- When to read Parshas Shekalim when Rosh Chodesh Adar falls on erev Shabbos
The Mishnah on Daf 29a stated regarding the reading of Parshas Shekalim: חל להיות בתוך השבת מקדימין לשבת שעברה – If Rosh Chodesh Adar came out during the week, the reading is done the previous week. The Gemara on our Daf brings a machlokes regarding the following case: ראש חודש אדר שחל להיות בערב שבת – If Rosh Chodesh Adar came out on erev Shabbos. Rav says: מקדימין – we advance the reading to the previous Shabbos, but Shmuel says: מאחרין – We delay the reading to the Shabbos following Rosh Chodesh. Rav says we advance the reading, because if it is delayed, בצרי להו יומי שולחנות – the number of days between the Beis Din’s proclamation about the machtzis hashekel and the moneychanger’s arrival in the provinces is reduced. Rashi explains that Rav holds like Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, that two full weeks are necessary to teach the public about their obligation of the machtzis hashekel. Shmuel would answer that when Rosh Chodesh is erev Shabbos, the fifteenth comes out on erev Shabbos, which means that the moneychangers will not go out until Sunday. Therefore, it is better to delay the reading, so there will not be an interruption between the reading of Parshas Shekalim and the reading of Parshas Zachor. The Gemara concludes that it is a machlokes Tannaim.
- When to read Parshas Zachor when Purim is erev Shabbos
The Mishnah stated: בשניה "זכור" – On the second Shabbos of Adar, we read Parshas Zachor. The Gemara brings a machlokes regarding when Parshas Zachor is read when פורים שחל להיות בערב שבת – Purim comes out on erev Shabbos. Rav said: מקדימין פרשת "זכור" – We advance the reading to the previous Shabbos, which would be the eighth of Adar, but Shmuel said: מאחרין – We delay the reading to Shabbos, which is the fifteenth. Rav holds that we read it the previous Shabbos כי היכי דלא תיקדום עשיה לזכירה – so that the observance of Purim does not precede its commemoration. Shmuel, who holds that we delay the reading to the following Shabbos, would answer, כיון דאיכא מוקפין דעבדי בחמיסר עשיה וזכירה בהדי הדדי – Since the walled cities observe Purim the following Shabbos, the observance and commemoration happen at the same time.
- בחמישית חוזרין לכסדרן
The Mishnah on 29a stated, בחמישית חוזרין לכסדרן – On the fifth Shabbos of Adar we resume the regular order. The Gemara asks, לסדר מאי – Which order of the service was interrupted and is now resumed? Rebbe Ami said: לסדר פרשיות הוא חוזר – One resumes the regular reading of the weekly Parsha. According to Rebbe Ami, only the special readings were read on the four Shabbosim before Purim. Rebbe Yirmiyah said: לסדר הפטרות הוא חוזר – One resumes the regular readings of the Haftorah. According to Rebbe Yirmiyah, the weekly Torah portions were read during the preceding four weeks, and the special readings were read as Maftir. The Gemara unsuccessfully challenges Rebbe Yirmiyah’s position.
