Babylonian Talmud

Rodkinson 1918 — source 8, scan section 32

and rain fell after sunset. Then said the people : " Surely this is in praise of the congregation that after fasting and praying rain came." Said he to them again : " Nay, this is not to be con- sidered ; for it can be compared to a slave begging of his master, who says : ' Let him pray and trouble himself for some time be- TRACT TAANITH (FASTING). 77 fore I will give it to him.' ' What, then, does Samuel consider as praise for the congregation ? If when the sentence is read, " He causeth the wind to blow," a wind springs up, and when the sentence, " He causeth the rain to descend," is read, rain com- mences to fall. "In the evening they returned and sang the great Hallel." Why should they return in the evening and say the Hallel ? Let them say it beforehand ? Abayi and Rabha both say : " Hallel is not sung except with a satisfied soul and a well-filled stomach." This is not so ! For did it not happen that R. Papa ordered a fast-day in the synagogue of Abi Gober, and rain descended be- fore noon, when they sang the Hallel, and then ate and drank? With the inhabitants of Me'huza it is different, for they are generally drunkards. CHAPTER IV. REGULATIONS CONCERNING THE PRIESTS' BLESSING OF THE PEOPLE, THE INSTITUTION OF THE STANDING MEN — THEIR FASTS AND PRAYERS. THE FAST OF THE SEVENTEENTH DAY OF TAMUZ AND THE NINTH OF ABH, AND THE CELEBRATION OF THE FIF- TEENTH DAY OF ABH. MISHNA : At three periods of the year the priests shall raise their hands (to bless the people) at each prayer, (i.e.) four times on each day ; viz., during the morning, additional, afternoon, and closing prayer. (The three periods mentioned are : ) On the fast- days, on the fast of the standing men, and on the Day of Atone- ment. (The reason for the institution of) these standing men is be- cause it is written [Numb, xxviii. 2] : " Command the children of Israel, and say unto them : My offering, my bread for my sacri- fices . . . shall ye observe," etc. How can an offering be brought for a person without his being present (at the time when it is sacrificed) ? Therefore did the elder prophets institute twenty-four watches (divisions) : each watch always had a section of standing men, composed of priests, Levites, and Israelites, stationed at Jerusalem. When the turn of each watch came around to go up (from their cities to the Temple), the priests and Levites went up to Jerusalem, and the Israelites who belonged to that watch assembled in (the synagogues of) their cities to read the history of the creation {i.e., the first chapter of Genesis). The standing men used to fast four times in the week ; viz., from Monday until Thursday (inclusive), but they did not fast on Friday, on account of the honor due the Sabbath, nor on Sun- day, that they might not (too suddenly) pass over from rest and pleasure to weariness and fasting — for that might endanger their lives. On Sunday the standing men read (the sections com- mencing) : " In the beginning," etc. [Genesis, i. 1 to 5], and, " Let there be an expansion," etc. [ibid. 6, etc.] ; on Monday they read : " Let there be an expansion," and, " Let the waters," etc. [ibid. 9, etc.] ; on Tuesday : " Let the waters," and, " Let there be 78 TRACT TAANITH (FASTING). 79 lights," etc. [ibid. 14, etc.] ; on Wednesday : " Let there be lights," and, " Let the waters bring forth," etc. [ibid. 20, etc.] ; on Thurs- day : " Let the waters bring forth," and, " Let the earth bring forth," etc. [ibid. 24, etc.] ; on Friday : " Let the earth bring forth," and, " Thus were finished," etc. [ibid. ii. 1 to 4]. The long section of the day was read by two persons and the short by one ; this was done, however, during the morning and additional prayers ; but at the afternoon prayers they entered (the Syna- gogue) and recited the sections mentioned by heart, even as the Shema' is recited. On Friday afternoon they did not go to the synagogue at all, in honor of the Sabbath. On the days on which the Hallel was sung, the standing men would not attend during the morning prayer (in Jerusalem). When there was an additional offering, they did not assemble at the time of the closing prayer. When a wood-offering was brought, they did not assemble during the afternoon prayer. Such is the dictum of R. Aqiba ; but Ben Azai said to him : " R. Jehoshua taught as follows : ' When there was an additional offer- ing, the standing men did not assemble during the afternoon prayer ; and when a wood-offering was brought, they did not as- semble at the time of the closing prayer.' " Thereupon R. Aqiba changed (his opinion) and taught like Ben Azai. The times when the delivery of wood (for the altar) was made by priests and people were on nine appointed days : viz., on the 1st day of Nissan, the family of Arah ben Jehudah (made the delivery) ; on the 20th of Tamuz, the family of David ben Jehudah ; on the 5th of Abh, the family of Par'os ben Jehudah ; on the 7th of that month, the family of Jonadab ben Rekhab ; on the 10th of the same month, the family of Sinaha ben Benja- min; on the 15th of that month, the family of Zathoo ben Jehudah, and with them priests and Levites, and all those who did not know from which tribe they were descended — also the family of Gonebe Eli and the family of Kotze'li Ketzi'oth ; and on the 20th, the family of Pa'hath Moab ben Jehudah ; on the 20th of Elul, the family of Adin ben Jehudah ; and on the 1st of Tebeth, the family of Par'os for the second time. There was no meeting of the standing men on the 1st of Tebeth ; because Hallel was sung and additional sacrifice and wood-offering were brought on that day. Five calamities happened to our ancestors on the 17th of Tamuz, and five on the 9th of Abh: viz., on the 17th of Tamuz the tables of the Holy Law were broken ; on that day the 80 THE BABYLONIAN TALMUD. continual daily offerings ceased, and the city of Jerusalem was stormed; on the same date Apostamos burned the Holy Scrolls and placed an idol in the Temple; — on the 9th of Abh it was decreed that our ancestors should not enter the Holy Land ; on that day the first and second Temples were destroyed, the city of Bethar was taken, and the site (of Jerusalem) was ploughed up (like a field). From the 1st of Abh it is incumbent upon a person to lessen his participation in joyful events (until after the 9th of that month). During the week in which the 9th of Abh occurs, it is pro- hibited to a person to shave himself, or to wash (his clothes), but on Thursday this is allowed in honor of the Sabbath. On the day before the 9th of Abh a person should not partake of two different kinds of dishes of meat, nor may he drink any wine. Rabbon Simeon ben Gamaliel says: " He should change" (his ordinary mode of living). R. Jehudah considers it obligatory