Study Rosh Hashanah folio 26A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
some of them are rendered witnesses and testify before the others and some of them become judges in the case; this is the statement of R' Tarfon. R' Akiva says: They are all rendered witnesses, and a witness cannot become a judge. It seems therefore that the Mishnah contradicts R' Akiva’s opinion.
The Talmud rejects this argument: You can even say that the Mishnah was taught in accordance with the opinion of R' Akiva, but we must distinguish between the cases. R' Akiva states his position there only with regard to cases of capital law, for God says: “And the congregation shall judge…and the
Mishnah: The Mishnah begins to discuss the primary mitzva of Rosh HaShana, sounding the shofar. All shofarot are fit for blowing except for the horn of a cow, because it is a horn [keren] and not a shofar. R' Yosei said: But aren’t all shofarot called horn, as it is stated: “And it shall come to p
Talmud: R' Yosei is saying well, i.e., presents a convincing argument. Why do the Rabbis not accept it? The Talmud explains that the Rabbis counter R' Yosei’s argument as follows: Indeed, all other shofarot are called shofar and they are also called keren, but that of a cow is called keren, but
And how would R' Yosei counter this argument? He could have said to you: The horns of a cow are also called shofar, as it is written: “And it shall please YHWH better than an ox bull [shor par] that has horns and hoofs” (Psalms 69:32). The wording of the verse is strange: If it is an ox [shor], why