Taanit

and on the [Day of Atonement of] the Jubilee year and in the time of war.1 THE FIRST HE CONCLUDES WITH, HE WHO ANSWERED ABRAHAM etc.: A Tanna taught: Some reverse the order of the words and attribute ‘crying’ to Elijah and ‘praying’ to Samuel. True, of Samuel Scripture uses the words ‘praying’ and ‘crying’.2 but of Elijah Scripture uses only [the word] ‘praying’ but never ‘crying’. [When Elijah says], Hear me, O Lord, hear me;3 that is an expression of ‘crying’. THE SIXTH HE CONCLUDES WITH, HE WHO ANSWERED JONAH etc.; THE SEVENTH HE CONCLUDES WITH, HE WHO ANSWERED DAVID etc. Let us see, Did not Jonah live after David and Solomon, why then is he placed first? — Because it was desired to conclude [the prayers] with, Blessed art Thou, O Lord who hast mercy upon the earth.4 A Tanna taught: It was reported in the name of Symmachos, [that the prayers were concluded] with, Blessed art Thou who humblest the proud. ON THE FIRST THREE [RAIN] FASTS THE MEN OF THE MISHNAH FAST BUT DO NOT COMPLETE THEIR FAST etc. Our Rabbis have taught: Why have the Sages ruled that the Men of the Mishmar are permitted to drink wine by night and not by day, lest the work weigh too heavily on the men of the Beth-ab and then they will be called upon to help them; why have the Sages ruled that the men of the Beth-ab are forbidden [to drink] both by day and by night because they are continuously at work [in the Temple]. Hence the Sages have declared that any priest who can identify his Mishmar and his particular Beth-ab and who also knows definitely that the members of his Beth-ab were participating in the service of the Temple5 is forbidden to drink wine on the whole of that day.6 If, however, he can identify only his Mishmar but not his particular Beth-ab and yet he knows definitely that the members of his Beth-ab were participating in the service of the Temple, he is forbidden to drink wine the whole of that week.7 If he cannot identify his Mishmar nor his particular Beth-ab, but he knows definitely that the members of his Beth-ab were participating in the service of the Temple, he is forbidden to drink wine all the year round. Rabbi says: I declare [priests] should not at any time drink wine, but what can I do seeing that his misfortune turned out to be an advantage to him.8 Abaye said: According to whose opinion do priests drink wine? According to that of Rabbi. 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 OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE SABBATH. What is the reason? — Rabbah b. Bar Hana said in the name of R. Johanan: In order that they should not enter on their week of duty in an unkempt state. Our Rabbis have taught: A king cuts his hair every day, a high priest on the eve of every Sabbath, all ordinary priest once in thirty days. Why has a king to cut his hair every day? — R. Abba b. Zabda said: Scripture says, Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty.9 Why has a high priest [to cut his hair] on the eve of every Sabbath? — R. Samuel b. Isaac said: Because the Mishmar changes every week. Whence can it be adduced that an ordinary priest [must cut his hair] once in thirty days? — It is to be adduced from the analogous use of the word pera’ in connection with the Nazirite [and the priests]. Of the priests [it is written], Neither shall they shave their heads, ‘nor suffer their locks [pera’] to grow long;10 and of the Nazirite it is written, He shall be holy. he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long [pera’];11 as in the case of the Nazirite the period of growing his hair is thirty days so too must it be in the case of the ordinary priest. But whence do we know this to be the requirement of the Nazirite himself? R. Mattena said: A Nazirite's unspecified [term of] vow is thirty days. Whence is this to be adduced? — Scripture uses the word yihyeh the numerical value of which is thirty.12 R. Papa said to Abaye: Perhaps Scripture means [that the priests] should not let their hair grow at all? — The latter replied: Had Scripture written, ‘nor suffer to grow long their locks’, it might be as you suggest, but since Scripture has written, ‘Nor suffer their locks to grow long,’ this implies, they may grow their hair but they may not suffer their locks to grow long. If that is so, this restriction should be valid even at the present time! — [This restriction is] on the same lines as that of the drinking of wine; just as the restriction of drinking wine applied only to the time when they might enter [the Temple]13 to do service, so too with regard to the restriction of letting the locks grow long. But has it not been taught: Rabbi says, I declare that [a priest] should not at any time drink wine, but what can I do, seeing that his misfortune turned out to be an advantage to him. And on this Abaye commented: At the present time according to whom do priests drink wine? According to Rabbi. and prayed for its welfare. upon to serve.] time.