Taanit

IN SUCH A CASE THAT CITY FASTS AND SOUNDS THE ALARM, BUT THOSE [IN THE PLACES] AROUND IT FAST BUT DO NOT SOUND THE ALARM. R. AKIBA SAYS: THEY SOUND THE ALARM BUT DO NOT FAST. AND SO TOO IF A PLAGUE RAGES IN A CITY OR [ITS BUILDINGS] COLLAPSE1 THEN THAT CITY FASTS AND SOUNDS THE ALARM, BUT THE PEOPLE [IN THE PLACES] AROUND IT FAST BUT DO NOT SOUND THE ALARM. R. AKIBA SAYS: THEY SOUND THE ALARM BUT DO NOT FAST. WHAT CONSTITUTES A PLAGUE? IF IN A CITY THAT CAN SUPPLY FIVE HUNDRED FOOT-SOLDIERS THREE DEATHS TAKE PLACE ON THREE CONSECUTIVE DAYS, THIS CONSTITUTES A PLAGUE; LESS THAN THIS IS NO PLAGUE. THE ALARM IS SOUNDED EVERYWHERE ON ACCOUNT OF THE FOLLOWING [VISITATIONS]: BLAST, MILDEW, LOCUST, CRICKET, WILD BEASTS AND THE SWORD, AS THEY ARE ALL PLAGUES LIKELY TO SPREAD. IT HAPPENED THAT ELDERS WENT DOWN FROM JERUSALEM TO THEIR OWN CITIES AND ORDERED A FAST BECAUSE THERE WAS OBSERVED IN ASKELON BLAST WHICH AFFECTED AS MUCH GRAIN AS WOULD FILL AN OVEN [WITH LOAVES MADE THEREOF]. THEY ALSO ORDAINED A FAST BECAUSE WOLVES DEVOURED TWO CHILDREN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE JORDAN; R. JOSE SAID: NOT BECAUSE THEY DEVOURED [THE CHILDREN] BUT [MERELY] BECAUSE THEY WERE SEEN. THE ALARM IS SOUNDED ON THE SABBATH ON ACCOUNT OF THE FOLLOWING MISHAPS: IF A CITY IS BESIEGED BY HOSTILE TROOPS OR [INUNDATED BY] THE RIVER, OR IF A SHIP IS FOUNDERING ON THE SEA, R. JOSE SAYS: [THE ALARM IS SOUNDED] FOR HELP BUT NOT FOR A CALL TO PRAYERS. SIMEON THE TEMANITE SAYS: [THE ALARM IS SOUNDED] ON ACCOUNT OF PLAGUE, BUT THE SAGES DID NOT AGREE WITH HIM. THE ALARM IS SOUNDED ON ACCOUNT OF ANY VISITATION, THAT COMES UPON THE COMMUNITY2 EXCEPT ON ACCOUNT OF AN OVER-ABUNDANCE OF RAIN. IT HAPPENED THAT THE PEOPLE SAID TO HONI THE CIRCLE DRAWER, PRAY FOR RAIN TO FALL. HE REPLIED: GO AND BRING IN THE OVENS [ON WHICH YOU HAVE ROASTED] THE PASCHAL OFFERINGS SO THAT THEY DO NOT DISSOLVE.3 HE PRAYED AND NO RAIN FELL...WHAT DID HE DO? HE DREW A CIRCLE AND STOOD WITHIN IT AND EXCLAIMED, MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE, THY CHILDREN HAVE TURNED TO ME BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE ME TO BE AS A MEMBER OF THY HOUSEHOLD; I SWEAR BY THY GREAT NAME THAT I WILL NOT MOVE FROM HERE UNTIL THOU HAST MERCY UPON THY CHILDREN. RAIN THEN BEGAN TO DRIP, AND THEREUPON HE EXCLAIMED: IT IS NOT FOR THIS THAT I HAVE PRAYED BUT FOR RAIN [TO FILL] CISTERNS, DITCHES AND CAVES. THE RAIN THEN BEGAN TO COME DOWN WITH GREAT FORCE, AND THEREUPON HE EXCLAIMED; IT IS NOT FOR THIS THAT I HAVE PRAYED BUT FOR RAIN OF BENEVOLENCE, BLESSING AND BOUNTY. RAIN THEN FELL IN THE NORMAL WAY UNTIL THE ISRAELITES IN JERUSALEM WERE COMPELLED TO GO UP [FOR SHELTER] TO THE TEMPLE MOUNT BECAUSE OF THE RAIN. THEY CAME AND SAID TO HIM: IN THE SAME WAY AS YOU HAVE PRAYED FOR [THE RAIN] TO FALL PRAY [NOW] FOR THE RAIN TO CEASE. HE REPLIED: GO AND SEE IF THE STONE OF CLAIMANTS4 HAS BEEN WASHED AWAY. THEREUPON SIMEON B. SHETAH SENT TO HIM [THIS MESSAGE]: WERE IT NOT THAT YOU ARE HONI I WOULD HAVE PLACED YOU UNDER THE BAN, BUT WHAT CAN I DO UNTO YOU WHO IMPORTUNE GOD AND HE ACCEDES TO YOUR REQUEST AS A SON THAT IMPORTUNES HIS FATHER AND HE ACCEDES TO HIS REQUEST; OF YOU SCRIPTURE SAYS, LET THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER BE GLAD, AND LET HER THAT BORE THEE REJOICE.5 IF WHILST THEY ARE FASTING RAIN FALLS, IF IT IS BEFORE SUNRISE THEY DO NOT COMPLETE THE FAST,6 IF AFTER SUNRISE, THEY DO COMPLETE THE FAST. R. ELIEZER SAYS: IF BEFORE NOON THEY DO NOT COMPLETE THE FAST, AFTER NOON THEY DO COMPLETE IT. IT HAPPENED THAT THE RABBIS ORDAINED A FAST IN LYDIA AND RAIN FELL BEFORE NOON. THEREUPON R. TARFON SAID TO THEM: GO, EAT AND DRINK AND OBSERVE THE DAY AS A HOLIDAY. THEY WENT AND ATE AND DRANK AND OBSERVED THE DAY AS A HOLIDAY AND AT EVENING TIME THEY CAME AND RECITED THE GREAT HALLEL.7 GEMARA. THE ORDER OF PUBLIC FASTS AFOREMENTIONED IS OBSERVED ONLY IN CONNECTION WITH [THE WITHHOLDING] OF THE FIRST RAIN. A contradiction was raised against this Mishnah: [If rain is withheld at the time of] the first and second rainfalls prayers are offered; if at the third rainfall, fasts are observed!8 Rab Judah replied: The Mishnah means this: The order of fasts aforementioned is observed only when the time for the first, second and third fructification rainfalls has passed and no rain fell, but if rain fell at the time for the first fructification rainfall and they sowed but nothing sprouted forth, or if the [plants] did sprout forth but they had undergone an unusual change the alarm is sounded at once.9 R. Nahman said: Only when they had undergone an unusual change, but not if they merely withered away. Is not this self-evident? We clearly learned, HAVE UNDERGONE A CHANGE[R. Nahman's statement] is needed to cover the case of seeds that have already shot up into stalks. You might have thought that this is a sign of recovery, he therefore informs us [that it is not]. THE SAME TOO IS DONE IF FORTY DAYS ELAPSED BETWEEN THE FIRST AND THE SECOND RAINFALLS AND NO RAIN FELL etc. What is the nature of the plague of drought? Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: A plague which leads to scarcity. R. Nahman said: When [grain] has to be transported by river (Cf. B.M. 28b where the reading is iguyv ict ‘stone of claims or claimants’). [The meaning of Honi's statement becomes clear from the parallel passage in Tosef. Ta'an. III, We are confident that God will not bring a flood upon the world according to Gen. IX, 15. It was this assurance which made it impossible for the rain to be so strong as to dissolve the stones and which should allay the fear of the anxious people.] Honi's prayer.] are observed immediately after the first expected rainfalls had failed. former rain season (vruh) which comprises three fructification rains as stated supra 6a.