Megillah 10 - December 22, 18 Tevet

Study Guide Megillah 10

Today’s daf is sponsored by Cheryl and Avi Savitsky in loving memory of Cheryl’s father Dr. Steven F. Stein, Shimon Feibush ben Yisrael Yitzchak HaKohen on his 38th yahrzeit. 

Today’s daf is also sponsored by Ann Goldhirsch for a refuah shleimah for Sarah Nechah bat Leah.

What are the differences and similarities between Shilo and Jerusalem? One of the differences is that one can sacrifice in bamot after the destruction of the Tabernacle but not after the Temple is built in Jerusalem. However, Rabbi Yitzchak said that sacrifices were brought in Egypt at the Temple of Onais, Beit Chonyo, as the Temple was for worship of God, not idols, and the sanctity of the building of the First Temple was just for that time but once it was destroyed, the sanctity was gone and so was the prohibition to sacrifice outside the Temple. This is proven by a verse in the Torah. But Rava insists that Rabbi Yitzchak retracted this statement as it is clear that once the Jews built the Temple in Jerusalem, even after its destruction, one is not allowed to sacrifice in bamot. The issue of the sanctity remaining after the destruction of the First Temple is a subject of tannaitic debate. First the Gemara tries to prove that from a Mishna in Eduyot. However, it is not conclusive as it is not clear that they disagree on that issue. Two contradictory sources are brought, both in the name of Rabbi Yishmael son of Rabbi Yosi – one saying the first sanctity was only temporary and the other saying it was forever. This is resolved by saying that either there is a debate among tannaim about what Rabbi Yishmael son of Rabbi Yosi held, or one source lists his name by mistake and it was said in the name of Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Yosi. A long list of drashot on the Megillah is brought. When the Megillah starts with the word “Vayehi” “And it was…,” that is foreshadowing that something bad will happen, as appear in many other places in the Tanach. After several verses are brought, others that have the same language but are not introductions to something bad happening and the Gemara then responds by saying that when it says “And it was in the time of…,” then it is an indicator of something bad about to happen. Rabbi Levi passed down traditions about a number of verses: Amotz, Isaiah’s father, was the bother of Amatzia the King of Judea. This is derived from Tamar as she was promised that kings and prophets would descend from her. Another tradition he passed down was that the Ark didn’t take up any space in the Holy of Holies as the room was 20x20 cubits and there were ten cubits between the Ark and the walls. A list of drashot are brought that different rabbis would start with when teaching the Megillah.