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Why are the 5 megillos called megilla and not sefer like the other 19 books of Tanach?
It can’t be because they are short, because A) Sefer Daniel is just as short as Megillas Koheles. B) Trei Asar is a collection of short neviim so if short was an issue here they could have been put together in one sefer and called Sefer Chamsha. (agav why trei asar in aramaic?)
It can’t be because they are one-topic books, because Sefer Iyov is one-topic and is a sefer. The same could probably be said for Sefer Mishlei.
Any info would be appreciated.
I’ve asked that question before and I never received an answer that satisfied me. The only thing I can think of that differentiates those 5 seforim is that they are the only seforim in Kesuvim that are read publicly on a holiday.
he only thing I can think of that differentiates those 5 seforim is that they are the only seforim in Kesuvim that are read publicly on a holiday.
yea, that’s probably the reason.
Possibly because they are written on a klaf (at least in theory) and read entirely in one sitting. No other book of Tanach (except ‘Sefer’ Ovadia) is read entirely in one reading.
Correction: No other book of Tanach (except ‘Sefer’ Ovadia and ‘Sefer’ Yonah) is read entirely in one reading.
And Devorim, for those who do Mishneh Torah
Also, Yonah
The reason probably has to do with why they are called Kesubim in the first place. Neviim is a written record of the Nevuos that a Navi had. Kesuvim is directly the product of the Ruach Hakodesh.
The Megilla of Eicha is one thought, or one topic. It was produced at one point as a Megilla. Think of the term as the Letter of Esther, Koheles or of Kina. Tehillim is a collection, therefore it is not a Megilla.
It sounds odd for something to be named a Megilla because of when it is read.
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