- Testimonies about the new moon that do not count
It was taught in a Baraisa regarding witnesses testifying about the new moon: If they say: ראינוהו במים ראינוהו בעששית ראינוהו בעבים אין מעידין עליו – “We saw it reflected in the water” or, “we saw it reflected through a lantern,” or, “we saw it through the clouds,” they cannot testify about it. And similarly, if they say, “we saw half of it reflected in the water” or, “we saw half of it in the clouds” or, “we saw half of it through a lantern” they may not testify about it. The Gemara clarifies that these latter statements are coming to teach that they may not testify even if they saw the other half in the sky. Another Baraisa taught: ראינוהו ושוב לא ריאונוהו אין מעידין עליו – If the new moon witnesses testify and say: “We saw it but did not see it again,” they cannot testify about it. When the Gemara asks why seeing it for a moment does not count, Abaye answers that they caught a glimpse of it incidentally and when they tried to see it with intent, they did not see it. Perhaps, therefore, they just saw a crescent of white cloud.
- ראש בית דין אומר מקודש וכל העם עונים אחריו מקודש מקודש
The next Mishnah states: ראש בית דין אומר מקודש וכל העם עונים אחריו מקודש מקודש – The Head of Beis Din says, “It is sanctified!” and all the people respond after him: “It is sanctified! It is sanctified!” The Gemara seeks the source for the first part of the procedure, and Rebbe Chiya bar Gamda said in the name of Rebbe Yose ben Shaul, who said it in the name of Rebbe: The passuk states: "וידבר משה את מעדי ה'" – And Moshe spoke the festivals of Hashem to Bnei Yisroel. מכאן שראש בית דין אומר מקודש - From here we derive that the Head of Beis Din says: מקודש. The Gemara then seeks the source for the people’s response, and Rav Pappa said: The passuk states: "אשר תקראו אתם" – The festivals of Hashem, that you shall declare “them” holy convocations; קרי ביה "אתם" – read the word אתם, as if it were vowelized “atem,” meaning: you (plural) the people, should declare. Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak says: "אלה הם מועדי" – These “they” are my festivals.” The superfluous word הם, they, can be expounded to indicate, "הם יאמרו מועדי" – “They” (the people) shall declare My festivals. The reason they respond מקודש מקודש, instead of just saying it once, is based on the passuk, "מקראי קודש" – “declarations” of sanctification.
- דמות צורות לבנה היו לו לרבן גמליאל
The next Mishnah states: דמות צורות לבנה היו לו לרבן גמליאל – Rabban Gamliel had the form of various moon shapes on a tablet, and on the wall of his upper chamber, with which he would show the simple folk various shapes and say to them, “Did you see the moon like this or like that?” The Gemara asks if it was permitted to make moon shaped forms, being that the passuk states: "לא תעשון אתי" – You shall not make with Me, which is interpreted to mean, לא תעשון כדמות שמשיי – You shall not make images of My servants who serve Me on high. After an extensive analysis of what images are prohibited to make, the Gemara gives three answers. Since Rabban Gamliel was the Nasi, many people were frequently in attendance. Therefore, there was no suspicion that they were being worshiped. Or, דפרקים הוה – they were made of sections. Or, להתלמד עשה – Rabban Gamliel made the images for the purpose of study.
