Beitzah 5 - September 5, 28 Elul

Study Guide Beitzah 5 Today’s daf is sponsored anonymously for the yahrzeit of Shaul ben Kish, Shaul Hamelech and Gershon Chaim Alter ben Shaul George Rosenberg, Rhona Plunka’s father. An egg laid on the first day of Rosh Hashanah - is it permitted on the second day? Are two days of Rosh Hashanah one sanctity or two? Rav and Shmuel forbid the egg. To their understanding, because they kept instituted in the time of the Temple that they would not accept witnesses after the mincha offering was brought, two days of Rosh Hashanah became one long holiday – one sanctity. If so, an egg born on the first day would be forbidden on the second. Rabba disagrees and points out that after the ordinance of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, after the destruction, that witnesses will be received after mincha, it became a matter of doubt again and an egg born on the first day would be permitted on the second. The Gemara bring three more opinions - of Rav Yosef, Rabbi Ada and Rabbi Shalman, and Rava who all hold that despite the change of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, the egg is still forbidden. According to Rav Yosef, something determined by a vote of the Rabbis needs a new vote to repeal it and Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai changed the matter of setting the date but not the issue of the egg. From where does Rav Yosef prove this issue about repealing? Rav Ada and Rav Shalman forbid the egg because of concern the when the Temple will soon be built and we will return to the previous regulation that we do not accept witnesses from mincha, then again two days of Rosh Hashanah will be one sanctity and people will err and think that the egg is still allowed as it was the year before. Rava forbids because Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai only amended his regulation regarding determining the date but still the first regulation remains that they kept two days as was practiced in the time of the Temple. Raba stated that we rule like Rav in three cases regarding an egg and one of them is in the above case, that an egg laid on the first day of Rosh Hashana is forbidden on the second day.