Megillah, Daf Lammed, Part 4

 

Introduction

This section is about the third of the special Shabbatot, Shabbat Parah, when the reading is about the sacrifice and preparation of the red heifer.

 

בשלישית פרה אדומה וכו‘. תנו רבנן: איזו היא שבת שלישית – כל שסמוכה לפורים מאחריה. איתמר: רבי חמא ברבי חנינא אמר: שבת הסמוכה לראש חודש ניסן. ולא פליגי; הא – דאיקלע ראש חודש ניסן בשבת, הא דאיקלע באמצע שבת.

 

On the third [Shabbat] the portion of the red heifer etc. (Parshat Parah).

Our Rabbis taught: Which is the third Shabbat? The one which follows Purim.

It was stated: R. Hama b. Hanina said: The Shabbat before Rosh Hodesh Nisan.

There is no conflict [between these two statements]; the one refers to a case where Rosh Hodesh Nisan falls on Shabbat, and the other where it falls in the middle of the week.

 

It looks as if the baraita and the statement of R. Hama b. Hanina contradict each other, one saying that Parshat Parah falls on the Shabbat after Purim, and one saying that it falls the Shabbat after that, the Shabbat before Rosh Hodesh Nisan. But the Talmud resolves these two statements. Parshat Parah usually falls on the Shabbat after Purim. And then there will be another Shabbat before Rosh Hodesh (Parshat Hahodesh). But if Rosh Hodesh Nisan falls on Shabbat, then Parshat Parah falls on the Shabbat right before Rosh Hodesh Nisan. Indeed, this is the case this year. Purim was on Friday. The following Shabbat was not a special reading. The week after was Parshat Parah, and the week after that is Shabbat Rosh Hodesh Nisan. In other words, Parshat Parah fell a week before Rosh Hodesh Nisan, not the week after Purim.