Chagigah

— It is written: And thou shalt turn in the morning, and go into thy tents. 1 We have learnt: IF THE FEAST OF WEEKS FALL ON A FRIDAY, BETH SHAMMAI SAY: THE DAY FOR SLAUGHTER IS AFTER THE SABBATH. AND BETH HILLEL SAY: IT HAS NO DAY FOR SLAUGHTER. Surely [this means] that it has no day for slaughter at all!2 — No, [it means] that it does not require a [special] day for slaughter.3 But what then does it teach us, that we can offer up [the sacrifice] on its proper day?4 Behold they already dispute thereon once; for we have learnt: Beth Shammai say: Peace-offerings may be brought [on the Festival-day] and the hands not laid thereon; but not burnt-offerings. And Beth Hillel say: Both peace-offerings and burnt-offerings may be brought, and the hands laid thereon!5 — [Both statements are] required. For if [the Mishnah] had taught us [only that they differ] in the [latter] case,6 [I might have thought] in that case [only] Beth Shammai hold this view, because it is possible [to bring the offerings] on the following day: but in the [former] case,7 I might have thought that they agreed with Beth Hillel.8 And if [the Mishnah] had taught us [only that they differ] in the [former] case, [I might have thought] in this case [only] Beth Hillel hold this view, because it is not possible [to bring the offering] on the following day; but in the [latter] case, I might have thought that they agree with Beth Shammai.9 [Therefore both statements are] required. Come and hear: He who does not bring his festal-offering during the seven days of Passover, or the eight days of Tabernacles, or on the first10 festival-day of the Feast of Weeks, can no longer bring his offering. This must surely mean on the festival-day [proper] of the Feast of Weeks!11 — No, [it means] on the day for the slaughter.12 If so, let us conclude therefrom that there is [only] one day for slaughter!13 — Read, ‘on the days for slaughter’14 Come and hear: Rabbah b. Samuel learnt: Count the days,15 and sanctify the New Moon Day;16 Count the days,17 and sanctity the Feast of Weeks.18 Just as the New Moon Festival belongs to its class [of days] by which it is determined,19 so the Feast of Weeks belongs to its class20 by which it is determined. Surely [then the Feast of Weeks] is compared with the New Moon Festival because just as [the offerings of] the New Moon Festival [are to brought] on one day, so too [the offerings of] the Feast of Weeks [are to be brought] on one day!21 — Raba answered: How can you think so? Do we then count for the Feast of Weeks [only] the days and not the weeks? Behold Abaye said: It is a precept to count the days,22 for it is written: Ye shall number fifty days;23 and it is a precept to count the weeks,24 for it is written: Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee.25 Furthermore, it is written: The Feast of Weeks.26 The School of R. Eleazar b. Jacob taught:27 Scripture says: And ye shall make proclamation,28 and And when ye reap.29 Which is the Feast on which you proclaim and reap? You must say: It is the Feast of Weeks.30 [Now] when? Should one say on the Festival-day [itself], is reaping then permitted on the Festival-day! It must refer, therefore, to [the period after the Feast] when the offerings can still be made good.31 Now although the statement of R. Eleazar in the name of R. Oshaia has been quoted,32 [the teaching] of R. Eliezer b. Jacob is also required. For if we had [only] the statement of R. Eleazar in the name of R. Oshaia, I might say: Just as [in the period] during which the offering can be made good in the case of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, it is forbidden to do work,33 so too [in the period] during which the offering can be made good in the case of the Feast of Weeks, it is forbidden to do work; therefore we are told the teaching of R. Eliezer b. Jacob. And if we had [only] the teaching of R. Eliezer b. Jacob statement, p. 111. days, as R. Oshaia taught. Mishnah, why does the Mishnah teach us later that they differ in regard to Pentecost which fell on a Friday, if the point of dispute, according to the interpretation just given, is exactly the same? would have to be left over till the Sunday, there was the danger that the pilgrim might neglect to bring it altogether. statement falls away. Midrashic licence. The Hebrew months, being lunar, vary in length from twenty-nine to thirty days (v. J.E. s. Calendar). determined. If the latter is a week, the sacrificial-period is a week; if it is a day, the offering-period is also a day; cf.R.H., Sonc.ed., p. 14, nn. 10 and 11.