Purim is a very busy day TB Sanhedrin 87

Today’s daf TB Sanhedrin 87 deals with the topic of a rebellious scholar who disobeys the Sanhedrin’s decision and teaches others to observe contrary to that decision. The Mishnah lists a range of cases where the rebellious scholar will be liable for the death of MC of strangulation if he disobeys his Sanhedrin’s decision.

“The Sages taught in a baraita: A rebellious elder is liable only for instructing another to perform an action involving a matter for whose intentional violation one is liable to receive karet, and for whose unwitting violation one is liable to bring a sin-offering; this is the statement of Rabbi Meir…” (Sefaria.org translation) Because the penalty karet in many of the cases in the Mishna is not intuitive, “Rav Huna bar Ḥinnana said to Rava: Interpret for me that baraita, in which the liability of the rebellious elder for rulings in different areas of halakha is derived from the verses, in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Meir, who says that the rebellious elder is liable only for a matter for whose intentional violation one is liable to receive karet, and for whose unwitting violation one is liable to bring a sin-offering. How is such a prohibition found in each of the categories enumerated in the baraita? Rava said to Rav Pappa his student: Go and interpret it for him.” (Sefaria.org translation) The rest of today’s explains the how the Mishna subscribes to the viewpoint of Rabbi Meir.

I don’t believe in coincidences. Today is Purim and one of the explanations deals with Purim. “‘For you’ (in the verse in Deuteronomy 17:8-12 which discusses the rebellious scholar-gg); this is referring to an adviser, who knows how to intercalate years and establish months. How is there liability in this matter for karet or a sin-offering? It is as we learned in a mishna (Eduyyot 7:7): Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabbi Pappeyas testified that the judges may intercalate the year throughout the entire month of Adar, as the other Sages would say that the judges may do so only until the day of Purim.

“A ruling contrary to the ruling of the Sanhedrin could result in a matter for which one is liable to receive karet, as, if his disagreement is to this side, e.g., the court intercalated the year and the rebellious elder ruled that the year is not intercalated, his ruling permits consumption of leavened bread on Passover according to the calendar established by the Sanhedrin. And if his disagreement is to that side, e.g., the court did not intercalate the year and the rebellious elder ruled that the year is intercalated, his ruling permits consumption of leavened bread on Passover according to the calendar established by the Sanhedrin. One who intentionally eats leavened bread on Passover is liable to receive karet, and one who does so unwittingly is liable to bring a sin-offering.” (Sefaria.org translation)

We need to know whether the year is a leap year and we add a month to the calendar, i.e. Adar II in which we celebrate the holiday Purim, or not. Passover is exactly 30 days after Purim. We need to prepare appropriately. We certainly don’t want to eat chametz on Passover which is a prohibition whose punishment is karet.

Purim day is a very busy day. We have to observe the four special mitzvot of Purim, listening to the Megillah, sending mishloakh manot (a gift of at least two foodstuffs to one person), giving tzedakkah to two poor people, and having a Purim feast. On top of all that we’ve learned in massekhet Pesakhim that 30 days before Passover one begins to review the laws of Passover because there’s so many of them. Consequently, it is very important to know whether the year is a leap year or not in order when to begin our Passover preparations appropriately.