Menachot

This is indeed what we have learnt: Petahiah was over the bird-offerings.1 This same Petahiah was Mordecai; why was his name called Petahiah?2 Because he was able to open matters and interpret them,’ and he knew seventy languages.3 But did not every member of the Sanhedrin know seventy languages? For R. Johanan said, None are to be appointed members of the Sanhedrin but men of wisdom, of good appearance, of fine stature, of mature age. men with a knowledge of sorcery and who know seventy languages, in order that the court should have no need of an interpreter!4 — Say, rather, that he used to mix together5 expressions and explain them; and on that account it is written of Mordecai ‘Bilshan’.6 MISHNAH. WHAT WAS THE PROCEDURE? THE MESSENGERS OF THE BETH DIN USED TO GO OUT ON THE DAY BEFORE THE FESTIVAL AND TIE THE UNREAPED CORN IN BUNCHES TO MAKE IT THE EASIER TO REAP. ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE TOWNS NEAR BY ASSEMBLED THERE,7 SO THAT IT MIGHT BE REAPED WITH MUCH DISPLAY. AS SOON AS IT BECAME DARK HE8 CALLED OUT, ‘HAS THE SUN SET’? AND THEY ANSWERED. ‘YES.’ HAS THE SUN SET’? AND THEY ANSWERED, ‘YES.’ WITH THIS SICKLE’?9 AND THEY ANSWERED, ‘YES’. ‘WITH THIS SICKLE’? AND THEY ANSWERED, YES’. ‘INTO THIS BASKET’? AND THEY ANSWERED, ‘YES’. INTO THIS BASKET’? AND THEY ANSWERED. ‘YES’. ON THE SABBATH HE CALLED OUT FURTHER, ON THIS SABBATH’? AND THEY ANSWERED. ‘YES’. ‘ON THIS SABBATH’? AND THEY ANSWERED. ‘YES’. ‘SHALL I REAP’?10 AND THEY ANSWERED, REAP’. ‘SHALL I REAP’? AND THEY ANSWERED, ‘REAP’. HE REPEATED EVERY MATTER THREE TIMES, AND THEY ANSWERED, ‘YES.’ ‘YES.’ ‘YES’. AND WHY WAS ALL THIS? BECAUSE OF THE BOETHUSIANS11 WHO MAINTAINED THAT THE REAPING OF THE ‘OMER WAS NOT TO TAKE PLACE AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE [FIRST DAY OF THE] FESTIVAL. GEMARA. Our Rabbis taught:12 ‘On the following days fasting, and on some of them also mourning, is forbidden: From the first until the eighth day of the month of Nisan, during which time the Daily Offering was established, mourning is forbidden;13 from the eighth of the same until the close of the Festival, during which time the date for the Feast of Weeks was re-established, fasting is forbidden.14 ‘From the first until the eighth day of the month of Nisan, during which time the Daily Offering was established, mourning is forbidden’. For the Sadducees used to say that an individual may of his own free will defray the cost15 of the Daily Offering. What was their argument? — It is written, [said they]. The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning and the other lamb shalt thou offer at dusk.16 And what was the reply [of the Rabbis]? — It is written, My food which is presented unto Me for offerings made by fire, of a sweet savour unto Me, shall ye observe.17 Hence all sacrifices were to be taken out of the Temple fund.18 ‘From the eighth of the same until the close of the Festival [of Passover], during which time the date for the Feast of Weeks was re-established, fasting is forbidden’. For the Boethusians held that the Feast of Weeks19 must always be on the day after the Sabbath.20 But R. Johanan b. Zakkai entered into discussion with them saying, ‘Fools that you are! whence do you derive it’? Not one of them was able to answer him, save one old man who commenced to babble and said, ‘Moses our teacher was a great lover of Israel, and knowing full well that the Feast of Weeks lasted only one day he therefore fixed it on the day after the Sabbath so that Israel might enjoy themselves for two successive days’. [R. Johanan b. Zakkai] then quoted to him the following verse, ‘It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb unto Kadesh-Barnea by the way of mount Seir.21 complicated problems (v. Tractate Kinnim) he was chosen for his sagacity and profound understanding. expression (Lev. XXIII, 11), ,cav ,rjnn, ‘the morrow after the Sabbath’, must be taken in its literal sense, the day following the first Saturday in Passover. The Pharisees, however, argued that the Sabbath meant here ‘the day of cessation from work’, i.e., the Festival of Passover. Accordingly the ‘Omer was to be offered on the second day of the Festival, and the reaping of the corn on the night preceding, at the conclusion of the first day of the Festival. Tosaf. s.v. ahrn. Cf. also Ta'anith 17b. was offered on a Sunday.