## Rosh Hashanah Daf 21b

###### Rosh Hashanah 21b:1
[Rosh Hashanah 21b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/21b:1)

**מַתְנִי׳** עַל שְׁנֵי חֳדָשִׁים מְחַלְּלִין אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת — עַל נִיסָן וְעַל תִּשְׁרִי, שֶׁבָּהֶן שְׁלוּחִין יוֹצְאִין לְסוּרְיָא, וּבָהֶן מְתַקְּנִין אֶת הַמּוֹעֲדוֹת. וּכְשֶׁהָיָה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּים — מְחַלְּלִין אַף עַל כּוּלָּן, מִפְּנֵי תַּקָּנַת הַקׇּרְבָּן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** Only **for** the sake of **two months may** witnesses who saw the new moon **desecrate Shabbat,** should that be necessary in order for them to offer testimony before the court: **For** the month of **Nisan and for** the month of **Tishrei, for in these** months **messengers are sent out to Syria, and by them,** i.e., these months, the dates of **the** major **Festivals are set:** Yom Kippur, *Sukkot*, Passover, and *Shavuot*. **And when the Temple was standing,** the witnesses **desecrated** Shabbat **for** the fixing of the New Moon of **all** the months, **due to** the imperative of **fixing** the proper **offering** of the New Moon at the correct time.


###### Rosh Hashanah 21b:2
[Rosh Hashanah 21b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/21b:2)

**גְּמָ׳** עַל שְׁנֵי חֳדָשִׁים וְתוּ לָא?! וּרְמִינְהוּ: עַל שִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים הַשְּׁלוּחִין יוֹצְאִין!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The mishna taught that messengers were sent out for two months. The Gemara asks: **For** only **two months and no more? And** the Gemara **raises a contradiction** from the previous mishna, which teaches: **For six months** of the year **messengers go out,** not only for two months.


###### Rosh Hashanah 21b:3
[Rosh Hashanah 21b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/21b:3)

אָמַר אַבָּיֵי, הָכִי קָאָמַר: עַל כּוּלָּן שְׁלוּחִין יוֹצְאִין מִבָּעֶרֶב — עַל נִיסָן וְעַל תִּשְׁרִי, עַד שֶׁיִּשְׁמְעוּ מִפִּי בֵּית דִּין: ״מְקוּדָּשׁ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Abaye said: This is what** the mishna **is saying: For all** the other months **the messengers go out** already **in the evening,** if the new moon was clearly seen and if it is certain that the court will proclaim the day as the New Moon. But **for Nisan and for Tishrei** the messengers do not go out **until they hear from the court** that the day is declared as the New Moon, by saying: It is **sanctified,** so that they can offer proper testimony. The court convenes only during the daytime.


###### Rosh Hashanah 21b:4
[Rosh Hashanah 21b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/21b:4)

תַּנְיָא נָמֵי הָכִי: עַל כּוּלָּן יוֹצְאִין מִבָּעֶרֶב — עַל נִיסָן וְעַל תִּשְׁרִי, עַד שֶׁיִּשְׁמְעוּ מִפִּי בֵּית דִּין: ״מְקוּדָּשׁ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**This is also taught** in a *baraita*: **For all** the other months the messengers **go out** already **in the evening,** but **for** the month of **Nisan and for** the month of **Tishrei** they do not go out **until they have heard the court** formally proclaim the day as the New Moon, by saying: It is **sanctified.**


###### Rosh Hashanah 21b:5
[Rosh Hashanah 21b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/21b:5)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מִנַּיִן שֶׁמְּחַלְּלִין עֲלֵיהֶן אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״אֵלֶּה מוֹעֲדֵי ה׳ אֲשֶׁר תִּקְרְאוּ אוֹתָם בְּמוֹעֲדָם״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The Sages taught** in a *baraita*: **From where** is it derived **that** the witnesses who saw the new moon **may desecrate Shabbat** in order to testify before the court? **The verse states: “These are the Festivals of the Lord,** sacred gatherings, **which you shall declare in their seasons”** (Leviticus 23:4), thereby emphasizing that the Festivals must be set at their proper times. To ensure that they occur at the proper times, it is even permitted to desecrate Shabbat.


###### Rosh Hashanah 21b:6
[Rosh Hashanah 21b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/21b:6)

יָכוֹל כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמְּחַלְּלִין עַד שֶׁיִּתְקַדְּשׁוּ, כָּךְ מְחַלְּלִין עַד שֶׁיִּתְקַיְּימוּ — תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״אֲשֶׁר תִּקְרְאוּ אוֹתָם״, עַל קְרִיאָתָם אַתָּה מְחַלֵּל, וְאִי אַתָּה מְחַלֵּל עַל קִיּוּמָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
One **might** have thought **that just as** Shabbat **may be desecrated** by the witnesses **so that** the months **may be sanctified** at the proper time, **so too,** Shabbat **may be desecrated** by the messengers who go to inform the people in Eretz Yisrael and the Diaspora which day was sanctified as the New Moon, **so that** the Festivals **may be observed** at the proper time. Therefore, **the verse states: “Which you shall declare,”** from which is derived that **for the declaration** of the New Moon **you may desecrate** Shabbat, **but you may not desecrate** Shabbat **for the observance** of the Festivals in their proper time.


###### Rosh Hashanah 21b:7
[Rosh Hashanah 21b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/21b:7)

וּכְשֶׁהָיָה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּים — מְחַלְּלִין אַף עַל כּוּלָּן, מִפְּנֵי תַּקָּנַת הַקׇּרְבָּן. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ מְחַלְּלִין אַף עַל כּוּלָּן. מִשֶּׁחָרַב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, אָמַר לָהֶן רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי: וְכִי יֵשׁ קׇרְבָּן? הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ מְחַלְּלִין אֶלָּא עַל נִיסָן וְעַל תִּשְׁרִי בִּלְבַד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ It was taught in the mishna: **And when the Temple was standing,** the witnesses **desecrated** Shabbat **for** the fixing of the New Moon of **all** the months, **due to** the imperative of **fixing** the proper **offering** of the New Moon at the correct time. **The Sages taught** in a *baraita*: **At first, they would desecrate** Shabbat **for all** of the months. **When the Temple was destroyed, Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai said to** the Sages: **Is there** now some **offering** due, for which it is necessary to desecrate Shabbat? Consequently, **they instituted that** the witnesses **may desecrate** Shabbat **only for** the months of **Nisan and Tishrei.**


###### Rosh Hashanah 21b:8
[Rosh Hashanah 21b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/21b:8)

**מַתְנִי׳** בֵּין שֶׁנִּרְאָה בַּעֲלִיל, בֵּין שֶׁלֹּא נִרְאָה בַּעֲלִיל — מְחַלְּלִין עָלָיו אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: אִם נִרְאָה בַּעֲלִיל — אֵין מְחַלְּלִין עָלָיו אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** **Whether** the new moon **was seen clearly [*ba’alil*]** by everyone **or whether it was not clearly seen, one may desecrate Shabbat** in order to testify before the court. **Rabbi Yosei says: If** the moon **was clearly seen, they may not desecrate Shabbat for it,** since other witnesses, located nearer to the court, will certainly testify. If these distant witnesses go to court to testify, they will desecrate Shabbat unnecessarily.


###### Rosh Hashanah 21b:9
[Rosh Hashanah 21b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/21b:9)

מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁעָבְרוּ יוֹתֵר מֵאַרְבָּעִים זוּג, וְעִיכְּבָם רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא בְּלוֹד. שָׁלַח לוֹ רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל: אִם מְעַכֵּב אַתָּה אֶת הָרַבִּים — נִמְצֵאתָ מַכְשִׁילָן לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
There was once **an incident where more than forty pairs** of witnesses **were passing** through on their way to Jerusalem to testify about the new moon, **and Rabbi Akiva detained them in Lod,** telling them that there was no need for them to desecrate Shabbat for this purpose. **Rabban Gamliel sent** a message **to him: If you detain the many** people who wish to testify about the new moon, **you will cause them to stumble in the future.** They will say: Why should we go, seeing that our testimony is unnecessary? At some point they will be needed, and no witnesses will come to the court.


###### Rosh Hashanah 21b:10
[Rosh Hashanah 21b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/21b:10)

**גְּמָ׳** מַאי מַשְׁמַע דְּהַאי ״עֲלִיל״ לִישָּׁנָא דְּמִיגַּלֵּי הוּא? אָמַר רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ, אָמַר קְרָא: ״אִמְרוֹת ה׳ אֲמָרוֹת טְהוֹרוֹת כֶּסֶף צָרוּף בַּעֲלִיל לָאָרֶץ מְזוּקָּק שִׁבְעָתָיִם״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** **From where** may it **be inferred** that the term ***alil*** denotes that the new moon is clearly **revealed? Rabbi Abbahu said: The verse states: “The words of the Lord are pure words; silver refined in the clear sight [*ba’alil*] of the earth, purified seven times”** (Psalms 12:7).


###### Rosh Hashanah 21b:11
[Rosh Hashanah 21b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/21b:11)

רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל. חַד אָמַר: חֲמִשִּׁים שַׁעֲרֵי בִינָה נִבְרְאוּ בָּעוֹלָם, וְכוּלָּן נִיתְּנוּ לְמֹשֶׁה, חָסֵר אֶחָד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַתְּחַסְּרֵהוּ מְעַט מֵאֱלֹהִים״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The aforementioned verse states: “The words of the Lord are pure words…purified seven times [*shivatayim*].” **Rav and Shmuel** disagreed about a matter relating to this verse: **One** of them **said: Fifty gates of understanding were created in the world, and all of them were given to Moses, except for one** gate, for it is stated: “The words of the Lord are purified *shivatayim*,” which he understands to mean seven times seven, i.e., forty-nine, and **it is stated: “And You have made him a little less than God”** (Psalms 8:6). God created fifty gates of understanding, but He made man a little lower than God, giving him only forty-nine of them.


###### Rosh Hashanah 21b:12
[Rosh Hashanah 21b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/21b:12)

״בִּקֵּשׁ קֹהֶלֶת לִמְצוֹא דִּבְרֵי חֵפֶץ״ — בִּקֵּשׁ קֹהֶלֶת לִהְיוֹת כְּמֹשֶׁה, יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה לוֹ: ״וְכָתוּב יוֹשֶׁר דִּבְרֵי אֱמֶת״ — ״וְלֹא קָם נָבִיא עוֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמֹשֶׁה״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**“Kohelet sought to find out words of delight”** (Ecclesiastes 12:10), which indicates that he sought to find the fiftieth gate but failed to do so. **Kohelet,** King Solomon, **sought to be like Moses,** but **a Divine Voice issued forth and said to him: “And that which was written uprightly, even words of truth”** (Ecclesiastes 12:10). This is referring to the words of the Torah; and what is written there? **“And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses,** whom the Lord knew face-to-face” (Deuteronomy 34:10).


###### Rosh Hashanah 21b:13
[Rosh Hashanah 21b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/21b:13)

וְחַד אָמַר: בַּנְּבִיאִים לֹא קָם, בִּמְלָכִים קָם. אֶלָּא מָה אֲנִי מְקַיֵּים ״בִּקֵּשׁ קֹהֶלֶת לִמְצוֹא דִּבְרֵי חֵפֶץ״ — בִּקֵּשׁ קֹהֶלֶת לָדוּן דִּינִין שֶׁבַּלֵּב, שֶׁלֹּא בְּעֵדִים וְשֶׁלֹּא בְּהַתְרָאָה. יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה לוֹ: ״וְכָתוּב יוֹשֶׁר דִּבְרֵי אֱמֶת״ — ״עַל פִּי שְׁנַיִם עֵדִים וְגוֹ׳״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** the other **one said: Among the prophets there has not arisen one** like Moses, but **among the kings, one did arise,** Solomon, who was as wise as Moses. **How do I uphold** the words **“Kohelet sought to find words of delight”? Kohelet,** King Solomon, **sought to issue judgments of the heart,** based solely on his intuition, **without witnesses and without warning.** But **a Divine Voice issued forth and said to him: “And that which was written uprightly, even words of truth.”** Which words is this referring to? **“At the mouth of two witnesses,** or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death” (Deuteronomy 17:6). Punishment can be administered only based on the testimony of two witnesses.