Although it might be useful for me to list the suggested parashayot and other details, I am choosing not to do so. There are two reasons for this. First, these details are less interesting to me that the process by which the rabbis state their claims. And incidentally in this particular daf, the rabbis do not provide prooftexts for their reasoning. The Gemara shares different rabbis' reasoning based upon their own opinions. A novel way to argue one's point!
The second reason is a reflection of the complicated calendar structure that is articulated today. Although I understand most of what I have read regarding months, days and associated readings, the 'outliers' still elude me. To truly understand the rabbis' arguments, I would have to sit for some time with a calendar and create a system of marking different days for different purposes- including Rosh Chodeshes, Fast Days, weekdays, etc.
Amud (b) ends with a new Mishna. It teaches which parashayot to read on different Festivals:
- 1st day of Pesach: Festivals (Leviticus 22:26-23:44)
- Shavuot: "Seven weeks" (Deuteronomy 16:9-12)
- Rosh HaShana: "On the seventh month on the first of the month" (Leviticus 23:23-25)
- Yom Kippur: "After the death" (Leviticus 16)
- 1st day of Sukkot: Festivals (Leviticus 22:26-23:44)
- Other days of Sukkot offerings of Sukkot (Numbers 29:12-39)
- Chanukah: Princes (Numbers 7)
- Purim: "And Amalek Came..." (Exodus 17:8-16)
- Rosh Chodesh: "In the beginnings of your months" (Numbers 28:11-15)
- Non-priestly watches: "Act of Creation" (Genesis 1:1-2:3)
Our commentary helps us understand this last direction. The Jewish people were divided into 24 watches, where weekly, in turn, each watch would send representatives to Jerusalem. They would act as witnesses to the sacrificial service. Others left behind in that watch would fast from Monday to Thursday, pray, and read Genesis 1:1-2:3).
More of this Mishna to come in tomorrow's daf!
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