Megillah, Daf Kaf Daled, Part 2
Introduction
Today’s section is a mishnah dealing with who is qualified to receive certain honors in the synagogue.
I have explained this mishnah according to Albeck s explanation. There are some parts that are explained differently by others.
1) המפטיר בנביא הוא פורס על שמע, והוא עובר לפני התיבה, והוא נושא את כפיו.
2) ואם היה קטן אביו או רבו עוברין על ידו.
3) קטן קורא בתורה ומתרגם, אבל אינו פורס על שמע ואינו עובר לפני התיבה. ואינו נושא את כפיו.
4) פוחח פורס את שמע ומתרגם, אבל אינו קורא בתורה, ואינו עובר לפני התיבה, ואינו נושא את כפיו.
5) סומא פורס את שמע ומתרגם.
a) רבי יהודה אומר: כל שלא ראה מאורות מימיו אינו פורס על שמע.
1) The one who concludes with the haftarah also leads the responsive reading of the Shema and he passes before the ark and he lifts up his hands.
2) If he is a child, his father or his teacher passes before the ark in his place.
3) A child may read in the Torah and translate, but he may not pass before the ark or lift up his hands.
4) A person in rags may lead the responsive reading of the Shema and translate, but he may not read in the Torah, pass before the ark, or lift up his hands.
5) A blind man may lead the responsive reading of the Shema and translate.
a) Rabbi Judah says: one who has never seen the light from his birth may not lead the responsive reading of the Shema.
Section one: The person honored by reading the haftarah is worthy of also being the leader of the other crucial elements of the service. He can lead the responsive reading of the Shema (explained in yesterday s mishnah), he can pass before the ark (meaning recite the Amidah and thereby aid other s in fulfilling their obligation) and if he is a priest, he can lift up his hands to bless the people with the priestly blessing. In the following sections we will see that not everyone is worthy of these honors.
Section two: A child is allowed to read the haftarah, but he may not pass before the ark. The person who recites the amidah (passes before the ark) helps others to fulfill their obligation to recite the amidah. In order to help others fulfill their obligation, the person himself must also be obligated. A child who is not obligated cannot fulfill the congregation s obligation. Therefore, if a child read the haftarah either his father or teacher takes his place in passing before the ark.
Section three: A child may read from the Torah and he may also serve as the translator of the Torah reading. However, he may not pass before the ark, since he is not obligated in prayer (see above). He also may not lift up his hands to recite the priestly blessing if he is a priest because it was considered disgraceful for the community to have to be blessed by a minor.
Section four: A person in rags, meaning one who is dressed shabbily and whose flesh can be seen through his clothes, may still lead the responsive reading of the Shema because this was done from one s seat. One didn t have to get up in front of the community. Since he would not be seen by the entire congregation, he was allowed to fulfill this role. He was also allowed to serve as the translator, since this was not considered all that important of a function. However, he was not allowed to read from the Torah because it would be disgraceful to read the Torah while dressed in rags. He was not allowed to pass before the ark or lift up his hands (if he was a priest) for the same reason everyone would see him and his improper clothing.
Section five: One of the blessings before the Shema is who creates light. According to the first opinion in the mishnah, a blind man can recite this blessing even though he can t see the light. He may also translate the Torah because translating does not require one to read.
Rabbi Judah holds that a person blind from birth cannot recite the Shema because he can t thank God for having ever seen the light.