Taanit

. Our Rabbis have taught: Palestine was created first and then the rest of the world, as it is said, While as yet He had not made the earth, nor the fields.1 Palestine is watered by the Holy One, blessed be He, and the rest of the world is watered by a messenger, as it is said, Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields.2 Palestine is watered by the rain and the rest of the world is watered by the residue,3 as it is said, ‘ Who giveth rain upon the earth, etc’.4 Palestine is watered first and then the rest of the world, as it is said, ‘Who giveth rain upon the earth, etc’. This may be compared to a man making cheese; he removes first what is edible and discards the refuse. The Master said: ‘[The waters of the ocean] are sweetened by the clouds’ — Whence does he learn this? R. Isaac b. Joseph said in the name of R. Johanan: It is written, Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies,5 and it is also written, Distilling of waters, thick clouds of the skies,’6 take away the kaf and add it to the [word written with] resh and read haksharath.7 As for R. Joshua what use does he make of these verses? — He is of the opinion that these verses are the basis for the statement made by R. Dimi when he came [to Babylon] and he reported that in Palestine people say, If the clouds are bright they contain little water, but if they are dark they contain much water.8 In keeping with whose view is the teaching which has been taught: The upper waters remain suspended by Divine command, and their fruit is the rain-water, as it is said, The earth is full of the fruit of Thy works?9 This is according to R. Joshua. And as for R. Eliezer?-[He is of the opinion] that this [verse] refers to the other handiwork of God. R. Joshua b. Levi said: The whole world is watered by the residue of the Garden of Eden, as it is said, And a river went out of Eden, etc.10 A Tanna taught: The residue of a kor11 is enough to irrigate a tarkab.12 Our Rabbis taught: Egypt is four hundred parasangs by four hundred, and it is one sixtieth of the size of Ethiopia; Ethiopia is one sixtieth of the world, and the world is one sixtieth of the Garden [of Eden].13 and the Garden is one sixteenth of Eden, and Eden is one sixtieth of Gehenna;14 thus the whole world compared with the Gehenna is but as a lid to the pot. Some say that Gehenna has no limit In size; others say that Eden is without limit. R. Oshaia said: What is the meaning of the verse, O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures?15 What has brought it about that Babylon's treasures are full of corn? Because it dwells by many waters.16 Rab said: Babylon is rich because it harvests without rain. Abaye said: We have a tradition, Better is a flooded land than an arid land. MISHNAH. ON THE THIRD OF MARCHESHVAN WE [BEGIN TO] PRAY FOR RAIN. R. GAMALIEL SAYS: ON THE SEVENTH, [THAT IS.] FIFTEEN DAYS AFTER THE FEAST SO THAT THE LAST ISRAELITE17 MAY REACH THE RIVER EUPHRATES. GEMARA. R. Eleazar said: The halachah is according to R. Gamaliel. It has been taught: Hananiah says: In the Diaspora18 [we do not begin to pray] until the sixtieth day after the [Tishri] cycle.19 R. Huna b. Hiyya said in the name of Samuel: The halachah is according to Hananiah. Is it really so? Was not a question asked of Samuel: When do we begin to make mention [of the words] ‘and give dew and rain’? and he replied, ‘When wood is brought into the house of Tabut,20 the fowler’? — Perhaps the two time limits are identical. A question was asked in the school: Is the sixtieth day counted with those that precede it or with those that follow it?21 -Come and hear:22 Rab said: The sixtieth day is counted with those that follow it; and Samuel said: With those that precede it.23 R. Nahman said: The mnemonic for this is, the highlands need water, but the lowlands do not.24 R. Papa said: The halachah is that the sixtieth day is counted with those that follow it. 25 MISHNAH. IF THE SEVENTEENTH OF MARCHESHVAN CAME AND NO RAIN FELL THE YEHIDIM26 [INDIVIDUALS] BEGIN TO FAST THREE FASTS; THEY MAY EAT AND DRINK AFTER IT GETS DARK27 [AND ON THESE FASTS] IT IS PERMISSIBLE FOR THEM TO DO WORK, TO BATHE, TO ANOINT THEMSELVES WITH OIL, TO WEAR SHOES, AND TO HAVE of Tabernacles may reach home without being inconvenienced by the rain. MARITAL RELATIONS. IF THE NEW MOON OF KISLEV CAME AND NO RAIN FELL THE BETH DIN ORDAIN UPON THE COMMUNITY THREE FASTS; [ON THESE] THEY MAY EAT AND DRINK WHILST IT IS STILL DARK AND IT IS PERMISSIBLE TO DO WORK, TO BATHE, TO ANOINT ONESELF WITH OIL, TO WEAR SHOES, AND TO HAVE MARITAL RELATIONS. GEMARA. Who are the yehidim? R. Huna said: The rabbis. R. Huna further said: The yehidim fast three fasts, [that is to say, on] Monday, Thursday and Monday. What new fact does he teach us? Has it not already been taught to us:28 No fast is ordained upon the community to begin on a Thursday in order to prevent a rise in food prices.29 Hence the order of the first three fasts must be, Monday, Thursday, Monday? You might have thought that this applies only to public fasts but not to those of individuals therefore he teaches us [that it applies] equally to those of individuals. The same has been taught us elsewhere: When the yehidim begin to fast they fast on Monday, Thursday and Monday, and they interrupt30 their fasts on New Moon world (.rtk .uj). obtained, meaning ‘making fit’, i.e., drinkable. The meaning is the clouds make the waters drinkable. The additional change of v to j involved is quite common in Semitic languages. Joshua being of the opinion that uhfaj is not a variant of ,raj.] one can water a space sown with a tarkab. of the Garden of Eden is sufficient to water the whole world. Tekufah is meant-the Autumnal Equinox. was well irrigated and therefore needed less rain. [R. Hananel and Aruch (v. n. 6): Samuel's place was Nehardea which was situated higher and consequently in greater need of rain at an earlier period than Sura, the place of Rab.] consequently the abnormal demand for food would tend to make the prices soar.