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Sanhedrin 101a: "He'id"
Gershon Dubin asked:
Why does the Gemara use the lashon of "he'id" (101a) to say that "davar
be'ito mah tov" refers to saying a pasuk bizmano?
Gershon
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The Kollel replies:
We did not find any answer to this question in any of the books that
discuss the rules of syntax used in Shas.
We did find, however, that the Gemara in Berachos (9b) says that Rebbi Yosi
ben Elyakim was "He'id" that a person who is "Somech Ge'ulah l'Tefilah" is
guaranteed that he will suffer no harm that day. The format of a statement
of a Tana starting with "He'id" is the format of statements found in
Maseches Eduyos, where the Mishnah collects various statements of
statements that were said on the day that Rebbi Elazar ben Azaryah opened
the doors of the Beis Midrash, letting everyone enter, as described later
in Berachos (28a).
There are, indeed, a number of Agadic Mishnayos in Eduyos (see 2:9-10).
Although the main point of the quote here in Sanhedrin and the quote in
Berachos (9b) are Agadic in nature, they nevertheless are related to
Halachic matters. The Gemara in Berachos is encouraging people to fulfil
the Halachah of being Somech Ge'ulah l'Tefilah. The Gemara here in
Sanhedrin is encouraging people to recite Pesukim at their proper time
(that is, to learn about Pesach during Pesach, etc.; see MAHARSHA). Neither
of these are obligatory Halachos (being Somech Ge'ulah l'Tefilah is a
recommended practice, but not obligatory, and learning the verses about
each festival is also not obligatory -- it is incumbent upon the community
but not on the individual).
Perhaps these two particular statements of Agadah were stated on the day
that Rebbi Elazar ben Azaryah was appointed because of their pertinence to
the circumstances of his appointment. Raban Gamliel chastised Rebbi
Yehoshua for ruling that Ma'ariv is only voluntary, in disagreement with
Raban Gamliel's own opinion that it is obligatory. As a result of that, the
people removed Raban Gamliel from the position of Nasi. The statement in
Berachos was meant to show that even though Tefilas Ma'ariv is voluntary,
one should still not take Ma'ariv lightly, because when one Davens Shemoneh
Esreh right after Keri'as Shema of the evening, he is Somech Ge'ulah
l'Tefilah (as the Gemara says in Berachos 4b) which has tremendous
protective powers.
Our Gemara teaches of the importance of saying a verse at the proper time.
Even if Ma'ariv is not obligatory, saying Shemoneh Esreh of Ma'ariv is
certainly a proper thing at its time, just like reading verses in their
time is proper, because this is the time at which Yakov Davened his
Tefilah, and the time at which the limbs and fats are burned upon the
Mizbe'ach (Berachos 26b).
The Agadic Mishnah in Eduyos is the one in which Rebbi Akiva teaches that a
son inherits certain important qualities from his father. He may have
quoted that teaching when he was offered the position of Nasi on the day
that Raban Gamliel was removed, and he declined because he did not have
Zechus Avos, as the Gemara in Berachos relates.
M. Kornfeld
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