Yesterday we learned two different possible reasons why one may not teach the written for a fee. Torah “Rav said: As Bible is typically taught to children, one who teaches Bible takes payment for watching the children. And Rabbi Yoḥanan said: He takes payment for teaching punctuation of the text with cantillation notes.” (TB Nedarim 37b, Sefaria.org translation) In typical Gemara fashion, the Gemara wants to know why Rav did not subscribe to Rabbi Yoḥanan’s reason.
“The Gemara answers: He holds
that the punctuation of the text with cantillation notes is by Torah
law; therefore, it is included in the prohibition against taking payment
for teaching Torah.
“This is as Rav Ika bar Avin said
that Rav Ḥananel said that Rav said: What is the meaning of that which
is written: “And they read in the book, in the Torah of God, distinctly; and
they gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading” (Nehemiah
8:8)? The Gemara explains: “They read in the book, in the Torah of God”;
that is the Bible. “Distinctly”; that is the Aramaic translation. “And
they gave the sense”; these are the division into verses. “And caused
them to understand the reading”; this is punctuation of the text with cantillation
notes, which facilitate the understanding of the verses. And some say:
These are the traditions that determine the proper vocalization of the
Bible. Rav holds that the cantillation notes are an integral part of Torah
study.” (TB Nedarim 37b, Sefaria.org
translation)
As a postscript to this conversation
at the very top of today’s daf TB
Nedarim 38 we learn “Rav
Aḥa bar Adda said: In the West, Eretz Yisrael, they divide this verse into three
verses: “And the Lord said to Moses,
behold I come to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear as I speak
with you, and may also believe in you forever; and Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord” (Exodus 19:9).” (Sefaria.org translation) Obviously the sages did not hold
that the punctuation the text with the cantillation notes were not given at
Mount Sinai to Moses. Otherwise how could they break up one verse into three!
Why did the sages in Israel have to
break up this verse into three verses anyway? The Shita Mekubetzets reminds us
that in Israel they read a triannual version of the Torah reading every
Shabbat. That meant each Shabbat they read only a third of one of our parasha. Consequently, it took them
three years to read the entire Torah. Sometimes they would have to add a verse
to the Torah reading to complete the parasha.
By breaking this verse the above verse, Exodus 19:9, gave them some flexibility.
The Maharsha provides a different
answer. This verse has three distinct and different sections. It is not
customary that three distinct sections would be included in one verse.
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