Taanit 7b — the Talmud in English

Rabbi Yehoshua said to him:

If they had been ugly—

they would have been

more learned .

If they had been ugly, they would have learned more. Because a handsome person cannot humble himself, and he comes to forgetfulness.

Alternatively:

For this reason Torah was compared to these three liquids:

Just as these three liquids are rendered unfit only through absentmindedness,

since these liquids are clear and light, they are liable to spill easily. Moreover, if something repulsive falls into them, they are immediately rendered unfit for drinking. [Unlike oil and honey, which, since they are thick and viscous, do not spill readily. And if something repulsive falls into them, it is possible to remove it easily and throw it away] .

So too, words of Torah are forgotten only through absentmindedness.

For if one does not review his learning, it is easily forgotten by him.

Now the Gemara returns to speak about matters of rain.

Rabbi Hama, son of Rabbi Hanina, said: The day of rain is greater —

than the day

on which heaven and earth were created.

когда были созданы небеса и земля.

For it is stated: “Drip, heavens, from above, and skies, let righteousness flow; let the earth open and let salvation bear fruit, and let righteousness sprout

together; I, the Lord, have created it.” “

I, the Lord,

have created them,”

in the plural

it was not stated,

for then it would have implied that the Holy One, blessed be He, was boasting of the creation of the heavens ,

but “

I, the Lord,

have created it,” singular language.”

That is, the Holy One, blessed be He, boasts of the falling of rain . It implies that the falling of rain is more important than the creation of the world.

Rav Oshaya said: The day of rain is great, for even salvation bears fruit and multiplies on it.

That is, on the day of rain, since it is a time of favor, advocates of merit enter before the Holy One, blessed be He, and through this salvation comes to the world.

For it is stated

in the verse brought above:

“Let the earth open and let salvation bear fruit.”

Thus, salvation bears fruit and multiplies on the day of rain.

Rabbi Tanhum bar Hanilai said: Rain falls only if the sins of Israel have been forgiven .

For it is stated

in the book of Psalms:

“You desired, O Lord, Your land; You returned Jacob’s captivity; You forgave the iniquity of Your people; You covered all their sins forever.”

That is, when “You desired, O Lord, Your land,” blessing it through the falling of rain, immediately “You forgave the iniquity of Your people, etc.” Sometimes “You desired” is an expression of blessing. And see Ramban on the Torah [Deuteronomy 33:16]. However, Metsudat Zion wrote that it is an expression of desire.

Ze’iri said

to Ravina: You derive it from here

[You learn this matter—that rain falls only if the sins of Israel have been forgiven—from here, from this verse].

But

we—

derive it from here

[we derive this matter from here, from the following verse]. King Solomon said:

“And You shall hear the heavens

and forgive the sin, etc.,

and give rain upon Your land that You have given to Your people as an inheritance.”

Rabbi Tanhum, son of Rabbi Hiyya, of Kefar Akko, said: Rain is withheld only if the enemies of Israel have been sentenced to destruction .

For it is stated: “Drought and heat consume the waters of snow; Sheol consumes those who have sinned.”

That is, when drought and heat consume the waters of snow—that is, when instead of rain and snow there are heat and thirst—it is known that Israel has sinned.

Ze’iri said to Ravina: You—

derive it from here.

But

we—

derive it from here: “And He will restrain the heavens, and there will be no rain,

etc.,

and you will perish swiftly.”

That is, rain is withheld when the enemies of Israel are sentenced to destruction and annihilation.

Rav Hisda said: Rain is withheld only because of the neglect of terumot and tithes .

For it is stated: “Drought and heat consume the waters of snow.”

What is the implication?

How do they learn this matter from the verse?

The tannai of the school of Rabbi Yishmael: Because of the things that I commanded you

[and this is the language of “drought”],

in the summer,

namely, the mitzvot of terumot and tithes, whose time is in the summer, during the days of the wheat harvest ,

and you did not do them—

they will consume from you the waters of snow

[that is, rain]

in the rainy season.

Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi said: Rain is withheld only because of those who speak slanderous speech.

For it is stated: “The north wind brings forth rain, and an angry face [brings forth] secret speech.” “Brings forth”—it is an expression of nullification, as in “He shall not nullify his word” [Numbers 30:3]. That is, what the north wind nullifies is the falling of rain ,

and the Holy One, blessed be He, shows an angry face , that is, because of secret speech and gossip.

Rav Sala said in the name of Rav Hamnuna: Rain is withheld only because of brazen-faced people .

For it is stated: “The showers and the late rain were withheld, and the forehead of a promiscuous woman was yours, etc.”

[The end of the verse: “You refused to be ashamed.”]

That is, because you refused to be ashamed [you refused to be humiliated and embarrassed], and there was brazenness in you, therefore the showers and the late rain will be withheld.

And Rav Sala said in the name of Rav Hamnuna: Every person who has a brazen face—

ultimately commits a transgression.

For it is stated: “And the forehead of a promiscuous woman was yours.”

It implies that because you refused to be ashamed, you had the forehead of a promiscuous woman.

Rav Naḥman said:

A person who has a brazen face—

it is known that he

has already

committed a transgression

in the past.

For it is stated: “And the forehead of a promiscuous woman

was yours,”

“was yours,”

an expression of the past,

and it was not stated, “will be yours,”

an expression of the future.

Rabba bar Rav Huna said: Every person who has a brazen face—

it is permitted to call him wicked.

For it is stated: “The wicked man shows his brazenness in his face.”

That is, if you see a brazen-faced person, say to him, “Wicked one,” to his face.

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzhak said:

Although it is a mitzva for a person to love his fellow, as it is stated, “You shall love your fellow as yourself,” nevertheless, a person who has a brazen face—

it is permitted to hate him .

For it is stated: “And he of brazen face shall be hated.”

[It is vocalized “shall be changed,” an expression of change .]

Do not read “shall be changed,” but “shall be hated”

[with a left shin. That is, it is permitted to hate him].

Rav Ketina said: Rain is withheld only because of the neglect of Torah.

For it is stated: “Through laziness the beams sag.”

Because of laziness that existed among Israel, because they did not engage in Torah, the enemy of the Holy One, blessed be He, became poor.

And “poor” means only poor.

As it is stated: “And if he is poor

in your valuation” .

And “the One who roofs” means only the Holy One, blessed is He.

As it is stated: “Who roofs His upper chambers with water.”

And this is: because of “laziness,” because Israel do not engage in Torah מתוך laziness, “he will become poor,” he will be made like one who has no strength to bring down dew and rain—the “One who roofs,” who is the Holy One, blessed is He.

Rav Yosef said:

this matter is learned

from here,

from this verse:

“And now they do not see light; it is bright in the skies, and a wind passes and cleanses them” .

And “light” means only Torah.

As it is stated: “For a mitzva is a lamp, and Torah is light.”

“It is bright in the skies.”

The tanna of the house of Rabbi Yishmael taught: Even at a time when the firmament becomes spotted with spots [

like “bright spot.” That is, the firmament is mottled with clouds] in order

to bring down dew and rain—

“a wind passes and cleanses them” [

a wind passes and disperses the clouds, and the firmament becomes pure and clear].

And this is: since “they did not see light,” since they did not occupy themselves with Torah, therefore “it is bright in the skies, and so forth,” and the rain does not fall.

Rabbi Ami said: Rain is withheld only because of the sin of robbery.

As it is stated: “He has covered the light with palms.”

It implies

“because of the sin of palms”—

“He has covered the light.”

And “palms” means only violence.

As it is stated: “And because of the violence that is in their palms.”

And “light” means only rain.

As it is stated: “He burdens the cloud with moisture,

and the cloud scatters

its light.”

And this is: the angel whose name is “Af Beri” , he scatters his cloud of light—that is, his rain .

What is its remedy [

what is its remedy] , that is, what should a person do so that rain will nevertheless fall?

Let him increase prayer .

As it is stated: “And He commanded concerning it through an intercessor.”

And this is the explanation of the verse: “And He commanded”—the Holy One, blessed is He—“concerning it,” concerning the rain, that it should fall. When? “Through an intercessor,” when a person prays concerning it.

And

the expression of

“intercession” means only prayer.

As it is stated: “But you, do not pray for this people, and so forth, and do not intercede with Me” .

And there is no

And Rabbi Ami said: What is the meaning of that which is written, “If the iron is blunt, and he has not sharpened its face”?

“intercession” except prayer.

If you have seen a firmament that has become blunt [

damaged and stricken]

like iron, from bringing down dew

and rain,

know that this is

because of the deeds of the generation, which are corrupted .

damaged and afflicted] , like iron, preventing the descent of dew and rain, know that this is because of the deeds of the generation, which are corrupt . As it is stated: “And he has not whetted its edge.”

As it is stated: “And he has not sharpened its face.”

That is, because of the corrupted deeds of the generation .

What is their remedy,

that is, what should they do so that rain will nevertheless fall?

Let them prevail through mercy [

let them increase their request for mercy].

As it is stated: “And forces will prevail.”

Let him increase forces in prayer .

And the end of the verse is:

“And the advantage of fitness is wisdom.”

And this is:

all the more so

that it is preferable

if their deeds were made fit

of the generation

from the outset [

from the beginning], and not that only now, because of the withholding of rain, they were forced to increase forces in prayer.

For if they made their deeds fit from the outset, more rain will come to them.

And thus the verse is explained: “And the advantage,” preferable to increasing forces in prayer now, is if “wisdom made fit,” that they made their deeds fit from the outset.