Megillah

which was included in a volume of the Scriptures. He said to him: [I must tell you that] they have said: ‘If one reads the Megillah from a volume containing the rest of the Scriptures, he has not fulfilled his obligation’. R. Hiyya b. Abba said in the name of R. Johanan: ‘If one reads the Megillah in a volume containing the rest of the Scriptures, he has not fulfilled his obligation’; and he at once qualified this remark1 by adding, ‘in a congregation’. R. Hiyya b. Abba also said in the name of R. Johanan: It is a rule deriving from Moses at Sinai that a space should be left unstitched [in the sefer torah];2 and he at once qualified the remark by saying, ‘this rule was laid down3 only so that it should not be torn’.4 R. Hiyya b. Abba also said in the name of R. Johanan: Had there been in the cave in which Moses and Elijah stood5 a chink no bigger than the eye of a fine needle, they would not have been able to endure the light, as it says, for man shall not see me and live.6 R. Hiyya b. Abba also said in the name of R. Johanan: What is the meaning of the verse, And on them was written according to all the words which the Lord spoke with you in the mount?7 It teaches us that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed Moses the minutiae of the Torah,8 and the minutiae of the Scribes,9 and the innovations which would be introduced by the Scribes; and what are these? The reading of the Megillah.10 MISHNAH. ALL ARE QUALIFIED TO READ THE MEGILLAH EXCEPT A DEAF PERSON,11 AN IMBECILE AND A MINOR.12 R. JUDAH DECLARES A MINOR QUALIFIED. GEMARA. Who is the Tanna that maintains that [even if] the deaf person has read, it does not count?13 — R. Mattenah said: It is R. Jose, as we have learnt: ‘If one reads the Shema’ inaudibly, he has performed his obligation. R. Jose, however, says that he has not performed his obligation’. But why should we say that [our Mishnah] follows R. Jose and [lays down that] even if the deaf man has read, it does not count? Perhaps it follows R. Judah, and [what it means is that] the deaf man may not read in the first instance, but if he has read, his reading is accepted? — Do not imagine such a thing. For a deaf man is mentioned in the same category as an imbecile and a minor; just as the reading of an imbecile and a minor is not accepted, so the reading of a deaf man is not accepted. But perhaps there is one rule for the one and another rule for the other? — Since it states in the final clause that R. Judah declares a minor qualified, we may conclude that the first clause does not state the opinion of R. Judah. (But perhaps the whole of the Mishnah states the opinions of R. Judah? — Is it possible that he should disqualify in the first and permit in the second?)14 But perhaps the whole [of the Mishnah] gives the views of R. Judah, and he speaks of two kinds of minor, and there is an omission in the Mishnah, and it should run this: ‘All are qualified to read the Megillah, except a deaf man, an imbecile and a minor. Of what kind of minor are we speaking? Of one who is not old enough to be trained in the performance of religious duties. But a minor who is old enough to be trained in religious duties15 may read even in the first instance, since R. Judah declares a minor qualified! — How then have you explained [the first clause of the Mishnah]? As following R. Judah and applying to an action already performed. What then of this statement made by Judah the son of R. Simeon b. Pazzi: ‘One who can speak but not hear may set aside terumah in the first instance.’16 Whose view is this? If you say R. Judah's. [this cannot be, because] he would say, his blessing [once made] is a blessing, but he may not say it in the first instance. If you say R. Jose, this also cannot be, since he disallows the action even if already performed! What then will you say? That it follows R. Judah, and that he allows it even in the first instance?17 What then of this which has been taught: ‘A man should not say the grace after food in his heart,18 but if he does do so, he has performed his obligation’. Whose opinion is this? It is neither that of R. Judah19 nor that of R. Jose. For if it were to follow R. Judah, it would allow this even in the first instance, and if R. Jose, it would disallow it even when performed! — the bottom. which Moses had stood on a similar occasion. ‘Scribes’ (Soferim) by the Talmud.