In this daf, we continue our learning of the special tefillos and fasts, focusing on the order of the blessings and the deep connection between our prayers and the historical figures who were answered by Hashem. The Gemara discusses the specific wording of the blessings, explaining why certain prophets and kings are mentioned in a particular order, and how their cries and prayers serve as the foundation for our own supplications in times of distress.
We then move into a beautiful and practical discussion regarding the kohanim and their service in the Beis HaMikdash. The Gemara details the restrictions placed on the priestly watches (mishmaros) and their sub-divisions (batei avos) regarding drinking wine, cutting hair, and laundering clothes. This leads into a touching discussion of how these halachos apply in our times, reflecting our constant yearning and readiness for the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash.
אֶלָּא בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, וּבַיּוֹבְלוֹת, וּבִשְׁעַת מִלְחָמָה.
Rather, the shofar is blown on Rosh HaShana, and on the Jubilee Years, and in a time of war.
עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנָה הוּא אוֹמֵר: מִי שֶׁעָנָה אֶת אַבְרָהָם כּוּ׳.
The Mishnah taught: For the first blessing he recites: He Who answered Abraham etc.
תָּנָא: יֵשׁ מַחְלִיפִין צְעָקָה לְאֵלִיָּהוּ, וּתְפִלָּה לִשְׁמוּאֵל.
It was taught in a baraita: Some reverse the order of the blessings, assigning crying to Elijah, and prayer to Samuel.
בִּשְׁלָמָא גַּבֵּי שְׁמוּאֵל — כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ תְּפִלָּה וּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ צְעָקָה.
The Gemara asks: Granted, with regard to Samuel, both options are appropriate, as it is written concerning him: Prayer, and it is likewise written concerning him: Crying.
אֶלָּא גַּבֵּי אֵלִיָּהוּ — תְּפִלָּה כְּתִיב, צְעָקָה לָא כְּתִיב!
However, with regard to Elijah, although prayer is written, crying is not written! How can one conclude his blessing with crying?
״עֲנֵנִי ה׳ עֲנֵנִי״ לְשׁוֹן צְעָקָה הִיא.
The Gemara answers: Elijah's statement: "Answer me, Hashem, answer me" is an expression of crying.
עַל הַשִּׁשִּׁית הוּא אוֹמֵר: מִי שֶׁעָנָה אֶת יוֹנָה כּוּ׳. עַל הַשְּׁבִיעִית הוּא אוֹמֵר: מִי שֶׁעָנָה אֶת דָּוִד כּוּ׳.
The Mishnah taught: For the sixth he recites: He Who answered Jonah etc. For the seventh he recites: He Who answered David etc.
מִכְּדֵי יוֹנָה בָּתַר דָּוִד וּשְׁלֹמֹה הֲוָה, מַאי טַעְמָא מַקְדֵּים לֵיהּ בְּרֵישָׁא?
The Gemara asks: Since Jonah was after David and Solomon, what is the reason that the tanna mentions him first?
מִשּׁוּם דְּבָעֵי לְמִיחְתַּם ״מְרַחֵם עַל הָאָרֶץ״.
The Gemara answers: Because he wants to conclude the series with: Who has mercy on the Land, which fits David and Solomon who prayed for Eretz Yisrael.
תָּנָא, מִשּׁוּם סוֹמְכוֹס אָמְרוּ: ״בָּרוּךְ מַשְׁפִּיל הָרָמִים״.
It was taught in a baraita: In the name of Sumakhos they said that he concludes the final blessing with: Blessed is He Who humbles the exalted.
שָׁלֹשׁ תַּעֲנִיּוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת אַנְשֵׁי מִשְׁמָר מִתְעַנִּין וְלֹא מַשְׁלִימִין כּוּ׳.
The Mishnah taught: On the first three fasts, the members of the priestly watch fast but do not complete their fasts until nightfall etc.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מִפְּנֵי מָה אָמְרוּ אַנְשֵׁי מִשְׁמָר מוּתָּרִין לִשְׁתּוֹת יַיִן בַּלֵּילוֹת אֲבָל לֹא בַּיָּמִים —
The Rabbis taught in a baraita: For what reason did they say that the members of the priestly watch are permitted to drink wine at nights but not during the days?
שֶׁמָּא תִּכְבַּד הָעֲבוֹדָה עַל אַנְשֵׁי בֵּית אָב, וְיָבוֹאוּ וִיסַיְּיעוּ לָהֶם.
Lest the Temple service becomes burdensome for the members of the patrilineal family, and the members of the priestly watch will come and assist them.
מִפְּנֵי מָה אָמְרוּ אַנְשֵׁי בֵּית אָב לֹא בַּיּוֹם וְלֹא בַּלַּיְלָה — מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן עֲסוּקִין תָּמִיד בָּעֲבוֹדָה.
For what reason did they say that the members of the patrilineal family may not drink wine, neither by day nor by night? Because they are constantly engaged in the Temple service.
מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ: כׇּל כֹּהֵן שֶׁמַּכִּיר מִשְׁמַרְתּוֹ וּמִשְׁמֶרֶת בֵּית אָב שֶׁלּוֹ, וְיוֹדֵעַ שֶׁבָּתֵּי אֲבוֹתָיו קְבוּעִין שָׁם — אָסוּר לִשְׁתּוֹת יַיִן כׇּל אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם.
From here the Sages stated: Any priest who knows his priestly watch and the watch of his patrilineal family, and knows that the family of his forefathers was established there, is prohibited to drink wine that entire day.
בְּמַכִּיר מִשְׁמַרְתּוֹ וְאֵין מַכִּיר מִשְׁמֶרֶת בֵּית אָב שֶׁלּוֹ, וְיוֹדֵעַ שֶׁבָּתֵּי אֲבוֹתָיו קְבוּעִין שָׁם — אָסוּר לִשְׁתּוֹת יַיִן כׇּל אוֹתָהּ שַׁבָּת.
In the case of a priest who knows his priestly watch but does not know the watch of his patrilineal family, and knows that the family of his forefathers was established there, he is prohibited to drink wine that entire week.
אֵינוֹ מַכִּיר מִשְׁמַרְתּוֹ וּמִשְׁמֶרֶת בֵּית אָב שֶׁלּוֹ, וְיוֹדֵעַ שֶׁבָּתֵּי אֲבוֹתָיו קְבוּעִין שָׁם — אָסוּר לִשְׁתּוֹת יַיִן כׇּל הַשָּׁנָה.
If he does not know his priestly watch or the watch of his patrilineal family, but knows that the family of his forefathers was established there, he is prohibited to drink wine that entire year.
רַבִּי אוֹמֵר, אוֹמֵר אֲנִי: אָסוּר לִשְׁתּוֹת יַיִן לְעוֹלָם, אֲבָל מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה שֶׁתַּקָּנָתוֹ קַלְקָלָתוֹ.
Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: I say that it is prohibited for him to drink wine forever; but what can I do, as his misfortune is his advantage, since the Temple has been destroyed for so long, the decree cannot be sustained.
אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: כְּמַאן שָׁתוּ הָאִידָּנָא כָּהֲנֵי חַמְרָא — כְּרַבִּי.
Abaye said: In accordance with whose opinion do priests drink wine nowadays? It is in accordance with Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi.
אַנְשֵׁי מִשְׁמָר וְאַנְשֵׁי מַעֲמָד אֲסוּרִים לְסַפֵּר וּלְכַבֵּס, וּבַחֲמִישִׁי מוּתָּרִין מִפְּנֵי כְּבוֹד הַשַּׁבָּת.
The Mishnah taught: The members of the priestly watch and the members of the non-priestly watch are prohibited to cut their hair or launder their garments, but on Thursday they are permitted in deference to Shabbat.
מַאי טַעְמָא?
The Gemara asks: What is the reason for these prohibitions?
אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנְסוּ לְמִשְׁמַרְתָּם כְּשֶׁהֵן מְנֻוּוֹלִין.
Rabba bar bar Hana said that Rabbi Yochanan said: In order that they should not enter their priestly watch when they are unkempt.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מֶלֶךְ מִסְתַּפֵּר בְּכׇל יוֹם, כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל — מֵעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת לְעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת, כֹּהֵן הֶדְיוֹט — אַחַת לִשְׁלשִׁים יוֹם.
The Rabbis taught: A king cuts his hair every day, a High Priest from Friday to Friday, and a common priest once every thirty days.
מֶלֶךְ מִסְתַּפֵּר בְּכׇל יוֹם — מַאי טַעְמָא?
The Gemara asks: A king cuts his hair every day; what is the reason?
אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר זַבְדָּא, אָמַר קְרָא: ״מֶלֶךְ בְּיׇפְיוֹ תֶּחֱזֶינָה עֵינֶיךָ״.
Rabbi Abba bar Zavda said: The verse states: "Your eyes shall see the king in his beauty."
כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל מֵעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת לְעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת — מַאי טַעְמָא?
The Gemara asks: A High Priest from Friday to Friday; what is the reason?
אָמַר רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר יִצְחָק: הוֹאִיל וּמִשְׁמָרוֹת מִתְחַדְּשׁוֹת.
Rav Shmuel bar Yitzchak said: Since the watches are renewed and changed every Friday, he must look groomed for them.
כֹּהֵן הֶדְיוֹט אַחַת לִשְׁלשִׁים יוֹם — מְנָלַן?
The Gemara asks: A common priest once every thirty days; from where do we derive this?
אָתְיָא ״פֶּרַע״ ״פֶּרַע״ מִנָּזִיר,
The Gemara answers: It is derived by a verbal analogy of the word "pera" and "pera" from a nazirite.
כְּתִיב הָכָא: ״וְרֹאשָׁם לֹא יְגַלֵּחוּ וּפֶרַע לֹא יְשַׁלֵּחוּ״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: ״קָדֹשׁ יִהְיֶה גַּדֵּל פֶּרַע שְׂעַר רֹאשׁוֹ״,
It is written here concerning priests: "Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks [pera] to grow long," and it is written there with regard to a nazirite: "He shall be sacred, he shall let the locks [pera] of the hair of his head grow long."
מָה לְהַלָּן שְׁלֹשִׁים — אַף כָּאן שְׁלֹשִׁים.
Just as there, for a nazirite, it is thirty days, so too here, for a priest, it is thirty days.
וְנָזִיר גּוּפֵיהּ מְנָלַן?
The Gemara asks: And a nazirite himself, from where do we derive that his term is thirty days?
אָמַר רַב מַתְנָה: סְתַם נְזִירוּת שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם.
Rav Mattana said: An unspecified naziriteship is thirty days.
מְנָלַן?
The Gemara asks: From where do we derive this?
אָמַר קְרָא: ״יִהְיֶה״ — בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא תְּלָתִין הָוֵי.
The verse states: "He shall be [yihyeh]" — in gematria, the numerical value of yihyeh is thirty.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב פָּפָּא לְאַבָּיֵי: וְדִלְמָא הָכִי קָאָמַר רַחֲמָנָא: לָא לִירַבּוֹ כְּלָל!
Rav Pappa said to Abaye: But perhaps this is what the Merciful One is saying: They should not grow hair at all!
אָמַר לֵיהּ: אִי הֲוָה כְּתִב ״לֹא יְשַׁלֵּחוּ פֶּרַע״ — כִּדְקָאָמְרַתְּ, הַשְׁתָּא דִּכְתִיב: ״וּפֶרַע לֹא יְשַׁלֵּחוּ״ — פֶּרַע לֶיהֱוֵי, שַׁלּוֹחֵי הוּא דְּלָא לִישַׁלְּחוּ.
Abaye said to him: If it were written: "Do not grow a pera," it would be as you said; now that it is written: "And a pera they shall not let grow long," it implies there may be a pera, but they must not let it grow long beyond thirty days.
אִי הָכִי, אֲפִילּוּ הָאִידָּנָא נָמֵי!
The Gemara asks: If so, that it is a biblical prohibition, even nowadays also it should be forbidden for priests to grow their hair!
דֻּומְיָא דִּשְׁתוּיֵי יַיִן. מָה שְׁתוּיֵי יַיִן — בִּזְמַן בִּיאָה הוּא דְּאָסוּר, שֶׁלֹּא בִּזְמַן בִּיאָה — שְׁרֵי, אַף הָכָא נָמֵי.
The Gemara answers: It is similar to those who have drunk wine. Just as those who have drunk wine are only prohibited at the time of entry to the Temple, but not at the time of entry is permitted, so too here also.
וְהָתַנְיָא, רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: אוֹמֵר אֲנִי כֹּהֲנִים אֲסוּרִים לִשְׁתּוֹת יַיִן לְעוֹלָם, אֲבָל מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה שֶׁתַּקָּנָתוֹ קַלְקָלָתוֹ.
The Gemara objects: But wasn't it taught in a baraita, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: I say that priests are prohibited to drink wine forever, but what can I do, as his misfortune is his advantage?
וְאָמַר אַבָּיֵי: כְּמַאן שָׁתוּ הָאִידָּנָא כָּהֲנֵי חַמְרָא — כְּרַבִּי, מִכְּלָל דְּרַבָּנַן אָסְרִי!
And Abaye said: In accordance with whose opinion do priests drink wine nowadays? It is in accordance with Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. By inference, the Rabbis prohibit drinking wine nowadays!
מַאי טַעְמָא: מְהֵרָה יִבָּנֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, וּבָעֵינַן כֹּהֵן הָרָאוּי לָעֲבוֹדָה וְלֵיכָּא, הָכָא אֶפְשָׁר דִּמְסַפַּר וְעָיֵיל.
What is the reason? Quickly the Temple will be rebuilt, and we will need a priest fit for service and there will be none. Here, regarding hair, it is possible that he cuts his hair and enters immediately.
אִי הָכִי, שְׁתוּי יַיִן נָמֵי — אֶפְשָׁר דְּגָנֵי פּוּרְתָּא וְעָיֵיל, כִּדְרָמֵי בַּר אַבָּא.
The Gemara asks: If so, one who has drunk wine also, it is possible that he sleeps a little and enters, as Rami bar Abba said!
דְּאָמַר רָמֵי בַּר אַבָּא: דֶּרֶךְ מִיל, וְשֵׁינָה כׇּל שֶׁהוּא — מְפִיגִין אֶת הַיַּיִן!
For Rami bar Abba said: A walk of a mil, or a sleep of any amount, dispels the wine!
לָאו מִי אִיתְּמַר עֲלַהּ, אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר אֲבוּהּ: לֹא שָׁנוּ אֶלָּא בְּשֶׁשָּׁתָה שִׁיעוּר רְבִיעִית, אֲבָל שָׁתָה יוֹתֵר מֵרְבִיעִית — כׇּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ מַטְרִידָתוֹ וְשֵׁינָה מְשַׁכַּרְתּוֹ.
The Gemara answers: Was it not stated concerning this, Rav Nachman said that Rabba bar Avuha said: They only taught this when he drank a quarter-log, but if he drank more than a quarter-log, all the more so a walk tires him and sleep makes him more drunk!
רַב אָשֵׁי אָמַר: שְׁתוּיֵי יַיִן, דְּמַחֲלִי עֲבוֹדָה — גְּזַרוּ בְּהוּ רַבָּנַן. פְּרוּעֵי רֹאשׁ, דְּלָא מַחֲלִי עֲבוֹדָה — לָא גְּזַרוּ בְּהוּ רַבָּנַן.
Rav Ashi said: Those who have drunk wine, whose service is profaned, the Rabbis decreed against them. Those with long hair, whose service is not profaned, the Rabbis did not decree against them.
מֵיתִיבִי, וְאֵלּוּ שֶׁהֵן בְּמִיתָה: שְׁתוּיֵי יַיִן, וּפְרוּעֵי רֹאשׁ.
The Gemara objects: But these are liable to death: Those who have drunk wine, and those with long hair!
בִּשְׁלָמָא שְׁתוּיֵי יַיִן — בְּהֶדְיָא כְּתִיב בְּהוּ: ״יַיִן וְשֵׁכָר אַל תֵּשְׁתְּ״, אֶלָּא פְּרוּעֵי רֹאשׁ מְנָלַן?
Granted, those who have drunk wine, it is explicitly written concerning them: "Do not drink wine or strong drink." But those with long hair, from where do we derive this?
דִּכְתִיב: ״וְרֹאשָׁם לֹא יְגַלֵּחוּ וּפֶרַע לֹא יְשַׁלֵּחוּ״, וּכְתִיב בָּתְרֵיהּ: ״וְיַיִן לֹא יִשְׁתּוּ כׇּל כֹּהֵן בְּבוֹאָם אֶל הֶחָצֵר הַפְּנִימִית״,
As it is written: "Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long," and it is written after it: "Neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter into the inner court."
וְאִיתַּקּוּשׁ פְּרוּעֵי רֹאשׁ לִשְׁתוּיֵי יַיִן: מָה שְׁתוּיֵי יַיִן בְּמִיתָה — אַף פְּרוּעֵי רֹאשׁ בְּמִיתָה.
And those with long hair are compared to those who have drunk wine: Just as those who have drunk wine are liable to death, so too those with long hair are liable to death.
וּמִינַּהּ: אִי מָה שְׁתוּיֵי יַיִן דְּמַחֲלִי עֲבוֹדָה — אַף פְּרוּעֵי רֹאשׁ דְּמַחֲלִי עֲבוֹדָה!
And from this comparison: Just as those who have drunk wine profane the service, so too those with long hair profane the service! This refutes Rav Ashi.
לָא: כִּי אִיתַּקּוּשׁ — לְמִיתָה הוּא דְּאִתַּקּוּשׁ, אֲבָל לְאַחוֹלֵי עֲבוֹדָה — לָא אִתַּקּוּשׁ.
The Gemara answers: No; when they are compared, they are compared only regarding death, but regarding profaning the service, they are not compared.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבִינָא לְרַב אָשֵׁי: הָא, מִקַּמֵּי דַּאֲתָא יְחֶזְקֵאל, מַאן אַמְרַהּ?
Ravina said to Rav Ashi: Before Ezekiel came and wrote this verse, who said this halacha?
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: וּלְטַעְמָיךְ, הָא דְּאָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: דָּבָר זֶה מִתּוֹרַת מֹשֶׁה לֹא לָמַדְנוּ, וּמִדִּבְרֵי קַבָּלָה לָמַדְנוּ: ״כׇּל בֶּן נֵכָר עֶרֶל לֵב וְעֶרֶל בָּשָׂר לֹא יָבוֹא אֶל מִקְדָּשִׁי״ — הָא, מִקַּמֵּי דַּאֲתָא יְחֶזְקֵאל, מַאן אַמְרַהּ?
Rav Ashi said to him: And according to your reasoning, that which Rav Chisda said: This matter we did not learn from the Torah of Moshe, but from the words of the Prophets we learned: "No stranger, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter My Sanctuary" — before Ezekiel came, who said this?
אֶלָּא גְּמָרָא גְּמִירִ[י] לַהּ, וַאֲתָא יְחֶזְקֵאל וְאַסְמְכַהּ אַקְּרָא.
Rather, they learned it as a tradition, and Ezekiel came and supported it with a verse.
הָכָא נָמֵי: גְּמָרָא גְּמִירִ[י] לַהּ, וַאֲתָא יְחֶזְקֵאל וְאַסְמְכַהּ אַקְּרָא, כִּי גְּמִירִי הֲלָכָה — לְמִיתָה, לְאַחוֹלֵי עֲבוֹדָה — לָא גְּמִירִי.
Here too, they learned it as a tradition, and Ezekiel came and supported it with a verse. And when they learned the halacha, they learned it only regarding death, but regarding profaning the service, they did not learn it.
כׇּל הַכָּתוּב בִּמְגִילַּת תַּעֲנִית ״דְּלָא לְמִיסְפַּד״ — לְפָנָיו אָסוּר, לְאַחֲרָיו מוּתָּר.
The Mishnah taught: Any day written in Megillat Taanit on which it is forbidden to eulogize, the day before it is forbidden, but the day after it is permitted.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אִלֵּין יוֹמַיָּא דְּלָא לְהִתְעַנָּאָה בְּהוֹן, וּמִקְצָתְהוֹן דְּלָא לְמִיסְפַּד בְּהוֹן:
The Sages taught: These are the days on which it is forbidden to fast, and on some of them it is forbidden to eulogize:
מֵרֵישׁ יַרְחָא דְנִיסָן וְעַד תְּמָנְיָא בֵּיהּ אִיתּוֹקַם תְּמִידָא, דְּלָא לְמִיסְפַּד בְּהוֹן.
From the New Moon of Nisan until the eighth of it, the daily offering was established, on which it is forbidden to eulogize.
מִתְּמָנְיָא בֵּיהּ עַד סוֹף מוֹעֲדָא אִיתּוֹתַב חַגָּא דְשָׁבוּעַיָּא, דְּלָא לְמִיסְפַּד בְּהוֹן.
From the eighth of it until the end of the festival of Pesach, the festival of Shavuot was established, on which it is forbidden to eulogize.
אָמַר מָר: מֵרֵישׁ יַרְחָא דְנִיסָן עַד תְּמָנְיָא בֵּיהּ אִיתּוֹקַם תְּמִידָא, דְּלָא לְמִיסְפַּד.
The Master said above: From the New Moon of Nisan until the eighth of it, the daily offering was established, on which it is forbidden to eulogize.
לְמָה לִי מֵרֵישׁ יַרְחָא? לֵימָא מִתְּרֵי בְּנִיסָן, וְרֹאשׁ חוֹדֶשׁ גּוּפֵיהּ יוֹם טוֹב הוּא וְאָסוּר!
The Gemara asks: Why do I need it to say from the New Moon? Let it say from the second of Nisan, and Rosh Chodesh itself is a holiday and forbidden to fast or eulogize anyway!
אָמַר רַב: לֹא נִצְרְכָה אֶלָּא לֶאֱסוֹר יוֹם שֶׁלְּפָנָיו.
Rav said: It is only necessary to forbid the day before it, which is the day before Rosh Chodesh.
וְשֶׁלְּפָנָיו נָמֵי, תִּיפּוֹק לֵיהּ דְּהָוֵה לֵיהּ יוֹם שֶׁלִּפְנֵי רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ!
The Gemara asks: But the day before it also, let it be derived because it is the day before Rosh Chodesh!
רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ דְּאוֹרָיְיתָא הוּא, וּדְאוֹרָיְיתָא לָא בָּעֵי חִיזּוּק.
The Gemara answers: Rosh Chodesh is from the Torah, and Torah laws do not need reinforcement by forbidding the day before them.
דְּתַנְיָא: הַיָּמִים הָאֵלֶּה הַכְּתוּבִין בִּמְגִילַּת תַּעֲנִית — לִפְנֵיהֶם וּלְאַחֲרֵיהֶם אֲסוּרִין, שַׁבָּתוֹת וְיָמִים טוֹבִים, הֵן — אֲסוּרִין, לִפְנֵיהֶן וּלְאַחֲרֵיהֶן — מוּתָּרִין.
As it was taught in a baraita: These days written in Megillat Taanit — before them and after them are forbidden. Shabbos and Yom Tov — they are forbidden, but before them and after them are permitted.
וּמָה הֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּין זֶה לָזֶה? הַלָּלוּ — דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, וְדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה אֵין צְרִיכִין חִיזּוּק, הַלָּלוּ — דִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים, וְדִבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים צְרִיכִין חִיזּוּק.
And what is the difference between this and that? These are words of Torah, and words of Torah do not need reinforcement; these are words of the Sages, and words of the Sages need reinforcement.
אָמַר מָר: מִתְּמָנְיָא בֵּיהּ עַד סוֹף מוֹעֲדָא אִיתּוֹתַב חַגָּא דְשָׁבוּעַיָּא, דְּלָא לְמִיסְפַּד.
The Master said: From the eighth of it until the end of the festival, the festival of Shavuot was established, on which it is forbidden to eulogize.
לְמָה לִי עַד סוֹף מוֹעֵד, לֵימָא עַד הַמּוֹעֵד, וּמוֹעֵד גּוּפֵיהּ יוֹם טוֹב הוּא וְאָסוּר!
The Gemara asks: Why do I need it to say until the end of the festival? Let it say until the festival, and the festival itself is a holiday and forbidden!
אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: כִּדְאָמַר רַב — לֹא נִצְרְכָא
Rav Pappa said: It is as Rav said — it is only necessary to forbid the day after the festival.
The daf begins by clarifying the order of the blessings recited on fast days, explaining why the blessing of Jonah precedes those of David and Shlomo, which concludes with a blessing for mercy on the Land of Israel. The Gemara then transitions to the halachos of the kohanim, explaining that members of the mishmar were forbidden to drink wine during the day, and members of the Beis Av were forbidden both day and night, to ensure they were always fit for service. We learn how this restriction extends to kohanim today who might know their specific watch, with Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi noting that while technically kohanim should refrain from wine constantly in anticipation of the Beis HaMikdash being rebuilt, the length of the exile makes such a decree unsustainable. Finally, the Gemara discusses the prohibitions against cutting hair and laundering clothes during the week of service to ensure the kohanim did not enter the Beis HaMikdash looking unkempt, concluding with the frequencies of haircuts for the king, the Kohen Gadol, and common kohanim.
The Gemara teaches us a beautiful, deep lesson about the power of anticipation and readiness. We learn that the Kohanim were restricted from drinking wine because of the constant possibility that the Beis HaMikdash would be rebuilt at any moment, requiring them to step up and serve immediately. Even in the darkness of the Churban, they lived with the active expectation of the Geulah.
This is not just a halachic discussion about the Kohanim; it is a profound guide for our own daily avodah. How often do we find ourselves living in a state of spiritual slumber, assuming that today will be just like yesterday? The Torah is telling us that a Yid must always be ready. We must live with the constant awareness that Hashem can change our situation in the blink of an eye, and we need to be spiritually prepared to answer the call.
When we keep ourselves refined, focused, and ready for the Aibershter's service, we bring that reality closer. We must not let ourselves get carried away by the physical distractions of this world, symbolized by the wine, to the point where we are unprepared when our unique neshama is called upon to do its job.
Today, take five minutes before you daven or learn to consciously remind yourself: "The Beis HaMikdash can be rebuilt today, and my avodah matters right now." Let this thought bring a new level of focus and alacrity to your mitzvos.