Taanit 24b — the Talmud in English

in the days of Rav Yehuda [since it was during Rav Yehuda’s period],

as was the case during Rav Yehuda’s time],

all the study ![](pamud.bmp "

exact page location")

was in Nezikin [all their learning was in the order of Nezikin] .

They did not study other orders, but only the order of Nezikin .

But we study in all six orders [whereas we study and learn all six orders].

whereas we study and learn all six orders].

And when Rav Yehuda reached Uktzin [and when Rav Yehuda, in his learning, reached a Mishna in tractate Uktzin]

that speaks about this matter: All handles of foods, such as the leaves of a vegetable: if ritual impurity touched them, the food attached to those handles also becomes impure, if it requires them. And likewise in the opposite direction: if impurity touched the food, the handles also become impure.

And we learned there:

the woman

who pickles vegetables in a pot,

that is, she squeezes the vegetable of its liquids so that it will endure for a long time: the handles, the leaves of that vegetable, are pure, and they do not become impure if impurity touched the vegetable itself.

And the reason for the matter is that through the pickling and the pressure exerted upon the vegetable, the handles were broken and cracked, and it is impossible to take the vegetable with them. For if one were to take it by grasping the handles, since they are weak and cracked, the vegetable would detach from them and fall. And since this is so, the leaves are not considered handles of the food, and they do not become impure together with the food.

And some say [and they do not refer to what we learned, “the woman who was pickling, etc.,” but to this matter]:

that the statement does not refer to what we learned, “the woman who was pickling, etc.,” but to the following matter]:

olives that one pickled with their leaves [together with

the leaves of them]—

pure:

the handles are pure from bringing impurity to the food, because after they pickled them, they are no longer fit to be a handle .

When Rav Yehuda, during his learning, reached these matters—

he said [he would say]:

he would say]:

I see here the difficulties of Rav and Shmuel [these matters appear to me like the difficulties of Rav and Shmuel] ,

for they are profound, and they are not clear to me!

And

if

we [we]

we]

were studying Uktzin

in thirteen study houses [we study tractate Uktzin in thirteen academies in this city in which we sit] .

studying tractate Uktzin in thirteen study halls in the city where we are sitting] .

And despite all this, despite the fact that we are superior to Rav Yehuda’s generation in Torah learning,

whereas Rav Yehuda, when he removed one shoe [when he removed one shoe] because of affliction —

when he removed one shoe] as an act of affliction —

it would rain [rain would immediately come].

rain would immediately fall].

But we cry out all day—

and there is no one who pays attention to us [whereas we cry out all day in prayer, and there is no one who pays attention to us and heeds us].

whereas we cry out all day in prayer, and no one takes notice of us or hears us].

If it is because of the deed [perhaps we are not answered in our prayer because of our deeds, since we do not conduct ourselves properly],

perhaps our prayers are not answered because of our deeds, since we do not conduct ourselves properly],

if there is someone who saw something—

let him say [if there is someone who saw in us, the Sages, something improper—

if anyone has seen something improper in us, the Sages, -

let him say]!

And since there is no one who can say about us that we do not conduct ourselves properly in some matter, certainly the matter does not depend upon us and our deeds, since we are superior to Rav Yehuda.

But what can the great men of the generation do, who

although because of their own virtue they would be answered, nevertheless, since

their generation is not worthy [the people of the generation do not conduct themselves properly] ,

they are therefore not answered in their prayers .

The Gemara relates:

Rav Yehuda saw two men [he saw two people]

he saw two people]

who were throwing bread [who were throwing bread to one another for amusement].

they were throwing bread to one another for amusement].

He said: Learn from this that there is abundance in the world [from the deeds of these people, who treat bread with such contempt, it is proven that there is great abundance in the world].

from the conduct of these people, who treated bread with such disrespect, it is evident that there is great abundance in the world].

He cast his eyes, and there was famine [Rav Yehuda cast his eyes, and famine came upon the world] .

Rav Yehuda cast his eyes upon them, and a famine came upon the world] .

The Sages wished to cause Rav Yehuda to go out to the marketplace, see that there was great famine, and pray about it.

The Sages said to Rav Kahana, son of Rav Nahunya, his attendant [the Sages said to Rav Yehuda’s attendant, whose name was Rav Kahana son of Rav Nahunya]:

the Sages said to Rav Yehuda’s attendant, whose name was Rav Kahana, son of Rav Neḥunya]:

You, who are frequently before him [you, who are present and frequently before Rav Yehuda],

you, who are regularly in Rav Yehuda’s presence],

make him go out to the entrance adjacent to the marketplace [make an effort to cause Rav Yehuda to go out to the entrance adjacent to the marketplace] .

try to cause Rav Yehuda to go out through the entrance adjacent to the marketplace] .

And indeed this is what happened.

Make him—

and he went out to the marketplace [Rav Kahana caused Rav Yehuda to go out to the marketplace].

Rav Kahana caused Rav Yehuda to go out to the marketplace].

He saw a crowd [Rav Yehuda saw many people standing gathered in one place].

Rav Yehuda saw many people gathered together in one place].

He said to them [he said to those people]:

he said to those people]:

What is this?

What is the matter; why are you standing here?

They said to him: A vessel of dates is standing here, being sold [there is a vessel full of dates here]

that are standing for sale, and we are waiting to buy some of them.

He said

Rav Yehuda: If so many people are waiting to buy from one vessel of dates,

learn

from this: there is famine in the world [it is proven from this that there is famine in the world].

it is evident from this that there is a famine in the world].

He said to his attendant [Rav Yehuda said to his attendant]:

Rav Yehuda said to his attendant]:

Remove my shoes [remove my shoes for me] .

And he wished to do this as an affliction, so that rain would fall.

He removed one shoe for him [his attendant removed one shoe for him],

his attendant removed one of his shoes],

and

he had not managed to remove the second one before

rain came [before rain fell].

rain fell].

When he came to remove the other one [when Rav Yehuda approached to remove the other shoe],

when Rav Yehuda began to remove the other shoe],

Elijah came [the prophet Elijah came]

the prophet Elijah came]

and said to him: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: If you remove the other one—

I will destroy the world [if you remove the second shoe, I will destroy the world] .

if you remove the second shoe, I will destroy the world] .

Rav Mari, son of Shmuel’s daughter, said [son of Shmuel’s daughter]: On the day that Rav Yehuda did this,

the son of Shmuel’s daughter]: On the day Rav Yehuda did this,

I was standing on the bank of the Pappa River [I was standing on the bank of the river called “Pappa”].

I was standing on the bank of the river called “Pappa”].

I saw angels who appeared like sailors [I saw there angels who appeared like ship sailors],

I saw angels there who appeared like sailors],

who were bringing sand and filling the ship with it [who brought sand and filled the ship with it],

they brought sand and filled the ship with it],

and it became fine flour [through a miracle the sand turned into fine flour]. And they did this in order to sell the flour to the local people.

through a miracle, the sand became fine flour]. They did this in order to sell the flour to the local people.

The report of this reached the local people,

and everyone came to buy from it [everyone came to buy some of that fine flour].

they all came to buy some of that fine flour].

And I said to them [and I said to them]:

I said to them]:

Do not buy from this, for it is a miraculous deed [do not buy this flour, because it was created through a miracle] .

And insofar as one can distance oneself from miraculous deeds, it is better and more proper .

The local people listened to him and did not buy that flour.

The next day ships of wheat from Parzina arrived [the next day ships arrived at the place carrying wheat from a place called “Parzina”], and the local people bought from them.

the next day, ships carrying wheat from a place called “Parzina” arrived], and the local people bought wheat from them.

Rava happened to come to Hagrunia [he happened to come to a place called “Hagrunia”] at a time of cessation of rain.

he happened to come to a place called “Hagronya”] during a drought.

He decreed a fast [he decreed a fast].

he decreed a fast].

He requested mercy [he requested mercy that rain should fall]—

he asked for mercy so that rain would fall]—

but rain did not come [and rain did not fall].

rain did not fall].

He said to them [he said to the local people]:

he said to the local people]:

Spend the night all of you in your fast [spend the night all of you in your fast], and do not eat anything until morning.

let all of you continue your fast through the night], and do not eat anything until morning.

The next day he said to them [the next day he said to the local people]:

the next day he said to the local people]:

Is there anyone who saw a dream—

let him say [whoever among you saw something in his dream—let him say it].

whoever among you saw something in his dream should relate it].

Rabbi Elazar of Hagrunia said to them: In my dream they recited to me [they recited and said to me in my dream]

the following words:

Good peace to a good master, from a good ruler who benefits his people from his goodness [good peace—to a good master, from a good ruler, who benefits his people from his goodness] .

good peace to a good master, from a good Lord who bestows goodness from His goodness upon His people] .

He said:

from these good things that they told you in your dream,

infer from it: it is a time of favor to ask for mercy [

it is proven that now is a time of favor to ask for mercy].

Ask for mercy—

and rain comes [

ask for mercy, and rain descended].

The Gemara now brings an incident concerning this matter, in which the Sages had the power to bring down rain through their prayer.

There was a certain man who was liable to receive lashes in the court of Rava, because he had relations with a gentile woman [

there was a man who became liable to receive lashes in the court of Rava, because he had relations with a gentile woman] .

Rava had him flogged—

and he died [

Rava flogged him, and that man died because of the lashes] .

The matter became known in the house of Shapur the king, and he wanted to cause suffering to Rava [

the matter became known in the royal house , whose name was “Shapur,” and he wanted to cause suffering to and punish Rava].

Iphra Hormiz

the mother of Shapur the king, to her son [

his mother, whose name was “Iphra Hormiz,” said to her son, Shapur]:

Do not have dealings with the Jews [

it is not worthwhile for you to have dealings with the Jews].

And why?

For everything that they ask of their Master—

He gives them [

for everything that they ask of their Master, of the Holy One, blessed be He, He gives them].

He said to her,

Shapur to his mother:

What is it?

What is the thing that the Holy One, blessed be He, does for them when they ask Him?

She said to him:

They ask for mercy—

and rain comes [

they ask for mercy, and rain descends].

He said to her:

From the fact that rain descends in the rainy season when they ask for it, there is no proof that the Holy One, blessed be He, answers their request. For it is possible that

that,

what rain descends then, when they ask for it, is

because it is the time of rain [

because its time and season is the time of rain]. Rather, until that time it had been withheld, and now it has come.

Rather,

if indeed everything that they ask for, their God does for them,

let them ask for mercy now,

in the season of Tammuz, and let rain come [

let the Jews ask for mercy now, in the season of Tammuz, which is not the rainy season, and let rain come], and then we will know that this is indeed so, that the Holy One, blessed be He, answers their request.

She sent to Rava [

Iphra Hormiz sent to Rava]:

Direct your mind and ask for mercy, so that rain may come [

direct your mind and ask for mercy so that rain may descend now] .

He asked for mercy—

but rain did not come [

Rava asked for mercy, but rain did not descend].

Rava said

before Him

[before Him] [

before the Holy One, blessed be He]:

Master of the Universe! “With our ears, O God, we have heard; our fathers have told us of the deed You performed in their days, in the days of

old” [

it is a verse in Psalms], meaning that our fathers told us of the miracles and wonders that You performed in their days ,

but

if

we—

with our own eyes have not seen

miracles!

After Rava said this,

rain came [

rain came]. And it was so abundant

that the gutters of Tzippori poured into the Tigris [

until the water poured through the gutters in Tzippori and flooded the streets, until it reached and fell into the Tigris] .

His father came and appeared to him in his dream [

Rava’s father came and appeared to him in a nighttime dream] ,

and said to him: Is there anyone who burdens Heaven so much [

is there anyone who burdens the Holy One, blessed be He, so much, by bringing down rain out of its proper season]?

He said to him,

his father:

Change your place [

change your place], and do not sleep tonight on the bed on which you customarily sleep.

Rava did as his father commanded him, and

changed his place [

and changed the place where he slept that night].

The next day, he found that his bed had been marked with knives [

the next morning, he found marks and signs made by knives on his usual bed], because demons had wanted to kill him and had cut his bed .

Rav Pappa decreed a fast—

but rain did not come [

he decreed a fast, but rain did not come].

His heart became weak [

his heart became weak]. That is, Rav Pappa felt physical weakness because of the fast.

He swallowed a bowlful of porridge [

he ate a full spoonful of porridge],

and asked for mercy—

he asked for mercy—

but rain did not come [

and he asked for mercy concerning the rain, but it did not come].

And it is not proper to do so, to taste and afterward ask for mercy.

Therefore

Rav Nahman bar Oshpazti said to him

mockingly:

If

the master swallows another bowlful of porridge—

rain will come [

if you eat another spoonful of porridge, rain will come]!

He was embarrassed [

Rav Pappa was embarrassed by Rav Nahman’s words],

and his mind was humbled [

and his mind was humbled],

and

through this

rain came [

rain came].

Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa was walking on the road [

he was walking on the road].

Rain came [

rain came], and it interfered with his walking.

He said before Him: Master of the Universe, the entire world is at ease,

for it is good for them that rain descends to water their fields,

but

only

Hanina is in distress?!

The rain stopped [

the rain ceased to fall].

When he reached his house [

when Rabbi Hanina reached his house],

he said before Him [

he said before the Holy One, blessed be He]:

Master of the Universe! The entire world is in distress

because rain is not descending and is not watering their fields,

but

only

Hanina,

who is sitting in my house and does not need rain because I have no fields —

is at ease?!

Rain came [

rain came].

Rav Yosef said: What benefit did the prayer of the High Priest have in comparison with Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa’s [

what benefit did the prayer of the High Priest have in comparison with Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa’s]?

For the High Priest would pray before the Holy One, blessed be He, that He should not accept the prayer of travelers, who prayed that rain should not descend and trouble them on their journey. Nevertheless, Rabbi Hanina’s prayer was accepted when he was walking on the road, and the rain stopped for them!

For we learned:

the High Priest

would pray a short prayer

in the outer chamber [

in the Sanctuary, which is outside the Holy of Holies].

What would he pray [

what would he say in his prayer]?

Ravin bar Adda and Rava bar Adda both said in the name of Rav Yehuda [

they both said in the name of Rav Yehuda], that this was the prayer of the High Priest:

“May it be Your will before You, Hashem our God, that this year be rainy

and hot.”

And the Gemara wondered: how could the High Priest pray that the year should be

hot [

warm] , and is

that a good thing [

is it an excellent thing that the year should be hot]? Surely

on the contrary, it is a deficiency [

it is a bad thing]!

Rather,

this is how the High Priest prayed:

if

the coming year is destined to be

hot—

we ask that it

be rainy and dewy [

that it be a year of abundant rain and dew]. For in a time of heat, abundant and frequent rain is needed .

And the High Priest concluded his prayer and said:

And may the prayer of travelers not enter before You,

who pray that rain should not descend, so that it should not trouble them on their journey.

Rav Aha, son of Rava, concluded in the name of Rav Yehuda

the prayer of the High Priest with these words:

May the ruler not cease from the house of Judah [

may the one who wages war not be removed from the house of Judah] ,

And may Your people Israel not need to sustain one another,

but rather, may each one have enough for his livelihood.

And

so,

not

will they need

the

assistance of

another nation .

Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: Every single day

a bat kol

goes forth and says: The entire world is nourished on account of Hanina my son [

by virtue of Hanina my son].

And Hanina my son

himself—

it is enough for him [

it is enough for him]

with a kav of carobs from one Shabbat eve to the next Shabbat eve [

because, on account of his extreme poverty, he lacked bread , and he would eat only carobs throughout all the days of the week].