Taanit

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’.1 [THE SYNAGOGUE ATTENDANT CALLED OUT], SOUND A TEKI'AH, PRIESTS, SOUND A TEKl'AH.2 [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,3 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, THIS4 WAS OUR ORDER OF PROCEDURE ONLY AT THE EASTERN GATES AND ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT.5 ON THE FIRST THREE [RAIN]6 FASTS THE MEN OF THE MISHMAR7 FAST BUT DO NOT COMPLETE THEIR FAST, AND THE MEN OF THE BETH-AB8 DO NOT FAST AT ALL. ON THE SECOND THREE [RAIN FASTS]9 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 SEVEN9 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,10 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'AMAD11 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 FASTS12 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!13 — 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;14 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 them15 [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. interpretations v. D.S. a.l. Var. lec. ‘and they answered, Amen’; v. note 5]. to the custom of the synagogue attendant to call upon the priests to blow and the reader to recite the formula ‘He who answered’ after the conclusion of the Benediction. V. Me'iri. For other interpretations v. D.S. loc. cit.] explain. The Eastern Gate was ‘the brass gate situated in the inner space of the Temple towards the East’. V. Buchler, Types p. 207.] every half year. V. infra. loc. cit. in MS.M.]