Y om T o v Sheni Yom Tov Sheni - Chidushei Torah@NDS

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Using Encoded Messages to Thwart the Enemy When the Romans controlled parts of Eretz Yisrael they at various times issued decrees against sanctifying the new month. In order to circumvent this problem, coded messages were sent to regions under subjugation. A story was recorded in the Talmud, Masechet Rosh Hashanah 25a, where Rebbi, who lived in such a region, dispatched Rav Chiya to sanctify the new moon before the Beit Din in Ein Tav. He was instructed by Rebbi to relay back an encoded message that he had accomplished the task. The coded message was “King David Lives Forever”, since King David is likened to the moon 25 . The Geographical Boundaries of Keeping Yom Tov Sheni During the time of the Sanhedrin, any community that was not notified of the new month through torch communication, or later by the arrival of messengers, was required to observe two days of the festival out of doubt, independent of their location. As a result of the takana, the towns within the borders of Eretz Yisrael where the messengers had reached continued to keep one day of Yom Tov, and places in Chutz L’Aretz that were outside their range kept two days in continuation of their custom. There is a question that arises regarding the status of places in Chutz L’Aretz that messengers were able to reach before the onset of the festival who kept one day, and regions within Eretz Yisrael beyond their range who observed two days of Yom Tov. The Ritvah answers this question by saying that we follow the majority 26 . Meaning, since the majority of communities outside the land of Israel kept two days out of doubt, after the rabbinic enactment, all places outside the land of Israel began keeping two days. Similarly, since most places in Israel observe one day, now all keep one day. Therefore, according to the Ritvah, the takana created a new reality where places that didn’t keep Yom Tov Sheni now kept it, and vice versa. לארשי ךלמ דוד ה”ד י”שר ןייע 25 ןייע .חי הנשה שאר א”בטירה ישודיח 26 17 Chidushei Torah @ NDS
Yom Tov Sheni 18 Rambam writes that every town that was within a 10-day journey from Jerusalem and had previously received messengers from Jerusalem continued to keep one day of Yom Tov regardless if they were located in the Land of Israel or not. Places not meeting this criterion kept two days 27 . Therefore, according to the Rambam, each town continued with its tradition. The opinion of the Rambam raises an interesting question as to the status of cities built after the takana, which are within the 10-day range of Jerusalem. He rules they would have to keep two days of Yom Tov 28 . In towns such as Bnei Brak there are those who refrain from performing melacha on Yom Tov Sheni out of reverence to this psak 29 . The majority of authorities, however, rule according to the Ritvah 30 . The Sefer Hachinuch takes an approach between the Ritvah and Rambam and views all of the land of Israel as keeping one day and the cities of the Diaspora that are adjacent as also keeping one day 31 . Thus, only the far, outlying towns of Israel changed their custom from two days to one day. Yom Tov Sheni as the Universal Minhag The practice of observing Yom Tov Sheni is unique among Jewish customs. The Pri Chadash refers to it as a “great minhag.” The Ba’al HaMaor in the beginning of the fourth chapter of Masechet Pesachim says the reason given for the uniqueness of the minhag of Yom Tov Sheni which is stricter than all other minhagim is that it was accepted as a universal custom by all communities in the Diaspora. In order that people not denigrate the significance of Yom Tov Sheni, the Sages enacted certain stringencies that are not found in other customs. Perhaps the most significant is the uprooting of the positive mitzvah of ה”ה שדחה שודיק ה”פ ם”במר 27 ב”י ’ה םש 28 29 ט”כש ףד ו”צת ’ס תובושת יקספ says that even in our times there are those who live in towns built after the time of the messengers who keep Yom Tov Sheni ארמוחל , meaning that they abstain from performing melacha. םש 30 א”ש הוצמ ךוניחה רפס ןייע 31
Page 1 and 2: Yom Tov Sheni 8 Introduction Yom To
Page 3 and 4: Yom Tov Sheni 10 the Sanhedrin or a
Page 5 and 6: Yom Tov Sheni 12 as prescribed by t
Page 7 and 8: Yom Tov Sheni 14 Getting the Messag
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Page 17 and 18: Yom Tov Sheni 24 Israel, even for a
Page 19 and 20: Yom Tov Sheni 26 ינש בוט-םו
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Page 23 and 24: Yom Tov Sheni 30 Sheni in a place t
Page 25 and 26: Yom Tov Sheni 32 Application of the

Y om T o v Sheni Yom Tov Sheni - Chidushei Torah@NDS

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