Megillah 1

מְגִלָּה נִקְרֵאת בְּאַחַד עָשָׂר, בִּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר, בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה עָשָׂר, בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר, בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר, לֹא פָחוֹת וְלֹא יוֹתֵר. כְּרַכִּין הַמֻּקָּפִין חוֹמָה מִימוֹת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן, קוֹרִין בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר. כְּפָרִים וַעֲיָרוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת, קוֹרִין בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר, אֶלָּא שֶׁהַכְּפָרִים מַקְדִּימִין לְיוֹם הַכְּנִיסָה:

The Megillah is read on the eleventh (of Adar), the twelfth, the thirteenth, the fourteenth, and the fifteenth, [sometimes on one; sometimes, on the other, as explained below] — not earlier (than the eleventh) and not later (than the fifteenth). Cities surrounded by a wall from the days of Joshua the son of Nun read on the fifteenth, [it being written (Esther 9:19): "Therefore, the Jews of the outlying towns, who live in the unwalled cities, celebrate the fourteenth, etc." The unwalled cities, celebrating the fourteenth, the implication is that the walled cities celebrate the fifteenth. And "from the days of Joshua" is derived by identity: "perazi" ("unwalled," here) - "perazi" (Deuteronomy 3:5): "aside from the unwalled cities." Just as there, (perazi) from the days of Joshua the son of Nun; here, too, from the days of Joshua the son of Nun. And they ordained that the cities surrounded by a wall from the days of Joshua, even if they are not surrounded by a wall today, read on the fifteenth, like Shushan, in order to accord honor to Eretz Yisrael, which was in ruins in the days of Mordecai and Esther, that they, too, read as the men of Shushan and be regarded as if they were walled cities, even though now they are in ruins, so that there be a remembrance of Eretz Yisrael in this miracle. And Joshua is mentioned because he was the first who began to war against Amalek, viz. (Exodus 17:14): "Write this (the erasing of Amalek) as a remembrance in a scroll, and place it in the ears of Joshua, etc."] The villages and the large cities read on the fourteenth; but the villages may advance it (the Megillah reading) to the "day of assembly" (yom haknissah). [That is, since the walled cities read on the fifteenth, and the unwalled, on the fourteenth, all are included. How, then, could the eleventh, the twelfth, and the thirteenth obtain? The answer: The villages were permitted to advance their reading to the "day of assembly" — Monday or Thursday before the fourteenth — these (Mondays and Thursdays) being the days of assembly, when the villages assemble in the cities for judgment. For beth-din sit on Mondays and Thursdays by the ordinance of Ezra. Or it may be because the villages assemble in the cities on Mondays and Thursdays to hear the reading of the Torah. For the villagers are not so expert in the reading and need one of the men of the city to read for them; and the sages did not make them exert themselves to come back on the fourteenth, so that they be free on Purim to supply the needs of the Purim feast for the men of the cities. And they found an allusion for this in the Megillah, viz. (Esther (9:31): "to fulfill these days of Purim in their times" (bizmaneihem). If Mordecai and Esther instituted only the fourteenth and the fifteenth mentioned therein, we should have "zmanam" (connoting two times). Why "zmaneihem"? (connoting four times)? We are hereby apprised that two more times were added, aside from those mentioned in the Megillah. And it was not necessary for Scripture to include the thirteenth as fit for reading, because the miracle, essentially, occurred on that day. For it was on that day that the Jews gathered together to avenge themselves of their enemies, both in Shushan and in the other provinces. Perforce, then, Scripture adds only the eleventh and the twelfth. And it is not to be suggested that the sixteenth and seventeenth after the fourteenth and fifteenth written in the Megillah are intended, it being written (Ibid. 27): "and (the fifteenth) not to be passed by."]

כֵּיצַד. חָל לִהְיוֹת יוֹם אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר בַּשֵּׁנִי, כְּפָרִים וַעֲיָרוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת קוֹרִין בּוֹ בַיּוֹם, וּמֻקָּפוֹת חוֹמָה לְמָחָר. חָל לִהְיוֹת בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי אוֹ בָּרְבִיעִי, כְּפָרִים מַקְדִּימִין לְיוֹם הַכְּנִיסָה וַעֲיָרוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת קוֹרִין בּוֹ בַיּוֹם, וּמֻקָּפוֹת חוֹמָה לְמָחָר. חָל לִהְיוֹת בָּחֲמִישִׁי, כְּפָרִים וַעֲיָרוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת קוֹרִין בּוֹ בַיּוֹם, וּמֻקָּפוֹת חוֹמָה לְמָחָר. חָל לִהְיוֹת עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת, כְּפָרִים מַקְדִּימִין לְיוֹם הַכְּנִיסָה, וַעֲיָרוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת וּמֻקָּפוֹת חוֹמָה קוֹרִין בּוֹ בַיּוֹם. חָל לִהְיוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת, כְּפָרִים וַעֲיָרוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת מַקְדִּימִין וְקוֹרִין לְיוֹם הַכְּנִיסָה, וּמֻקָּפוֹת חוֹמָה לְמָחָר. חָל לִהְיוֹת אַחַר הַשַּׁבָּת, כְּפָרִים מַקְדִּימִין לְיוֹם הַכְּנִיסָה, וַעֲיָרוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת קוֹרִין בּוֹ בַיּוֹם, וּמֻקָּפוֹת חוֹמָה לְמָחָר:

How so? If the fourteenth falls on a Monday, the villages and the large cities read on that day, and the walled cities, the next day. If it falls on Tuesday or Wednesday, the villages advance it to the day of assembly, the large cities read it on the fourteenth, and the walled cities, the next day. If it falls on Thursday, the villages and the large cities read on that day, and the walled cities, the next day. If it falls on Sabbath eve, the villages advance it to the day of assembly, and the large cities and the walled cities read it on that day. [For there is no Megillah reading on the Sabbath, a decree lest he take the Megillah in his hand and carry it four cubits in the public domain. And if it were delayed until Sunday, that would make it the sixteenth, whereas Scripture states: "and (the fifteenth) not to be passed by." And even though those in the walled cities read it on the fourteenth when the fifteenth falls out on a Sabbath, still, they read "Vayavo Amalek" only on Shabbath, which is the fifteenth, they read "Pakadeti" as the haftarah, and they review the halachoth of Purim that entire Shabbath. As to the Purim feast — some say they have it on the fourteenth, when they read the Megillah; and others, that they delay it until after Shabbath. And so it would appear from the Yerushalmi — that a Purim feast which falls on Shabbath is delayed and not advanced. But all agree that it is not made on Shabbath.] If it falls on Sunday, the villages advance it to the day of assembly, [which is the eleventh], the large cities read it on that day, and the walled cities, on the next day. [The sages allowed the villages to advance it to the day of assembly only when Israel are on their land and messengers of beth-din go out to inform them when beth-din sanctified the New Moon and when Pesach falls. But nowadays, when the people count thirty days from the Megillah reading until Pesach — if the villagers advanced their reading, they would observe Pesach thirty days after the reading and would be eating chametz the last days of Pesach, for which reason it is read only in its time.]

אֵיזוֹ הִיא עִיר גְּדוֹלָה, כֹּל שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ עֲשָׂרָה בַטְלָנִים. פָּחוֹת מִכָּאן, הֲרֵי זֶה כְפָר. בָּאֵלּוּ אָמְרוּ מַקְדִּימִין וְלֹא מְאַחֲרִין. אֲבָל זְמַן עֲצֵי כֹהֲנִים וְתִשְׁעָה בְאָב, חֲגִיגָה וְהַקְהֵל, מְאַחֲרִין וְלֹא מַקְדִּימִין. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמְרוּ מַקְדִּימִין וְלֹא מְאַחֲרִין, מֻתָּרִין בְּהֶסְפֵּד וּבְתַעֲנִיּוֹת וּמַתָּנוֹת לָאֶבְיוֹנִים. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, אֵימָתַי, מְקוֹם שֶׁנִּכְנָסִין בְּשֵׁנִי וּבַחֲמִישִׁי. אֲבָל מְקוֹם שֶׁאֵין נִכְנָסִין לֹא בְּשֵׁנִי וְלֹא בַחֲמִישִׁי, אֵין קוֹרִין אוֹתָהּ אֶלָּא בִזְמַנָּהּ:

Which is a large city? Wherever there are "ten idlers" [in the house of prayer, who are idle from work, being supported by the congregation in order always to be found there at the time of prayer.] If there are fewer than that, it is a village. With these [i.e., with the time of the Megillah reading], they said that it is to be advanced, but not delayed [if it falls on a Sabbath]; but with the times of the wood (offerings) of the Cohanim and the people, [where certain families bring wood to the Temple for the (altar) wood pile on fixed days, every year (see Ta'anith 4:5), and they sacrifice a "wood-offering," gift burnt-offerings — if it (their appointed day) falls on a Sabbath, it is delayed to Sunday], and the ninth of Av [(the same applies to all fasts which fall on a Sabbath)], and chagigah (the festival offering) [If yom tov falls on a Sabbath, the festival peace-offerings are pushed off to the next day, for they can be made up all seven days], and hakhel [viz. (Deuteronomy 31:12): "Assemble (hakhel) the people, etc.", where the king would read in the book of Deuteronomy, and all the people were obligated to bring their little children, viz. (Ibid.); "the men, the women, and the little children," which is impossible on Shabbath], (if they fall on a Sabbath,) they are delayed but not advanced, [the time of their obligation not yet having arrived. (As to the ninth of Av, "Calamity is not advanced")]. Even though they said (in respect to the time of the Megillah reading): "It is advanced, but not delayed," it is permitted (on a day that it is advanced) to eulogize, and to fast, and to fulfill the (Purim) obligation of matanoth la'evyonim (giving gifts to the poor). R. Yehudah said: When is this so (that the villages may advance the reading to the day of assembly)? Where they assemble (in the large cities) on Mondays and Thursdays. But where they assemble neither on Mondays nor on Thursdays, they may read it only in its time.

קָרְאוּ אֶת הַמְּגִלָּה בַּאֲדָר הָרִאשׁוֹן וְנִתְעַבְּרָה הַשָּׁנָה, קוֹרִין אוֹתָהּ בַּאֲדָר הַשֵּׁנִי, אֵין בֵּין אֲדָר הָרִאשׁוֹן לַאֲדָר הַשֵּׁנִי אֶלָּא קְרִיאַת הַמְּגִלָּה וּמַתָּנוֹת לָאֶבְיוֹנִים:

If they read the Megillah on the first Adar, and they intercalated the year, they read it on the second Adar. There is no difference between the first Adar and the second Adar but the reading of the Megillah and matanoth la'evyonim alone. [This is what is meant: There is no difference between the fourteenth and fifteenth of the first Adar and the fourteenth and fifteenth of the second Adar but the reading of the Megillah and matanoth la'evyonim, (which obtain on the second and not on the first). But in respect to eulogy and fasting, they are alike (i.e., they are forbidden on both.)]

אֵין בֵּין יוֹם טוֹב לְשַׁבָּת אֶלָּא אֹכֶל נֶפֶשׁ בִּלְבָד. אֵין בֵּין שַׁבָּת לְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים אֶלָּא שֶׁזֶּה זְדוֹנוֹ בִּידֵי אָדָם וְזֶה זְדוֹנוֹ בְּכָרֵת:

There is no difference between yom tov and Shabbath but food (preparation) alone, (being forbidden on Shabbath but permitted on yom tov.) [This Mishnah is in accordance with Beth Shammai, who say (Beitzah 1:5): "Neither a minor, nor a lulav, nor a Torah scroll may be carried out to the public domain (on yom tov)," for they are not needed for purposes of eating. But this is not the halachah. We rule in accordance with Beth Hillel, who say that since carrying was permitted for eating purposes, it was permitted for other purposes, too. And there are also other things, which are forbidden on Shabbath but permitted on yom tov even though they are not for eating purposes, such as the dropping of fruits through the aperture (see Beitzah 5:1), which is permitted on yom tov, but not on Shabbath. There is no difference between Shabbath and Yom Kippur, but that wilful transgression of the first is punishable by man [judicial death penalty], whereas wilful transgression of the second is punishable by kareth ("cutting-off").

אֵין בֵּין הַמֻּדָּר הֲנָאָה מֵחֲבֵרוֹ לַמֻּדָּר מִמֶּנּוּ מַאֲכָל אֶלָּא דְּרִיסַת הָרֶגֶל וְכֵלִים שֶׁאֵין עוֹשִׂין בָּהֶן אֹכֶל נֶפֶשׁ. אֵין בֵּין נְדָרִים לִנְדָבוֹת אֶלָּא שֶׁהַנְּדָרִים חַיָּב בְּאַחֲרָיוּתָן, וּנְדָבוֹת אֵינוֹ חַיָּב בְּאַחֲרָיוּתָן:

There is no difference between bevowing benefit from one's neighbor and bevowing food from him, but "the treading of the foot" [Bevowing benefit is more stringent than bevowing food only in that one who bevows benefit may not enter the other's property, whereas one who bevows food may], and, (another difference), vessels which are not used for food preparation, [it being permitted to lend them to one who bevows food (but not to one who bevows benefit). And this, only in a place where such vessels are not hired out; but in a place where they are hired out, it is forbidden (even to one who bevows food). For (he is forbidden) any benefit resulting in food. For if this one had not benefited him (by lending him the vessel), he would be lacking a perutah's worth of food benefit. For with that perutah (saved), he can buy food.] There is no difference between vows and gifts, but that one must make good for vows, but he need not make good for gifts. [("vows":) If one says: "I take it upon me (i.e., I vow) to bring a burnt-offering," after which he separated it (the animal) and it were lost, he must bring a different one. ("gifts":) If one says: "this animal is (given) as a burnt-offering," and it were lost, he need not bring a different one, for he did not take it upon himself. But as far as liability for delay is concerned, they are both the same, it being written (Deuteronomy 23:24): "…what you have vowed to the L-rd your G-d, the gift that you spoke with your mouth, etc."

אֵין בֵּין זָב הָרוֹאֶה שְׁתֵּי רְאִיּוֹת לְרוֹאֶה שָׁלֹשׁ אֶלָּא קָרְבָּן. אֵין בֵּין מְצֹרָע מֻסְגָּר לִמְצֹרָע מֻחְלָט אֶלָּא פְרִיעָה וּפְרִימָה. אֵין בֵּין טָהוֹר מִתּוֹךְ הֶסְגֵּר לְטָהוֹר מִתּוֹךְ הֶחְלֵט אֶלָּא תִגְלַחַת וְצִפֳּרִים:

There is no difference between a zav (one with a genital discharge) who has two sightings [whether on one day or on two consecutive days] and one who has three sightings [whether on one day or on three consecutive days or two on one day and one the next], but the offering. [A zav who has two sightings does not require an offering; but as far as rendering what he lies on and what he sits on av hatumah (proto-uncleanliness), even if he does not touch them, and (as far as) the counting of seven days from the cessation of his discharge, seven clean days being required before he can immerse (for purification), they are both alike.] There is no difference between a quarantined leper (musgar), viz. (Leviticus 13:5): "Then the priest shall quarantine him for seven days," and a confirmed leper (muchlat), [whom the priest confirms as unclean], but letting the hair grow long and rending of garments, (required by a confirmed leper, but not by a quarantined one), [but as far as being sent away and being unclean, they are both alike.] There is no difference between one cleansed after quarantine and one cleansed after confirmation (as a leper) but (the mitzvah of) shaving and (that of) the birds, [it being written in this regard (Leviticus 14:3): "…and, behold, if the plague-spot of leprosy is healed from the leper" — to exclude a quarantined leper, whose leprosy does not hinge upon healing, but upon days (of quarantine). For even if it were healed, he must remain quarantined for seven days. But as far as cleansing in the mikveh, they are both alike. For in respect to cleansing after quarantine it is also written (Ibid. 13:6): "And he shall wash his clothes, and he shall cleanse himself." And even though there are the guilt-offerings and the log of oil, (required by the confirmed leper, but not by the quarantined one), our Mishnah speaks of the day of his cleansing and his healing, and not of offerings, which obtain on the eighth day.]

אֵין בֵּין סְפָרִים לִתְפִלִּין וּמְזוּזוֹת אֶלָּא שֶׁהַסְּפָרִים נִכְתָּבִין בְּכָל לָשׁוֹן, וּתְפִלִּין וּמְזוּזוֹת אֵינָן נִכְתָּבוֹת אֶלָּא אַשּׁוּרִית. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, אַף בַּסְּפָרִים לֹא הִתִּירוּ שֶׁיִּכָּתְבוּ אֶלָּא יְוָנִית:

There is no difference between scrolls (of Scripture) and tefillin and mezuzoth, but that scrolls may be written in all languages [i.e., in the script and tongue of all languages], but tefillin and mezuzoth must be written only ashurith (the holy script and tongue). R. Shimon b. Gamliel says: Even with scrolls, they permitted them to be written (aside from ashurith) only in Greek. [The reason for permitting Greek above all other languages is (Genesis 9:27): "G-d will beautify Yefeth and it will dwell in the tents of Shem": The most beautiful of Yefeth; that is, the most beautiful tongue of all the sons of Yefeth, will dwell in the tents of Shem (Israel.) And there is no tongue among all the sons of Yefeth more beautiful than the Greek tongue. And the halachah is in accordance with R. Shimon b. Gamliel. However, that Greek tongue has already been lost and has become corrupted, for which reason, nowadays, we write scrolls only in the holy script and tongue.]

אֵין בֵּין כֹּהֵן מָשׁוּחַ בְּשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה לִמְרֻבֶּה בְגָדִים אֶלָּא פַּר הַבָּא עַל כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת. אֵין בֵּין כֹּהֵן מְשַׁמֵּשׁ לְכֹהֵן שֶׁעָבַר אֶלָּא פַּר יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים וַעֲשִׂירִית הָאֵיפָה:

There is no difference between the (high) priest anointed with the anointing oil and the "many-clothed" (high-priest), but the bullock which is brought for "all the mitzvoth" (Leviticus 4:2). [(the "many-clothed"): These are the priests who officiated in the second Temple and also in the first Temple from Yoshiyahu on. The cruse of anointing oil was secreted in his days, so that high-priests were invested with the donning of (additional) vestments alone. If the anointed high-priest (but not the "many-clothed") rules to be permitted something for which wilful transgression is punishable by kareth, and he acts upon his ruling, he brings a bullock (as an offering), viz. (Ibid. 3): "And if the anointed priest, etc."]. There is no difference between an officiating priest ("cohein meshamesh") and a pre-empted priest ("cohein she'avar") but the bullock of Yom Kippur and the tenth of the ephah. [("cohein hameshamesh":) If the high-priest sustained a blemish, and another were appointed in his stead, and his blemish disappeared, and he returned to his service, and his "stand-in" stepped down — the first is called "meshamesh," and the second, "avar." ("but the bullock of Yom Kippur":) it being impossible to offer two. And, likewise, with the tenth of the ephah, the daily cakes of the high-priest, it being impossible to offer two. But in all other respects, they are alike. If he (the "avar") comes to offer the incense or to perform any service, he wears eight vestments. And both are commanded (to wed only) a virgin, and are exhorted against marrying a widow, and officiate at sacrifices even in mourning.]

אֵין בֵּין בָּמָה גְדוֹלָה לְבָמָה קְטַנָּה אֶלָּא פְסָחִים. זֶה הַכְּלָל, כָּל שֶׁהוּא נִדָּר וְנִדָּב, קָרֵב בַּבָּמָה. וְכֹל שֶׁאֵינוֹ לֹא נִדָּר וְלֹא נִדָּב, אֵינוֹ קָרֵב בַּבָּמָה:

There is no difference between a large bamah (sacrificial mound) and a small bamah but pesachim (Pesach offerings). [This, when the bamoth were permitted. A large bamah is a congregational sacrificial mound, as that of Nov and Giveon. A small bamah is one that each individual makes for himself. Pesachim and all (offerings) like pesachim, i.e., obligatory offerings having a set time, such as temidim and mussafim, (are offered on a large bamah, but not on a small one); but obligatory offerings having no set time, such as the bullock of forgetfulness of the congregation and the goats for (unwitting) idolatry were not offered even on a large bamah.] This is the rule: Whatever is vowed and donated may be offered on a (small) bamah; whatever is not vowed and donated may not be offered on a bamah.

אֵין בֵּין שִׁילֹה לִירוּשָׁלַיִם אֶלָּא שֶׁבְּשִׁילֹה אוֹכְלִים קָדָשִׁים קַלִּים וּמַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי בְּכָל הָרוֹאֶה, וּבִירוּשָׁלַיִם לִפְנִים מִן הַחוֹמָה. וְכָאן וְכָאן קָדְשֵׁי קָדָשִׁים נֶאֱכָלִים לִפְנִים מִן הַקְּלָעִים. קְדֻשַּׁת שִׁילֹה יֵשׁ אַחֲרֶיהָ הֶתֵּר, וּקְדֻשַּׁת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם אֵין אַחֲרֶיהָ הֶתֵּר:

There is no difference between (the sanctuary of) Shiloh and Jerusalem, but that in Shiloh lesser-order offerings and ma'aser sheni are eaten wherever [Shiloh] can be seen, and, in Jerusalem, (only) within the wall. And, in both places, holy of holies are eaten (only) within the enclosure (of the sanctuary). The sanctity of Shiloh permits [of bamoth] after it [i.e., after its destruction.] The sanctity of Jerusalem does not permit [of bamoth] after it.