Taanit 7b (ז:) — the Talmud in English

Rabbi Yehoshua said to him:

If they were ugly—

they would be

more learned [i.e., if they had been ugly, they would have learned more] .

Because a handsome person cannot humble himself, and this leads him to forgetfulness .

Alternatively:

For this reason Torah was compared to these three liquids:

Just as these three liquids are rendered unfit only through lack of attention,

because, being clear and light, these liquids are liable to spill easily. Furthermore, if something repulsive falls into them, they immediately become unfit for drinking. [This is not so with oil and honey, which, being thick and viscous, do not spill readily. If something repulsive falls into them, it can easily be removed and discarded] .

So too, the words of Torah are forgotten only through lack of attention.

For if one does not review his learning, he quickly forgets it .

The Gemara now returns to discussing matters concerning rain.

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

than the day

on which heaven and earth were created.

As it is stated: “Drip, heavens, from above, and let the clouds pour forth righteousness; let the earth open, and let it produce salvation and let it cause righteousness to sprout

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

The plain meaning of the verse speaks of the good that is destined to come upon Israel. That is: “Drip”—the heavens shall drip from above; “and skies shall flow”—the heavens shall cause righteousness to flow and drip. That is, the Holy One, blessed be He, says: From Me righteousness will come, to benefit them. “Let the earth open its mouth and let salvation bear fruit”—and let it grow the fruit of salvation; “and let righteousness sprout”—together with the salvation; “I, the Lord, have created”—I created this thing, this salvation. See the commentators on the verse. “

I, the Lord,

have created them,”

in the plural—

it does not say

that, for then it would imply that the Holy One, blessed be He, is praising Himself for creating the heavens ,

but rather, “

I, the Lord,

have created it,” in the singular.”

That is, the Holy One, blessed be He, is praising Himself for the rainfall . It follows that rainfall is more significant than the creation of the world.

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

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

As it is stated

in the verse cited above:

“Let the earth open, and let it produce salvation.”

Thus, salvation flourishes and multiplies on the day of rain.

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

The Sefat Emet wrote that perhaps this is why on the festival they are judged concerning water, after the forgiveness of Yom Kippur.

As it is stated

in the book of Psalms:

“You favored Your land, O Lord; You restored the captivity of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of Your people; You covered all their sin forever.”

That is, when “You favored Your land, O Lord,” blessing it through the rainfall, immediately “You forgave the iniquity of Your people, and so on” .

Ze'iri said

"

to Ravina: You derive it from here [i.e., you learn from this verse that rain falls only if the sins of Israel have been forgiven].

[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 [i.e., we learn this from the following verse].

King Solomon said:

“And You shall hear from the heavens

and forgive the sin,

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

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

As it is stated: “Drought and heat consume the waters of snow; so does the grave those who have sinned.”

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

Ze'iri said to Ravina: You—

"

derive it from here.

"

But

we—

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

and so on,

and you will perish swiftly.”

That is, rain is withheld when the enemies of Israel have been sentenced to destruction and eradication.

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

The Ben Yehoyada explained according to the words of Alshikh, who wrote that it is obvious that terumot and tithes must be given. For when a person hires a sharecropper to work his field, he gives him half, a third, or a fourth of the produce. And the Holy One, blessed be He, brings down rain, causes dew to fall, and sends winds, without which produce would not grow; how then could it be difficult for a person to give a tithe to a kohen, who is His agent? And this is why rain is withheld because of the neglect of terumot and tithes. The Gevurat Ari wrote that it seems that the amoraim in our discussion dispute one another. Each of them holds that rain is withheld because of a different matter. One cannot say that they do not dispute, but that each one stated one matter because of which rain is withheld without intending to exclude other matters, for the language they used, "

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

What is the implication?

How is this matter learned from the verse?

The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: Because of the matters that I commanded you [i.e., this is the meaning of “drought”]—

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

during the summer,

namely, the mitzva of terumot and tithes, whose time is in the summer, during the wheat harvest —

and you did not perform them—

they will consume the waters of snow [i.e., rain]—

[that is, rain]

during the rainy season.

See the Maharsha, who noted that seemingly it would have been more appropriate to mention "

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

"

As it is stated: “The north wind brings forth rain, and an angry face a concealed tongue.”

“Brings forth” is an expression of annulment, as in “He shall not profane his word” [Numbers 30:3]. That is, what the north wind annuls is the falling of rain , and the Holy One, blessed be He, shows an angry countenance — that is, because of a concealed tongue and gossip.

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

"

As it is stated: “The showers and the latter rain have been withheld, and you had a harlot’s forehead,” [the end of the verse is: “you refused to be ashamed.”]

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

That is, because you refused to be ashamed [you refused to be embarrassed and feel shame], and you displayed brazen insolence, the showers and the latter rain will be withheld.

And Rav Sala said in the name of Rav Hamnuna: Anyone who is brazen-faced—

will ultimately stumble in a transgression.

As it is stated: “And you had a harlot’s forehead.”

It follows that because you refused to be ashamed, you had the forehead of a harlot.

Rav Naḥman said:

A person who is brazen-faced—

it is known that he has

already

stumbled in a transgression

in the past.

As it is stated: “And you

had the forehead of a harlot,”

“had,”

an expression of the past.

It does not say, “You will have,”

an expression of the future.

Rabba bar Rav Huna said: Anyone who is brazen-faced—

it is permitted to call him wicked.

As it is stated: “The wicked man is brazen in his face.”

That is, if you see a person acting brazenly, say to him directly: “Wicked one” .

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said:

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

it is permitted to hate him .

As it is stated: “And he who is brazen-faced, he shall be hated.” [The verse is vocalized “he shall be changed,” an expression of change .]

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

Do not read it as yeshuna, but as yisna [with a sin],

meaning that it is permitted to hate him.

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

"

As it is stated: “Through slothfulness the ceiling sinks.”

"

Because of the sloth that existed in Israel, as they did not engage in Torah study, the one hated by the Holy One, blessed be He, became low.

Rashi explained concerning the verse [Ecclesiastes 10:18]: When a person is lazy and does not repair a small breach in the roof of the house, the building—the roof of the house and its covering—sags.

And “poor” means only poor.

As it is stated: “And if he is poor

relative to his valuation” .

And “the One who spreads out” means the Holy One, blessed be He.

As it is stated: “Who spreads His upper chambers upon the waters.”

And this means that because of “laziness”—because Israel do not engage in Torah study due to laziness—he will become “poor,” as one who lacks the strength to bring down dew and rain; “the One who spreads out” is the Holy One, blessed be He.

Rav Yosef said:

This matter is derived

from here,

from this verse:

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

And “light” means 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 school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: Even when the firmament becomes patchy with patches [

like a baheret, that is, when 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 clear and clean].

And this means that because “they did not see the light,” because they did not engage in Torah study, therefore “it is bright in the skies, etc.,” and the rain does not fall.

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

As it is stated: “He covers the light upon the palms.”

This implies

because of the sin of the palms—

“He covers 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: “

Even the cloud brings forth its rain,

it spreads its cloud of light.”

And this means: The angel whose name is “Even the cloud” spreads its cloud of light, that is, its rain , that is, its rain . What is its remedy [ what is its remedy] , that is, what should a person do so that rain will nevertheless fall? He should increase prayer .

What is its remedy

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

He should pray more .

As it is stated: “He commanded concerning it through entreaty.”

This is the meaning of the verse: “He commanded”—the Almighty commanded “concerning it,” concerning the rain, that it should fall. When? “Through entreaty,” when a person prays concerning it.

And

the expression

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

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

And there is no

expression of

“intercession” except prayer.

As it is stated: “And you, do not pray on behalf of this people, etc., and do not intercede with Me” .

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

like iron, unable to bring down dew

and rain,

know that this is

If you see a firmament that has become blunt [

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 whetted its edge.”

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

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

What is their remedy, that is, what should they do so that rain will nevertheless fall? They should prevail through supplication [

They should intensify their appeals for mercy

[they should increase their requests for mercy].

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

He should increase troops in prayer .

they should increase their requests for mercy].

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

He should strengthen forces through prayer .

all the more so

it is preferable

if their deeds were made fit

And the end of the verse is:

“And the advantage of skill is wisdom.”

And this means,

all the more so

it is preferable