###### Rosh Hashanah 19b:7
[Rosh Hashanah 19b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/19b:7)

הָא מִיקַּלְקַל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה! מוּטָב תִּיקַּלְקֵל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְלֹא יִתְקַלְקְלוּ כּוּלְּהוּ מוֹעֲדוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But** if Elul has an additional day **Rosh HaShana will be ruined,** because people will celebrate it thirty days after the New Moon of Elul, when its real date is on the thirty-first day. The Gemara answers: **Better that Rosh HaShana be ruined, and all the Festivals,** i.e., Yom Kippur, *Sukkot*, and the Eighth Day of Assembly, **not be ruined.**


###### Rosh Hashanah 19b:8
[Rosh Hashanah 19b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/19b:8)

דַּיְקָא נָמֵי, דְּקָתָנֵי: עַל תִּשְׁרִי מִפְּנֵי תַּקָּנַת הַמּוֹעֲדוֹת, שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The language of the mishna **is also precise, as it teaches:** Messengers go out **in** the month of **Tishrei due to the** need to establish the **correct** dates on which to celebrate **the Festivals** of Tishrei. The Gemara summarizes: Indeed, **conclude from here** that this is the correct understanding.


###### Rosh Hashanah 19b:9
[Rosh Hashanah 19b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/19b:9)

וְעַל כִּסְלֵיו מִפְּנֵי חֲנוּכָּה, וְעַל אֲדָר מִפְּנֵי הַפּוּרִים. וְאִילּוּ נִתְעַבְּרָה הַשָּׁנָה יוֹצְאִין אַף עַל אֲדָר שֵׁנִי מִפְּנֵי הַפּוּרִים — לָא קָתָנֵי. מַתְנִיתִין דְּלָא כְּרַבִּי. דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: אִם נִתְעַבְּרָה הַשָּׁנָה — יוֹצְאִין אַף עַל אֲדָר הַשֵּׁנִי מִפְּנֵי הַפּוּרִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna taught: Messengers go out **in Kislev, due to Hanukkah, and in Adar, due to Purim. Whereas, it is not taught: If the year was a leap year,** with an additional month of Adar, the messengers **go out also in the second Adar due to Purim,** which is celebrated in the second Adar. This indicates that **the mishna is not in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi, **as it is taught** in a *baraita*: **Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi **says: If the year was a leap year,** the messengers **go out also in the second Adar, due to Purim.**


###### Rosh Hashanah 19b:10
[Rosh Hashanah 19b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/19b:10)

לֵימָא בְּהָא קָמִיפַּלְגִי, דְּמָר סָבַר: כׇּל מִצְוֹת הַנּוֹהֲגוֹת בַּשֵּׁנִי — נוֹהֲגוֹת בָּרִאשׁוֹן, וּמָר סָבַר: כׇּל מִצְוֹת הַנּוֹהֲגוֹת בַּשֵּׁנִי — אֵין נוֹהֲגוֹת בָּרִאשׁוֹן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara suggests: **Let us say that they disagree about this.** One **Sage,** the author of this mishna, **holds** that **all the mitzvot observed in the second** Adar, i.e., the special Torah readings and the mitzvot of Purim, **are** also **observed in the first** Adar. If they were observed in the first Adar and not in the second, the people have fulfilled their obligation. Therefore, there is no need to send messengers in the second Adar. **And** one **Sage,** Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, **holds** that **all the mitzvot observed in the second** Adar **are not observed in the first.** It is therefore necessary to send messengers in the second Adar, so that people will know when to keep the mitzvot of Adar.


###### Rosh Hashanah 19b:11
[Rosh Hashanah 19b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/19b:11)

לָא, דְּכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא מִצְוֹת הַנּוֹהֲגוֹת בַּשֵּׁנִי — אֵין נוֹהֲגוֹת בָּרִאשׁוֹן, וְהָכָא בְּעִיבּוּר שָׁנָה קָמִיפַּלְגִי. דְּתַנְיָא: כַּמָּה עִיבּוּר שָׁנָה — שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם, רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: חֹדֶשׁ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this argument: **No, everyone agrees that the mitzvot observed in the second** Adar **are not observed on the first, and here they disagree about** the length of the additional month in the **leap year, as it is taught** in a *baraita*: **How long is** the additional month in **a leap year? Thirty days. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: A month.** Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi holds in accordance with the opinion of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, and since the additional month does not have a fixed number of days, it is necessary to send messengers also for the second Adar, so that people will know when to celebrate Purim. However, according to the first *tanna*, since the first Adar is always a fixed length, there is no need to send messengers.


###### Rosh Hashanah 19b:12
[Rosh Hashanah 19b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/19b:12)

מַאי שְׁנָא שְׁלֹשִׁים — דְּיָדְעִי? חֹדֶשׁ נָמֵי יָדְעִי! אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: מַאן דְּאָמַר חֹדֶשׁ, רָצָה — חֹדֶשׁ, רָצָה — שְׁלֹשִׁים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **What is different about thirty days?** It is different **because** people can count thirty days and **know** when the month ends and when Purim occurs. **A month also,** people **know** the length of it. The term month implies that it is a month of twenty-nine days, and based on that they know when to celebrate Purim. **Rav Pappa said: The one who said** that **a month** is added does not mean necessarily a month of twenty-nine days. Rather, **if** the judges of the court **wish,** they add **a month** of twenty-nine days; and **if it wishes,** they add **thirty** days. Therefore, it is necessary to send messengers also for the second Adar.


###### Rosh Hashanah 19b:13
[Rosh Hashanah 19b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/19b:13)

הֵעִיד רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי מִשּׁוּם קְהָלָא קַדִּישָׁא דִּירוּשָׁלַיִם עַל שְׁנֵי אֲדָרִים שֶׁמְּקַדְּשִׁין אוֹתָם בְּיוֹם עִיבּוּרֵיהֶן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi testified in the name of the holy community of Jerusalem about the two** months of **Adar, that they are sanctified on the day that** could have been added to make them **a full** month, i.e., the thirtieth day after the previous New Moon. That is to say, the thirtieth day after the New Moon of the first Adar is always the New Moon of the second Adar, and thirty days after the New Moon of the second Adar is always the New Moon of Nisan.


###### Rosh Hashanah 19b:14
[Rosh Hashanah 19b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/19b:14)

לְמֵימְרָא דַּחֲסֵרִין עָבְדִינַן, מְלֵאִין לָא עָבְדִינַן! לְאַפּוֹקֵי מִדְּדָרֵשׁ רַב נַחְמָן בַּר חִסְדָּא. הֵעִיד רַבִּי סִימַאי מִשּׁוּם חַגַּי זְכַרְיָה וּמַלְאָכִי עַל שְׁנֵי אֲדָרִים, שֶׁאִם רָצוּ לַעֲשׂוֹתָן שְׁנֵיהֶן מְלֵאִין — עוֹשִׂין, שְׁנֵיהֶן חֲסֵרִין — עוֹשִׂין, אֶחָד מָלֵא וְאֶחָד חָסֵר — עוֹשִׂין, וְכָךְ הָיוּ נוֹהֲגִין בַּגּוֹלָה. וּמִשּׁוּם רַבֵּינוּ אָמְרוּ: לְעוֹלָם אֶחָד מָלֵא וְאֶחָד חָסֵר, עַד שֶׁיִּוּוֹדַע לָךְ שֶׁהוּקְבַּע רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ בִּזְמַנּוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara comments: **That is to say** that **they make** the two months of Adar **short** months, of twenty-nine days, but **they do not make them full** months, of thirty days. This is **to the exclusion of what Rav Naḥman bar Ḥisda taught,** as Rav Naḥman bar Ḥisda taught: **Rabbi Simai testified in the name of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi about two** months of **Adar** in a leap year, **that if** the members of the court **wish to make them both full, they may do** so; and if they wish to make them both **short, they may do** so; and if they wish to **make one full and one short, they may do** so. **And this is what they would do in the Diaspora,** when they did not know which day was established as the New Moon. **And in the name of our teacher,** Rav, **they said:** The two months of Adar are **always** observed, **one full and one short, unless it is known to you that** the **New Moon was fixed in its** proper **time,** i.e., the first Adar is also short.


###### Rosh Hashanah 19b:15
[Rosh Hashanah 19b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/19b:15)

שְׁלַחוּ לֵיהּ לְמָר עוּקְבָא: אֲדָר הַסָּמוּךְ לְנִיסָן — לְעוֹלָם חָסֵר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
A ruling **was sent** from Eretz Yisrael **to Mar Ukva,** the Exilarch in Babylonia: **The Adar that** immediately **precedes Nisan is always short,** both in a regular year and in a leap year. But the first Adar in a leap year, which does not immediately precede Nisan, is sometimes full.


###### Rosh Hashanah 19b:16
[Rosh Hashanah 19b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/19b:16)

מֵתִיב רַב נַחְמָן: עַל שְׁנֵי חֳדָשִׁים מְחַלְּלִין אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת — עַל נִיסָן וְעַל תִּשְׁרִי. אִי אָמְרַתְּ בִּשְׁלָמָא זִמְנִין מָלֵא זִמְנִין חָסֵר — מִשּׁוּם הָכִי מְחַלְּלִינַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Naḥman raised an objection** from what was taught in a mishna: Witnesses who saw the new moon **may desecrate Shabbat for** the fixing of the New Moon of **two months, for** the month of **Nisan and for** the month of **Tishrei,** due to the important Festivals that occur in them. **Granted, if you say** that the Adar immediately preceding Nisan is **sometimes full and sometimes short, due to that** reason the witnesses **may desecrate** Shabbat, as if the witnesses come on the thirtieth, the month will be made short and that day will be declared the New Moon; otherwise, the month will be made full and the next day will be declared the New Moon.