Taanit 2a (ב.) — the Talmud in English

Introduction The Meiri wrote: The principal purpose of this tractate is to explain the matters of repentance and prayer in times of distress, and what is necessary for a person to be aroused to it through an increase of prayers, cries, and fasts. The tractate deals primarily with three principal matters: a. Prayer for rain, from the day on which the “rainy season” begins, namely, the beginning of winter, until the time when the summer days arrive, which is the end of the rainy season; and likewise, how one should conduct oneself during a drought. b. Prayer concerning other forms of distress: which of them require fasting, and how one conducts oneself during those fasts. c. The days on which one fasts because of the ancient calamities that occurred on them, namely, the four fasts. Incidentally to these matters, the tractate also discusses other topics, such as the matters of the mishmarot and ma'amadot that existed in the Temple. The first chapter deals primarily with two subjects connected with rainfall: a. Mentioning rain in the second blessing of the Amida, by saying “He makes the wind blow and the rain descend.” And requesting rain in the blessing of the years, by saying “Grant dew and rain for a blessing”: when do we begin mentioning and requesting rain, and when do we stop? b. When the rains are delayed, when do we begin fasting on their account, how many fasts are decreed because of this, how long do they continue fasting if they are not answered, and how should they conduct themselves on those days? Mishna:

From when

do they mention

in the prayer

the mighty deeds of

rain?

That is, from when do they begin saying, “He makes the wind blow and the rain descend ” in the Amida? Rabbi Eliezer says: From the first day of the festival

of Sukkot.

Sukkot.

Rabbi Yehoshua says: From the last day of

the

festival .

That is, from Shemini Atzeret.

Rabbi Yehoshua said to Rabbi Eliezer: It is not reasonable that one should begin mentioning rain at the beginning of the festival of Sukkot.

Since

Because

rainfall is not

anything but

a sign of curse

a sign of a curse

during the festival

of Sukkot, for when rain falls a person is forced to leave the sukka , and certainly a person does not want rain to fall during the festival,

why does he mention

its occurrence during the festival, thereby appearing to desire that it fall?!

Rabbi Eliezer said: Indeed, so. I too did not say

that one must

request

[i.e., ask for] rainfall during the festival of Sukkot by saying “Grant dew and rain for a blessing,” because in truth this is not the proper time for rain to fall,

but

I said that one must

mention

the might of the Holy One, blessed be He, and say that He

makes the wind blow

and causes the rain to descend in its season,

at its proper time, after the festival of Sukkot.

He said to him,

Rabbi Yehoshua:

If so,

if one merely mentions that the Holy One, blessed be He, causes rain to fall at its proper time,

always,

that is, continually,

let

a person

mention

rainfall throughout the entire year. Why, then, do we stop mentioning rainfall when the festival of Passover begins?

The tanna continues discussing the mention of rainfall in prayer and says:

One does not request rain except close to

the time of

rainfall [this matter is explained below in the Gemara] .

Rabbi Yehuda says, this is how one should conduct oneself concerning the mention of rain:

rain

falls

This matter is explained below in the Gemara.

Rabbi Yehuda says, this is how one should act concerning the mention of rain:

The prayer leader

who leads the congregation before the ark

on the last Festival day of the festival

of Sukkot—which is Shemini Atzeret, and on whose morning there are two prayers, the morning prayer and the Musaf prayer—

The last one, the one who prays the Musaf prayer,

mentions

rain. From that point onward, one continues mentioning it until Passover.

But the prayer leader

the rains. And from then onward they continue mentioning them until the festival of Passover.

But the prayer leader

first,

who prays the morning prayer, does not mention rain. But on the first Festival day of Passover, when there are likewise two morning prayers, the morning prayer and Musaf, the practice is the reverse: The prayer leader who leads the congregation before the ark, first, who prays the morning prayer, mentions rain still. But the last one, the one who prays the Musaf prayer, does not mention rain. From then onward, rain is not mentioned again until Sukkot. Gemara: The meaning of the Mishna is that we already know that rain must be mentioned in prayer; the tanna does not need to teach us the basic obligation to mention rain. He comes only to discuss from when the time for mentioning it begins. The Gemara asks: The tanna—where does he stand that is, to what earlier statement are the tanna’s words connected? For he teaches that is, he states, “From when?” In other words, where did the tanna mention the basic matter that rain must be mentioned, so that he could now begin discussing when the time for mentioning it is? The Gemara explains: The words of the tanna there, concerning the Mishna in tractate Berakhot, stand as the basis for this Mishna. For he teaches

does not mention

the rains .

Whereas

on the first festival day of Passover,

on which there are likewise two prayers in the morning, Shacharit and Musaf, they conduct themselves oppositely:

The prayer leader

The prayer leader

who passes before the ark on the last day of the festival of Sukkot, which is Shemini Atzeret, when there are two morning prayers on that day, shaḥarit and musaf— the latter, the one who prays the musaf prayer — mentions rain. From that point onward, they continue mentioning it until the festival of Passover. But the prayer leader who is first, the one who prays shaḥarit— does not mention

first,

who prays Shacharit,

mentions

the rains still .

as we learned there, in tractate Berakhot:

rain .

But on the first day of Passover, when there are likewise two morning prayers, shaḥarit and musaf, the practice is reversed: The prayer leader who passes before the ark first, the one who prays shaḥarit, mentions rain still . But the latter, the one who prays musaf— does not mention. And they no longer mention it until the festival of Sukkot. Gemara: The meaning of the Mishna is that we already know that rain must be mentioned in prayer, and the tanna need not teach us the matter of mentioning rain itself. He comes to discuss only from when the time for mentioning it begins. The Gemara asks: The tanna—where does he stand what do the tanna’s words refer to] that he teaches that he recited] “From when?” That is, where did the tanna mention the very matter that rain must be mentioned, so that he could begin here by discussing when the time for mentioning it is?

The Gemara explains:

The words of

the tanna there,

concerning the words of the Mishna there, in tractate Berakhot,

stand

refer and relate].

For he teaches

as we learned there, in tractate Berakhot]:

“They mention the mighty deeds of rain in

the blessing of

the resurrection

of the dead, and they request ask for] rainfall in the blessing of the years [the blessing that concludes, “Who blesses the years”],

And the Gemara explains: the words of the tanna, there,

concerning the words of the Mishna there, in tractate Berakhot,

stand [are based upon].

For it teaches [as we learned there, in tractate Berakhot]:

They mention the mighty acts of rains in

the blessing of

the revival of

the dead,

and they request [ask for]

the falling of the rains

in the blessing of the years [the blessing that concludes with “Who blesses the years”],

And

it is

the Havdala

["You have graciously granted us knowledge, etc., and distinguished between sacred and profane, etc.," in the evening prayer of the conclusion of Shabbat] recited

within

the blessing of

"Who graciously grants knowledge."

If so, we have already found that rain is mentioned, but we still do not know from when one begins to mention it.

And

following the words of the tanna there,

he teaches

[we learned] in our Mishna:

From when do they mention

those

acts of might of rain

that we learned in tractate Berakhot are mentioned in the blessing of the resurrection of the dead.

And

the Gemara raises an objection: If so, since the words of the tanna of our Mishna continue the words of the Mishna in tractate Berakhot,

let him teach

[let the tanna teach] the words of our Mishna

there

[in that place], in the order of Zera'im , since this is a continuation of the words of that Mishna, which was also taught in the order of Zera'im!

What is different, that he left it until here

[Why did the tanna leave his words unsaid until here, until tractate Ta'anit, which was taught in the order of Mo'ed]?

And since it is not the tanna's practice to teach one matter in one order and its continuation in another order, it is certainly not the case that the tanna's words refer to the Mishna in tractate Berakhot.

Rather,

the

tanna

of our Mishna

from

tractate

Rosh HaShana,

which is in the order of Mo'ed [the same order as tractate Ta'anit],

rises and follows

[comes next] .

As we learned

[we learned] in tractate Rosh HaShana: “At four times the world is judged, etc.”

And on the festival they are judged concerning water.

That is, on the festival of Sukkot the world is judged concerning water, how much rain will fall during that year.

And since the tanna

[and since the tanna taught there]

“And on the festival they are judged concerning water,”

the tanna of our Mishna reasoned that since they are judged concerning water, one certainly must mention the matter of rain in prayer, so that it will come for a blessing .

If so, we have already found that rain must be mentioned. But we still do not know from when one begins to mention it.

Therefore

the tanna

taught here, as a continuation of the words of the Mishna in tractate Rosh HaShana:

From when do they mention

the acts of might of rain .

The Gemara continues and discusses the words of the Mishna.

The Gemara asks: Why did the tanna teach this wording: “From when do they mention the acts of might of rain "?

And let him teach

[let the tanna teach] in this wording:

“From when do they mention concerning the rain!”

What is meant by “the acts of might of rain”

[What did the tanna intend by using the expression “the acts of might of rain”]?

Rabbi Yohanan said: Because

the rain

falls with might .

As it is stated

in the book of Job:

“He performs great deeds beyond investigation, and wonders without number.”

And it is written

[and it is written] in the verse immediately following this one:

“He gives rain upon the face of the earth and sends water upon the face of the open places.”

The Gemara is puzzled:

What is the implication?

How do these verses imply that rain falls with might? The verse mentions only the expression “greatness,” not “might "?

Rabba bar Sheila said: It is derived

[this exposition is derived] through a gzera shava

“investigation, investigation,” from the creation

[from the creation]

of the world .

It is written here,

concerning the falling of rain:

“He performs

great deeds beyond investigation.”

And it is written there

[and it is written there, in the book of Isaiah], concerning the creation of the world:

“Have you not known, have you not heard? The God of eternity, the Lord, Creator of the ends of the earth, neither grows weary nor tires; there is no investigation of His understanding; He gives strength to the weary.”

Thus, in both matters—in the matter of the falling of rain and in the matter of the creation of the world—the expression “investigation” is used.

And it is written

in the book of Psalms, concerning the creation of the world:

“He prepares the mountains with His strength; He is girded with might.”

Thus, the expression “might” is used concerning the creation of the world.

And since this is so—that the expression “investigation” is used in both matters, while the expression “might” is written concerning the creation of the world—it is as though the expression “might” were written concerning rain as well .

The Gemara continues and asks:

And from where do we know

[And from where do we know]

that

the matter of rain must specifically be mentioned

in prayer?

The Gemara explains:

As it was taught:

It is written:

“To love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your heart.”

What is meant by “and to serve Him with all your heart "?

What is the service that is

performed

in the heart

of a person?

You must say: This is prayer ,

which is service of the heart. For if a person merely articulates the words of prayer with his mouth but does not direct his heart, this is not prayer.

And it is written afterward

[and it is written later in the same verse]:

“I shall give the rain of your land in its time, the early rain and the late rain.”

This implies that the matter of rain must be mentioned in prayer .

The Gemara continues and cites a statement of Rabbi Yohanan concerning the falling of rain.

Rabbi Yohanan said: Three

keys

there are

in the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He

, which were not entrusted

all together at any time

to an agent

alone .

And these are

those three keys that were not entrusted to an agent:

a.

The key of rain,

b.

The key of childbirth [the woman giving birth] ,

[the woman giving birth],

c.

and the key of the resurrection of the dead .

The Gemara now explains how we know that these keys were not entrusted to an agent.

The key to rain,

how do we know that it was not entrusted to an agent?

As it is written: “The Lord will open for you His good treasury—the heavens—to give the rain of your land in its time.”

This indicates that the Almighty Himself opens the treasury of rain, and does not entrust the key to rain to an agent.

The key to childbirth—from where

do we know that it was not entrusted to an agent?