Translation:Mishnah/Seder Moed/Tractate Pesachim/Chapter 9/2

Introduction

Mishnah 9:2 continues to interpret Numbers 9:10, regarding the second Passover.

Hebrew Text

איזו היא דרך רחוקה?

מן המודיעים ולחוץ,
וכמדתה לכל רוח,
דברי רבי עקיבא.

רבי אליעזר אומר:
מאסקפת העזרה ולחוץ.

אמר רבי יוסי,
לפיכך נקוד על ה'
לומר,
לא מפני שרחוקה ודאי,
אלא מאסקפת העזרה ולחוץ.

English Translation

What is “a distant journey” (within the meaning of Numbers 9:10)?

From Modi’in and beyond,
And the same distance in any direction [from Jerusalem is a distant journey] —
[These are] the words of Rabbi Akiva.

Rabbi Eliezer says:
[A journey is distant anytime one leaves] from the threshold of the Temple Court and beyond.

Said Rabbi Yose [to Rabbi Eliezer]:
For that reason there is a dot over the letter hei [(ה) in the word “distant” (רְחֹקָה, rechokah) in Numbers 9:10 in a Torah scroll],
[In order] to teach:
Not because it is really distant,
But [when one has departed] from the threshold of the Temple Court and beyond
[One is regarded as being on “a distant journey”].

Explanation

In the Babylonian Talmud, the discussion of Mishnah Pesachim 9:2 begins on Babylonian Talmud Pesachim 93b.