Taanit 24a — the Talmud in English

One day, he heard him studying and reciting [One day, Rabbi Yosei heard Rav Ashi studying and reciting]:

One day, Rabbi Yosei heard Rav Ashi studying and reciting:

Shmuel said: One who draws a fish from the sea on Shabbat, once it has dried on it

in the fish an area whose size is

a sela [a type of coin], although the fish still flutters afterward, and while it was fluttering he returned and cast it into the sea

is liable. -

-

He is liable

because of the labor of taking a life.

And the reason is that once the fish has dried to the size of a sela, it can no longer live.

He said to him

Rabbi Yosei bar Avin:

But let the Master say [Behold, you must add another detail to this law and say]:

[you should add another detail to this law and say]:

and

this law that we stated applies specifically when the dry place on the fish is

between its fins!

He said to him

Rav Ashi: Indeed, so it is. He should have added this detail. But,

does the Master not hold that Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Avin said that statement [Do you not hold that Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Avin said this law]?! And if so, you should have stated your words in his name, for whoever reports a matter in the name of the one who said it brings redemption to the world!

[and do you not hold that Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Avin stated this law]?! If so, you should have said your words in his name, for whoever reports a statement in the name of the person who said it brings redemption to the world!

He said to him: I am he [I am Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Avin]. And I stated the matters in my own name.

—I am Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Avin. I stated the matter in my own name.

He said to him

Rav Ashi:

But was the Master not regularly before Rabbi Yosei of Yukrat [Were you not sitting and studying before Rabbi Yosei of Yukrat]?

[were you not sitting and studying before Rabbi Yosei of Yukrat]?

He said to him

Rabbi Yosei bar Avin:

Yes.

Indeed, so it was.

He said to him

Rav Ashi:

And for what reason did the Master leave him and come here [What is the reason that you left Rabbi Yosei of Yukrat and came here to study]?

[why did you leave Rabbi Yosei of Yukrat and come here to study]?

He said to him

Rabbi Yosei bar Avin: I am concerned that perhaps he will become angry with me, and I will be harmed because of his anger.

For

a man who had no compassion for his son and his daughter, how would he have compassion for me [A person who had no compassion for his son and daughter [as is related below], how would he have compassion for me]? And now the Gemara brings the substance of the incidents, that Rabbi Yosei of Yukrat had no compassion for his son, and had no compassion for his daughter.

[how could a person who had no compassion for his son and daughter [as related below] have compassion for me]? The Gemara now relates the actual incidents, showing that Rabbi Yosei of Yukrat had no compassion for his son and no compassion for his daughter.

That he had no compassion for

his son [his son]—

[his son]—

what is it,

how did the incident occur?

One day, he had day laborers working for him in the field [One day, Rabbi Yosei had hired day laborers in his field].

[one day, Rabbi Yosei had day laborers in his field].

It grew dark for them [The day grew dark for them],

[the day became dark for them],

and

still

he had not brought them bread [Rabbi Yosei had not brought them bread to eat].

[Rabbi Yosei had not brought them bread to eat].

They said to his son [The laborers said to Rabbi Yosei’s son, who was with them in the field]:

[the laborers said to Rabbi Yosei's son, who was with them in the field]:

We are hungry [We are hungry]!

[we are hungry]!

At that time

they were sitting beneath a fig tree [they were all sitting beneath a fig tree], which had no fruit, since it was not its season.

[they were all sitting beneath a fig tree], which had no fruit because it was not the season for its fruit.

He said

Rabbi Yosei’s son:

Fig tree, fig tree! Bring forth your fruits, and let my father’s laborers eat!

It brought forth [The fig tree brought forth its fruits], and

[the fig tree produced its fruit],

they ate

the laborers ate from them.

Meanwhile—

his father came [Meanwhile, the father, Rabbi Yosei, arrived].

[in the meantime, Rabbi Yosei arrived].

He said to them [He said to the laborers]:

[he said to the laborers]:

Do not take it to heart [Do not suspect me in your minds because I have not brought you food until now],

[do not suspect me because I have not brought you food until now],

for the reason that I was delayed—

I was occupied with a mitzva, and only now did I finish [For the reason that I delayed is that I was occupied with a matter of a mitzva, and only now did I finish engaging in it].

[I was late because I was occupied with a mitzva, and only now did I finish engaging in it].

They said to him

the laborers:

May the Merciful One satisfy you—

just as your son satisfied us [May the Holy One, blessed is He, satisfy you, just as your son fed us until we were satisfied].

[may the Holy One, blessed be He, satisfy you, just as your son fed us until we were satisfied].

He said to them: From where,

where did he bring you food?

They said: This and this is what happened [This and this is what happened]. And they told him the entire incident.

[this is what happened]. They told him the entire incident.

He said to him

Rabbi Yosei to his son:

My son! You troubled your Creator [the Holy One, blessed is He, Creator of heaven and earth]

[the Holy One, blessed be He, Creator of heaven and earth]

to bring forth the fruits of a fig tree not in its season; he will be gathered in not in his season [Your punishment will be that you will be gathered from the earth and die before your time].

[your punishment will be that you will be taken from the earth and die before your time].

This is the incident in which Rabbi Yosei had no compassion for his son.

The incident in which he had no compassion for

his daughter [his daughter]—

[his daughter]—

what is it [what was it]?

[what happened]?

He had a beautiful daughter [Rabbi Yosei had a beautiful daughter].

[Rabbi Yosei had a beautiful daughter].

One day, he saw a certain man digging through the hedge and looking at her [One day, Rabbi Yosei saw a certain man digging through and breaking the wooden fence surrounding his courtyard in order to look inside].

[one day, Rabbi Yosei saw a man digging through and dismantling the wooden fence surrounding his courtyard in order to look inside].

He said to him

Rabbi Yosei to that man:

What is this [What is this act that you are doing]?

[what are you doing]?

He said to him: Rabbi, if I was not worthy to take her [If I was not worthy to marry your daughter],

[if I was not worthy of marrying your daughter],

will I not be worthy even to see her?

Therefore I made a hole in the fence so that I could at least see her.

He said to her

Rabbi Yosei to his daughter:

My daughter! You cause suffering to people [You cause people suffering].

[you are causing people distress].

Return to your dust [That is, die and be buried in the dust from which man was created],

[that is, die and be buried in the dust from which the human being was created],

and let human beings not stumble through you [through you]

[because of you]

human beings.

And so it was [And so it indeed happened].

[and that is indeed what happened].

This is the incident in which Rabbi Yosei had no compassion for his daughter.

The Gemara relates another incident concerning Rabbi Yosei of Yukrat.

He had a certain donkey [Rabbi Yosei had a donkey, which he rented to others for their work].

[Rabbi Yosei had a donkey, which he rented to others for their work].

When they would rent it, every day in the evening they would send its hire fee on its back, and it would come to its owner’s house [When they rented the donkey, every evening they would place the rental payment on its back, and the donkey would return with the money to its owner’s house].

[when people rented the donkey, each evening they would place the rental payment on its back, and the donkey would return with the money to its owner's house].

And if they added to it, or reduced from it—

it would not come [And if they added to the fixed rental fee, or reduced from it, the donkey would not move from its place].

[if they added to or deducted from the fixed rental fee, the donkey would not move from its place].

One day, they forgot a pair of sandals on it [One day, the renters forgot a pair of sandals on the donkey],

[one day, the renters left a pair of sandals on the donkey],

and it did not go until they removed them from it, and afterward it went [and the donkey did not agree to go on its way until the renters noticed this, removed the sandals from it, and only afterward did it go].

[the donkey refused to go on its way until the renters noticed this, removed the sandals, and only then did it go].

When the charity collectors would see Eleazar of Birta—

they would hide from him [When the charity collectors saw him, they would flee from him so that he would not see them].

[whenever charity collectors saw him, they would run away from him so that he would not see them].

And why did they flee from him—

For everything that he had—

he would give to them [For everything that was in his possession he would give to the collectors for charitable needs, and he would leave nothing for himself].

[because everything he had, he gave to the charity collectors for charitable needs and kept nothing for himself].

One day, he was going up to the marketplace to buy a dowry for his daughter [One day, Eleazar of Birta went to the marketplace to buy dowry items for his daughter, who was about to marry].

[one day, Elazar of Birta went to the marketplace to buy dowry items for his daughter, who was about to marry].

The charity collectors saw him and hid from him [The charity collectors saw him and fled from him so that he would not give them everything that was in his possession].

[the charity collectors saw him and ran away from him so that he would not give them everything he had].

He went and ran after them [He went and ran after them].

[he went and ran after them].

He said to them: I adjure you, with what are you occupied [I adjure you to tell me: with what charitable activity are you occupied]?

[I adjure you to tell me: For what charitable cause are you collecting]?

They said to him

the collectors: We are occupied

with

collecting money in order to marry

an orphan boy and an orphan girl.

He said to them: By the Temple service! They take precedence over my daughter [I swear that they take precedence over my daughter]. For they are orphans, and they have no parents to care for them. Whereas my daughter is not an orphan.

[I swear that they take precedence over my daughter]. They are orphans and have no parents to care for them, whereas my daughter is not an orphan.

He took everything that was with him—

and gave it to them [Eleazar took all the money that was in his possession and gave it to them].

[Elazar took all the money he had with him and gave it to them].

One zuz remained for him [One zuz remained in his possession].

[one zuz remained in his possession].

He bought wheat with it [He bought wheat with that zuz],

[he bought wheat with that zuz],

and brought it up

and cast it into the granary [and cast it into his wheat store], and went to the beit-midrash.

[he threw it into his wheat storehouse], and then went to the house of study.

His wife came [His wife came],

[his wife came],

she said to her daughter [and said to her daughter]:

[and said to her daughter]:

What did your father bring you [What did your father bring you]?

[what did your father bring you]?

She said to her

the daughter:

Everything that he brought—

he cast into the granary [Everything that Father brought, he cast into the wheat store].

[everything Father brought, he threw into the wheat storehouse].

She came to open the door of the granary [The woman approached to open the door of the granary],

[the woman approached to open the door of the storehouse],

she saw the granary full of wheat [she saw that it was full of wheat],

[she saw that it was full of wheat],

and it was emerging through the door hinge [and it protruded and emerged from beneath the threshold of the door],

[the wheat protruded and came out from beneath the threshold],

and the door could not be opened because of the wheat [and the door could not be opened because of the abundance of wheat pressing against it].

[the door could not be opened because of the mass of wheat pressing against it].

His daughter went to the beit-midrash [Eleazar’s daughter went to the beit-midrash].

[Elazar's daughter went to the house of study].

She said to him: Come and see what your beloved has done for you [Come and see the great miracle that the Holy One, blessed is He, has done for you]!

[come and see the great miracle the Holy One, blessed be He, has performed for you]!

He said to her: By the Temple service [I swear]! Those wheat grains,

[I swear]! That wheat,

they are consecrated to you

, and you have no share in them

except

like one of the poor of Israel .

.

And the reason is that these wheat grains came about through a miraculous act, and it is forbidden for a person to benefit from a miraculous act. For one who benefits from a miracle has his merits deducted from him.

Rabbi Yehuda Nesi’a [who was the son of Rabban Gamaliel, the son of Rabbi]

[who was the son of Rabban Gamliel, son of Rabbi,]

decreed a fast

so that rain would fall.

He pleaded for mercy—

but rain did not come [He pleaded for mercy, but rain did not come].

[he prayed for mercy, but rain did not come].

He said

Rabbi Yehuda:

How much there is [There are], how many years have passed

[how many years have passed]

from

the time of

Samuel the Ramahite,

when rain fell when he asked, as it is stated: “Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call to the Lord, and He will give thunder and rain, etc.”—

to

the time of

Yehuda ben Gamaliel,

whom Israel charged to pray, and he cries out, and there is no one who pays attention to him!

That is, see what a difference there is between the generation of Samuel, who was answered immediately, and this generation, to which no one pays attention!

Woe to a generation in which such a thing has become fixed [established]!

[has become firmly fixed]!

Woe to the one in whose days such a thing has arisen!

Through these words that he said,

his mind was weakened [his mind was weakened and humbled]—

[his spirit became weakened and humbled]—

and

through this

rain came [the rain came].

[the rain came].

The household of the Nasi decreed a fast, but did not inform [did not inform]

[did not notify]

Rabbi Yohanan and Reish Lakish.

In the morning they informed them [On the morning of the fast day, he informed them].

[on the morning of the fast, they informed them].

Reish Lakish said to Rabbi Yohanan: But we did not accept the fast upon ourselves from the evening before [Behold, we did not accept the fast upon ourselves while it was still daytime]!

[we did not accept the fast upon ourselves while it was still the previous day]!

He said to him,

Rabbi Yohanan:

We—

are dragged along after them (we are dragged and drawn after them, after the entire public. That is, from the outset it was in our intention to do what the entire public does; therefore, it is as though we explicitly accepted the fast upon ourselves).

The house of the Nasi (the people of the Nasi’s household)

the people of the Nasi’s household

decreed a fast—

and rain did not come (and rain did not come).

and no rain fell.

He taught them (he recited to them)

the following teaching:

Hoshea the Younger of the Fellows (the youngest in the academy)

He wrote:

“And if it was done unwittingly before the eyes of the congregation.” “The eyes of the people” are the elders, the sages, who enlighten the eyes of the people.

“The eyes of the people” are the elders and sages, who illuminate the eyes of the people.

A parable to a bride who is in her father’s house.

As long as her eyes are beautiful—

her entire body does not require examination.

For the beauty of the eyes is a sign of the beauty of the entire body.

But if

her eyes are terutot (not beautiful) —

and not beautiful —

her entire body requires examination.

That is, it is reasonable that the rest of her body is also not beautiful.

And since the people of the Nasi’s household, who are now considered “the eyes of the people,” are wicked , the rest of the poor of the people, the ordinary people, do not require examination, to examine their deeds; therefore, Heaven does not pay attention to them when they fast.

The slaves of the Nasi’s household came, placed a cloth around his neck, and were causing him distress (the slaves of the Nasi came, placed a cloth around Hoshea’s neck, and caused him distress), because he had insulted the Nasi and his household and said that they were wicked.

because he had insulted the Nasi and his household by saying that they were wicked.

The people of his city said to them (the people of Hoshea’s city said to the Nasi’s slaves):

the patriarch's slaves:

Leave him (leave Hoshea), and do not cause him distress,

Hoshaiah, and do not distress him,

for he too causes us distress (for he too causes us distress with his words), as he reviles and curses us for our deeds.

since he insults and denounces us for our deeds.

But

once we saw that all his words were for the sake of Heaven (once we saw that Hoshea’s intention was for the sake of Heaven)—

since we see that Oshaya’s intention is for the sake of Heaven—

we said nothing to him and left him alone (we say nothing to him and leave him alone).

And

You too, leave him alone (you too, people of the Nasi’s household—leave him alone).

members of the patriarch's household.

Rabbi decreed a fast—

and rain did not come.

Ilfa went down before him (a man named “Ilfa” went down before the ark),

a man named “Ilfa” went down before the ark—

and some say, Rabbi Ilfi (and some say that his name was “Rabbi Ilfi”).

and there are those who say that his name was “Rabbi Ilfi.”

He said,

that man:

“Who makes the wind blow”—

and

immediately

a wind blew (and a wind blew).

and the wind blew.

That man said:

“Who makes the rain fall”—

and

immediately

rain came (rain fell).

and rain fell.

He said to him,

Rabbi:

“What is your occupation?” (what are your deeds?) That is, what good deeds do you perform, that your prayer is heard so readily?

What good deeds do you perform, such that your prayer is answered so readily?

He said to him: I dwell in a remote, impoverished village, where there is no wine for kiddush and havdala (I dwell in a remote and poor village, where they have no wine for kiddush and havdala).

I live in a distant and poor village, where they have no wine for Kiddush and Havdala.

I trouble myself and bring wine for kiddush and havdala, and bring them out of their obligation (I trouble myself and bring them wine for kiddush and havdala, and discharge them of their obligation) .

I take the trouble to bring them wine for Kiddush and Havdala, and fulfill their obligation .

Rav happened to come to a certain place (Rabbi happened to come to a certain place) where there was a stoppage of rain.

where there was a drought.

He decreed a fast, but rain did not come.

The communal messenger went down before him (the communal prayer leader went down before him before the ark).

and stood before the ark.

He said,

that communal prayer leader:

“Who makes the wind blow”—

and a wind blew (and the wind blew).

He said,

He said,

that communal prayer leader:

“Who makes the rain fall”—

and rain came (and rain came).

and rain came.

He said to him: “What is your occupation?” (what are your deeds?) What good deeds do you perform, that your prayer is answered immediately?

What good deeds do you perform, such that your prayer is answered immediately?

He said to him: I am a teacher of children (I teach young children),

I teach children,

and I teach the children of the poor—

like the children of the wealthy (and I teach the children of the poor like the children of the wealthy).

I teach the children of the poor just as I teach the children of the wealthy.

And anyone who is unable to pay, I take nothing from him (and from anyone who is unable to pay, I do not take any payment at all).

and from anyone unable to pay, I do not take any fee at all.

And I have a fishpond (and I have a pit containing fish).

and I have a pit containing fish.

And any one who neglects his studies (and any student who does not wish to study)—

and any student who does not wish to study—

I bribe him with some of them (I bribe him by means of the fish),

I entice him with the fish,

and arrange him and appease him until he comes and reads (and I arrange matters for him and appease him until he comes and reads and studies with everyone).

I encourage and placate him until he comes and reads and studies with everyone.

Rav Naḥman decreed a fast.

He sought mercy—

but rain did not come.

He said,

Rav Naḥman to the public:

Take Naḥman and strike him down from the wall to the ground (take Naḥman and throw him from his seat to the ground) ,

for he is not answered through his prayer!

Through these words that he said about himself,

his mind was weakened,

he became embarrassed and his spirit fell,

and

for this reason

rain came.

Rabba decreed a fast.

He sought mercy—

but rain did not come.

They said to him: But Rav Yehuda, when he would decree a fast—

rain came (when he would decree a fast, rain would come immediately)!

whenever he decreed a fast, rain would come immediately!

He said to them,

Rabba:

“What can I do?” (and what shall I do?)

what can I do?

If

you think that Rav Yehuda was answered

because of the study (because the level of Torah study in his time was superior to our level),

because the level of Torah study in his time was superior to ours,

that is not so, for

we are superior to them (we are superior in this matter to the generation of Rav Yehuda).

we are superior in this regard to the generation of Rav Yehuda.