The Ultimate Sfeika DiYoma: The International Date Line in Halacha

(1) (Lev. 19:23:) “When you come into the land and plant.” This text is related (to Eccl. 2:5), “I made gardens and orchards for myself, and in them I planted every kind of fruit tree.” Do not all people plant whatever they want, whatever someone plants in the earth, be it pepper or anything [else. But] if he plants, do [the plants automatically] produce? As no one knows the place of every plant, [i.e.] where to plant it. However, because Solomon was wise, he planted all the species of trees [in their place], as stated (ibid.), “I made gardens and orchards for myself, in which I planted every kind of fruit tree.” What is the meaning of “every kind of fruit tree?” R. Jannay said, “Solomon even planted peppers in the land.” But how did he plant them? It is simply that Solomon was wise and knew the root of the foundation of the world.³¹See Eccl. R. 2:5:1. How? (Ps. 50:2), “Out of Zion God has shined forth as the perfection of beauty.” [This means that] out of Zion has all of the whole world been perfected, as it is taught: Why is it called foundation stone? Because out of it the world was founded.³²See above, Lev. 6:4, and the note there. Now Solomon knew which vein went to Cush and planted peppers on it, and they produced immediately. See what he says (in Eccl. 2:5), “and in them I planted every kind of fruit tree.” Another interpretation (of Eccl. 2:5), “and in them I planted every kind of fruit tree.” Just as a navel is set in the middle of a person, so the Land of Israel is the navel of the world. Thus it is stated (in Ezek. 38:12), “who dwell on the navel of the earth.” And the foundation of the world comes out of it, as stated (Ps. 50:1), “A psalm of Asaph. God, the Lord God spoke and summoned the world from East to West.” How is this known? (Ps. 50:2), “Out of Zion God has shined forth as the perfection of beauty.” The Land of Israel sits at the center of the world; Jerusalem is in the center of the Land of Israel; the sanctuary is in the center of Jerusalem; the Temple building is in the center of the sanctuary; the ark is in the center of the Temple building; and the foundation stone, out of which the world was founded, is before the Temple building.³³Cf. Numb. R. 1:4. Now Solomon, who was wise, determined the roots that went out from [that stone] into the whole world and planted all species of trees in them. He therefore said (in Eccl. 2:5), “I made gardens and orchards for myself.”

Abba, the father of Rabbi Simlai, said to Shmuel: Does the Master know the meaning of this statement, as it is taught in a baraita dealing with the secret of addition, which discusses calendric calculations: Differentiate between when the molad occurred before midday and when the molad occurred after midday? He said to him: No, I do not know what this means. He said to him: Since the Master does not know this, there are probably other matters that the Master does not know, and therefore you must not establish a calendar, relying upon calculations that were made based on faulty or insufficient knowledge.

(19) 19. Al Khazari: Was not the day primarily calculated as dawning first in China, because it forms the eastern commencement of the inhabited earth?

(20) 20. The Rabbi: The beginning of the Sabbath must be calculated from Sinai, or rather Alush, where the Mannah first descended. Consequently Sabbath does not come in till the sun has set behind Sinai, and so on to the remote west, and round the globe to China, which is the extreme end of the inhabited earth. Sabbath begins in China eighteen hours later than in Palestine, since the latter lies in the centre of the world. Sunset in Palestine, therefore, concurs with midnight in China, and midday in Palestine concurs with sunset in China. This is the problem of the system based on the eighteen hours in the [Talmudical] rule: If the conjunction of the moon takes place before midday, the new moon becomes visible near sunset. This refers to Palestine, the place where the law was given, and where Adam at the end of Sabbath was transferred from paradise. It is there where the calendar began after the six days of creation. Adam, then, began to name the days, as he did with all that dwelt on earth, and the following generations continued counting in the same way. This is the reason why there is no difference among mankind about the seven days of the week, which commenced at the hour when the inhabitants of the extreme west held noon. This was the hour of sunset for Palestine, and at this moment the first light was created, the sun being created later on. This first light was but an illumination, which soon passed away, leaving the world in darkness. The established order was then that night preceded day, as it is written: 'It was evening and it was morning.' In the same manner the Tōrāh ordained: 'From evening unto evening' (Leviticus 23:32). Do not quote against me those recent astronomers, the thieves of science, though their theft was unintentional. They found, however, their science in a precarious condition, since the eye of prophecy was stricken with blindness; so they had recourse to speculation, and composed books on the strength of it. In contradistinction to the Tōrāh, they considered China as the original home of the calculation of the days. The contrast is not, however, complete, because they agree with the Jewish theory in assuming the beginning of the break of the day to have taken place in China. The difference between our theory and theirs consists chiefly in the circumstance that we count the night before the day. The 'eighteen' hours must, consequently, be made the basis of the nomination of the days of the week. For there are six hours between Palestine, where the nomination of the days began, and the place of the sun at the time when nomination began. Thus the name of Sabbath, e.g. was employed for the beginning of the day on which the sun rose for the extreme west, whilst it set for Adam in Palestine. It kept the name 'beginning of Sabbath' till the sun culminated for him eighteen hours later, when it was evening in China, and also beginning of the Sabbath. This was the extreme limit for the day to be called Sabbath, because the region further on is only called east of the place where the days began to be counted. A place must, however, exist which is at the same time extreme west and the beginning of east. This is, for Palestine, the beginning of the inhabited world, not only from the point of view of the law, but also from that of natural science. For it would be impossible for the days of the week to have the same names all over the world unless we fix one place which marks the beginning, and another one not far off, not that the one be merely an eastern point for the other, but that the one should be east absolute, and the other west absolute. If this were not so the days could not have definite names, since every point of the equator can be east or west at the same time. China would thus be east for Palestine, but west for the antipodal side. The latter would be east for China, but west for [what we call] west, and the last-named would be east for the antipodal side, but west for Palestine, and there would be neither east, nor west, nor beginning, nor end, nor definite names for the days. Adam, however, did give definite names to the days, taking Palestine for his starting-point, but each name spreads over a certain geographical latitude, because it is impossible to fix the horizon for every single point on earth Jerusalem itself would have many east and west points; the east of Zion would not be also the east of the Temple, and their horizons, strictly speaking, different, though not noticeable to the eye. This would be the case in a greater degree between Damascus and Jerusalem, and we could not deny that in the former place Sabbath commenced earlier than it does in the latter, and in Jerusalem sooner than it does in Egypt. A certain latitude must, therefore, be allowed. But the latitude in which differences in the nomination of the day become apparent amounts to eighteen hours, neither more nor less. The inhabitants of one meridian still call the day Sabbath, whilst those of another are past it, and so on till eighteen hours after the time when the Sabbath began, and the sun culminated in Jerusalem. It is then when the name Sabbath comes to an end. Therefore no one exists who would call the day Sabbath, but uses the name of the next day. This is meant by the words: If the conjunction takes place before noon, it is understood that the new moon is visible at sunset. In other words: If the Mōlād takes place before noon on the Sabbath in Jerusalem, it is understood that the new moon is visible on the Sabbath at sunset. This is because the name Sabbath is retained for eighteen hours after the reason for so calling it had departed from the place where it had begun, and the sun a day and a night later culminates again in Palestine. The new moon is, therefore, bound to appear at the eastern border of China in the twilight of the Sabbath. This agrees with the rule of the sages: A night and a day are reckoned to the month. The name Sabbath gives place everywhere to Sunday, although Palestine had before that left Sabbath, and was in the midst of Sunday. The intention of [this rule] was that the name of the same day of the week should hold good all over the world, and the question could be put both to the inhabitants of China and the West: 'On which day did you celebrate the New Year?' The answer would be: 'On Sabbath.' This notwithstanding that the latter people had finished the feast, whilst the former, according to the geographical position of their country towards Palestine, were still celebrating it. With regard to the name of the days of the week, they had both kept the same day. Thus does the knowledge of the 'Sabbath of the Lord' and the 'Festivals of the Lord' depend upon the land which is the 'inheritance of the Lord,' and has, as thou didst read, the other names of 'His holy mountain' (Psalms 99:9,), 'His footstool,' (Psalms 99:5) 'Gate of heaven' (Genesis 28:7). For the law shall go forth from Zion' (Micah 4:2). [Thou didst also read] how the Patriarchs endeavoured to live in the country whilst it was in the hands of the pagans, how they yearned for it, and had their bones carried into it, as did Jacob and Joseph. Moses prayed to see it, and when this was denied to him, he considered it a misfortune. Thereupon it was shown to him from the summit of Pisgah, which was to him an act of grace. Persians, Indians, Greeks, and children of other nations begged to be allowed to offer up sacrifices, and to be prayed for in the holy Temple; they spent their wealth at the place, though they believed in other laws not recognized by the Tōrāh. They honour it to this day, although the Shekhinah no longer appears there. All nations make pilgrimages to it, long for it, excepting we ourselves, because we are punished and in disgrace. All the Rabbis tell of its great qualities would take too long to relate.

(3) God is good to all and His mercies are upon all of His works (Psalms 145:9): Rabbi Levi said, "'God is good to all,' upon all, that He is their maker." Rabbi Shmuel said, "'God is good to all and His mercies' - upon all that are His traits, He has mercy.” Rabbi Yehoshua of Sakhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi, "'God is good to all' and His merciful ones He give to His creatures." Rabbi Tanchuma and Rabbi Abba bar Avin [said] in the name of Rav Acha, “Tomorrow a famine will arrive and the creatures will have mercy, these upon those, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will be filled with mercy on them.” In the days of Rabbi Tanchuma, Israel required a fast (to bring about rain). They came to [Rabbi Tanchuma and] said to him, “Rabbi, decree a fast.” [So] he decreed a fast on the first day, on the second day, on the third day and rain did not fall. He got up and expounded to them. He said to them, "My children, have mercy, these upon those, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will be filled with mercy on you." While they were still distributing charity to the poor, they saw a man giving money to his ex-wife. They came to [Rabbi Tanchuma] and said to him, "Rabbi, how are we sitting here [while] there is a sin here." He said [back] to them, "What did you see?" They said to him, "We saw Mr. x give money to his ex-wife." They sent for them and they brought them in front of the community. [Rabbi Tanchuma] said to him, "What is she to you?" He said [back] to him, "She is my ex-wife." He said to him, "Why did you give her money?" He said to him, "Rabbi, I saw her in distress and I was filled with mercy on her." At that time, Rabbi Tanchuma lifted his head towards above and said, "Master over the worlds, just like this one that does not have an obligation to sustain [her] saw her in distress and he was filled with mercy for her, all the more so, You, that it is written about You, 'Compassionate and Merciful' and we are the children of Your friends, Avraham, Yitschak and Yaakov, will You be filled with mercy on us." Immediately, rains fell and the world was irrigated. Our rabbi (Yehuda Hanassi) was sitting, involved in Torah in front of the synagogue of the Babylonian [Jews] in Tzippori [when] a calf passed in front of him [and] was going to be slaughtered and started to yell out as if to say, "Save me." He said to it, "And what can I do for you? That is what you were created for." [As a result, Rabbi Yehuda Hanassi] had toothaches for thirteen years. Rabbi Yoss bar Avin said, "[During] those entire thirteen years that [he] had toothaches, no pregnant woman had a miscarriage in the Land of Israel and no birthing mother had pain. After some time, a crawling animal passed in front of his daughter and she wanted to kill it. He said to her, "My daughter, let it go, as it is written, "and His mercies are upon all of his works." Our rabbi had great modesty and said, "I will do anything that people tell me except what the sons of Batira did to my forefather - that they came down from their greatness (office) and brought him up; and [even] if Rabbi Huna, the Exilarch, came here, I would get up in front of him. Why? As he is from [the tribe of] Yehuda and I am from Binyamin, and he is from the males of Yehuda and I am from the females." Rabbi Chiya the Great said to him, "And behold, he is [waiting] outside." [Rabbi Yehuda Hanassi]'s face changed colors. And when he saw that his face changed colors, [Rabbi Chiya] said to him, "It is [Rabbi Huna]'s coffin." He said [back] to [Rabbi Chiya], "Go out and see who needs you outside." He went out and did not find a person and he knew that he was excommunicated - and there is no excommunication less than thirty days. Rabbi Yossi bar Avin said, "[During] the entire thirty days that Rabbi Chiya the Great was excommunicated from our rabbi, he taught Rav, the son of his sister, the principles of the Torah." And what are the principles of the Torah? They are the laws of the Babylonians. At the end of thirty days, Eliyahu - may he be remembered for good - came in the likeness of Rabbi Chiya the Great to our rabbi and put his hand on his teeth and he became healed. When Rabbi Chiya the Great came to our rabbi, he said to him, "What did you do to your teeth?" He said [back] to him, "From the time that you put your hand on them, they became better. He said, "I do not know what this is." When he heard this, he began to treat him with respect and he brought close the students and brought up [Rabbi Chiya] to the top. Rabbi Yishmael bar Yose said, "And [should he] come closer than I?" He said [back] to him, "God forbid, such should not be done in Israel." Our rabbi was teaching the praises of Rabbi Chiya the Great in front of Rabbi Yishmael bar Yose - he said, "He is a great man, he is a holy man." One time, [Rabbi Yishmael bar Yose] saw [Rabbi Chiya] in the bathhouse and [the latter] did not humble himself before him. He said to [Rabbi Yehuda Hanassi], "Is this your student that you have been praising? I saw him in the bathhouse and he did not humble himself before me." He said to him, "Why did you not humble yourself before him?" Rabbi Chiya said [back], I was looking at the homilies (aggadot) of Psalms." Once [Rabbi Yehudah Hanassi] heard this, he gave him two students to go with him to the dark places, that he not get confounded and lose himself. Another explanation: "God is good to all, etc." "And God remembered Noach, etc." - Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said, "Woe to the evildoers who switch the [Divine] trait of mercy to the [Divine] trait of [strict] justice. In every place that it states 'the Lord,' it is the trait of mercy: 'The Lord, the Lord, merciful and compassionate God' (Exodus 34:6). And [yet] it is written (Genesis 6:5-6), 'And the Lord saw that the evil of man on the earth was very great[...] And the Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth, and the Lord said, "I will erase, etc."' Happy are the righteous who switch the trait of [Divine] justice to the [divine] trait of mercy. In every place that it states 'Elohim,' it is the trait of mercy: 'Judges (Elohim) you shall not curse' (Exodus 22:27); 'to the judges (elohim) the matter of both of them will come' (Exodus 22:8). And [yet] it is written (Exodus 2:24), 'And God heard their cries and God remembered His covenant'; '(Genesis 30:22), 'And God remembered Rachel'; 'And God remembered Noach.' And what memory did He remember for him? That he fed and sustained them all of the twelve months in the ark." "And God remembered Noach" - and justice requires it, from the merit of the pure ones that he brought with him into the ark. Rabbi Eliezer says, "[Noach] was named corresponding to his sacrifice, as it states, 'And the Lord smelled the pleasant (nichoach) fragrance.'" Rabbi Yose bar Chaninah [says], "He was named corresponding to the resting of the ark, as it states, 'And the ark rested (tanach) on the seventh month, etc.'" Rabbi Yehoshua says, "'Will not cease' (Genesis 8:22) implies that they ceased."