## Sanhedrin Daf 12a

###### Sanhedrin 12a:1
[Sanhedrin 12a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/12a:1)

בִּשְׁנֵי רְעָבוֹן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**during years of famine.** When grain is scarce, intercalating the year would exacerbate the food shortage by delaying the *omer* offering, which is brought in Nisan, thereby prolonging the period during which the new crop is forbidden.


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

תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: ״וְאִישׁ בָּא מִבַּעַל שָׁלִישָׁה וַיָּבֵא לְאִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים לֶחֶם בִּכּוּרִים עֶשְׂרִים לֶחֶם שְׂעֹרִים וְגוֹ׳״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**It is taught** in a *baraita*: **Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi **says** that this principle can be demonstrated based on an incident related in the Bible. The verse states with regard to the prophet Elisha: **“And there came a man from Ba’al Shalisha, and he brought to the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley,** and fresh ears of corn in his sack. And he said: Give to the people, that they may eat” (II Kings 4:42).


###### Sanhedrin 12a:3
[Sanhedrin 12a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/12a:3)

וְאֵין לְךָ קַלָּה בְּכׇל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבַשֵּׁל פֵּירוֹתֶיהָ יוֹתֵר מִבַּעַל שָׁלִישָׁה, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא בִּכְּרָה אֶלָּא מִין אֶחָד. שֶׁמָּא תֹּאמַר: חִטִּים? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״שְׂעוֹרִים״. שֶׁמָּא תֹּאמַר: לִפְנֵי הָעוֹמֶר? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״תֵּן לָעָם וְיֹאכֵלוּ״. אַחַר הָעוֹמֶר הָיָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The incident is analyzed: **You do not have in all of Eretz Yisrael** an environment in which **fruit ripens more swiftly than** in **Ba’al Shalisha, and even so, only one** of the seven **species** had **ripened** at that time, as the verse testifies that he brought him “bread of the first fruits.” **Lest you say** the verse speaks of **wheat,** which ripens close to the time of the festival of *Shavuot*, **the verse states “barley.” Lest you say** that the incident took place **before the *omer*** offering was sacrificed, **the verse states: “Give to the people, that they may eat.”** As they were permitted to eat, it must be that the incident **was after the *omer*** offering was brought.


###### Sanhedrin 12a:4
[Sanhedrin 12a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/12a:4)

אֱמוֹר מֵעַתָּה: רְאוּיָה הָיְתָה אוֹתָהּ שָׁנָה שֶׁתִּתְעַבֵּר, וּמִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא עִיבְּרָהּ אֱלִישָׁע? שֶׁשְּׁנַת בַּצּוֹרֶת הָיְתָה, וְהָיוּ הַכֹּל רָצִין לְבֵית הַגֳּרָנוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Based on this, say** that even in the place in which fruit ripened the fastest in all of Eretz Yisrael, after the *omer* had been brought, only the barley had ripened. Evidently, **the year was fit to be intercalated,** because the spring produce was not sufficiently mature in time. **And for what** reason **did** the prophet **Elisha not intercalate it? Because it was a year of scarcity,** as described in the Bible (see II Kings 4:38), **and everyone was running to the granary.** Intercalating the year would have made it even more difficult to obtain produce.


###### Sanhedrin 12a:5
[Sanhedrin 12a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/12a:5)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אֵין מְעַבְּרִין אֶת הַשָּׁנָה לִפְנֵי רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, וְאִם עִיבְּרוּהָ – אֵינָהּ מְעוּבֶּרֶת. אֲבָל מִפְּנֵי הַדְּחָק מְעַבְּרִין אוֹתָהּ אַחַר רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה מִיָּד, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵּן אֵין מְעַבְּרִין אֶלָּא אֲדָר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Sages taught** in a *baraita* (*Tosefta* 2:3): The court **may not intercalate the year before Rosh HaShana. And if** the court **intercalated it** this early, **it is not intercalated. But** if there was a need to intercalate it early **due to exigent** circumstances, e.g., religious persecution, they **may intercalate it immediately after Rosh HaShana. Even so,** they may **intercalate** it **only** by adding a second month of **Adar.**


###### Sanhedrin 12a:6
[Sanhedrin 12a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/12a:6)

אִינִי? וְהָא שְׁלַחוּ לֵיהּ לְרָבָא: זוּג בָּא מֵרַקַּת, וּתְפָשׂוֹ נֶשֶׁר, וּבְיָדוֹ דְּבָרִים הַנַּעֲשִׂים בְּלוּז. וּמַאי נִיהוּ? תְּכֵלֶת. בִּזְכוּת הָרַחֲמִים וּבִזְכוּתָם יָצְאוּ בְּשָׁלוֹם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **Is that so,** that intercalation may be determined only after Rosh HaShana? **But** the Sages of Eretz Yisrael **sent** the following encoded message **to Rava** during the time of Roman persecution: **A pair** of Torah scholars **came from Rakkath,** the biblical name for Tiberias (see Joshua 19:35), which was the seat of the Sanhedrin in Rava’s time. They meant to reach the Diaspora community, **but** the pair was **apprehended** by the **eagle,** i.e., Roman soldiers, whose symbol was the eagle; **and in their possession** were precious **items made in Luz.** The Gemara interrupts the story to explain: **And what are those** items from Luz? **Sky-blue dye,** which is necessary for ritual fringes. The message continued: **In the merit of** divine **mercy and in their merit, they** were spared execution and **emerged in peace.** Nevertheless, they did not reach their destination.


###### Sanhedrin 12a:7
[Sanhedrin 12a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/12a:7)

וַעֲמוּסֵי יְרֵיכֵי נַחְשׁוֹן בִּקְּשׁוּ לִקְבּוֹעַ נְצִיב אֶחָד, וְלֹא הִנִּיחָן אֲדוֹמִי הַלָּז. אֲבָל בַּעֲלֵי אֲסוּפּוֹת נֶאֶסְפוּ וְקָבְעוּ לוֹ נְצִיב אֶחָד בְּיֶרַח שֶׁמֵּת בּוֹ אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן. חַשּׁוֹבֵי – מְחַשְּׁבִי, גַּלּוֹיֵי – לָא מְגַלּוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The message continued: **And the offspring of Nahshon,** meaning the Sages of the court of the *Nasi*, who was descended from the prince of Judah, Nahshon ben Amminadab (see Numbers 7:12), **sought to establish a pillar,** i.e., they sought to add a month to the year. **But that Edomite,** the local Roman governor, **did not allow them** to intercalate the year. **Nevertheless, the members of the assembly gathered, and they established a pillar, in the month in which Aaron the priest died,** i.e., the Sages of Eretz Yisrael convened in the month of Av, which is before Rosh HaShana, and determined that the following year should be intercalated. Evidently, then, in exigent circumstances, intercalation may be done even before Rosh HaShana. The Gemara answers: The court may **calculate** the need for an extra month even before Rosh HaShana, but they may **not reveal** and publicize the decision until after Rosh HaShana.


###### Sanhedrin 12a:8
[Sanhedrin 12a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/12a:8)

מַאי מַשְׁמַע דְּהַאי ״נְצִיב״ לִישָּׁנָא דְּיַרְחָא הוּא? דִּכְתִיב: ״וְלִשְׁלֹמֹה שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר נִצָּבִים עַל כׇּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכִלְכְּלוּ אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאֶת אֲנָשָׁיו חֹדֶשׁ בַּשָּׁנָה״. וְהָכְתִיב: ״וּנְצִיב אֶחָד [אֲשֶׁר] בָּאָרֶץ״? רַב יְהוּדָה וְרַב נַחְמָן, חַד אָמַר: אֶחָד מְמוּנֶּה עַל כּוּלָּם, וְחַד אָמַר: כְּנֶגֶד חֹדֶשׁ הָעִיבּוּר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks about the language of the coded message. **From where may** it **be inferred that this** word **pillar [*netziv*] is a term for the month? As it is written: “And Solomon had twelve officers [*netzivim*] over all Israel, and they provided for the king and his household for a month in the year”** (I Kings 4:7). This indicates that each *netziv* was responsible for a particular month. Once this verse was quoted, the Gemara inquires: **But isn’t it written** afterward: **“And one officer that was in the land”** (I Kings 4:19), indicating that there were more than twelve *netzivim*? **Rav Yehuda and Rav Naḥman** offer answers. **One says: One** officer was **appointed over all of** the others. **And one says:** The extra officer **corresponded to the intercalated month.** If the year had an additional month, he was responsible for the king’s provisions during that month.


###### Sanhedrin 12a:9
[Sanhedrin 12a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/12a:9)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אֵין מְעַבְּרִין אֶת הַשָּׁנָה לֹא מִשָּׁנָה לַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ, וְלֹא שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים זוֹ אַחַר זוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן: מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא שֶׁהָיָה חָבוּשׁ בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִים, וְעִיבֵּר שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים זוֹ אַחַר זוֹ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: מִשָּׁם רְאָיָה? בֵּית דִּין יָשְׁבוּ וְקָבְעוּ אַחַת אַחַת בִּזְמַנָּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Sages taught** in a *baraita* (*Tosefta* 2:4): The court **may not intercalate the year from one year to another, and** it does **not** intercalate **three** successive **years, one** directly **after the other. Rabbi Shimon says:** There was **an incident involving Rabbi Akiva** at the time **when he was incarcerated in prison, and** he **intercalated three years, one after the other.** The Sages **said to** Rabbi Shimon: Is there any **proof from there?** Rabbi Akiva merely made the calculations, but a special **court sat and established each one at its time.**


###### Sanhedrin 12a:10
[Sanhedrin 12a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/12a:10)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אֵין מְעַבְּרִין אֶת הַשָּׁנָה לֹא בִּשְׁבִיעִית וְלֹא בְּמוֹצָאֵי שְׁבִיעִית. אֵימָתַי רְגִילִין לְעַבֵּר? עֶרֶב שְׁבִיעִית. שֶׁל בֵּית רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל הָיוּ מְעַבְּרִין בְּמוֹצָאֵי שְׁבִיעִית.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The Sages taught** in a *baraita* (*Tosefta* 2:5): The court **may not intercalate the year in the Sabbatical** Year, so as not to prolong the prohibitions of the Sabbatical Year, **nor in the year after the Sabbatical** Year, when there is not much produce available, and delaying the consumption of the new crop would also cause hardship. **When** is the court **accustomed to intercalate?** On the **eve of the Sabbatical** Year, which causes no particular challenges. Nevertheless, the courts **of the house of Rabban Gamliel would intercalate** the year **in the year after the Sabbatical** Year.


###### Sanhedrin 12a:11
[Sanhedrin 12a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/12a:11)

וּבִפְלוּגְתָּא דְּהָנֵי תַּנָּאֵי, דְּתַנְיָא: אֵין מְבִיאִין יָרָק מֵחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ, וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ הִתִּירוּ. מַאי בֵּינַיְיהוּ? אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה: חוֹשְׁשִׁין לְגוּשֵׁיהֶן אִיכָּא בֵּינַיְיהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** they disagree **with regard to** the issue that is the subject of **the dispute between these *tanna’im*, as it is taught** in a *baraita*: One **may not import vegetables** in the Sabbatical Year **from outside Eretz Yisrael, and our Rabbis permitted** importing such produce. According to the opinion that permits importing produce from outside Eretz Yisrael, there is no concern that the food supply will be exhausted. Therefore, the year following the Sabbatical Year may be intercalated. The Gemara asks: **What** is the reason for the difference **between** these two opinions concerning importing produce from outside Eretz Yisrael? **Rabbi Yirmeya says:** The difference **between** them relates to whether one is **concerned for their clods** of earth. Although all agree that the earth outside Eretz Yisrael conveys ritual impurity, the *tanna’im* dispute whether it is therefore forbidden to bring vegetables into Eretz Yisrael due to concern that small clods of earth may cling to them.


###### Sanhedrin 12a:12
[Sanhedrin 12a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/12a:12)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אֵין מְעַבְּרִין אֶת הַשָּׁנָה מִפְּנֵי הַטּוּמְאָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Sages taught** in a *baraita* (*Tosefta* 2:10): The court **may not intercalate the year due to ritual impurity,** i.e., in the event that most of the Jewish people are in a state of impurity, to give them enough time to become ritually pure before Passover.


###### Sanhedrin 12a:13
[Sanhedrin 12a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/12a:13)

רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: מְעַבְּרִין. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: מַעֲשֶׂה בְּחִזְקִיָּה מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה שֶׁעִיבֵּר אֶת הַשָּׁנָה מִפְּנֵי הַטּוּמְאָה, וּבִקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים עַל עַצְמוֹ, דִּכְתִיב: ״כִּי מַרְבִּית הָעָם רַבַּת מֵאֶפְרַיִם וּמְנַשֶּׁה יִשָּׂשכָר וּזְבֻלוּן לֹא הִטֶּהָרוּ

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Yehuda says:** The court **may intercalate** the year due to ritual impurity. **Rabbi Yehuda said:** There was **an incident involving Hezekiah, king of Judea, who intercalated the year due to ritual impurity** (II Chronicles 30:2). **And** after doing so, he **requested compassion for himself, as it is written: “For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves,**