Megilah Chart #4
Chart for Megilah Daf 9a
IN WHICH LANGUAGES MAY THE DIFFERENT SEFARIM BE WRITTEN?
| (A) TANA KAMA |
(B) RABAN SHIMON |
(C) REBBI YEHUDAH |
||
| 1 | SEFER TORAH | Any language | Ashuris or Yevanis (1) |
Ashuris or Yevanis (2) |
| 2 | NEVI'IM U'KESUVIM | Any language | Ashuris or Yevanis |
Ashuris (3) |
| 3 | MEGILAS ESTHER (4) | Ashuris (3) | Ashuris | Ashuris |
| 4 | TEFILIN U'MEZUZOS (5) | Ashuris | Ashuris | Ashuris |
==========
FOOTNOTES:
==========
(1) Yevanis is permitted because the verse says, "Hash-m will beautify Yefes (Yavan), and he will dwell in the tents of Shem (Yisrael)" (Bereishis 9:27).
(2) According to Rebbi Yehudah, the Chachamim permitted Yevanis only because of the incident with Ptolemy (in which the Jewish elders were forced to translate the Torah into Yevanis), and not because of the verse which describes the beauty of Yefes (see previous footnote). Therefore, only the Torah itself (which was translated for Ptolemy) may be written in Yevanis.
(3) The Gemara concludes that the Beraisa cited on 8b expresses either the opinion of Rebbi Yehudah and refers to Nevi'im and Kesuvim, or the opinion of everyone and refers to Megilah.
(4) Everyone agrees that the Megilah must be written only in Ashuris, based on the verse, "... as they are written" (Esther 9:27).
(5) Everyone agrees that Tefilin and Mezuzos must be written only in Ashuris, based on the verse, "... they shall be..." (Devarim 6:6).