1 to him who is despised of men, to him who is abhorred of nations, to a servant of rulers; kings shall see and arise; ‘and princes will prostrate themselves,’ for it is written, Princes and they shall prostrate themselves. R. Ze'ira and some say R. Samuel b. Nahmani demurred to this. Had it been written in the verse, ‘And princes shall prostrate themselves’, it would be as you say, but seeing that the verse reads, ‘Princes and they shall prostrate themselves,’ they will perhaps do both. R. Nahman b. Isaac declared: I say furthermore, Not all are destined to share in the light nor all in the gladness. Light shall be for the righteous and gladness for the upright. ‘Light for the righteous’, for it is written, Light is sown for the righteous; And gladness for the upright’. for it is written, And gladness for the upright in heart. MISHNAH. WHAT IS THE ORDER [OF SERVICE] FOR FAST DAYS? THE ARK IS TAKEN OUT TO THE OPEN SPACE OF THE CITY, WOOD ASHES ARE PLACED ON THE ARK, ON THE HEAD OF THE NASI AND ON THE HEAD OF THE AB-BETH-DIN. EVERYONE ELSE PUTS ASHES ON HIS OWN HEAD; THE ELDER AMONG THEM ADDRESSES THEM WITH WORDS OF ADMONITION [TO REPENTANCE] THUS, OUR BRETHREN, SCRIPTURE DOES NOT SAY OF THE PEOPLE OF NINEVEH, AND GOD SAW THEIR SACKCLOTH AND THEIR FASTING, BUT, AND GOD SAW THEIR WORKS, THAT THEY TURNED FROM THEIR EVIL WAY; AND IN THE PROPHETS IT IS SAID, AND REND YOUR HEART AND NOT YOUR GARMENTS. WHEN THEY STAND UP TO PRAY THEY PLACE [AS READER] BEFORE THE ARK AN OLD MAN CONVERSANT [WITH THE PRAYERS], WHO HAS CHILDREN AND WHOSE HOUSE IS EMPTY [OF FOOD], SO THAT HIS HEART IS CONCENTRATED ON HIS PRAYER; HE RECITES BEFORE THEM TWENTY-FOUR BENEDICTIONS, THE EIGHTEEN RECITED DAILY, TO WHICH HE ADDS SIX AS FOLLOWS, ZIKRONOTH, SHOFAROTH, AND [THESE PSALMS]: IN MY DISTRESS I CALLED UNTO THE LORD; I WILL LIFT UP MINE EYES UNTO THE MOUNTAINS ETC.; OUT OF THE DEPTHS HAVE I CALLED THEE, O LORD; A PRAYER OF THE AFFLICTED WHEN HE FAINTETH. R. JUDAH SAYS: HE NEED NOT RECITE THE ZIKRONOTH AND SHOFAROTH, BUT INSTEAD HE SHOULD RECITE THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURAL, PASSAGES, IF THERE BE IN THE LAND FAMINE, IF THERE BE PESTILENCE; THE WORD OF THE LORD THAT CAME TO JEREMIAH CONCERNING THE DROUGHTS; AND HE ENDS EACH [OF THE ADDITIONAL SIX] SECTIONS WITH ITS APPROPRIATE CONCLUDING BENEDICTION. THE FIRST HE CONCLUDES WITH, ‘HE WHO ANSWERED ABRAHAM ON MT. MORIAH, HE SHALL ANSWER YOU AND HEARKEN THIS DAY TO THE VOICE OF YOUR CRY. BLESSED ART THOU O LORD WHO REDEEMEST ISRAEL. THE SECOND HE CONCLUDES WITH, ‘HE WHO ANSWERED OUR FATHERS AT THE RED SEA, HE SHALL ANSWER YOU AND HEARKEN THIS DAY TO THE VOICE OF YOUR CRY. BLESSED ART THOU O LORD WHO REMEMBEREST ALL FORGOTTEN THINGS. THE THIRD HE CONCLUDES WITH, HE WHO ANSWERED JOSHUA IN GILGAL, HE SHALL ANSWER YOU AND HEARKEN THIS DAY TO THE VOICE OF YOUR CRY. BLESSED ART THOU O LORD WHO HEAREST THE TRUMPET BLAST. THE FOURTH HE CONCLUDES WITH, ‘HE WHO ANSWERED SAMUEL IN MIZPAH, HE SHALL ANSWER YOU AND HEARKEN THIS DAY TO THE VOICE OF YOUR CRY. BLESSED ART THOU O LORD WHO HEARKENEST TO CRIES. THE FIFTH HE CONCLUDES WITH, ‘HE WHO ANSWERED ELIJAH ON MT. CARMEL, HE SHALL ANSWER YOU AND HEARKEN THIS DAY TO THE VOICE OF YOUR CRY. BLESSED ART THOU O LORD WHO HEARKENEST UNTO PRAYER. THE SIXTH HE CONCLUDES WITH, ‘HE WHO ANSWERED JONAH IN THE BELLY OF THE FISH, HE SHALL ANSWER YOU AND HEARKEN THIS DAY TO THE VOICE OF YOUR CRY. BLESSED ART THOU O LORD WHO ANSWEREST IN TIME OF TROUBLE. THE SEVENTH HE CONCLUDES WITH, ‘HE WHO ANSWERED DAVID AND SOLOMON HIS SON IN JERUSALEM, HE SHALL ANSWER YOU AND HEARKEN THIS DAY TO THE VOICE OF YOUR CRY. BLESSED ART THOU O LORD WHO HAST MERCY UPON THE LAND. IT HAPPENEDᵃᵇᶜᵈᵉᶠᵍʰⁱʲᵏˡᵐⁿᵒᵖᵠ
2 IN THE DAYS OF R. HALAFTA AND R. HANINA B. TRADYON THAT A MAN STEPPED BEFORE THE ARK AND COMPLETED THE ENTIRE BENEDICTION AND THEY DID NOT RESPOND, ‘AMEN’. [THE SYNAGOGUE ATTENDANT CALLED OUT], SOUND A TEKI'AH, PRIESTS, SOUND A TEKl'AH. [THEN THE READER EXCLAIMED], HE WHO ANSWERED ABRAHAM OUR FATHER ON MT. MORIAH, HE SHALL ANSWER YOU, AND HEARKEN THIS DAY TO THE VOICE OF YOUR CRY. [THE SYNAGOGUE ATTENDANT CONTINUED], SOUND A TERU'AH, CHILDREN OF AARON, SOUND A TERU'AH. [THEN THE READER EXCLAIMED], HE WHO ANSWERED OUR FATHERS AT THE RED SEA, HE SHALL ANSWER YOU AND HEARKEN THIS DAY TO THE VOICE OF YOUR CRY. AND WHEN THE MATTER CAME UP BEFORE THE WISE, THEY DECLARED, THIS WAS OUR ORDER OF PROCEDURE ONLY AT THE EASTERN GATES AND ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT. ON THE FIRST THREE [RAIN] FASTS THE MEN OF THE MISHMAR FAST BUT DO NOT COMPLETE THEIR FAST, AND THE MEN OF THE BETH-AB DO NOT FAST AT ALL. ON THE SECOND THREE [RAIN FASTS] THE MEN OF THE MISHMAR FAST AND COMPLETE THEIR FAST AND THE MEN OF THE BETH-AB FAST BUT DO NOT COMPLETE THEIR FAST; ON THE LAST SEVEN BOTH FAST AND COMPLETE THEIR FAST; THIS IS THE OPINION OF R. JOSHUA. THE SAGES, HOWEVER, SAY: ON THE FIRST THREE FASTS NEITHER FAST AT ALL, ON THE SECOND THREE, THE MEN OF THE MISHMAR FAST AND DO NOT COMPLETE THEIR FAST; BUT THE MEN OF THE BETH-AB DO NOT FAST AT ALL; ON THE LAST SEVEN, THE MEN OF THE MISHMAR FAST AND COMPLETE THEIR FAST, AND THE MEN OF THE BETH-AB FAST BUT DO NOT COMPLETE THEIR FAST. THE MEN OF THE MISHMAR ARE PERMITTED TO DRINK WINE IN THE EVENINGS BUT NOT DURING THE DAY, BUT THE MEN OF THE BETH-AB MAY NOT [DRINK WINE] EITHER ON THE DAY OR ON THE PRECEDING EVENING. BOTH THE MEN OF THE MISHMAR AND THE MEN Of THE MA'AMAD MAY NOT CUT THEIR HAIR NOR WASH THEIR CLOTHES, BUT ON A THURSDAY THEY MAY IN HONOUR OF THE SABBATH. THE RESTRICTION AGAINST MOURNING ON THE DAYS ENUMERATED IN THE SCROLL OF FASTS APPLIES EQUALLY TO THE PRECEDING DAY BUT NOT TO THE DAY FOLLOWING. R. JOSE SAYS: IT IS FORBIDDEN [TO MOURN] BOTH ON THE PRECEDING DAY AND) THE DAY FOLLOWING. AS FOR FASTING IT IS PERMITTED ON THE PRECEDING DAY AND ON THE DAY FOLLOWING. R. JOSE SAYS: IT IS FORBIDDEN ON THE PRECEDING DAY BUT PERMITTED ON THE DAY FOLLOWING. WE DO NOT ORDAIN UPON THE COMMUNITY A FAST TO COMMENCE ON A THURSDAY IN ORDER NOT TO CAUSE A RISE IN THE MARKET PRICES. HENCE THE FIRST THREE FASTS ARE HELD [IN THIS ORDER], MONDAY, THURSDAY, AND MONDAY; THE SECOND THREE, THURSDAY, MONDAY, AND THURSDAY; R. JOSE SAYS: JUST AS THE FIRST THREE [FASTS] SHOULD NOT COMMENCE ON A THURSDAY SO TOO NEITHER THE SECOND [THREE] NOR THE LAST [SEVEN]. WE DO NOT ORDAIN UPON THE COMMUNITY A FAST ON NEW MOON, ON HANUKKAH, OR ON PURIM, BUT IF THEY HAD ALREADY BEGUN [A SERIES OF FASTS AND ONE OF THESE FESTIVE DAYS INTERVENED] THEY DO NOT INTERRUPT [THEIR FASTS]; THIS IS THE OPINION OF RABBAN GAMALIEL. R. MEIR SAID: EVEN THOUGH R. GAMALIEL IS OF THE OPINION THAT THE [FASTS] SHOULD NOT BE INTERRUPTED HE YET AGREES THAT THEY SHOULD NOT COMPLETE THEIR FASTS. AND THE SAME APPLIES TO THE NINTH OF AB SHOULD IT FALL ON A FRIDAY. GEMARA. WHAT IS THE ORDER [OF SERVICES] FOR FAST DAYS? THE ARK IS TAKEN out etc. Does all this apply to the first six fasts? If so, is there not a contradiction raised against this? [For it has been taught]: On the first three and also on the second three [fasts] they enter the synagogue and pray there in the same way as they pray all the year round, but on the last seven the Ark is taken to the open space of the city and ashes are placed on the Ark and also upon the head of the Ab-Beth-din, and everyone else puts ashes upon his own head. R. Nathan says: They take wood-ashes! — R. Papa replied: Our Mishnah also refers to the last seven fasts. ANd ON The HEAD OF THE NASI: And afterwards [the Mishnah] states, EVERYONE ELSE PUTS ASHES UPON HIS OWN HEAD. But is it so? Has it not been taught: Rabbi says: Where it is a case of doing honour we begin at the most distinguished, but where it is a case of censuring we begin at the least important; as it is said, And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar; but where it is a case of censuring we begin at the least important, (for a Master said:) First the serpent was cursed, and afterwards Eve and [only] then Adam?-Here [in our Mishnah] it is also a case of doing honour, because [by this act] the people convey to them [the thought] you are worthy to entreat for mercy on behalf of us all. EVERYONE ELSE PUTS ASHES ON HIS OWN HEAD: R. Adda said: Seeing that everyone else puts the ashes on his own head let also the Nasi and the Ab-Beth-din themselves take ashes and place them on their own heads! Why should someone else take ashes and put them on their head? — R. Aba of Caesarea replied: To humiliate oneself is not the same as being humiliated by others.ʳˢᵗᵘᵛʷˣʸᶻᵃᵃᵃᵇᵃᶜᵃᵈᵃᵉᵃᶠ