Study Sukkah folio 55A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
ואמר רבי יוחנן: לידע שהוקבע ראש חודש בזמנו. תרי היכירא עבדינן. דחזי האי — חזי, וחזי בהאי — חזי.
And R' Yoḥanan said: Why was it placed in this manner? It was as an indicator for the people to know that Rosh Chodesh was established at its proper time, after the 29th day of the previous month. The Talmud answers: This is not difficult, as they implemented two indicators: One who saw this one, i.e., the sequence of the songs, saw it; and one who saw that one, i.e., where the fats were placed, saw it, and there is no contradiction.
מיתיבי, דתני רבא בר שמואל: יכול כשם שתוקעין על שבת בפני עצמו ועל ראש חדש בפני עצמו, כך יהיו תוקעין על כל מוסף ומוסף — תלמוד לומר: ״ובראשי חדשיכם״, תיובתא דרבי אחא! תיובתא.
The Talmud raises another objection to the opinion of R' Aḥa, as Rava bar Shmuel taught this baraita: I might have thought that just as when Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh do not coincide they sound the trumpets for the additional Shabbat offering in and of itself, and for the additional New Moon offering in and of itself, so too would they sound the trumpets for each and every additional offering when the days coincide. Therefore, the verse states: “And on the day of your rejoicing, and at your appointed times, and on your New Moons, and you should sound the trumpets for your burnt-offerings and your peace-offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am YHWH your God” (Numbers 10:10), indicating that one blast is sounded for all. The Talmud suggests: This is a conclusive refutation of the opinion of R' Aḥa. The Talmud concludes: Indeed, it is a conclusive refutation.
מאי תלמודא? אמר אביי, אמר קרא: ״ובראשי חדשיכם״ — הוקשו כל חדשים כולם זה לזה. רב אשי אמר: כתיב ״חדשכם״, וכתיב ״ובראשי״ — ואיזה חדש שיש לו שני ראשים, הוי אומר: זה ראש השנה, ואמר רחמנא ״חדשכם״, חד היא.
Since the baraita was cited, the Talmud asks: What is the derivation cited in this baraita? How does the phrase: And on your New Moons, prove that the trumpets are sounded once for all the additional offerings? Abaye said: The verse states: “And on your New Moons,” in plural, indicating that all the months are equated to each other, and just as on a typical New Moon the trumpets are sounded once for the additional offering, so too when Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh coincide the trumpets are sounded once and no more. Rav Ashi said that in this verse it is written: Your moon [ḥodshekhem], without a yod, in the singular, and in the same verse it is written: “And on your new [uverashei],” in the plural. And which is the month that has two new beginnings? You must say it is Rosh HaShana, which is the beginning of both the new year and the new month. And yet God says: Your moon, in the singular, indicating it is one and the trumpets are sounded once.