Q&A: The Second Festival Day in the Diaspora
The Second Festival Day in the Diaspora
Question
Shalom and blessings, Rabbi Michael,
A good season!
Sorry to write in English, it’s just much easier for me. Please reply in Hebrew.
Sorry for writing so soon after the holiday (when you are probably clearing away the Passover things). Feel free to reply in your own time.
Obviously I’m not the first person to ask; I must be the millionth!
I don’t understand why nowadays in the Diaspora there are still two festival days. Based on the famous Talmudic passage in Beitzah 4b:
“And now that we know the fixed calendar, what is the reason that we observe two days? Because they sent from there: Be careful to preserve the custom of your ancestors in your hands, for there may someday be a government decree, and people may come to be confused.”
If the Talmud had given the answer that we keep two days to preserve the custom (= the authority of the Sages), then that would have been (more) acceptable. But the Talmud was far more specific—that because of ‘government decrees’ it may end up in ‘confusion.’ I assume the Sages meant that we would no longer be able to calculate and apply the calendar. But for over 2,000 years that hasn’t happened! Nowadays you don’t even need a calendar of your own. My family in the UK can just video me on Zoom or WhatsApp to find out!
So it very much looks like when the reason is gone, the enactment is gone, and even like “do not add”.
Hope you can help, when you have time.
With blessings of peace,
Answer
Indeed, the reason for the second festival day is not relevant at all. Even if the Temple is rebuilt soon, nobody will need two festival days. You can notify everyone by WhatsApp when the month has been sanctified, and that’s it.
But even when the reason has fallen away, we do not have the authority to change the result unless there is a great religious court with ordained judges. When the reason falls away, the enactment does not thereby fall away; and even according to the view of the Raavad, that it does fall away, that is only through a court (except that it need not be greater in wisdom and number).
On the other hand, for example regarding Rosh Hashanah in the Land of Israel, there is the Rif’s view that one day is enough, and therefore in my opinion there really is no reason to celebrate two days today. When there is a halakhic position to rely on, then one may choose it when the reason has fallen away. Still, the custom is to celebrate two days, and therefore at least by force of custom it is hard to abolish this unless a broad rabbinic consensus emerges on the matter.