Study Bava Batra folio 121A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
The Festivals of YHWH were stated, but Shabbat, which commemorates Creation, was not stated. Ben Azzai says: The Festivals of YHWH were stated, but the dissolution of vows was not stated. This concludes the baraita.
The Talmud recounts: R' Yosei bar Natan learned this baraita and did not know how to explain it. He followed Rav Sheshet to Neharde’a in order to ask him about it, but he did not find him there. He followed him to Meḥoza and found him, and he said to him: What is meant by R' Yosei HaGelili’s state
Rav Sheshet said to him: The Festivals of YHWH require sanctification by the court. This means that the start of the month, which is dependent upon the appearance of the New Moon, which determines the Festivals, can be established only by a court composed of experts. Shabbat, which commemorates Cr
R' Yosei bar Natan asked: What is meant by ben Azzai’s statement: The Festivals of YHWH were stated, but the dissolution of vows was not stated? After all, the Torah writes explicitly about the dissolution of vows. Rav Sheshet answered him: The Festivals of YHWH require experts to determine when t
The Talmud questions this explanation. But it is written: “The heads of the tribes” (Numbers 30:2), in the portion discussing the halakhot of vows. How, then, can it be said that vows can be dissolved by laymen? Rav Ḥisda says that R' Yoḥanan says: The phrase teaches that vows can be dissolved by a