מגילה נקראת באחד עשר בשנים עשר – at times on this [day] and at times on that [day] as is explained further on.

מימות יהושע בן נון קורין בט"ו – as it is written (Esther 9:19): “That is why village Jews, who live in unwalled towns observe the fourteenth day of the month of Adar…” And when those in unwalled towns [read the Megillah] on the fourteenth [of Adar], we infer from it that those are in walled cities read on the fifteenth [of Adar]. And this is from the time of Joshua [son of Nun], which we derive by analogy from [the usage of the words] פרזי פרזי . It is written here (Esther 9:19): “village Jews” and it is written there (Deuteronomy 3:5): “…apart from a great number of unwalled towns.” Just as there, [it is] from the time of Joshua, so here too, [it is] from the time of Joshua. And they established that cities surrounded by a wall from the days of Joshua, even though they now lack a wall , should read [the Megillah] on the fifteenth [of Adar] like Shushan/Susa, in order to distribute honor to the Land of Israel that was destroyed during the days of Mordecai and Esther, in order that they [residents in the Land of Israel] would read [the Megillah] like those who live in Shushan and would be considered as if they are walled cities, even though right now they are destroyed. And there would be a reminder to the Land of Israel through this miracle, and since Joshua began to fight with the Amalekites first, as it is written (Exodus 17:14): “[Then the LORD said to Moses,] ‘Inscribe this in a document as a reminder to the, and read it aloud to Joshua: [I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven]!’” Therefore, they mention it [Amalek – the ancestors of Haman] from the days of Joshua.

אלא שהכפרים מקדימין – that is to say, in the aftermath that, those [who live] in walled cities read [the Megillah] on the fifteenth [of Adar] and those who are not in walled cities [read] on the fourteenth [of Adar], everyone is within this principle. So how do we find further [that one can read the Megillah] on the eleventh, the twelfth or on the thirteenth [of Adar]? Rather, those who dwell in villages were given permission to advance their reading to the gathering [i.e., market] day [prior to Purim], on the Monday of the week before the fourteenth [of the month] or the Thursday of the week [before the fourteenth] , which are the gathering day, when the villagers gather together in the villages for judgment, since the Jewish courts sit on Mondays and Thursdays according to the ordinance of Ezra [the Scribe]. Alternatively, the villagers gather together in the cities [that are unwalled] on Mondays and Thursdays to hear the reading of the Torah. But the villagers are not so expert to read [the Torah] and need that it should be read for them by one of the city-dwellers. And the Sages did not trouble them to return and come on the fourteenth [of Adar], in order that they would be free on Purim day to provide for the needs of the festive Purim meal to those who dwell in the cities. And they [the Sages] found a hint for this from the Bible, as it is written (Esther 9:31): “These days of Purim shall be observed at their proper time[s, as Mordecai the Jew – and now Queen Esther – has obligated them to do…” and if Mordecai and Esther had not established anything other than the fourteenth and fifteenth [of Adar] which is written in the Bible, let the verse say, “in their time.” What is the meaning of “at their proper time[s]?” We learn from it two other times/occasions other than those that are written in the Megillah; but it was not necessary for the Bible to include the thirteenth [of Adar] as a day appropriate for reading [the Megillah] since the essence of the miracle [of Purim] was on that day, since on it they [i.e., the Jews] gathered to be avenged of their enemies, whether in Shushan or in the rest of the [one-hundred and twenty-seven] provinces. By force, the Bible only had to include the eleventh and the twelfth [of Adar], and we don’t say that it includes the sixteenth and seventeenth [of Adar] for after the fourteen and fifteenth [of Adar] mentioned in the Megillah, as the Bible states (Esther 9:27): “[to observe these two days] in the manner prescribed/ולא יעבור [and at the proper time each year].”

חל להיות י"ד בע"ש, עיירות ומוקפין חומה קורין בו ביום – There is no Megillah reading on Shabbat, as a [rabbinic] preventive measure lest he take it [the Megillah] in his hand and he removes it four cubits into the public domain. And if one were to postpone the reading until after Shabbat, it would be the sixteenth [of Adar], and the Biblical verse (Esther 9:27), said: “ ולא יעבור /in the manner prescribed [and at the proper time each year].” But even though wall-city dwellers read the Megillah on the fourteenth [of Adar] when the fifteenth [of Adar] occurs on Shabbat, nevertheless, we don’t read [the portion] (Exodus 17:8 and following): “Amalek came [and fought with Israel at Rephidim]…” other than on Shabbat which is the fifteenth day [of Adar], and we recite the Haftarah of (I Samuel 15:2-31): “[Thus said the LORD of Hosts:] I am exacting the penalty [for what Amalek did to Israel, for the assault he made upon them on the road, on their way up from Egypt (and following)].” And [further] we discuss and expound the laws of Purim on that Sabbath. And regarding the Festive Purim meal, there are those who say that we do it on the fourteenth day [of Adar] when for on it we read the Megillah; and there are those who say that we postpone it until after Shabbat. And this is implied in the Jerusalem Talmud, that the Festival Purim meal that occurs on Shabbat is postponed but not advanced [to an earlier date], and according to everyone, we don’t do it on Shabbat.

באחד בשבת, כפרים מקדימין ליום הכניסה – that is on the eleventh [of Adar], and these words [indicating] that the Sages were lenient to those who dwell in villages to advance [their Reading of the Megillah] to the day of gathering (i.e., the previous Monday/Thursday], apply at the time when Israel lived [undisturbed] on their land and the messengers of the Jewish court go out to inform [the people] when the Jewish court sanctified the new month and when the Passover [sacrifice] would occur. But in this time, when the people become confused by their reading [of the Megillah at the wrong time] and count from it thirty days until Passover if the villagers were to advance their reading, they would observe the Passover at the end of the thirtieth day of their reading, and [ultimately] it would be found that they would e eating leaven on the last days of Passover. Therefore, we don’t read it [the Megillah] other than at its proper time.

עשרה בטלנים – of the synagogue who are idle from their work and are fed by the community, in order that they would always be found in the synagogue at the hour of prayer.

באלו אמרו – at the times [of the reading of the Megillah], they said that those who advance the reading if the time of being read falls on Shabbat.

אבל זמן עצי הכהנים והעם – that there were families among Israel who had fixed dates every year to bring wood to the Temple for the needs of the arrangement [of the piles of wood on the altar in the Temple], and they would bring an offering of wood with them as voluntary burnt offerings. If the fourteenth of Adar falls on Shabbat, we postpone [the reading] to the next day.

ותשעה באב – And the same law applies to the other fasts, if one of them falls on the Sabbath.

וחגיגה – if a Yom Tov/Jewish holy day falls on Shabbat, we postpone the holiday peace-offerings to the next day, for they have payment all seven days; and similarly הקהל – the gathering together of the people (see Deuteronomy 31:10-13, especially verse 12), when the King would read the book of Deuteronomy/Mishneh Torah, and all the people are liable to come and bring their children, as it is written (Deuteronomy 31:12): “[Gather the people] – men, women, children,[and all strangers in your communities…], and on Shabbat this is impossible and this we postpone it to the next day.

ולא מקדימין – for their time of their obligation has not yet arrived. But [regarding] Tisha B’Av we don’t advance the retribution.

אין בין אדר ראשון לאדר שני וכו' – his is how it should be read: There is no difference between the fourteenth and fifteenth of first Adar and the fourteenth and fifteenth of second Adar other than the reading of the Megillah and gifts to the poor [both in the Second Adar], but regarding the matter of eulogies and fasting, both [the first Adar and the second Adar] are equivalent.

אין בין יו"ט לשבת אלא אוכל נפש בלבד – [See Mishnah Betzah, 5:2] Our Mishnah is according to [the teachings of] the School of Shammai, who say (Betza 12a), we don’t take out a young child or a Lulav or a Torah scroll into the public domain, since they lack the need for food preparation. And this is not the Halakha, but only according to the words of the School of Hillel, who say that since we are permitted to bring something out for the purposes of eating, it is also permitted to take them out not for the sake of eating. And there are also other things that are prohibited on Shabbat but permitted on Yom Tov/Jewish holy days, even though they are not for the sake of food preparation, such as [see Mishnah Betzah, 5:1] throwing down fruit (if it is about to rain) [that was spread out to dry on the roof] through a trap door on a Jewish holy day, but not on Shabbat.

שזה זדונו בידי אדם – [if one violates a Mitzvah willfully] on Shabbat , which has death by a Jewish court.

אין בין המודר הנאה – One who is forbidden by vow to derive any benefit is not more severe than one [who is forbidden] by vow from [consuming] food other than entering one’s ground, for one [who is forbidden] by vow to derive any benefit , is prohibited to enter into his [home],[whereas] one [who is forbidden] by vow from [consuming] food is permitted [to enter into his home].

וכליים שאין עושין בהן אוכל נפש – It is permitted to lend them (i.e., the utensils) to one [who is forbidden] by vow from [consuming] food, and especially in a place where they do not hire and similar cases, but in a place where we hire and similar things, it is prohibited, for all benefit that brings one towards [eating] food, for if he did not derive this benefit which is wanting at least the equivalent of a Perutah/penny, it is the benefit of food, for since it is appropriate for that Perutah/penny [to be used] to purchase food.

נדר – He who says, “behold this burnt offering is upon me,” and afterwards, he set it aside and it was lost, he is liable for his property which may be resorted to in the event of non-payment.

נדבה – He who says, “behold this burnt offering is upon me,” and it was lost, he is not liable for his property which may resorted to in the event of non-payment, for he did not accept it upon himself, but [regarding] the matter of "בל תאחר"/that he should not be late (see Deuteronomy 23:22: “When you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not put off fulling it/לא תאחר לשלמו , [for the LORD your God will require it of you, and you will have incurred guilt.]”); both are equivalent, as it says (Deuteronomy 23:24): “…and perform what you have voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God, having made the promise with your own mouth,” for behold, vows and donations are mentioned in this matter.

שתי ראיות – whether on one day or on two consecutive days, and also three sightings, whether on one day, whether on three consecutive days or two [sightings] on one day, and one on the morrow.

אלא קרבן – for a person afflicted with gonorrhea who viewed two sightings does not require a sacrifice. But regarding the matter of making someone who performed the acts of the uncleanness caused by an unclean person lying on an object and the uncleanness caused by an unclean man’s sitting [to become] one of the original or direct causes of Levitical uncleanness and even if he did not touch them, and the counting of seven [clean days] from when his flux stopped, for he must count seven clean [days] before he immerses [in the Mikveh/ritual bath], both of these are equivalent.

אין בין מצורע מוסגר – who requires the locking up of the leper for trial, as it is written (Leviticus 13:5): “[On the seventh day the priest shall examine him, and if the affliction has remained unchanged in color and the disease has not spread on the skin,] the priest shall isolate him for [another] seven days.”

למצורע מוחלט – where the Kohen [declares] him completely defiled.

אלא פריעה ופרימה – this is regarding the matter of banishment and defilement, both of these are equivalent.

אין בין טהור מתוך הסגר לטהור מתוך החלט אלא תגלחת וצפרים – for concerning shearing and the bird sacrifices it is written (Leviticus 14:3): “the leper has been healed of his scaly affection,” excluding the leper being locked up (pending the Kohen’s observation), for his leprosy is dependent upon time (literally, “days”), because even if he was cured, he has to be locked up for seven days. But to the matter of [ritual] purification in the Mikveh, both are equivalent. For someone whose purity [was dependent upon] his being locked up, it is also written (Leviticus 13:6): “[On the seventh day the priest shall examine him again: if the affection had faded and has not spread on the skin, the priest shall pronounce him pure. It is a rash;] he shall wash his clothes, and he shall be pure.” And even though there also are the guilt sacrifices and the LOG (= 6 eggs) of oil, however, here, on the day of his purification and his healing is what is taught, and we are not dealing with the sacrifices that are in [the Torah portion of] Shemini.

נכתבין בכל לשון – In the writing of every nation and in the language of every nation.

אין נכתבין אלא יונית – And the reason that they permitted scrolls in Greek more than other language, as it says in the Bible (Genesis 9:27): “May God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem…” The beauty of Japheth, that is, the beautiful language of Japheth [that is found] among all of the children of Japheth, “let him dwell in the tents of Shem,” and there is no more beautiful language among all of the children of Japheth like the Greek language. And the Halakha is like Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel. However, at this time, that Greek language has become lost and confounded. Therefore, at this time, we do not write scrolls other than in the Holy Writing and in the Holy Language.

מרובה בגדים – Kohanim who served during the Second Temple [period], and even during the First Temple [period] after Isaiah and beyond, when the oil flask was hidden during his days, and there no [distinguishing features of] High Priests other than only the wearing of [multiple outfits of] clothing.

פר הבא על כל המצות – An Kohen anointed [with the anointing oil] who taught a leniency in a matter whose willful violation [is punished] by means of extirpation, and he acted according to his teaching, he brings a bullock, as it is written (Leviticus 4:3 – “If it is the anointed priest who has incurred guilt, so that blame falls upon the people, he shall offer for the sin of which he is guilty a bull of the herd without blemish as a purification offering to the LORD.”) if he is an anointed Kohen.

כהן המשמש – A High Priest that something occurred to him to make him unfit for service [in the Temple] and they appointed another in his place and his blemish passed and he returned to his Divine Service, and they removed the one who came in his place, the first one is called “the attending/serving [Priest]” and the second [is called] “removed.”

אלא פר יוה"כ – for it is impossible to bring two [sacrifices]. And similarly with the tenth of the Ephah, the cakes of the High Priest’s inauguration (see Mishnah Menahot, 11:3) for each day, since it is impossible to bring two [at once]. But regarding all other things, both are equivalent. If he comes to offer incense or any other Divine Service, he makes uses of the eight [different sets of] garments. And both of them are commanded about [marrying] a virgin and warned about [not marrying] a widow. And they offer incense when they are grieving [the loss of a kinsman prior to his/her burial].

אין בין במה גדולה – it is dealing with the time when [personal] altars are permitted. The large altar is the communal altar, which was in Nob and Giv’on.

לבמה קטנה – of each and every individual person, for everyone would make an altar for himself.

אלא פסחים – and everything that is like the Passover sacrifices, that is, the obligations which had the set time for them like Passover; like, for example, the daily offerings and Musaf/additional offerings. But obligations that do not have for them a fixed/set time, such as the bullock for an unconscious sin of the community, and the goats for idolatry, even on the large altar they would not have been offered.

בכל הרואה – in every place from where you are able to see Shiloh.

היתר – When Shiloh was destroyed, [private] altars were permitted.