Vayeilech 31:11 · unit 1

English: MISHNAH: All are obligated to appear1To fulfill the biblical commandment to “be seen” before God on the occasion of the three festivals of pilgrimage which are called either steps (Ex. 23:17, Deut. 16:16) or walking occasions (Ex. 23:14, 34:23). The cases exempted from this biblical duty are defined in the Halakhah. except the deaf-mute, the insane, and the child, and the sexless, and the hermaphrodite, women, and unemancipated slaves, the lame, and the blind, and the sick, and the child, and anybody who cannot ascend on his feet. Who is a child? Any who cannot ride on his father’s shoulder from Jerusalem to the Temple Mount, the words of the House of Shammai. But the House of Hillel say, any who cannot hold on to his father’s hand and climb from Jerusalem to the Temple Mount, as it is said, three walking occasions2Ex. 23:14.. HALAKHAH: “All are obligated to appear,” etc. The Mishnah is about the sacrifice of appearance3While it is an obligation to appear in the Temple on one of the holidays of pilgrimage, it is sinful to enter there without bringing a personal sacrifice during the holiday (as specified in Mishnah 2), Ex. 34:20., but the child is obligated in the personal appearance4The obligation of Ex. 34:20 cannot apply to children, who are not subject to monetary obligations. They also cannot be obligated in any other way, but their parents are obligated to instruct them to do the right things. Quoted by Rashi ad2a.. From the following, assemble the people, men, women, and toddlers5Deut. 31:12.. And are not children6The expression קטן in the Mishnah is used to designate children with a measure of understanding, in contrast to תינוק. older than toddlers? 7The same text is in Soṭah3:4 (Notes 107–109, ס); Avot dR. Nathan A Chap. 18. As it was stated: It happened that Rebbi Joḥanan ben Beroqa and Rebbi Eleazar Ḥasma were walking from Jabneh to Lydda when they were visiting Rebbi Joshua in Beqi`in8An unidentified place. It cannot be the place of the same name in Galilee.. He asked them, what was new today in the House of Study? They said to him, we all are your students and drink from your waters. He said to them, even so, it is impossible that there not be a new idea every day in the House of Study. Who stayed there over the Sabbath? They said to him, Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah. And what was his text? Assemble the people, men, women, and toddlers. He started by saying, since men come to learn and women to listen, why do the toddlers come? It must be to give a reward to those who bring them. He said to them, a generation is not orphaned which counts Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah among them. It follows that Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah disagrees with Ben Azzai, as we have stated there9Mishnah Soṭah3:4. R.