Ask A Question on the daf

Previous daf

1) THE READING OF ROSH CHODESH

(a) If he will read the Parsha of 2, and 3 from the Parsha of 5 - only 2 will remain for the last person!
(b) Answer (Rava): I did not hear this, but I heard the answer to a similar question.
(c) (Mishnah): On Sunday, Ma'amados read the Parshas b'Reishis and Yehi Rakia.

1. (Beraisa): b'Reishis is split among 2 people; one person reads Yehi Rakia.
2. Question: b'Reishis has 5 verses - how do we divide it?

i. (Beraisa): One does not read less than 3 verses.

3. Answer#1 (Rav): The 2nd person repeats a verse read by the 1st.
4. Answer#2 (Shmuel): Each reads 2 1/2 verses.

i. Rav didn't say as Shmuel - he holds, we do not split verses of the Torah.
ii. R. Chanina ha'Gadol only permitted splitting a verse to help children learn, because there is no other solution!
iii. Shmuel says that here, too, there is no other solution.
iv. Shmuel didn't say as Rav, because we are concerned that people that enter or leave in the middle will not know that a verse was repeated, and will think that the other person read only 2 verses.

(d) Question (Beraisa): A Parsha of 6 verses is read by 2 people; one of 5 verses is read by one.

1. If one read 3 verses of the 5, the next person reads the remaining 2 and 1 of the next Parsha; some say, he reads 3 of the next Parsha, since we do not start less than 3 verses of a Parsha.
2. Why don't we do similarly in reading b'Reishis?

(e) Answer: It is not possible by b'Reishis, since we do not want to read Parshas which are far removed from the events of the day.
(f) (R. Tanchum): The law is as the second opinion in the Beraisa.
(g) (R. Tanchum): Just as we don't begin less than 3 verses in a Parsha, we do not leave less than 3 verses in a Parsha.
(h) Question: This is obvious! The first Tana is lenient to start less than 3 verses in a Parsha, and the 2nd Tana is stringent; leaving less than 3 verses in a Parsha, where the 1st Tana is stringent, all the more so the 2nd Tana is stringent!
(i) Answer: We might have thought, we are not concerned to leave less than 3 verses in a Parsha, since it is not common for people to leave the Torah reading, so there is no concern (that they will think that the last person only read 2).
(j) Question: The first Tana says we may not leave less than 3 verses - he is concerned for people leaving; he should also say that we do not start less than 3 verses in a Parsha, out of concern for people entering!
(k) Answer: One who enters, asks what happened before.
(l) (Rav Yosef): The law is, the middle person repeats a verse.

(a) Question: How many read on a fast day?

1. The Mishnah said, 4 read on days with Musaf. Fast days do not have a Musaf sacrifice, but there is an additional prayer!

(b) Answer: The Mishnah said, 4 read on Rosh Chodesh and Chol ha'Moed - it did not say, on fast days!
(c) Objection: The Mishnah said, 3 read on Monday, Thursday and Shabbos afternoon - it did not say, on fast days!

1. We cannot bring a proof from the Mishnah.

(d) Rav came to Bavel on a fast day. He blessed before reading in the Torah, but not after reading. Everyone fell on their faces (when saying Tachanun), Rav did not.

1. Suggestion: Rav is a Yisrael, he reads 3rd. It must be, he did not bless afterwards, because someone else would read after him!
2. Rejection: No Rav read 1st, as Rav Huna used to.
3. Question: Rav Huna read first, because even the greatest Kohanim of Eretz Yisrael were submissive to him; but Rav honored Shmuel, who was a Kohen, and would not read first!
4. Answer: Shmuel was also submissive to Rav; Rav only honored Shmuel when Shmuel was around.
5. Support: Presumably, he did read first, for it says that he blessed before reading.
6. Rejection: We can say, he blessed first because the enactment was made that everyone should bless.
7. Question: If so, he should have blessed after as well!
8. Answer: In Rav's area, people did not leave during the reading, there was no need for everyone to bless after reading.

(e) (Beraisa): A general rule: any day on which people may work, such as fasts and Tisha b'Av, 3 people read; days when people do not work, such as Rosh Chodesh and Chol ha'Moed, 4 read.
(f) Question (Rav Ashi): But the Mishnah said, *every* day which has Musaf, and is not Yom Tov, 4 read - this rule must be coming to include fasts and Tisha b'Av!

1. Counter-question: If so, the Mishnah is unlike both of the following Tana'im!
2. (Beraisa): If Tisha b'Av falls on Monday or Thursday, 3 read and 1 is Maftir; otherwise, 1 reads and 1 is Maftir;
3. R. Yosi says, in either case, 3 read and 1 is Maftir.

(g) Seemingly, Rav Ashi is refuted - but how do we answer his question?
(h) Answer: The rule comes to teach about Rosh Chodesh and Chol ha'Moed.
(i) Question: But these were already taught explicitly!
(j) Answer: The Tana merely gives a way to remember the law, that we should not come to equate Chol ha'Moed with Yom Tov.
(k) Rather, any day which has an attribute over another day, has an additional reader.

1. Therefore, on Rosh Chodesh and Chol ha'Moed, which have Musaf, 4 read;
2. On Yom Tov, which has a prohibition against work, 5 read;
3. On Yom Kipur, which has a penalty of excision, 6 read;
4. On Shabbos, which has a penalty of stoning, 7 read.

(a) Question: When Rav came to Bavel, all fell on their faces, but Rav did not - why not?
(b) Answer: There was a stone floor.

1. (Beraisa): We may bow on the floor of the Temple, but not on other stone floors.

(c) Question: If so, why did the others fall on their faces?
(d) Answer#1: Only the floor in front of Rav was made of stone.

1. Question: Why didn't Rav move to their place, so he could fall on his face?
2. Answer: He did not want to impose on them to stand up for him.

(e) Answer#2: Rav used to spread his hands and feet when he fell on his face.

1. (Ula): The Torah only prohibited spreading hands and feet.
2. Question: He should have fell on his face without spreading his hands and feet!
3. Answer: He did not want to change his custom.

(f) Answer#3: An important person is different.

1. (R. Elazar): An important person may not fall on his face unless he will be answered, as Yehoshua Bin Nun.

(g) (Beraisa): "Kidah" is on one's face, as it says, "va'Tikad (bowed) Bas-Sheva on her face";

1. "Kriah" is on the knees.
2. "Hishtachavah" is spreading hands and feet - "l'Hishtachavos to you on the ground".

(h) Levi showed Rebbe how Hishtachavah is done, and became limp.
(i) Question: There was a different cause!

1. (R. Elazar): One should never speak harshly towards Hashem - a great person did so, and became limp - Levi!

(j) Answer: Both caused him to become limp.
(k) (R. Chiya Bar Avin): I saw Abaye and Rava lean on their sides (since important people may not fall on their faces unless they know they will be answered).