Commentaire sur Méguila 1:12

מגילה נקראת באחד עשר בשנים עשר – at times on this [day] and at times on that [day] as is explained further on.

Introduction The first mishnah of Megillah teaches that the Megillah might be read on different days, depending on the locality. Tomorrow’s mishnah will explain this in greater detail.

מימות יהושע בן נון קורין בט"ו – as it is written (Esther 9:19): “That is why village Jews, who live in unwalled towns observe the fourteenth day of the month of Adar…” And when those in unwalled towns [read the Megillah] on the fourteenth [of Adar], we infer from it that those are in walled cities read on the fifteenth [of Adar]. And this is from the time of Joshua [son of Nun], which we derive by analogy from [the usage of the words] פרזי פרזי . It is written here (Esther 9:19): “village Jews” and it is written there (Deuteronomy 3:5): “…apart from a great number of unwalled towns.” Just as there, [it is] from the time of Joshua, so here too, [it is] from the time of Joshua. And they established that cities surrounded by a wall from the days of Joshua, even though they now lack a wall , should read [the Megillah] on the fifteenth [of Adar] like Shushan/Susa, in order to distribute honor to the Land of Israel that was destroyed during the days of Mordecai and Esther, in order that they [residents in the Land of Israel] would read [the Megillah] like those who live in Shushan and would be considered as if they are walled cities, even though right now they are destroyed. And there would be a reminder to the Land of Israel through this miracle, and since Joshua began to fight with the Amalekites first, as it is written (Exodus 17:14): “[Then the LORD said to Moses,] ‘Inscribe this in a document as a reminder to the, and read it aloud to Joshua: [I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven]!’” Therefore, they mention it [Amalek – the ancestors of Haman] from the days of Joshua.

The Megillah is read on the eleventh, the twelfth, the thirteenth, the fourteenth, and the fifteenth [of Adar], never earlier and never later. This section provides all of the possible dates in Adar on which the Megillah might be read. Tomorrow’s mishnah will explain in what situation it might be read on the eleventh, twelfth, or thirteenth.

אלא שהכפרים מקדימין – that is to say, in the aftermath that, those [who live] in walled cities read [the Megillah] on the fifteenth [of Adar] and those who are not in walled cities [read] on the fourteenth [of Adar], everyone is within this principle. So how do we find further [that one can read the Megillah] on the eleventh, the twelfth or on the thirteenth [of Adar]? Rather, those who dwell in villages were given permission to advance their reading to the gathering [i.e., market] day [prior to Purim], on the Monday of the week before the fourteenth [of the month] or the Thursday of the week [before the fourteenth] , which are the gathering day, when the villagers gather together in the villages for judgment, since the Jewish courts sit on Mondays and Thursdays according to the ordinance of Ezra [the Scribe]. Alternatively, the villagers gather together in the cities [that are unwalled] on Mondays and Thursdays to hear the reading of the Torah. But the villagers are not so expert to read [the Torah] and need that it should be read for them by one of the city-dwellers. And the Sages did not trouble them to return and come on the fourteenth [of Adar], in order that they would be free on Purim day to provide for the needs of the festive Purim meal to those who dwell in the cities. And they [the Sages] found a hint for this from the Bible, as it is written (Esther 9:31): “These days of Purim shall be observed at their proper time[s, as Mordecai the Jew – and now Queen Esther – has obligated them to do…” and if Mordecai and Esther had not established anything other than the fourteenth and fifteenth [of Adar] which is written in the Bible, let the verse say, “in their time.” What is the meaning of “at their proper time[s]?” We learn from it two other times/occasions other than those that are written in the Megillah; but it was not necessary for the Bible to include the thirteenth [of Adar] as a day appropriate for reading [the Megillah] since the essence of the miracle [of Purim] was on that day, since on it they [i.e., the Jews] gathered to be avenged of their enemies, whether in Shushan or in the rest of the [one-hundred and twenty-seven] provinces. By force, the Bible only had to include the eleventh and the twelfth [of Adar], and we don’t say that it includes the sixteenth and seventeenth [of Adar] for after the fourteen and fifteenth [of Adar] mentioned in the Megillah, as the Bible states (Esther 9:27): “[to observe these two days] in the manner prescribed/ולא יעבור [and at the proper time each year].”

Cities which have been walled since the days of Joshua ben Nun read on the fifteenth; villages and large towns read on the fourteenth, Esther 9:19 reads, “That is why village Jews, who live in unwalled towns, observe the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and make it a day of merrymaking and feasting, and as a holiday and an occasion for sending gifts to one another.” If Jews in unwalled towns celebrate Purim on the fourteenth, it implies that Jews in walled cities celebrate on another day. This day must be the fifteenth, since in verse 18 the Jews in Shushan rest from their fighting on the fifteenth. The mishnah determines what is a walled city by reference to Joshua, even though Joshua lived hundreds of years before the events of Purim. The mishnah refers back to Joshua because the land of Israel was desolate in the time of Achashverosh and none of its cities were walled. In order to honor Israel, we therefore refer back to the original conquering.

Except that villages move the reading up to the day of gathering. Small villages move the reading up to the Monday or Thursday prior to the fourteenth of Adar. These were the market days, the days on which the court would convene and the days on which the Torah was read. The idea was that on these days the Jews would gather in the larger cities and it would be more possible to have a large celebration than if each individual village had celebrated separately on the fourteenth.

חל להיות י"ד בע"ש, עיירות ומוקפין חומה קורין בו ביום – There is no Megillah reading on Shabbat, as a [rabbinic] preventive measure lest he take it [the Megillah] in his hand and he removes it four cubits into the public domain. And if one were to postpone the reading until after Shabbat, it would be the sixteenth [of Adar], and the Biblical verse (Esther 9:27), said: “ ולא יעבור /in the manner prescribed [and at the proper time each year].” But even though wall-city dwellers read the Megillah on the fourteenth [of Adar] when the fifteenth [of Adar] occurs on Shabbat, nevertheless, we don’t read [the portion] (Exodus 17:8 and following): “Amalek came [and fought with Israel at Rephidim]…” other than on Shabbat which is the fifteenth day [of Adar], and we recite the Haftarah of (I Samuel 15:2-31): “[Thus said the LORD of Hosts:] I am exacting the penalty [for what Amalek did to Israel, for the assault he made upon them on the road, on their way up from Egypt (and following)].” And [further] we discuss and expound the laws of Purim on that Sabbath. And regarding the Festive Purim meal, there are those who say that we do it on the fourteenth day [of Adar] when for on it we read the Megillah; and there are those who say that we postpone it until after Shabbat. And this is implied in the Jerusalem Talmud, that the Festival Purim meal that occurs on Shabbat is postponed but not advanced [to an earlier date], and according to everyone, we don’t do it on Shabbat.

Introduction This mishnah explains how depending on when Purim falls the Megillah might be read on the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth or fifteenth. To explain the mishnah we need to remind ourselves that small villages would not read alone in their own village, but rather would move up, if necessary, the day of the reading so that it would fall on the same day as “the day of gathering,” the market and court day in the larger towns. As we shall see, this can lead to their reading the Megillah on the eleventh, twelfth or thirteenth. The fourteenth and fifteenth are the days when the Megillah is normally read.

באחד בשבת, כפרים מקדימין ליום הכניסה – that is on the eleventh [of Adar], and these words [indicating] that the Sages were lenient to those who dwell in villages to advance [their Reading of the Megillah] to the day of gathering (i.e., the previous Monday/Thursday], apply at the time when Israel lived [undisturbed] on their land and the messengers of the Jewish court go out to inform [the people] when the Jewish court sanctified the new month and when the Passover [sacrifice] would occur. But in this time, when the people become confused by their reading [of the Megillah at the wrong time] and count from it thirty days until Passover if the villagers were to advance their reading, they would observe the Passover at the end of the thirtieth day of their reading, and [ultimately] it would be found that they would e eating leaven on the last days of Passover. Therefore, we don’t read it [the Megillah] other than at its proper time.

How so?
If the fourteenth [of Adar] falls on Monday, the villages and large towns read on that day and the walled places on the next day. The mishnah begins with the easiest situation. Purim (the fourteenth of Adar) falls on the fourteenth, so everyone can read on that day except for those in walled cities who read on the fifteenth.

If it falls on Tuesday or on Wednesday, the villages move the reading up to the day of gathering, the large towns read on that day, and the walled places on the next day. If it falls on Tuesday, the people of the villages read on Monday (the 13th), the day of the gathering, and if it falls on Wednesday then they also move it up to the 12th, which is Monday. Again, the people of the large towns read on the fourteenth and the people of the walled cities on the fifteenth.

If it falls on Thursday, the villages and large towns read on that day and the walled places on the next day. If it falls on Thursday, again, everyone can read on that day except for those in walled cities who read on the fifteenth, on Friday.

If it falls on Friday, the villages move the reading up to the day of gathering and the large towns and walled places read on that day. If it falls on Friday, the villagers read on the Thursday the thirteenth, those from the large towns and even those from walled cities read on Friday, because the Megillah is not read on Shabbat. The reason that the Megillah is not read on Shabbat is that it is possible to move it up to Friday, so there is no reason to disturb Shabbat. The Talmud also explains that if they were allowed to read on Friday, they might end up carrying the Megillah through the public domain in order to get to synagogue.

If it falls on Shabbat, the villages and large towns move the reading up to the day of gathering, and the walled places read on the next day. If it falls on Shabbat, everyone moves the reading up to Thursday. Since it can’t be read on Shabbat and it will therefore have to be moved up in any case, they move it up for the large towns all the way to Thursday so that they end up reading it on the same day as the villagers.

If it falls on Sunday, the villages move the reading up to the day of gathering, the large towns read on that day, and the walled cities on the day following. Finally, if it falls on Sunday, the villagers move the reading up to Thursday, the 11th of Adar, the people from the large towns read on Sunday and those from walled towns read on Tuesday, the 15th.

עשרה בטלנים – of the synagogue who are idle from their work and are fed by the community, in order that they would always be found in the synagogue at the hour of prayer.

Introduction This mishnah continues to deal with the topic of the various days upon which the Megillah might be read.

באלו אמרו – at the times [of the reading of the Megillah], they said that those who advance the reading if the time of being read falls on Shabbat.

What is considered a large town? One which has in it ten idle men. One that has fewer is considered a village. A large town is one that is considered wealthy enough to support ten men who do not work but rather sit in the synagogue or study house and study all day. Put another way, a large town is one that can support a small leisurely class. In Greece and Rome this meant philosophers and in Israel this meant rabbis. Anything smaller is considered a village and moves the reading of the Megillah up to the day of the gathering, Monday or Thursday.

אבל זמן עצי הכהנים והעם – that there were families among Israel who had fixed dates every year to bring wood to the Temple for the needs of the arrangement [of the piles of wood on the altar in the Temple], and they would bring an offering of wood with them as voluntary burnt offerings. If the fourteenth of Adar falls on Shabbat, we postpone [the reading] to the next day.

In respect of these they said that they should be moved up but not postponed. There are other holidays and semi-holidays during the year that are not observed on the day upon which they fall if they fall on Shabbat. The reading of the Megillah is the only holiday that is moved up all the rest are postponed. The Talmud provides a midrashic explanation for this. Esther 9:27 states, “the Jews accepted upon themselves and their descendants and all those who might join them, that these days should not pass without observing them as it is written and in their time, year after year.” My translation is intentionally slightly awkward so that we can note the midrash. The words “should not pass” are understood by the rabbis to mean that one cannot observe Purim after the fourteenth/fifteenth of Adar has already passed.

ותשעה באב – And the same law applies to the other fasts, if one of them falls on the Sabbath.

But with regard to the bringing the wood for the priests, the [fast of] Tisha B’Av, the hagigah, and assembling the people they postpone [until after Shabbat] and they do not move them up. I will briefly explain these holidays here. The bringing of the wood for the priests occurred nine times a year. Certain families would bring wood to the Temple to be used on the altar. This was discussed in Taanit 4:5. It would not be done on Shabbat. The hagigah is a sacrifice brought on Yom Tov, the first day of the festival. If Yom Tov falls on Shabbat it is postponed until the next day. The “assembling of the people” or “Hakhel” in Hebrew occurs during the sabbatical year on Sukkot, when they would gather all the people together to read the Torah. This would not be done on Shabbat.

וחגיגה – if a Yom Tov/Jewish holy day falls on Shabbat, we postpone the holiday peace-offerings to the next day, for they have payment all seven days; and similarly הקהל – the gathering together of the people (see Deuteronomy 31:10-13, especially verse 12), when the King would read the book of Deuteronomy/Mishneh Torah, and all the people are liable to come and bring their children, as it is written (Deuteronomy 31:12): “[Gather the people] – men, women, children,[and all strangers in your communities…], and on Shabbat this is impossible and this we postpone it to the next day.

Although they said that they should be moved up but not postponed, it is permissible to mourn, to fast, and to distribute gifts to the poor [on these earlier days]. On both the fourteenth and fifteenth of Adar, one is not allowed to fast or to mourn, because these are the two days of Purim. However, even though the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth are also days on which one might read the Megillah, it is still permitted to mourn or fast on those days. The mishnah says that it is also permitted to give gifts to the poor on those days. Giving gifts to the poor is one of the central obligations of Purim. Some commentators explain the mishnah to mean that one who gives gifts to the poor on one of these days has fulfilled his obligation. However, others say that the mishnah means that one is exempt from giving gifts to the poor on these days.

ולא מקדימין – for their time of their obligation has not yet arrived. But [regarding] Tisha B’Av we don’t advance the retribution.

Rabbi Judah said: When is this so? In a place where people gather on Mondays and Thursdays, but in places where people do not gather on Mondays and Thursdays, the Megillah is read only on its proper day. Rabbi Judah points out that the system of moving the reading up to the 11th-13th was done only when it made realistic sense at a time when Mondays and Thursdays were the days of gathering. It seems quite certain that by Rabbi Judah’s time this system of gathering on Monday and Thursday was already defunct and hence everyone would read at the proper time.

אין בין אדר ראשון לאדר שני וכו' – his is how it should be read: There is no difference between the fourteenth and fifteenth of first Adar and the fourteenth and fifteenth of second Adar other than the reading of the Megillah and gifts to the poor [both in the Second Adar], but regarding the matter of eulogies and fasting, both [the first Adar and the second Adar] are equivalent.

Introduction When Jews adjust the lunar calendar to keep it in sync with the solar calendar, they add a second month of Adar, the month during which Purim falls. The rabbis hold that Purim should be observed during the second Adar. Today because our calendar is fixed this is quite simple. Ahead of time we know which year will have a second Adar. In mishnaic times this was more difficult because the calendar had not yet been fixed. Our mishnah addresses this problem.

If they read the Megillah during the first Adar and the year was intercalated (a month was, it is read again in the second Adar. If they read the Megillah during the first Adar and then the court decided to add a month to the year, they must read it again during the second Adar.

There is no difference between the first Adar and the second Adar except the reading of the Megillah and the giving of gifts to the poor. The only difference with regard to Purim between the first month of Adar and the second is that the Megillah is read and gifts are given to the poor during the second month and not during the first month. However, when it comes to the prohibition of fasting and mourning, it is forbidden to fast on the fourteenth and fifteenth of both months. It is unclear from our mishnah whether the other two obligations for Purim, giving portions of food to friends and having a festive meal, are done both times or not. It seems to me that it would make little sense for these customs to be performed during the first Adar at a time when the Megillah is not being read.

אין בין יו"ט לשבת אלא אוכל נפש בלבד – [See Mishnah Betzah, 5:2] Our Mishnah is according to [the teachings of] the School of Shammai, who say (Betza 12a), we don’t take out a young child or a Lulav or a Torah scroll into the public domain, since they lack the need for food preparation. And this is not the Halakha, but only according to the words of the School of Hillel, who say that since we are permitted to bring something out for the purposes of eating, it is also permitted to take them out not for the sake of eating. And there are also other things that are prohibited on Shabbat but permitted on Yom Tov/Jewish holy days, even though they are not for the sake of food preparation, such as [see Mishnah Betzah, 5:1] throwing down fruit (if it is about to rain) [that was spread out to dry on the roof] through a trap door on a Jewish holy day, but not on Shabbat.

Introduction From here until the end of the chapter there is a series of mishnayot in which each mishnah begins with the literary structure of “there is no difference between x and y except,” the literary structure that we saw in yesterday’s mishnah. This type of structure is probably a result of the Mishnah’s being an oral text. Halakhot phrased in this style are simply easier to remember.

שזה זדונו בידי אדם – [if one violates a Mitzvah willfully] on Shabbat , which has death by a Jewish court.

There is no difference between Shabbat and Yom Tov except the preparation of food. All work prohibited on Shabbat is also prohibited on Yom Tov, except work done in the preparation of food. For further reading on this subject look at the introduction to tractate Betzah.

There is no difference between Shabbat and Yom HaKippurim except that the deliberate violation of the one is punished by a human court and the deliberate violation of the other by karet. An intentional transgression of Shabbat carries with it the death penalty, a punishment that is carried out by a human court. In contrast, an intentional transgression of Yom Kippur is not punished by a human court, but rather by karet, a punishment that is dished out by God.

אין בין המודר הנאה – One who is forbidden by vow to derive any benefit is not more severe than one [who is forbidden] by vow from [consuming] food other than entering one’s ground, for one [who is forbidden] by vow to derive any benefit , is prohibited to enter into his [home],[whereas] one [who is forbidden] by vow from [consuming] food is permitted [to enter into his home].

There is no difference between one who is prohibited by vow from benefiting from his fellow and one who is prohibited by vow from [benefiting from] his food, except in the matter of setting foot [on his property] and of vessels which are not used for [preparing] food. There are two things which are permitted to one who is under a vow not to derive food benefit from his neighbor which are not permitted to one who may not benefit from his neighbor at all: walking on his property and the use of things not involved in the making of food. For more information look at Nedarim 4:1.

וכליים שאין עושין בהן אוכל נפש – It is permitted to lend them (i.e., the utensils) to one [who is forbidden] by vow from [consuming] food, and especially in a place where they do not hire and similar cases, but in a place where we hire and similar things, it is prohibited, for all benefit that brings one towards [eating] food, for if he did not derive this benefit which is wanting at least the equivalent of a Perutah/penny, it is the benefit of food, for since it is appropriate for that Perutah/penny [to be used] to purchase food.

There is no difference between vowed offerings and freewill-offerings except that he is responsible for vowed offering but not responsible for freewill-offerings. Vowed offerings are stated using the language “Behold, I will bring an animal as an offering.” If a person sets aside an animal to be a vowed offering and the animal cannot for whatever reason be sacrificed (for instance, it gets lost or dies) he must bring a substitute. However, if he makes a freewill-offering using the language, “I will bring this animal as a sacrifice” and the animal is lost, he need not bring another. In all other respects, there is no difference between the two types of offerings.

נדר – He who says, “behold this burnt offering is upon me,” and afterwards, he set it aside and it was lost, he is liable for his property which may be resorted to in the event of non-payment.

נדבה – He who says, “behold this burnt offering is upon me,” and it was lost, he is not liable for his property which may resorted to in the event of non-payment, for he did not accept it upon himself, but [regarding] the matter of "בל תאחר"/that he should not be late (see Deuteronomy 23:22: “When you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not put off fulling it/לא תאחר לשלמו , [for the LORD your God will require it of you, and you will have incurred guilt.]”); both are equivalent, as it says (Deuteronomy 23:24): “…and perform what you have voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God, having made the promise with your own mouth,” for behold, vows and donations are mentioned in this matter.

שתי ראיות – whether on one day or on two consecutive days, and also three sightings, whether on one day, whether on three consecutive days or two [sightings] on one day, and one on the morrow.

There is no difference between a zav who sees [genital discharge] twice and one who sees three, except the sacrifice. A man who experiences an abnormal discharge for one or two consecutive days is impure for seven days after the discharge ends. If he sees the discharge for a third consecutive day, he must bring a sacrifice at the end of the seven day period. See Leviticus 15.

אלא קרבן – for a person afflicted with gonorrhea who viewed two sightings does not require a sacrifice. But regarding the matter of making someone who performed the acts of the uncleanness caused by an unclean person lying on an object and the uncleanness caused by an unclean man’s sitting [to become] one of the original or direct causes of Levitical uncleanness and even if he did not touch them, and the counting of seven [clean days] from when his flux stopped, for he must count seven clean [days] before he immerses [in the Mikveh/ritual bath], both of these are equivalent.

There is no difference between a metzora who is under observation and one declared to be a definite metzora except the disheveling of hair and tearing the clothes. A metzora is a person with some sort of skin affliction. After his skin affliction is identified he is set aside for seven days for observation by a priest. If the skin affliction spreads, then the priest declares him to be a definite metzora. There is no difference between the two stages except that one who has been declared to be a definite metzora has to have his hair disheveled and his clothes torn, as prescribed in Leviticus 13:45. [I should note that some interpret the Hebrew for “disheveling the hair” to mean that he has to let his hair grow long.] Other than these differences, the two types of metzora are equal in their impurity.

אין בין מצורע מוסגר – who requires the locking up of the leper for trial, as it is written (Leviticus 13:5): “[On the seventh day the priest shall examine him, and if the affliction has remained unchanged in color and the disease has not spread on the skin,] the priest shall isolate him for [another] seven days.”

There is no difference between a metzora who has been declared clean after being under observation and one who has been declared clean after having been a definite metzorah except shaving and [sacrificing] the birds. If the priest declares a metzora who had been under observation to be pure, he does not bring a sacrifice nor does he have to shave his hair. If the metzora had been definite then he must bring two birds as a sacrifice and shave his hair. See Leviticus 14. The two different types of metzora are the same in that at the end of their period of impurity they both must immerse in the mikveh and purify their clothes (see Lev. 13:6, 34).

למצורע מוחלט – where the Kohen [declares] him completely defiled.

אלא פריעה ופרימה – this is regarding the matter of banishment and defilement, both of these are equivalent.

אין בין טהור מתוך הסגר לטהור מתוך החלט אלא תגלחת וצפרים – for concerning shearing and the bird sacrifices it is written (Leviticus 14:3): “the leper has been healed of his scaly affection,” excluding the leper being locked up (pending the Kohen’s observation), for his leprosy is dependent upon time (literally, “days”), because even if he was cured, he has to be locked up for seven days. But to the matter of [ritual] purification in the Mikveh, both are equivalent. For someone whose purity [was dependent upon] his being locked up, it is also written (Leviticus 13:6): “[On the seventh day the priest shall examine him again: if the affection had faded and has not spread on the skin, the priest shall pronounce him pure. It is a rash;] he shall wash his clothes, and he shall be pure.” And even though there also are the guilt sacrifices and the LOG (= 6 eggs) of oil, however, here, on the day of his purification and his healing is what is taught, and we are not dealing with the sacrifices that are in [the Torah portion of] Shemini.

נכתבין בכל לשון – In the writing of every nation and in the language of every nation.

There is no difference between scrolls [of the Tanakh] and tefillin and mezuzahs except that scrolls may be written in any language whereas tefillin and mezuzahs may be written only in Assyrian. Scrolls of the Tanakh may be written in any language and in any type of writing. However, mezuzot and tefillin may be written only in Assyrian, the alphabet in which Hebrew was and is still written and they may be written only in Hebrew.

אין נכתבין אלא יונית – And the reason that they permitted scrolls in Greek more than other language, as it says in the Bible (Genesis 9:27): “May God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem…” The beauty of Japheth, that is, the beautiful language of Japheth [that is found] among all of the children of Japheth, “let him dwell in the tents of Shem,” and there is no more beautiful language among all of the children of Japheth like the Greek language. And the Halakha is like Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel. However, at this time, that Greek language has become lost and confounded. Therefore, at this time, we do not write scrolls other than in the Holy Writing and in the Holy Language.

Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel says that scrolls [of the Tanakh] were permitted [by the sages] to be written only in Greek. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel says that while Tanakh scrolls may indeed be written in languages other than Hebrew, they may not be written in any language, just Greek. At the time of the Mishnah Greek was the international language of the intelligentsia. It was also the language into which the Tanakh had already been translated. This translation is called the Septuagint and was widely used in the period by Jews in the Greek-speaking Diaspora.

מרובה בגדים – Kohanim who served during the Second Temple [period], and even during the First Temple [period] after Isaiah and beyond, when the oil flask was hidden during his days, and there no [distinguishing features of] High Priests other than only the wearing of [multiple outfits of] clothing.

Introduction Our mishnah deals with differences between different types of high priests.

פר הבא על כל המצות – An Kohen anointed [with the anointing oil] who taught a leniency in a matter whose willful violation [is punished] by means of extirpation, and he acted according to his teaching, he brings a bullock, as it is written (Leviticus 4:3 – “If it is the anointed priest who has incurred guilt, so that blame falls upon the people, he shall offer for the sin of which he is guilty a bull of the herd without blemish as a purification offering to the LORD.”) if he is an anointed Kohen.

There is no difference between a priest anointed with the oil of anointment and one who [only] wears the additional garments except for the bull which is offered for the [unwitting transgression of] any of the commandments. The high priest was supposed to be anointed with special anointing oil, except that the composition of this type of oil was unknown in the Second Temple period and hence not used. The distinction in the Second Temple period between high priests and ordinary priests was that the high priest had eight garments and the ordinary priest wore only four. Our mishnah teaches that the difference between the high priest in the First Temple and the high priest in the Second Temple is that only the anointed priest brings a bull for an unwitting transgression, as is stated in Leviticus 4:3, “If it is the anointed priest who has incurred guilt…”

כהן המשמש – A High Priest that something occurred to him to make him unfit for service [in the Temple] and they appointed another in his place and his blemish passed and he returned to his Divine Service, and they removed the one who came in his place, the first one is called “the attending/serving [Priest]” and the second [is called] “removed.”

There is no difference between a serving [high] priest and one whose time has passed except the bull of Yom HaKippurim and the tenth of the ephah. The high priest who is currently serving in office brings the sacrificial bull on Yom HaKippurim (Leviticus 16:6) and the tenth of an ephah of flour offered every day (Leviticus 6:13). Otherwise a high priest who has been removed or otherwise left office is treated the same as the currently serving high priest. For more information on this, see Horayot 3:4.

אלא פר יוה"כ – for it is impossible to bring two [sacrifices]. And similarly with the tenth of the Ephah, the cakes of the High Priest’s inauguration (see Mishnah Menahot, 11:3) for each day, since it is impossible to bring two [at once]. But regarding all other things, both are equivalent. If he comes to offer incense or any other Divine Service, he makes uses of the eight [different sets of] garments. And both of them are commanded about [marrying] a virgin and warned about [not marrying] a widow. And they offer incense when they are grieving [the loss of a kinsman prior to his/her burial].

אין בין במה גדולה – it is dealing with the time when [personal] altars are permitted. The large altar is the communal altar, which was in Nob and Giv’on.

Introduction Before the Temple in Jerusalem was built it was permitted to build personal altars and offer sacrifices on them. At this time period there were also communal altars. The personal altars are called “small altars” whereas the communal altars are called “great altars”. The “great altar” is referred to in I Kings 3:2, “The people, however, continued to offer sacrifices at altars, because up to that time no house had been built for the name of the Lord. The king went up to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great altar…” Our mishnah outlines the differences that existed in this time period between great, communal altars and personal, small altars.

לבמה קטנה – of each and every individual person, for everyone would make an altar for himself.

There is no difference between a great altar and a small altar except for the pesach offering. An individual cannot sacrifice the pesah at his own altar, but rather must bring it to the communal altar. The Talmud explains that not only the pesah cannot be offered at the small altar, but all mandatory sacrifices as well. This is illustrated in the next section’s general principle.

אלא פסחים – and everything that is like the Passover sacrifices, that is, the obligations which had the set time for them like Passover; like, for example, the daily offerings and Musaf/additional offerings. But obligations that do not have for them a fixed/set time, such as the bullock for an unconscious sin of the community, and the goats for idolatry, even on the large altar they would not have been offered.

This is the general principle: any animal which can be brought as a vow-offering or a freewill offering may be brought on a [small] altar, any animal which is not the object of a vow or a freewill-offering may not be brought on a [small] altar. Only voluntary offerings can be offered at a small altar. Mandatory offerings, such as the tamid, the musaf, the pesah, sin-offerings, guilt-offerings, holiday-related offerings and others, must be brought to the central altar.

בכל הרואה – in every place from where you are able to see Shiloh.

Introduction The final mishnah of this series continues to deal with differences between places in which sacrifices can be offered.

היתר – When Shiloh was destroyed, [private] altars were permitted.

There is no difference between Shiloh and Jerusalem except that in Shiloh sacrifices of lesser sanctity and second tithe could be eaten anywhere within sight [of the town], whereas in Jerusalem [they had to be eaten] within the walls. During the time of Samuel the ark was at Shiloh (see I Samuel 3-4). Since the ark had a permanent home, it was prohibited to offer sacrifices at local altars, just as it was prohibited to offer sacrifices when the Temple stood in Jerusalem. There is only one difference between Shiloh and Jerusalem, and that is with regard to where certain sacrifices and second tithe could be eaten. When Shiloh was the center of worship, these could be eaten in any place within sight of Shiloh. In Jerusalem they had to be eaten within the city walls.

In both places the most holy sacrifices were eaten within the curtains. In both Shiloh and Jerusalem most holy sacrifices, such as sin and guilt offerings, had to be eaten within the Temple/Tabernacle (Mishkan) precincts.

After the sanctification of Shiloh there is permission [for altars], but after the sanctification of Jerusalem there is no such permission. When Shiloh was destroyed, it again became permitted to offer sacrifices at other communal and personal altars but when the two Temples in Jerusalem were destroyed there was no such permission and it continued to be forbidden to offer sacrifices at other altars. Put another way, when the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed it became forbidden to offer sacrifices elsewhere and after the destruction of the Second Temple it remained forbidden until the Temple will be rebuilt.