Megillah, Daf Kaf Daled, Part 3

 

Introduction

Today’s section asks why the one who reads the Haftorah also receives so many other functions including the public recitation of the Shema, and being the shaliah tzibbur, the prayer leader.

 

גמרא. מאי טעמא? רב פפא אמר: משום כבוד, רבה בר שימי אמר: משום דאתי לאינצויי. מאי בינייהו? איכא בינייהו דעביד בחנם.

 

GEMARA. What is the reason [why the one who says the haftarah does all of these other things]?

R. Papa said: For his honor.

Rabbah bar Shimi said: So they do not come to quarrel.

What practical difference is there between them?

There is a difference, in the case of one who reads for free.

 

The mishnah we learned in yesterday’s section listed all sorts of synagogue roles that the one who reads the Haftorah also fulfills (see yesterday’s mishnah). R. Papa says that this is to compensate him for receiving the lesser honor of reading the haftorah. Reading the haftorah is not as great of an honor as reading the Torah. Therefore, to compensate the one who agrees to do so, we give him other honors.

Rabbah bar Shimi says that there would be arguments between the haftorah reader and others why should I read Haftorah while you get to be the shaliah tzibbur (prayer leader)? It seems that in Talmudic times this may have also been a paid position, making it all the more understandable why he would argue. Therefore, they designated the one who reads the Haftorah to be the shaliah tzibbur as well.

The Talmud, as it often does, asks what the practical difference is between the two explanations of the mishnah. The practical difference is where the shaliah tzibbur is not paid. In such a case, the one who receives the haftorah would not argue over receiving the honor. Therefore, according to Rabbah bar Shimi’s reasoning, the honor could be given to another person. But R. Papa would say that he should still give it to the same person, to compensate him for the lesser honor of reading the Haftorah.

 

תנן: ואם היה קטן אביו או רבו עוברין על ידו. אי אמרת משום נצויי קטן בר נצויי הוא? אלא מאי משום כבוד קטן בר כבוד הוא? אלא: איכא כבוד אביו וכבוד רבו, הכא נמי איכא נצויי אביו ונצויי רבו.

 

We learned: if he is a child, his father or his teacher passes before the ark in his place. If now you say it is to avoid quarrels, will a child pick a quarrel?

What then? It is a show of respect? Does a child receive a show of respect?

What you must say is, out of respect for his father and his teacher. So here too, there is the question of quarrels, involving him or his teacher.

 

The mishnah said that if the child read the Haftorah his father or teacher acts as shaliah tzibbur in his place. The Talmud now evaluates the above dispute in light of this line of the Mishnah. If we were concerned about quarrels, are kids really going to quarrel over not receiving these honors?

But if we say the reason is to show him respect, do we really need to show a child respect? He should be happy with whatever he gets.

If you say that he should give his father or teacher the honors in order to show respect to them, we could say the same thing about his father or teacher quarrelling with another shaliah tzibbur. Thus in the end both reasons work with this line in the Mishnah. If the child receives the haftorah, we give the other honors to his father or teacher either to honor them, or so that they don’t fight with someone else who received the honor.