Taanit 21b — the Talmud in English

But if they died

on one day, or

died

on four days—

this is not a plague.

The city whose name was

“Drokart”—

a city that would produce five hundred foot soldiers

[it was],

and three dead people emerged from it on one day.

Rav Naḥman bar Rav Ḥisda decreed a fast

for this, despite the fact that we learned in the beraita above that specifically if they emerged on three days, this is a plague. But if they emerged on one day, this is not a plague, and one does not fast on account of it.

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: According to whom

did Rav Naḥman decree a fast? But did we not learn in the beraita that one does not fast on account of this?

A

ccording to the method of

Rabbi Meir

regarding an ox that gored another ox. Its law is that if the goring ox is innocuous, meaning that this was the first or second time that it gored, it pays half the damage. But if it gored three times, it is considered forewarned, and it pays full damages.

And Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Meir disagreed concerning this matter.

Rabbi Yehuda’s method is that specifically if it gored three times on three successive days, it becomes forewarned, as is implied by the verse: “Or it became known that the ox is a goring ox from yesterday and the day before yesterday.” For this is how they expound the verse: “From yesterday”—two. “And the day before yesterday”—three. Thus, there are three days here.

But if it gored three times on one day, it does not become forewarned.

And Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak in our sugya holds according to Rabbi Meir’s method there,

for he said

that even if it gored three times on one day, it is forewarned. For it is a kal va-chomer: If when he

kept his gorings apart

from one another, so that he gored only once a day, he became forewarned, and

was liable

for full damages, in a situation where he

brought his gorings close to one another,

so that he gored three times on one day,

is it not all the more so

that he becomes forewarned?!

If so, the same law applies here, regarding a plague: it can be learned by a kal va-chomer. If when three people die on three days this is a plague, all the more so if three people die on one day, this is certainly a plague.

The Gemara relates: Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak lived among people who were not particularly important.

Rav Naḥman bar Rav Ḥisda said to Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak: Let the Master arise and come to us

[come and leave your place and live with us, in a place where more important people live]!

He said to him Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak:

We learned

[we learned],

Rabbi Yosei says: It is not a person’s place that honors him.

If a person goes to a place of more honored people, this does not cause him to become more honored.

Rather

the opposite,

a person honors his place.

For if the person is honored on account of his deeds, his place, too, becomes honored through this.

For so we find at Mount Sinai.

For as long as

the Divine Presence

was

resting upon it,

the mountain was holy and honored. As

the Torah said

regarding the time of the giving of the Torah:

“The sheep and the cattle shall not graze opposite that mountain.”

For the wording “that mountain”

means that specifically as long as it was in its greatness, with the Divine Presence upon it, then “the sheep and the cattle shall not graze” opposite the mountain, on account of its holiness.

But from the moment that

the Divine Presence withdrew from it,

from Mount Sinai,

the Torah said: “When the ram’s horn is drawn out, they may ascend the mountain.”

That is, from the time the sounding of the shofar ends—for the practice is to lengthen and draw out the sound at the time of its ending [and this is the meaning of “when the ram’s horn is drawn out”—the holiness withdraws, and they may ascend the mountain . A

s

we likewise find in the

matter of

the Tent of Meeting in the wilderness.

For as long as it was,

the tent

erected

and standing in its place,

the Torah said: “They shall send out from the camp every leper.”

That is, the lepers and the other impure people should not be inside the camp, because the Divine Presence rested within it.

But from the moment that

But from the moment that

the curtains were rolled up,

meaning that the sheets of the Tabernacle were dismantled,

the

men with flux and the lepers were permitted to enter there,

because the Divine Presence had already withdrawn.

Rav Naḥman bar Rav Ḥisda said to Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak:

If so, I shall arise and go to the Master

[if so, I shall arise and come to live among you]!

He said to him Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak: It is not fitting to do this. For it is preferable that a maneh should come

son of a half-maneh [he called himself a son of a half-maneh, meaning, a maneh son of half a maneh , because he himself was ordained by a rabbi, for he was called “Rav Naḥman.” But his father was not ordained, for he was not called “Rav Yitzḥak,” but simply “Yitzḥak”]

to a maneh son of a maneh [he thus called Rav Naḥman bar Rav Ḥisda, since he himself was a rabbi and also the son of a rabbi], for a maneh son of a maneh is more important than a maneh son of a half-maneh.

And a maneh son of a maneh should not come— to a maneh son of a half-maneh, for this is not befitting his honor. The Gemara relates additional incidents about people who saved their surroundings through their good deeds: In the city Sura there was a plague [there was a plague]. But only in the neighborhood of Rav [in his vicinity, in the area where Rav lived] there was no plague. They thought that it was because of Rav’s abundant merit [the people of the place thought that, because of Rav’s many merits, the plague had not reached his neighborhood]. They were shown in a dream

it is preferable

that

a maneh

son of half a maneh

[he referred to himself as “Maneh son of Half a Maneh,” meaning, Maneh son of half a maneh , because he himself had received rabbinic ordination, as he was called “Rav Naḥman,” whereas his father had not received ordination, since he was not called “Rav Yitzḥak,” but simply “Yitzḥak”]

come to a maneh son of a maneh

[this is how he referred to Rav Naḥman bar Rav Ḥisda, since he himself was a Rav and was also the son of a Rav], because a maneh son of a maneh is more distinguished than a maneh son of half a maneh.

[they were shown from Heaven in a dream]:

Rav, whose merit is exceedingly great, this matter is a minor matter for Rav

[Rav, whose merits are very numerous, this matter—that there is no plague in his neighborhood—is a small matter for him], and certainly this matter should not be attributed to Rav’s merits.

But on account of what was there no plague? Because of that man [because of the merits of that man] who lived there, who would lend a shovel and a hoe for burial [who would lend digging tools, a shovel and a hoe, for burial]. And they measured out for him measure for measure: because he performed kindness with the dead, there was no plague of death in his neighborhood. In Drokart there was a fire [in the city called “Drokart” there was a fire]. And in the neighborhood of Rav Huna there was no fire [and in the neighborhood of Rav Huna, who lived in that city, there was no fire]. They thought that it was because of Rav Huna’s abundant merit [the people of the place thought that the reason there was no fire there was Rav Huna’s many merits]. They were shown in a dream [they were shown from Heaven in a dream]: This matter, that there should be no fire in his neighborhood— is a small matter [it is a small matter] for Rav Huna, and one cannot say that it is because of his merits, since his merits are exceedingly numerous!

In

the city of

Sura there was a plague,

[there was an epidemic]. But only

in Rav’s neighborhood

[in Rav’s vicinity, in the area where Rav lived]

was there no plague.

They thought it was because Rav’s merit was great

[the people there thought that the plague had not reached his neighborhood because of Rav’s many merits].

It was shown to them in a dream

[they were shown from Heaven in a dream]:

Rav’s merits are exceedingly great; this matter is minor for Rav

[Rav, whose merits are exceedingly great, considers the absence of a plague in his neighborhood a minor matter], and certainly this should not be attributed to Rav’s merits.

Rather, because of that woman

[because of that woman],

who would heat the oven from one eve of Shabbat to the next eve of Shabbat

[who would keep the oven burning in her home throughout the week, so that it would be ready for baking at any time],

and would lend it to her neighbors

[and would lend it to her neighbors for their use].

In Derokeret there was a fire

And they measured out for her measure for measure: because she performed kindness with fire, therefore no fire fell in her neighborhood.

The Gemara relates:

They said to Rav Yehuda: Locusts have come

[locusts have come to our place] ,

which are accustomed to destroy the grain.

It was shown to them in a dream

[they were shown from Heaven in a dream]:

This

[the fact that there would be no fire in his neighborhood]—

is minor

[it is a minor matter]

for Rav Huna,

and one cannot say that it was because of his merits, since his merits were exceedingly great!

Rather, because of that woman

Rav Yehuda decreed

a fast,

so that the locusts would depart from them.

They said to him

the people of the place: Why should we fast? After all, those locusts

are not causing damage [they are not harmful]!

Rav Yehuda said to them: Do you think that those locusts

brought provisions with them

[brought provisions from their place], so that they do not need to eat anything from here? Surely, in the end they will damage the grain! They further said to Rav Yehuda: There is a pestilence among the pigs [there is a plague of death among the pigs]. Rav Yehuda decreed a fast, so that the death would cease. And apparently the matter is difficult. For until now we have found that a fast is decreed only when there is a plague among human beings. But when there is a plague among animals, a fast is not decreed. Therefore the Gemara asks: Let us say that Rav Yehuda holds [shall we infer from this that Rav Yehuda holds] that

a plague sent against one species,

such as in this case, where a plague was sent among the pigs, is a sign that the plague is

sent against all species,

and it will reach human beings as well, and therefore a fast should be decreed?!

The Gemara rejects this:

No.

There is no proof from here. In truth, it can be said that when a plague is sent against one species, it is not sent against all species. But

pigs are different

[pigs differ from other domesticated animals and beasts],

for their intestines resemble those of human beings

[their intestines resemble human intestines] .

Therefore, when there is a plague among pigs, it is a bad sign even for human beings.

said to Rav Yehuda: There is a pestilence among the pigs

[there is an epidemic of death among the pigs].

Rav Yehuda issued

a fast

decree

so that the pestilence would cease.

The Gemara relates another incident concerning a fast over calamities.

They said to Shmuel: There is a pestilence in Bei Ḥuzai

[there is a plague of death in a certain place in the Babylonian kingdom called “Bei Ḥuzai”].

Shmuel decreed

a fast

in his city, Nehardea, even though it was distant from that place.

The people of his city said to Shmuel:

But it is distant

[the plague is in a distant place from us], and there is no concern that it will reach here!

He said: There is no ford here that will stop it.

That is, there are no fords or partitions that stand in the way of the plague so that it will not come here!

And since there is nothing that stops it, a fast must therefore be decreed, so that the plague will not come here.

They said to Rav Naḥman: There is a pestilence in the Land of Israel

[there is a plague of death in the Land of Israel].

Rav Naḥman decreed a fast in his place, in Babylonia. Because he said , it is a kal va-chomer: If the Land of Israel, which is important like a mistress

vis-à-vis Babylonia,

is stricken,

Babylonia, which is a

maidservant

in comparison with the Land of Israel,

is it not all the more so

that there is concern that it will be stricken! The Gemara asks:

The reason

[the reason Rav Naḥman decreed a fast in Babylonia, even though it was not the place of the plague] was because of this kal va-chomer

of mistress and maidservant.

For if the mistress is stricken, surely there is concern for the maidservant.

It follows that

this

applies to places that are like

maidservant and maidservant,

such as two places that are distant from one another within Babylonia itself, and a plague comes to one of the places:

no,

they do not fast in the other distant place.

decree

in his place, in Babylonia.

Because

he said

that this is an a-fortiori inference:

If

the Land of Israel, which is as important as a

mistress

in relation to Babylonia,

is stricken,

then Babylonia, which is a

maidservant

in comparison with the Land of Israel,

all the more so

is there reason to fear that it will be stricken! The Gemara asks:

The reason

[the reason Rav Naḥman decreed a fast in Babylonia, even though it was not the place of the plague]—was it

the matter of mistress and maidservant?

That is, if the mistress is stricken, there is certainly reason to fear for the maidservant.

It follows that

this

applies to places that are like

maidservant and maidservant,

such as two places far from one another within Babylonia itself, when a plague comes to one of them—

they should not

fast in the other, distant place.

But behold [

and behold] we brought above that

they said to Shmuel: There is a plague in Bei Hozai [

there is an epidemic in Bei Hozai], and

he decreed

Shmuel

a fast in his place, even though he was distant from Bei Hozai!

в своем месте, хотя оно находилось далеко от Би-Хозай!

The Gemara answers: In truth, one does not fast because of a pestilence that has reached a distant place. But

it is different there [

and the matter there is different], in the incident involving Shmuel,

since there were caravans [

since caravans regularly traveled from Bei Hozai to Nehardea]

that it might accompany and come with them [

for the epidemic might accompany them and come with them].

And since we brought that abundant merits protect the inhabitants of the place, the Gemara brings another incident concerning this matter:

A man whose name was

Abba Umna [

and he was called thus because his occupation was bloodletting . And one who engages in this occupation is called “Umna”],

there would come to him

a greeting from the heavenly academy [

there would come to him a greeting from the academy in heaven, meaning that a heavenly voice would say to him: Peace be upon you]

every day [

every day].

And for Abaye

that same heavenly voice would come

every eve of Shabbat [

every Friday eve]. That is, once a week, on Friday .

Whereas

for Rava

that same heavenly voice would come only

every eve of Yom Kippur [

every eve of Yom Kippur]. That is, once a year, on the eve of Yom Kippur .

Abaye’s mind became distressed [

Abaye’s mind was weak. That is, he was grieved]—

because of

the stature

of Abba Umna.

For Abba Umna was seemingly a simple person, and nevertheless his stature was so great that a greeting would come to him from heaven every day.

Whereas he, Abaye, who knew within himself that he was a Torah scholar and righteous, merited this only once a week.

They said to him:

You have no reason to be distressed over this, because

you cannot act as Abba Umna acted [

you cannot perform the good deeds of Abba Umna] .

And what were the deeds [

and what were his deeds]

of Abba Umna?

When he would perform a procedure [

when he was engaged in his occupation, bloodletting],

he would seat the men separately and the women separately [

he would seat the men separately and the women separately, on account of modesty] .

And he had a garment in which there was a horn, and there was a slit in it like a cupping horn [

and he had a type of garment in which there was a small opening, and in that opening was inserted the horn with which blood was let].

When a woman would come to him [

when a woman would come to him for bloodletting],

he would dress her in it [

Abba Umna would ask her to put on this garment],

so that he would not look at her [

so that he would not need to look at her flesh at all] .

Were it not for that garment, the woman would have had to expose her flesh so that he could insert the horn there and let blood.

But now, since the woman wore this garment, she did not need to expose any of her flesh, for the garment was already perforated. It was only necessary to insert the horn into her body and let blood.

The Gemara further relates the good deeds of Abba Umna:

And he had a private place [

and Abba Umna had a private place, which was not visible to everyone],

where he would place the coins that he took [

where those who came to let blood would place the coins that they had to pay as his fee].

Why did Abba Umna act in this manner, so that each person would place the fee himself, and in a private place—

so that those who had nothing with which to pay would not be embarrassed.

If he had—

he would place it there [

one who had what to pay would place the money there].

If he did not have—

he would not be embarrassed [

and one who did not have, and could not pay, would not be ashamed on account of this. Since the box was in a private place, and each person placed the money himself, no one knew who had paid and who had not].

When a Torah scholar happened to come to him [

when a Torah scholar happened to come to him to have blood let],

he would not take a fee from him [

he would not take payment from him].

And

not only this, but

after he rose [

after the scholar rose from the bloodletting]—

he would give him coins [

Abba Umna would give him money of his own],

and say to him: Go, restore your health [

and he would say to him: Go and buy yourself food, and restore your health] .

One day [

one day],

Abaye sent a pair of Torah scholars to examine him [

Abaye sent a pair of Torah scholars to examine the deeds of Abba Umna], in order to ascertain the great deeds of that man, who received peace from heaven more than he did .

He seated them, fed them, and gave them drink [

Abba Umna seated them in his house, fed them, and gave them drink],

and spread

woolen bedding for them at night [

and spread fine woolen bedding for them to sleep upon at night].