{"id":10401,"date":"2006-12-14T22:27:00","date_gmt":"2006-12-14T22:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/production.ou.org\/life\/other\/masechet_roshhashanah1016\/"},"modified":"2015-10-23T07:00:50","modified_gmt":"2015-10-23T12:00:50","slug":"masechet_roshhashanah1016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/torah\/masechet_roshhashanah1016\/","title":{"rendered":"Masechet Rosh Hashanah 10a-16b"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Coming Week’s Daf Yomi by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz<\/em><\/p>\n

This essay is based upon the insights and chidushim (original ideas) of Talmudic scholar Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, as published in the Hebrew version of the Steinsaltz Edition of the Talmud.<\/em><\/p>\n

This month\u2019s Steinsaltz Daf Yomi is sponsored by Dr. and Mrs. Alan Harris, the Lewy Family Foundation, and Marilyn and Edward Kaplan<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Rosh Hashanah 10<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

We find a disagreement in our Gemara<\/a> as to the time of year when the world was created. According to Rabbi Eliezer<\/a>, the world was created in Tishrei<\/a>. \u00a0Similarly, the Avot<\/em> \u2013 Avraham, Yitzhak and Yaakov \u2013 were born and died in Tishrei. Rabbi Yehoshua<\/a> argues that all of these events took place took place in Nissan<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The rishonim<\/a><\/em> (see the Ran<\/a>, for example) point out that Rabbi Eliezer does not really mean to say that the world was created in Tishrei, since it is the creation of Man which takes place on Rosh HaShanah<\/a><\/em>, the first day of Tishrei. Thus, the six days of creation began on the 25th day of the month of Elul<\/a>. Nevertheless, he is expressing the idea that creation took place during the time of year when Tishrei occurs.<\/p>\n

Although both of these tanna’im<\/a><\/em> bring textual support for their positions (see page 11a<\/a>), the Ritva<\/a> explains that none of the proofs is truly convincing, and that the passages quoted are, at best, hints brought in support of a tradition held by each of the Rabbis, or, perhaps, based on their logic in understanding which time of year it would be most logical for the world to have been created. The Maharal<\/a> explains in great length that their disagreement stems from different views that each of them held with regards to a deep understanding of life and its meaning. According to the Maharal, the month of Nissan, which occurs in the Spring, represents the driving force of life that grows and blossoms, and compares it to the heart of Man. Tishrei, which falls in Autumn, expresses the holiness, spirituality and solemnity of life, which is the realm of the human mind. Which of these times of year is most appropriate for the creation of the world is the source for the argument between Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua.<\/p>\n

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Rosh Hashanah 11<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

On yesterday’s daf<\/em> we learned that Rabbi Eliezer<\/a> and Rabbi Yehoshua<\/a> disagree about the time of year when the world was created. There are some events of note that took place during the course of Jewish history that they agree about. Both agree, for example, that three barren women in Tanach<\/a><\/em> \u2013 Sarah, Rachel and Chana \u2013 all gave birth on Rosh Hashanah<\/a><\/em>, and that Yosef was freed from prison on Rosh Hashanah<\/em>, as well. Furthermore, both agree that the Children of Israel were released from their work as slaves in Egypt on Rosh Hashanah<\/em>, even though their redemption from Egypt does not take place until Nissan<\/a>. They differ, however, on the time of the ultimate redemption. Rabbi Eliezer believes that the final redemption will take place in Tishrei<\/a>; Rabbi Yehoshua believes that it will happen in Nissan.<\/p>\n

Baraitot<\/a><\/em> in the Gemara<\/a> provide sources for dating all of these events, which, as we saw explained by the Ritva<\/a> on yesterday’s daf<\/em>, are more hints and less definitive proofs. With regard to the time of the future redemption, where we find a disagreement, Rabbi Eliezer derives the occasion of redemption as Tishrei by comparing the commandment of shofar<\/a><\/em> on Rosh Hashanah <\/em>to the shofar<\/em> that will announce the coming of the Moshiach<\/a><\/em> (see Yeshayahu<\/a> 27:13<\/a>); Rabbi Yehoshua derives it from a comparison between the ultimate redemption and the redemption from Egypt. The passage describing the redemption says that it took place on leil shimurim <\/em>\u2013 a night of watching (see Shemot<\/a> 12:42<\/a>). The pasuk<\/em> repeats the words leil shimurim <\/em>a second time, which is understood by Rabbi Yehoshua as a reference not only to the redemption from Egypt, but an indication that this date was established from the moment of creation as a time of redemption, foretelling the ultimate redemption, as well.<\/p>\n

An interesting question is raised by R. Aryeh Leib<\/a> in his Turei Even, who asks how a specific date can be placed on the coming of Moshiach<\/em>, when the Gemara is clear that Moshiach<\/em> can come at any time. In answer, he suggests that there are different Messianic paths that can take place. Moshiach<\/em> can come be-itah <\/em>\u2013 in its time \u2013 or achishenah<\/em> \u2013 in a hastened kind of way (see Yeshayahu 60:22<\/a>). If it is in its time, there may be a specific date set for it. If it is “hastened” then it can come at any time. The Sefat Emet<\/a><\/em> suggests that we must recognize the process involved in the coming of Moshi’ah<\/em>. When Moshe comes to set the Children of Israel free from servitude in Egypt, he arrived well before the actual redemption takes place. Similarly in the future, Moshiach<\/em> can come at any time, with the ultimate redemption set for either Nissan or Tishrei.<\/p>\n

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Rosh Hashanah 12<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Mishnah<\/a> (2a<\/a>) taught that the first day of Tishrei<\/a> is the beginning of a new year for vegetables. The Gemara<\/a> on our daf<\/em> clarifies that the intention of the Mishnah is to teach that the ma’asrot<\/em> \u2013 tithes that are taken from produce grown in Israel \u2013 begin a new season on the first day of Tishrei.<\/p>\n

The rules of terumot<\/em> and ma’asrot<\/em> \u2013 contributions given to the kohanim<\/a><\/em> and Levi\u2019im<\/a><\/em> from produce \u2013 are as follows:<\/p>\n