Hadran Alach, Maseches Rosh Hashana!
Rosh Hashana is over again, this time not just for a year, but for 7.5 years on the cycle. On to Taanis, which Hadran wants me to promote to people as being short and a fun place to start for anyone thinking of starting. It has been at least two decades since I learned the mishnayos of Taanis and I've never learned the gemara on it, so... take them at their word?
Taanis is so fast, Asara B'Teves is the day after it finishes. Yes, I went to check.
So here's the rest of my r"h notes:
I'm just in love with sefaria's parenthetical about an actual shofar.
תְּרוּעָה שֶׁאֵין עִמָּהּ לֹא כְּלוּם - כְּגוֹן: ״יוֹם תְּרוּעָה יִהְיֶה לָכֶם״ - אוֹמְרָהּ עִם הַשּׁוֹפָרוֹת, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יוֹסֵי. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: אֵינוֹ אוֹמְרָהּ כׇּל עִיקָּר.
With regard to a verse that mentions sounding the shofar that has nothing else with it, i.e., no mention of remembrances, Kingship, or an actual shofar, for example: “It is a day of sounding the shofar to you” (Numbers 29:1), one may recite it with the verses of shofarot; this is the statement of Rabbi Yosei. Rabbi Yehuda says: One may not recite it at all, as it contains no explicit mention of a shofar.
-Rosh Hashana 32b, bold is direct translation, unbold is not
This all made me go look up to see how we have it in the machzor:
בִּשְׁלָמָא זִכְרוֹנוֹת וְשׁוֹפָרוֹת אִיכָּא טוּבָא, אֶלָּא מַלְכִיּוֹת - תְּלָת הוּא דְּהָוְיָין: ״ה׳ אֱלֹהָיו עִמּוֹ וּתְרוּעַת מֶלֶךְ בּוֹ״, ״וַיְהִי בִּישׁוּרוּן מֶלֶךְ״, ״ה׳ יִמְלוֹךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד״, וַאֲנַן בָּעֵינַן עֶשֶׂר, וְלֵיכָּא!
The Gemara asks: Granted, it is possible to conclude Remembrances and Shofarot with a verse from the Torah, as there are many such verses. However, with regard to Kingship, there are only three: “The Lord his God is with him, and the sounding of a king is among them” (Numbers 23:21); “And he was king in Jeshurun” (Deuteronomy 33:5); and: “The Lord shall reign for ever and ever” (Exodus 15:18). And we require ten verses, and according to Rabbi Yosei there are not enough, as he maintains that one should recite four verses from the Torah, the first three and the concluding one.
אָמַר רַב הוּנָא, תָּא שְׁמַע: ״שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה׳ אֶחָד״ - מַלְכוּת, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יוֹסֵי. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: אֵינָהּ מַלְכוּת.
Rav Huna said: Come and hear a solution from that which was taught in the Tosefta (2:11): The verse: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4), is a verse of Kingship; this is the statement of Rabbi Yosei. Rabbi Yehuda says: It is not a verse of Kingship.
״וְיָדַעְתָּ הַיּוֹם וַהֲשֵׁבוֹתָ אֶל לְבָבֶךָ כִּי ה׳ הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים אֵין עוֹד״ - מַלְכוּת, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יוֹסֵי. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: אֵינָהּ מַלְכוּת. ״אַתָּה הׇרְאֵתָ לָדַעַת כִּי ה׳ הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים אֵין עוֹד מִלְבַדּוֹ״ - מַלְכוּת, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יוֹסֵי. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: אֵינָהּ מַלְכוּת.
“Know this day, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord, He is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath; there is none else” (Deuteronomy 4:39), is a verse of Kingship; this is the statement of Rabbi Yosei. Rabbi Yehuda says: It is not a verse of Kingship. “To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord, He is God; there is none else beside Him” (Deuteronomy 4:35), is a verse of Kingship; this is the statement of Rabbi Yosei. Rabbi Yehuda says: It is not a verse of Kingship. This shows that according to the opinion of Rabbi Yosei there are sufficient verses of Kingship in the Torah to recite three at the beginning and one at the end.
-Rosh Hashana 32b
So, this being sefaria and I previously found where they stuck davening (I'm sorry but I don't know what "liturgy" means), here's what they've got for the Ashkenazi malchiyos:
וְנֶאֱמַר לֹא הִבִּיט אָֽוֶן בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא רָאָה עָמָל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהָיו עִמּוֹ וּתְרוּעַת מֶֽלֶךְ בּוֹ: וְנֶאֱמַר וַיְהִי בִישֻׁרוּן מֶֽלֶךְ בְּהִתְאַסֵּף רָֽאשֵׁי עָם יַֽחַד שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:
And it is said: “He beheld no iniquity in Yaakov, nor did He see wrongdoing in Yisrael; Adonoy, His God is with him, and the love of the king is among them.” And it is said: “And He was King in Yeshurun, with the gathering of the heads of the people, the tribes of Yisrael were united.”
וּבְדִבְרֵי קָדְשְׁךָ כָּתוּב לֵאמֹר: כִּי לַיהֹוָה הַמְּלוּכָה וּמשֵׁל בַּגּוֹיִם: וְנֶאֱמַר יְהֹוָה מָלָךְ גֵּאוּת לָבֵשׁ לָבֵשׁ יְהֹוָה עֹז הִתְאַזָּר אַף תִּכּוֹן תֵּבֵל בַּל תִּמּוֹט: וְנֶאֱמַר שְׂאוּ שְׁעָרִים רָאשֵׁיכֶם וְהִנָּשְׂאוּ פִּתְחֵי עוֹלָם וְיָבוֹא מֶֽלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד: מִי זֶה מֶֽלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד יְהֹוָה עִזּוּז וְגִבּוֹר יְהֹוָה גִּבּוֹר מִלְחָמָה: שְׂאוּ שְׁעָרִים רָאשֵׁיכֶם וּשְׂאוּ פִּתְחֵי עוֹלָם וְיָבֹא מֶֽלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד: מִי הוּא זֶה מֶֽלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת הוּא מֶֽלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד סֶֽלָה:
And in Your holy words it is written: “For the kingship is Adonoy’s, and He rules over nations.” And it is said: “Adonoy has begun His reign, He has clothed Himself in majesty; Adonoy has clothed Himself, He has girded Himself with strength. He has also firmly established the world so that it cannot be moved.” And it is said: “Lift up your heads,-gates, and be uplifted entranceways to eternity, so that the King of Glory may enter. Who is this King of Glory? Adonoy, strong and mighty; Adonoy, the Mighty One in battle. Lift up your heads,-gates, and lift up entranceways to eternity, so that the King of Glory may enter. Who is He, this King of Glory? Adonoy Tzevaos, He is the King of Glory, forever.”
וְעַל יְדֵי עֲבָדֶֽיךָ הַנְּבִיאִים כָּתוּב לֵאמֹר: כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה מֶֽלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגֹאֲלוֹ יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת אֲנִי רִאשׁוֹן וַאֲנִי אַחֲרוֹן וּמִבַּלְעָדַי אֵין אֱלֹהִים: וְנֶאֱמַר וְעָלוּ מוֹשִׁיעִים בְּהַר צִיּוֹן לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת הַר עֵשָׂו וְהָיְתָה לַיהֹוָה הַמְּלוּכָה: וְנֶאֱמַר וְהָיָה יְהֹוָה לְמֶֽלֶךְ עַל כָּל הָאָֽרֶץ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה יְהֹוָה אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד:
And by the hand of Your servants, the Prophets it is written: “thus said Adonoy, King of Yisrael and its Redeemer, Adonoy Tzevaos: “I am the first and I am the last; and beside Me, there is no God.” And it is said: “And deliverers will go up to Mount Tziyon to judge the mount of Esau, and the kingdom will be Adonoy’s.” And it is said: “And Adonoy will be King over the whole earth; on that day Adonoy will be One and His Name One.”
וּבְתוֹרָתְךָ כָּתוּב לֵאמֹר: שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ יְהֹוָה אֶחָד:
And in Your Torah it is written: “Hear, Yisrael: Adonoy is our God Adonoy is One!”
-Machzor Rosh Hashanah Ashkenaz, Musaf, unlike in the gemara blockquotes, all English is meant to be direct translation.
Sefaria, do not fucking subtweet me here in your comment about people arriving late:
גְּמָ׳ מַאי שְׁנָא שֵׁנִי מַתְקִיעַ - מִשּׁוּם דִּ״בְרוֹב עָם הַדְרַת מֶלֶךְ״, אִי הָכִי הַלֵּל נָמֵי - נֵימָא בַּשֵּׁנִי מִשּׁוּם דִּ״בְרוֹב עָם הַדְרַת מֶלֶךְ״!
GEMARA: The Gemara asks: What is different about the second prayer leader, that he sounds the shofar during the additional prayer? Is it due to the principle that: “The splendor of the King is in the multitude of the people” (Proverbs 14:28)? In other words, is the shofar sounded during the additional prayer because all of the congregants will have arrived by then? If so, with regard to hallel too, let us say that it should be read by the second prayer leader, due to the principle that “The splendor of the King is in the multitude of the people.”
-Rosh Hashana 32b
Most basic question: uh, how do we know it's supposed to be a shofar anyway?
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מִנַּיִן שֶׁבְּשׁוֹפָר? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ שׁוֹפַר תְּרוּעָה״.
The Sages taught in a baraita: From where is it derived that the soundings of Rosh HaShana must be performed with a shofar? The verse states: “Then you shall make proclamation with the blast of the shofar on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement you shall make proclamation with the shofar throughout all your land” (Leviticus 25:9).
אֵין לִי אֶלָּא בַּיּוֹבֵל, בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי״, שֶׁאֵין תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי״, וּמָה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי״ - שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כׇּל תְּרוּעוֹת שֶׁל חֹדֶשׁ שְׁבִיעִי זֶה כָּזֶה.
From this I have derived the halakha only with regard to Yom Kippur of the Jubilee Year. From where do I derive that the soundings of Rosh HaShana must also be with a shofar? The verse states: “Of the seventh month.” Since there is no need for the verse to state: “Of the seventh month,” as it already states: “On the Day of Atonement,” what is the meaning when the verse states: “Of the seventh month”? This comes to teach that all the obligatory soundings of the seventh month must be similar to one another.
-Rosh Hashana 33b
Q: Why do we do shevarim-truah but not truah-shevarim?
A: people don't cry like that. (Citation needed, frankly)
אִי הָכִי, לֶיעְבַּד נָמֵי אִיפְּכָא: תְּקִיעָה, תְּרוּעָה, שְׁלֹשָׁה שְׁבָרִים, וּתְקִיעָה - דִּלְמָא יַלֵּיל וְגַנַּח! סְתָמָא דְמִילְּתָא, כִּי מִתְּרַע בְּאִינִישׁ מִילְּתָא - בְּרֵישָׁא גָּנַח וַהֲדַר יָלֵיל.
The Gemara asks: If so, let one perform the opposite set as well: Tekia, terua, three shevarim, tekia, as perhaps a terua consists of whimpering and then moaning. The Gemara answers: The normal way of things is that when a person experiences a bad event, he first moans and then whimpers, but not the reverse.
-Rosh Hashana 34a
And after r"h had some many days in a row where I was really bored, we end on something I do not find boring and wish we had more of.
(More in depth video here, but audio isn't great)
כְּשֵׁם שֶׁשְּׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר חַיָּיב, כָּךְ כׇּל יָחִיד וְיָחִיד וְכוּ׳. תַּנְיָא, אָמְרוּ לוֹ לְרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל: לִדְבָרֶיךָ, לָמָּה צִבּוּר מִתְפַּלְּלִין! אָמַר לָהֶם: כְּדֵי לְהַסְדִּיר שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר תְּפִלָּתוֹ,
The mishna states: Just as the prayer leader is obligated in the prayers of Rosh HaShana, so too, every individual is obligated in these prayers. Rabban Gamliel says: The prayer leader fulfills the obligation on behalf of the many. It is taught in a baraita that the Rabbis said to Rabban Gamliel: According to your statement, why does the congregation recite the silent Amida prayer beforehand? He said to them: In order that the prayer leader should have time to prepare and arrange his prayer.
אָמַר לָהֶם רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל: לְדִבְרֵיכֶם, לָמָּה שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר יוֹרֵד לִפְנֵי הַתֵּיבָה? אָמְרוּ לוֹ: כְּדֵי לְהוֹצִיא אֶת שֶׁאֵינוֹ בָּקִי. אָמַר לָהֶם: כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמּוֹצִיא אֶת שֶׁאֵינוֹ בָּקִי, כָּךְ מוֹצִיא אֶת הַבָּקִי.
Rabban Gamliel said to the Rabbis: According to your statement, that the prayer leader does not fulfill the obligation on behalf of the many, why does the prayer leader descend before the ark and recite the Amida prayer? They said to him: He does so to fulfill the obligation of one who is not an expert in prayer. Rabban Gamliel said to them: Just as he can fulfill the obligation of one who is not an expert in prayer, so too, he can fulfill the obligation of the expert.
אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: מוֹדִים חֲכָמִים לְרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל. וְרַב אֲמַר: עֲדַיִין הִיא מַחְלוֹקֶת. שַׁמְעַהּ רַבִּי חִיָּיא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַבָּה בַּר נַחְמָנִי, אֲזַל, אַמְרַהּ לִשְׁמַעְתָּא קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב דִּימִי בַּר חִינָּנָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ, הָכִי אָמַר רַב: עֲדַיִין הִיא מַחְלוֹקֶת. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה נָמֵי הָכִי קָאָמַר. כִּי אֲמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לְהָא שְׁמַעְתָּא, אִפְּלִיג עֲלֵיהּ רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ וַאֲמַר: עֲדַיִין הִיא מַחְלוֹקֶת.
With regard to this baraita, Rabba bar bar Ḥana said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Ultimately, the Rabbis concede to the opinion of Rabban Gamliel. But Rav said: It is still a dispute that remains unresolved. The Gemara relates that Rabbi Ḥiyya, son of Rabba bar Naḥmani, heard this and went and stated this halakha before Rav Dimi bar Ḥinnana. He said to him that this is what Rav said: It is still a dispute. Rav Dimi bar Ḥinnana said to him: This is what Rabba bar bar Ḥana also said: When Rabbi Yoḥanan said this halakha, that the Rabbis concede to the opinion of Rabban Gamliel, Reish Lakish disagreed with him and said: It is still a dispute.
וּמִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן הָכִי? וְהָאָמַר רַבִּי חָנָה צִיפּוֹרָאָה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: הִלְכְתָא כְּרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל, הִלְכְתָא מִכְּלָל דִּפְלִיגִי!
The Gemara asks: And did Rabbi Yoḥanan actually say this? Didn’t Rabbi Ḥana from the city of Tzippori say that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabban Gamliel? From the fact that he said: The halakha, one can conclude by inference that the Rabbis still disagree. The very fact that he issued a ruling in favor of Rabban Gamliel shows that Rabbi Yoḥanan maintains that the Sages do not accept this opinion.
כִּי סְלֵיק רַבִּי אַבָּא מִיַּמֵּי, פֵּירְשַׁהּ: מוֹדִים חֲכָמִים לְרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל בִּבְרָכוֹת שֶׁל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְשֶׁל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, וַהֲלָכָה מִכְּלָל דִּפְלִיגִי בִּבְרָכוֹת דְּכׇל הַשָּׁנָה.
The Gemara answers: When Rabbi Abba returned from his travels at sea, he explained the matter as follows: The Sages concede to the opinion of Rabban Gamliel with regard to the blessings of Rosh HaShana and of Yom Kippur, that in these cases the prayer leader fulfills the obligation on behalf of the many. And Rabbi Yoḥanan’s statement that the halakha is in accordance with Rabban Gamliel, which, by inference, indicates that the tanna’im still disagree, is referring to the blessings of the entire year.
אִינִי?! וְהָאָמַר רַבִּי חָנָה צִיפּוֹרָאָה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: הֲלָכָה כְּרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל בִּבְרָכוֹת שֶׁל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְשֶׁל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים!
The Gemara raises a difficulty. Is that so? Didn’t Rabbi Ḥana from the city of Tzippori say that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabban Gamliel with regard to the blessings of Rosh HaShana and of Yom Kippur? Apparently, he holds that the tanna’im remain in dispute even with regard to these blessings.
אֶלָּא אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: מַאן מוֹדִים - רַבִּי מֵאִיר, וַהֲלָכָה מִכְּלָל דִּפְלִיגִי - רַבָּנַן.
Rather, Rabbi Yoḥanan’s statements must be attributed to different Sages, as Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: Who concedes to the opinion of Rabban Gamliel? Rabbi Meir. And with regard to Rabbi Yoḥanan’s ruling that the halakha is in accordance with Rabban Gamliel, which, by inference, indicates that the tanna’im still disagree, this is referring to the Rabbis, who disagree with Rabbi Meir.
דְּתַנְיָא: בְּרָכוֹת שֶׁל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְשֶׁל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים - שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר מוֹצִיא הָרַבִּים יְדֵי חוֹבָתָן, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: כְּשֵׁם שֶׁשְּׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר חַיָּיב - כָּךְ כָּל יָחִיד וְיָחִיד חַיָּיב.
The Gemara explains: As it is taught in a baraita: With regard to the blessings of Rosh HaShana and of Yom Kippur, the prayer leader fulfills the obligation on behalf of the many. This is the statement of Rabbi Meir. And the Rabbis say: Just as the prayer leader is obligated in these prayers, so too, every individual is obligated to recite them on his own. Clearly, Rabbi Meir agrees with Rabban Gamliel with regard to the blessings of Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, while the Rabbis dispute this ruling.
מַאי שְׁנָא הָנֵי? אִילֵּימָא מִשּׁוּם דִּנְפִישִׁי קְרָאֵי - וְהָאָמַר רַב חֲנַנְאֵל אָמַר רַב: כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמַר ״וּבְתוֹרָתְךָ כָּתוּב לֵאמֹר״ שׁוּב אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ! אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם דְּאָוְושִׁי בְּרָכוֹת.
The Gemara asks: What is different about these blessings of Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, that Rabbi Meir concedes to the opinion of Rabban Gamliel only with regard to them, but not about the blessings recited the rest of the year? If we say that it is due to the many verses that are included in these blessings, this is difficult. Didn’t Rav Ḥananel say that Rav said: Once one has recited the line of the prayer: And in Your Torah it is written, saying, it is no longer necessary to recite the verses themselves. Rather, it is because there are many blessings, and as the blessings are long, not everyone is capable of learning them by heart.
גּוּפָא, אָמַר רַב חֲנַנְאֵל אָמַר רַב: כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמַר ״וּבְתוֹרָתְךָ כָּתוּב לֵאמֹר״ - שׁוּב אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ. סְבוּר מִינַּהּ: הָנֵי מִילֵּי בְּיָחִיד, אֲבָל בְּצִבּוּר לָא. אִתְּמַר, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: אֶחָד יָחִיד אֶחָד צִבּוּר, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמַר ״וּבְתוֹרָתְךָ כָּתוּב לֵאמֹר״ - שׁוּב אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ.
The Gemara discusses the matter itself. Rav Ḥananel said that Rav said: Once one has recited the line of the prayer: And in Your Torah it is written, saying, it is no longer necessary to recite the verses themselves. The Gemara clarifies the scope of this ruling: Some understood from this that it applies only to an individual; however, with regard to a congregation, no, this is not the case. Nevertheless, it is stated that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Both with regard to an individual and a congregation, once one has recited: And in Your Torah it is written, saying, it is no longer necessary to recite the verses.
אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: לְעוֹלָם יַסְדִּיר אָדָם תְּפִלָּתוֹ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יִתְפַּלֵּל. אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא: מִסְתַּבְּרָא מִילְּתֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בִּבְרָכוֹת שֶׁל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְשֶׁל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים וְשֶׁל פְּרָקִים, אֲבָל דְּכׇל הַשָּׁנָה - לָא.
§ Rabbi Elazar said: A person should always arrange his prayer in his mind and only then pray. Rabbi Abba said: Rabbi Elazar’s statement is reasonable with regard to the blessings of Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur and in the case of prayers that are recited only intermittently. However, with regard to blessings recited all year, no, this practice is not necessary.
אִינִי?! וְהָא רַב יְהוּדָה מְסַדַּר צְלוֹתֵיהּ וּמְצַלֵּי! שָׁאנֵי רַב יְהוּדָה, כֵּיוָן דְּמִתְּלָתִין יוֹמִין לִתְלָתִין יוֹמִין הֲוָה מְצַלֵּי, כִּפְרָקִים דָּמֵי.
The Gemara asks: Is that so? Didn’t Rav Yehuda first arrange his prayer in his mind and only then pray, even on an ordinary day? The Gemara answers: Rav Yehuda was different, since he would pray only once every thirty days. During the rest of the month he would not engage in prayer, as he was busy with Torah study. Therefore, for him even regular weekdays prayers were like prayers recited intermittently.
אָמַר רַב אַחָא בַּר עַוִּירָא אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן חֲסִידָא: פּוֹטֵר הָיָה רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אֲפִילּוּ עַם שֶׁבַּשָּׂדוֹת. וְלָא מִיבַּעְיָא הָנֵי דְּקָיְימִי הָכָא?!
Rav Aḥa bar Avira said that Rabbi Shimon Ḥasida said: Rabban Gamliel would allow the prayer leader to exempt even the people who were in the fields and away from the synagogue. The Gemara challenges: This statement implies that the prayer leader exempts even the people in the fields, and needless to say, he exempts those who are here in the city but did not attend the prayer service in the synagogue.
אַדְּרַבָּה: הָנֵי אֲנִיסִי, הָנֵי לָא אֲנִיסִי,
The Gemara questions this conclusion: On the contrary, the opposite is more reasonable: Those in the fields did not come to the synagogue due to circumstances beyond their control, and therefore they should be allowed to fulfill their obligation through the prayer leader. By contrast, those in the city were not prevented from coming to the synagogue due to circumstances beyond their control. Consequently, they should not fulfill their obligation through the prayer leader.
דְּתָנֵי אַבָּא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב בִּנְיָמִין בַּר חִיָּיא: עַם שֶׁאֲחוֹרֵי כֹּהֲנִים - אֵינָן בִּכְלַל בְּרָכָה.
As Abba, son of Rav Binyamin bar Ḥiyya, taught in a baraita: Those people standing in the synagogue behind the priests during the Priestly Blessing, who are not positioned in front of them, face-to-face, are not included in the blessing. They are expected to make the minimal effort to stand in front of the priests. However, those in the fields are included in the Priestly Blessing.
אֶלָּא, כִּי אֲתָא רָבִין: אָמַר רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אִידֵּי אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן חֲסִידָא: לֹא פָּטַר רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אֶלָּא עַם שֶׁבַּשָּׂדוֹת, מַאי טַעְמָא - מִשּׁוּם דַּאֲנִיסִי בִּמְלָאכָה, אֲבָל בָּעִיר - לֹא.
Rather, Rabban Gamliel’s statement should be understood differently: When Ravin came from Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, he reported that Rabbi Ya’akov bar Idi said that Rabbi Shimon bar Ḥasida said: Rabban Gamliel allowed the prayer leader to exempt only the people in the fields. What is the reason for this? Because the people in the fields are unable to come to the synagogue due to work circumstances beyond their control, and do not have time to prepare their prayers. However, Rabban Gamliel did not exempt those in the city who do not come to the synagogue, as they are able to prepare their prayers and pray by themselves.
-Rosh Hashana 34b-35a
This entry was originally posted at https://lannamichaels.dreamwidth.org/1227260.html.