Moed Katan

are free to marry on the day previous to the festival’, which presents a difficulty to all those authorities. — There is no difficulty: As to one who states [that it is forbidden] because of the ‘rejoicing’, [it may be said that] the main rejoicing [of a marriage celebration] lasts mainly one day.1 As to the one who states [that it is] because of the exertion [it occasions here too] the main exertion falls on one day.1 As to the one who says [that it is] because it may lead to a decline in marriage and parenthood, [it may be said] that for the sake of one day2 a person would not put himself off [indefinitely].3 Whence do we derive the principle that ‘rejoicing should not be merged in rejoicing’? From the text: So Solomon made the feast at that time and all Israel with him, a great congregation from the entrance of Hamath unto the Brook of Egypt, before the Lord our God seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.4 Now, if it is the fact that one rejoicing may be merged in another rejoicing, he should have kept back the consecration ceremony [of the Temple] for the time of the feast and then have held it for seven days [concurrently], for both one and the other.5 Maybe that the rule is [only] that we should not [deliberately keep a marriage] for the time of a festival,6 but where it so turns out to be [opportune], we might as well hold it then? — [If so], Solomon should have left some small part [unfinished].7 But perhaps this could not be done because we brook no delay in the building of the Temple!8 — Then he could have left [say], an ell of the Ravens’ Scare Palisade.9 [But, it may be asked,] The ell of the Ravens’ Scare Palisade was an essential part of the Temple building!10 Rather [it is derived] from [the fact that] the text is redundant. Consider, it is written ‘fourteen days’, wherefore the need of ‘seven days and seven days’? Infer from this that these [first] seven days and those [second] seven days were distinct from each other. R. Parnak, reporting R. Johanan, said that that year Israel did not observe the Day of Atonement, whereat they were perturbed, saying, that perhaps the enemies of Israel11 had thereby incurred their doom;12 whereat a Bath Kol13 came forth and an nounced to them: ‘All of you are destined for the life of the world to come.14 What was the basis of their exposition? — They argued a fortiori [thus]: If within the Tabernacle, the sanctity of which was not to be in perpetuity,15 yet an individual's sacrificial gifts16 were allowed [at the consecration] to be offered on the Sabbath day,17 which [ordinarily] is an offence punishable by stoning18 to death; all the more is it the case [that it is permitted] with the Temple, the sanctification of which is to be for ever, and with public19 offerings, and that on the Day of Atonement, whose desecration is an offence punished only by kareth! But then, why were they perturbed? — Because there [in the former case] the offerings were brought as dues to the Supreme Being;20 whereas here, they were brought for their [own] common needs.21 Then here too, should they not have made their offerings without partaking [on that day] of any meat or drink?22 — There is no joyous celebration without eating and drinking. 23 Whence do we know that at [the consecration of] the Tabernacle the Sabbath restrictions were suspended? Shall I say because it is written, ‘On the first day [So-and-so offered] . . . on the seventh24 day [So-and-so offered], then [say I], maybe it means the seventh day [in the order] of the offerings?25 Said R. Nahman b. Isaac: The text says, ‘On the day of the eleventh, day’26 just as a day is continuous, so were the eleven days continuous.27 But perhaps, it means [continuous] on days appropriate?’ — Then there is yet another such text, On the day of the twelfth day,28 — just as a day was continuous, so had the whole twelve days been entirely continuous. But that too, maybe means only continuous on days appropriate? — If that be so, why do I require two [peculiarly worded] texts? Again, whence do we know that during the consecration of the Temple the restrictions of the Day of Atonement were suspended? — Shall I say because it is written, ‘even fourteen days’, maybe it means days appropriate?29 — That is learnt from the analogy between the repeated word ‘day’ here and in the other place.30 ‘Whereat a Bath kol came forth and announced to them: "All of you are destined for the life of the world to come".’ And whence know we that pardon was granted them? — For R. Tahlifa taught: [It is written], On the eighth day he sent the people away and they blessed the king and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had shown unto David His Servant and to Israel His people.31 ‘To their tents’, that is, they went [home] and found their wives in [a state] of purity32 [to receive their husbands]; joyful’, that is, that they had enjoyed the radiance of the Shechinah;33 ‘and glad of heart’, that is, each man's wife conceived and bore him a male child. ‘For all the goodness’ that is, a Bath kol had come forth and announced to them: ‘All of you are destined for the life of the world to come ; That the Lord had shown unto David His servant and to Israel His people’: It is perfectly clear [as to what is referred to] by ‘all the goodness shown to Israel His people’, as indicating that God had granted them pardon for their sin against [the non-observance of] the Day of Atonement; but what is the point of ‘the goodness shown unto David His servant’? — Said Rab Judah, as reporting Rab; At the moment when Solomon wanted to bring the Ark into the Temple, the gates held fast together. Solomon recited [a prayer of] four and twenty [expressions of] intercession34 but had no response. He began [anew] and said: lift up your heads, O ye gates35 and again he had no response. As soon as [however] he said: [Now therefore arise, O Lord God . . . Thou and the Ark of Thy strength . . .] O Lord, turn not away the face of Thine anointed, remember the good deeds of David Thy servant,36 he was answered forthwith.37 At that moment the faces of David's foes turned [livid] like the [blackened] sides of a pot and all became aware that the Holy One, blessed be He, had pardoned David that misdeed.38 R. Jonathan b.’Asmai39 and R. Judah son of proselyte parents were studying the section of ‘Vows’40 at the school of R. Simeon b. Yohai. They had taken leave from him in the evening, but in the morning they came and again took leave from him. Said he to them: But did you not take leave of me yesternight? Said they to him: Our Master, You taught us, a disciple who had taken leave from his Master and remained overnight in the city must needs take leave from him once again, for it is said: ‘On the eighth day41 he [King Solomon] sent the people away and they blessed the King,42 and [then] it is written: ‘And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away’.43 Hence we learn from here that a disciple who had taken leave from his Master and remained overnight in the city must needs take leave from him once again. Said he to his son, ‘These are men of countenance,44 go along with them, that they may bless you’. He went and found them comparing text with text: It is written: Balance the path of thy feet and let all thy ways be established;45 and it is written: Lest thou shouldst balance the path of life?46 It is not difficult [to explain]: the former text applies where an obligation can be discharged through another person: 47 Temple had been completed some time before. V. I Kings, VII, 51 — VIII, 1 and II Chron. V, 1-3, upward all round the Temple walls. V. Mid. IV, 6 and cf. Josephus, Wars, V, 5, 6. of kareth. among them ‘burnt-offerings’ and ‘sin-offerings’ which were not permitted to be eaten by the donors or the people, and the male priests alone were allowed to eat of the sin-offerings as if partaking of ‘the table of the Lord’. Lev. XX, 2, 27 and Num. XV, 32-36. which were permitted to the priests alone as sacred meat, whereas here they brought many ‘peace-offerings’ to be partaken of by the whole community. Cf. Lev. VII, 11-16 and I Sam. IX, 19-24. and the bulk went to the people. offered. interruption. Cf. verse 11 and Solomon's prayer, I Kings VIII, 59; Lev. XXIV, 8. fourteen days’. This method of analogy is the Gezerah Shawah. See Glos. 19 and XX, 18; XV, 19-24. namely:Five in v. 28; two in 29; two in 30; two in 33; one in 35; two in 38; one in 42; one in 44; two in 45; one in 47; one in 48; two in 49; two in 52, total, twenty-four. to the people. formulated in the Mishnah. person, choose the more important and responsible tasks for yourself.