Taanit

will it then rain now? Thereupon he repaired in a happy mood to the baths. Meanwhile, whilst the lord had gone gleefully to the baths, Nakdimon entered the Temple depressed. He wrapped himself in his cloak and stood up to pray. He said, ‘Master of the Universe! It is revealed and known before Thee that I have not done this for my honour nor for the honour of my father's house, but for Thine honour have I done this in order that water be available for the Pilgrims’. Immediately the sky became covered with clouds and rain fell until the twelve wells were filled with water and there was much over. As the lord came out of the baths Nakdimon b. Gurion came out from the Temple and the two met, and Nakdimon said to the lord, Give me the money for the extra water that you have received. The latter replied,I know that1 the Holy One, blessed be He, disturbed the world but for your sake, yet my claim against you for the money still holds good, for the sun had already set and consequently the rain fell in my possession. Nakdimon thereupon again entered the Temple and wrapped himself in his cloak and stood up to pray and said, ‘Master of the Universe! Make it known that Thou hast beloved ones In Thy world’. Immediately the clouds dispersed and the sun broke through. Thereupon the lord said to him, Had not the sun broken through I would still have had a claim against you entitling me to exact my money from you. It has been taught: His name was not Nakdimon but Boni and he was called Nakdimon because the sun had broken through [nikdera] on his behalf. The Rabbis have taught: For the sake of three the sun broke through, Moses, Joshua and Nakdimon b. Gurion. Now of Nakdimon we know from the above tradition; of Joshua too we know from Scripture where it is written, And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed,2 etc.; but of Moses whence do we know this? R. Eleazar said: We deduce it from an inference from the analagous use of the word ahel.3 Here it is written, I will begin [ahel] to put the dread of thee,4 and elsewhere it is written, I will begin [ahel] to magnify thee.5 R. Samuel b. Nahmani said: From an analogous use of the word teth.6 Here it is written, I will begin to put [teth] the the dread of thee, and elsewhere it is written, In the day when the lord delivered [teth] up the Amorites etc.7 R. Johanan said: It can be derived from the verse itself, Who, when they hear the report of thee, shall tremble and be in anguish because of thee.8 When did they tremble and were in anguish before Moses? When the sun broke9 through for Moses. AN SO TOO IF NO RAIN FALLS UPON A PARTICULAR CITY etc. Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: Both [cities cited in the verse are under] divine displeasure.10 Jerusalem is among them as one unclean.11 Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: [The verse implies] blessing; as an unclean [menstruous] woman becomes permissible [to her husband],12 so too will Jerusalem be reinstated. She is become as a widow;13 Rab Judah said: [The verse implies] blessing; ‘as a widow’; not a real widow, but a woman whose husband has gone to a country beyond the sea [fully] intending to return to her. Therefore have I also made you contemptable and base before all the people:14 Rab Judah said: [The verse implies] blessing; of you no overseers of rivers15 nor officers16 shall be appointed. For the Lord will smite Israel as a reed is shaken in the water:17 Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: [The verse implies] blessing. For R. Samuel b. Nahmani said in the name of R. Johanan: What is the meaning of the verse, Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are importunate?18 Better is the curse which Ahijah the Shilonite pronounced on Israel than the blessings with which Balaam the wicked blessed them. Ahijah the Shilonite cursed them by comparing them with the ‘reed’; he said to Israel, For the Lord will smite Israel as a reed is shaken in water. [Israel are as the reed], as the reed grows by the water and its stock grows new shoots19 and its roots are many, and even though all the winds of the universe come and blow at it they cannot move it from its place for it sways with the winds and as soon as they have dropped the reed resumes its upright position. But Balaam the wicked blessed them by comparing them with the ‘cedar’, as it is said, As cedars beside the waters;20 the cedar does not grow by the waterside and its stock does not grow new shoots and its roots are not many, and even though all the winds of the universe blow at it they cannot move it from its place;21 if however the south wind blows at it, it uproots it and turns it upside down. Moreover, [because of its yielding nature] the reed merited that of it should be made a pen for the writing of the Law, the Prophets and Hagiographa. Our Rabbis have taught: A man should always be gentle as the reed and never unyielding as the cedar. Once R. Eleazar son of R. Simeon was coming from Migdal Gedor,22 from the house of his teacher, and he was riding leisurely on his ass by the riverside and was feeling happy and elated because he had studied much Torah Jast. s.v. seb.