Taanit

apparent in the case of a man on board ship1 or of a man journeying from one inn to another.2 R. Papa ate a piece of bread at every parasang; he was therefore of the opinion that the reason is in order to prevent digestive troubles.3 Rab Judah said in the name of Rab:4 He who starves himself in years of famine escapes unnatural death, as it is said, In famine He will redeem thee from death.5 [Scripture should have said] ‘from famine’. This is therefore what [Scripture] meant to convey. As a reward for starving himself in years of famine one will escape unnatural death. Resh Lakish said: A man may not have marital relations during years of famine, as it is said, And unto Joseph were born two sons before the year of famine came.6 A Tanna taught: Childless people may have marital relations in years of famine. Our Rabbis have taught: When Israel is in trouble and one of them separates himself from them, then the two ministering angels who accompany every man come and place their hands upon his head and say, ‘So-and-so who separated himself from the community shall not behold the consolation of the community’. Another [Baraitha] taught: When the community is in trouble let not a man say, ‘I will go to my house and I will eat and drink and all will be well with me’. For of him who does so Scripture says, And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine — ‘Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we shall die’.7 What follows after this [verse]? — And the Lord of Hosts revealed Himself in mine ears; surely this iniquity shall not be expiated by you till ye die. This is the conduct of the ordinary man, but what does Scripture say of the conduct of the wicked? Come ye, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to-morrow shall be as this day.8 What follows after this [verse]? The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart . . . that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.9 But rather a man should share in the distress of the community, for so we find that Moses, our teacher, shared in the distress of the community, as it is said, But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat thereon.10 Did not then Moses have a bolster or a cushion to sit on? This is then what Moses meant [to convey], ‘As Israel are in distress I too will share with them. He who shares in the distress of the community will merit to behold its consolation’.11 Perhaps a man will say, ‘Who is there to testify against me?’ The very stones of his house and its beams testify against him, as it is written, For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.12 In the school of R. Shila it was taught: The two ministering angels who accompany every man testify against him, as it is said, For He will give His angels charge over thee.13 R. Hidka says: A man's own soul testifies against him, as it is said, Keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.14 And some say: A man's own limbs testify against him, as it is said, Ye are my witnesses saith the Lord.15 A God of faithfulness and without iniquity.16 ‘A God of faithfulness’: Just as punishment will be exacted of the wicked in the world to come even for a slight transgression which they commit, So too is punishment exacted in this world of the righteous for any slight transgression which they commit. ‘And without iniquity’: Just as the righteous will receive their reward in the world to come, even for the least meritorious act which they do, so too are the wicked rewarded in this world even for the least meritorious act which they do. Just and right is He:17 They [the Rabbis] said: When a man departs to his eternal home all his deeds are enumerated before him and he is told, Such and such a thing have you done, in such and such a place on that particular day. And he replies, ‘Yes’. Then they say to him. ‘Sign’ — And he signs, as it is said, He sealeth up the hand of every man.18 And what is even more, he acknowledges the justice of the verdict and he says. ‘You have judged me well’, in order that the words of Scripture may be fulfilled, That thou mayest be justified when Thou speakest.19 Samuel said: Whosoever fasts [for the sake of self-affliction] is termed a sinner. He is of the same opinion as the following Tanna. For it has been taught: Eleazar ha-Kappar Berabbi20 Says: What is Scripture referring to when it says [of the Nazirite] , And make atonement for him, for that he sinned by reason of the soul.21 Against which soul did he sin?22 [It must refer to the fact that] he denied himself wine. We can now make this inference from minor to major: If this man [Nazirite] who denied himself wine only is termed, Sinner, how much more so he who denies himself the enjoyment of ever so many things. R. Eleazar says: He is termed, Holy. as it is said, He shall be holy, he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.23 If this man [Nazirite] who denied himself wine only is termed, Holy. how much more so he who denies himself the enjoyment of ever so many things — How will then Samuel explain the verse wherein he is termed, Holy? — That refers to the locks growing long. And how will R. Eleazar explain the statement that he is termed, Sinner?-That is because he defiled himself [by contact with the dead]. But did R. Eleazar say so? Did he not say: Let a man always consider himself