Megillah 22 - January 2, Rosh Chodesh Shvat, 1 Shvat

Study Guide Megillah 22 This month’s shuirim are dedicated by Efrat Arnold in loving memory of Joshua Carr, Yehoshua Aryeh Leib ben Yonatan Chaim and Malka Esther HaCohen. "An inspiring young man who loved learning and had made his first siyum just a few weeks ago for Masechet Rosh Hashana." This month’s shiurim are dedicated by Tova and David Kestenbaum in honor of their children and grandchildren. "May Hashem bless them to continue in the path of Torah handed down from Hashem to Moshe Rabbeinu at Har Sinai, from generation to generation." How does one divide the Torah reading for Rosh Chodesh into four sections in a way that avoids issues such as ending an aliya while leaving less than three verses to the section? In order to answer the question, the Gemara brings a debate of Rav and Shmuel regarding how to divide the Torah readings for the maamadot. A difficulty on both approaches is brought from a braita with a debate between the tana kama and an anonymous tana about breaking up Torah portions for reading. However, the cases aren’t comparable. Is it more likely that people will show up late to shul, in the middle of the Torah reading, or that they will leave in the middle of the Torah reading? What relevance is there to this question? The Mishna did not mention how many aliyot there are on a fast day. Is it 3 like Mondays and Thursdays or four like Rosh Chodesh and Chol Hamoed? Several sources are brought to try to answer this question, including inferences from our Mishna, however, most are rejected. One of the sources related to an incident when Rav came to Bavel and read from the Torah and made a blessing before and not after. Also during the tachanun prayer he did not fall on his face. The Gemara tries to understand why acted in this way.