About this episode
Pictures Why were beacons only lit on 29 days months and not 30 day months? Why not the reverse? How many times of cedar trees are there? Some say four and some say ten. One of them is coral wood and a statement of Rav is brought to explain the complicated manner in which they would be able to get it out of the water. It was considered very valuable. All the trees the gentiles uprooted in Jerusalem will be returned by God - this is derived from the verse mentioned in which the different types of cedar were listed. Rabbi Yochanan makes a number of statements about the importance of Torah scholars teaching and not only learning. And another statement about the gentiles being punished for killing Torah scholars such as Rabbi Akiva. The places mentioned in the Mishna where they lit the beacons are identified. An alternative list is brought - how does that connect with the one in the Mishna? Two possibilities are brought to explain. The distance between the mountains is explained to be shorter than it was in the time of the Amoraim. How can that be? In order to incentivize people to come to testify about the new moon, a festive meal was made in the courtyard in Beit Yazek, which is where the Beit Din would question the witnesses. If they came on Shabbat, they would not be allowed to go home, and not even leave the courtyard. as they had left their techum . However, since this deterred witnesses from coming, Rabban Gamliel permitted them to walk 2,000 cubits in each direction. This was instituted as well for other groups of people who need to be incentivized, such as, a midwife, firefighter, and others. What was the etymology of the name Beit Yazek - did it have a positive connotation or a negative one? What questions were asked of the witnesses to ensure they were telling the truth? Once they had good witnesses, they would still somewhat question the others so as to make them feel that they didn't waste their time coming to testify.