Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By simmons on July 26, 2017

The first chapters of tractate Megillah discuss the laws of the holiday of Purim, and specifically the laws pertaining to the Megillah (Scroll of Esther) and its reading on Purim.

The latter part of the tractate elaborates on the laws of the public Torah readings in the synagogue, as well as many other synagogue and community related laws. On the last page of Megillah, the Talmud cites a law that Rabbi Shefatiah repeated in the name of Rabbi Yochanan. As is often the case when the Talmud cites a teaching by an obscure rabbi, the Talmud then proceeds to say several other (often seemingly unrelated) laws or sayings of that rabbi:

Rabbi Shefatiah further said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: If one reads the Torah without a melody or studies the Mishnah without a tune, of him the Scripture (Ezekiel 20:25) says, "And I, too, have given them statutes that are not good [and ordinances whereby they shall not live]." Abaye contested this teaching: Because he cannot carry a tune, you apply to him the verse, "ordinances whereby they shall not live"!? Rather, this verse is to be understood as Rabbi Mesharshia explained: If two scholars live in the same city and do not treat one another's halachic pronouncements respectfully, of them the verse says, "And I, too, have given them statutes that are not good and ordinances whereby they shall not live."

Rabbi Parnach said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: Whoever holds a naked Torah scroll (i.e., without its covering) is buried naked. He's buried naked, you think? Rather, the meaning of this statement is that he's buried "naked of mitzvot." Naked of mitzvot, you think? [Could it be that this misdeed denudes the person of all the good he's done throughout his lifetime?] Rather, Abaye explained, he is buried naked of this mitzvah (of holding the Torah scroll).

Rabbi Yannai the son of the old Rabbi Yannai said in the name of Rabbi Yannai the Great: It is better that the covering of the Torah scroll should be rolled up, and not that the Torah scroll itself should be rolled up. [There are several interpretations for this saying. One of them is that one should wrap the covering around the Torah, and not roll the Torah in the covering till it is wrapped.]

The Talmud now cites from the Mishnah: "And Moses spoke to the children of Israel the appointed seasons of Gd." (Leviticus 23:44). This verse infers that it is a mitzvah to read the section relating to each holiday in its season. [Otherwise, why would the Torah immediately after the sections wherein Gd explains to Moses the laws of the festivals mention that Moses relayed to the Jews these laws, when throughout the Torah it is tacitly assumed that Moses relayed Gd's commandments. Obviously then, this must be referring to Moses repeating a second timewhen the times of the holidays approached.]

Our Rabbis taught: Moses instituted that the Jews should discuss and teach concerning the subject of the daythe laws of Passover on Passover, the laws of Shavuot on Shavuot, and the laws of Sukkot on Sukkot.

More here:

Completing Tractate Megillah - Chabad.org

Category: Talmud
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