Rosh Hashanah

that it was sick on Pentecost. R. Ashi said: What is meant by the statement ‘we ate its young as a peace-offering on the Festival’? it means, the Feast of Weeks. What says the other to this? — [He says that] wherever [Pentecost] is mentioned in connection with Passover, it is called ‘Assembly’ [‘azereth]. Raba said: As soon as three festivals have elapsed, he transgresses every day the precept of ‘not delaying’. The following was cited in objection to this: [The rule] both for a firstling and for all consecrated animals is that so soon as they have been kept back a year [even] without three festivals, or three festivals even it less than a year, the precept of ‘not delaying’ is transgressed. What objection is there here? — R. Kahana said: The objection is a sound one. See now: the Tanna is looking for prohibitions; let him then state, ‘he transgresses the precept of "not delaying" every day’. What says the other to this? — [He says that] the Tanna is only anxious to stamp the act as forbidden; he does not look for extra prohibitions. [To revert to] the [above] text: ‘[The rule] both for a firstling and for all consecrated animals is that so soon as they have been kept back a year even without three festivals or three festivals even if less than a year, the precept of "not delaying" is trans gressed’. I grant that three festivals without a year are possible; but how is a year possible without three festivals? And I still grant that this is possible for one who requires the three festivals to be in order, but for one who does not require them to be in order how is it possible? And I still grant that this is possible for Rabbi in a leap year, since it has been taught, [It is written] ‘a complete year’ : Rabbi says, he [the seller] reckons three hundred and sixty-five days, which is the number of days in the solar year, while the Sages say that he reckons twelve months from day to day, and if it is a leap year he gets the benefit. — It is possible for Rabbi [to have a year without three festivals] in the case where one sanctified the animal after the festival of Passover, since when the end of the next second Adar comes round the year is completed but the number of festivals is not completed. But for the Rabbis how is it possible? — [It is possible] on the basis of what R. Shemaiah learnt: Pentecost is sometimes on the fifth of the [third] month, sometimes on the sixth, and sometimes on the seventh. For instance, if both of them are full, it is on the fifth; if both of them are defective., it is on the seventh; if one is full and the other defective, it is on the sixth. Who is the Tanna who takes a different view from R. Shemaiah? It is the ‘Others’, as it has been taught: Others say that between Pentecost and Pentecost, between New Year and New Year there is always an interval of four days [of the week], or, in a leap year, five. R. Zera asked: Does the rule of ‘not delaying’ apply to an heir? [Do we reason that] the All-Merciful has said ‘When thou shalt vow a vow’, and he has not made a vow, or [perhaps we apply the text], and thither thou shalt come and thither shall ye bring, and he also is liable? — Come and hear, since R, Hiyya has taught: ‘From thee [me'imak]’: this excludes the heir. But this ‘me'imak’ is required to bring under the rule gleanings, forgotten sheaves, and corners of the field? — I expound ‘imak, and I expound me'imak. R. Zera also asked: Does the rule of ‘not delaying’ apply to a woman? Do we reason that she is not obliged to appear [at Jerusalem on the festivals] or perhaps do we reason that she is enjoined to rejoice? — Abaye replied: Is not the answer provided by the fact that she is enjoined to rejoice? But could Abaye say this, seeing that Abaye has said that a woman is made joyful by her husband? Abaye was answering R. Zera on his own premises. The question was raised: From what day is the year of the firstling reckoned? — Abaye said, From the hour of its birth; R. Aha b. Jacob said, From the time when it can be used for appeasement. Nor is there any conflict of opinion between them; one speaks of an animal without blemish,