Taanit

as if the Holy One dwells within him, as it is said, The Holy One in the midst of thee, and I will not come in fury?1 — This is no contradiction. The one speaks of him, who is able to bear self-affliction and the other of one who is not able. Resh Lakish says: He is termed, Pious, as it is said, The Pious man2 weans his own soul but he that is cruel etc.3 R. Shesheth, said: The young scholar who would afflict himself by fasting let a dog devour his meal.4 R. Jeremiah b. Abba said: There are no public fasts5 in Babylonia except [the Fast of] the Ninth of Ab.6 R. Jeremiah b. Abba further said in the name of Resh Lakish: A scholar may not afflict himself by fasting because he lessens thereby his heavenly work.7 THEY MAY EAT AND DRINK AFTER IT GETS DARK etc. R. Ze'ira said in the name of R. Hanina: An individual who has undertaken to fast though he may have eaten and drunk the whole of the [preceding] night, yet on the morrow he should recite the [special] prayer for fast days; if, however, he has continued his fast throughout the following night he may not recite the prayer for fast days [on the next day].8 R. Joseph asked: What view does R. Huna take? Does he take the view that one cannot [undertake a] fast for a matter of hours? Or perhaps one can undertake a fast for hours, but if one does so he should not recite the [special] prayer for fast days?9 — Abaye replied to him: It is quite definite R. Huna may hold the opinion that one can undertake a fast for a matter of hours and if one does so he may recite the [special] prayer for fast days, but here the case is different since he did not previously take upon himself10 [to fast]. Mar ‘Ukba11 chanced to come to Ganzaka12 and he was asked: Is fasting for a matter of hours considered a fast or not? and he was unable to answer. [They then asked him] are wine-jars belonging to idolaters prohibited for use or not and he was unable to answer; [he was then asked] in which [garments] did Moses perform the service [in the Tabernacle] during the seven days of consecration13 and he was unable to answer. He went and inquired in the House of Learning and he was told, the law is that fasting for a matter of hours is considered a fast and we do recite the [special] prayer for fast days [if one has completed the fast].14 Further the law is that wine-jars belonging to idolaters may be used after twelve months; Moses performed the service during the seven days of consecration dressed in a white frock. R. Kahana taught: In a white frock without a border.15 R. Hisda said: called holy seeing that he humiliates God through his fasting. [Aliter: Resh Lakish considers the one who does not fast as pious on this view the verse is rendered: The pious man doeth good to his own soul, v. Tosaf. s.v. knud] Babylon could do with a minimum of rain (v. supra) such fasts were not decreed (v. Tosal s.v. iht); (b) To fasts decreed for some visitation. Since there was no Sanhedrin in Babylon they were not treated as public fasts. An exception to this rule is the ninth of Ab which has been decreed for all generations by a Sanhedrin of a former age. v. Me'iri, a.I.] day's fast into another for which he has failed to make that undertaking he is not entitled to recite the ubbg prayer (v. P. B. p. 50) since the second day's fast in the absence of the undertaking is considered no fast and can be broken at will (Rashi). consequently may be broken at will, or though the fast prayer is not provided for such a fast, it is nevertheless considered a fast in so far that once begun it has to be continued to the end of the stipulated time (Rashi). For other interpretations v. R. Hananel and R. Gershom.] individual incidentally merged one day's fast into another without at all intending the second day to be a fast. Where, however, a man vows to fast for a number of hours, the fast indeed may be considered a fast in every respect (Rashi).]