L'épisode de Reuven (et Bilhah) est lu et non traduit. L'épisode d'Amnon et Tamar est lu et traduit. [Et nous ne craignons pas l'honneur de David. Ceci, quand il n'est pas écrit "Amnon fils de David" (voir ci-dessous)]. La première partie de l'épisode du veau d'or est lue et traduite. [Et nous ne craignons pas pour l'honneur d'Israël.] La deuxième partie de l'épisode du veau d'or [de (Exode 32:21): "Et Moïse dit à Aaron" jusqu'à (Ibid. 25): "Et Moïse vit les gens, etc. " et (Ibid. 35): "Et l'Éternel envoya une plaie parmi le peuple, etc."] est lu et non traduit, [par déférence envers Aaron]. La bénédiction sacerdotale [est lue et non traduite parce qu'elle comprend (Nombres 6:26): "L'Éternel élève son visage vers vous". Pour qu'ils ne disent pas que le Saint Béni soit-Il (gratuitement) lève son visage (dans le pardon)— et eux, ne sachant pas qu'Israël méritait de lever son visage pour eux.] L'épisode de David et d'Amnon n'est pas lu [dans la haftarah] et non traduit [ —tous ces versets où il est écrit «Amnon fils de David». Mais ceux où "Amnon" seul est écrit—il est indiqué ci-dessus: "L'épisode d'Amnon et Tamar est lu et traduit."] Il n'y a pas de lecture de haftarah dans le Chariot Divin (Ezéchiel 1) [de peur qu'ils ne viennent l'interroger et y sonder.] R. Yehudah le permet. [Et la halakha est en accord avec lui.] R. Eliezer dit: il n'y a pas de haftarah lisant dans (Ézéchiel 16): "Faites connaître à Jérusalem, etc.", [pour l'honneur de Jérusalem. La halakha n'est pas conforme à R. Eliezer.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Megillah
מעשה אמנון ותמר נקרא ומיתרגם – and we are not fearful for the dear ones of David, and this [pragmatically] is that it is not written, Amnon, the son of David, as we need to say further on.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Megillah
Introduction
In yesterday’s mishnah we learned that translations must be literal. Today’s mishnah, the last in tractate Megillah, teaches that some portions of the Torah are not translated at all because of the nature of their content.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Megillah
מעשה עגל הראשון נקרא ומתרגם – and we are not fearful for the dear ones of Israel
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English Explanation of Mishnah Megillah
The incident of Reuven is read but not translated. Reuven sleeps with Bilhah, his father’s concubine (Genesis 35:22). This story is not translated in order not to shame Reuven.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Megillah
מעשה עגל השני – from (Exodus 32:21-25): “Moses said to Aaron, [[What did this people do to you that you have brought such great sin upon them?’],” until “Moses saw that the people [were out of control…]” and the verse (Exodus 32:35): “Then the LORD sent a plague upon the people [for what they did with the calf that Aaron made],” all of these are read but are not translated [to Aramaic] because of the honor of Aaron.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Megillah
The story of Tamar is read and translated. Tamar tricks Judah into sleeping with her (see Genesis 38). This story is read and translated because it is actually to Judah’s credit. When he discovers that he has committed a wrong (vs. 26), he doesn’t try to hide his crime, as embarrassing as it might be. Note that Judah serves as a foil for Reuven. Reuven intentionally commits a crime, so we must hide it from the public. Judah accidentally commits a crime and then confesses, so we make public the entire story.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Megillah
ברכת כהנים – which is read but not translated because it has in it (Numbers 6:26): “The LORD bestow His favor (or “lift up His countenance) upon you [and grant you peace!], so that people would not say that the Holy One, blessed be He lifts up His countenance, and they do not know that Israel is appropriate for to lift up one’s countenance/face to them.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Megillah
The first part of the incident of the golden calf is both read and translated, but the second is read but not translated. The first part of the golden calf story is from Exodus 32:1-20. This part is translated either because Israel does receive atonement, or in order so that the congregation will learn from their mistakes. In verse 21 Moses questions and accuses Aaron. In order not to embarrass Aaron, this section is not translated.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Megillah
מעשה דוד ואמנון – is not read in the Haftarah and is not translated. All of these verses in which it is written in them “Amnon the son of David,” but those in which are stated “Amnon” alone, but we said above that the Episode of Amnon and Tamar is read and translated.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Megillah
The blessing of the priests, the stories of David and Amnon are not read or translated. The version of this mishnah in good manuscripts says that these sections are neither read nor translated. The priestly blessing is not read, perhaps because it is a regular part of the prayer service. According to the version of the mishan in the Talmud, these verses are read but not translated. The Talmud explains that they are not translated because one of the verses says, “May God show favor to you” and people might think that God shows favor in judgment and doesn’t judge justly. The story of David and Batsheva (II Samuel 11) is not read as a haftarah because it is embarrassing to David. In the story of Amnon (II Samuel 13), Amnon rapes Tamar and then wants to abandon her. He eventually is killed by Absolom, David’s other son. This is also quite embarrassing to David and to his house.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Megillah
אין מפטירין במרכבה – perhaps we would come to question it and preoccupy [ourselves] with it. [NOTE: We do recite the Haftarah of Ezekiel, Chapter 1 on the first day of Shavuot].
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English Explanation of Mishnah Megillah
They do not conclude with the portion of the chariot as a haftarah. But Rabbi Judah permits this. We don’t read the description of the chariot contained in Ezekiel, chapter one, as a haftarah because ordinary people are not supposed to study this mystical chapter. However, Rabbi Judah allows this.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Megillah
R. Eliezar says: they do not conclude with “Proclaim Jerusalem’s [abominations]” (Ezekiel 1 as a haftarah. Rabbi Eliezer prohibits reading Ezekiel 16 as a haftarah because its content is simply too graphic. Read the chapter for yourself to get an idea of its disturbing content. Congratulations! We have finished Megillah. It is a tradition at this point to thank God for helping us finish learning the tractate and to commit ourselves to going back and relearning it, so that we may not forget it and so that its lessons will stay with us for all of our lives. Megillah was full of practical halakhah that is still relevant today. We learned about reading the Megillah and reading the Torah in the synagogue. The information in this tractate is just the tip of the iceberg to all of the many halakhot about these two issues, so keep learning. As always, congratulations on learning another tractate of Mishnah. Tomorrow we start Moed Katan.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Megillah
אין מפטירין בהודע את ירושלים – (Ezekiel 16) because of the honor/dignity of Jerusalem; but the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Eliezer.
