The Jerusalem Talmud Jerusalem Talmud Taanit 1.3

English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

MISHNAH: On the Third of Marḥeshwan one prays for rain. Rabban Gamliel says on the Seventh of the month, fifteen days after Tabernacles, so that the last of the Jews may reach the river Euphrates.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

HALAKHAH: The Mishnah is Rebbi Meïr’s, as it was stated, “what is the time of rainfall? Rebbi Meïr says, the early one on the Third, the average one on the Seventh, and the late one on the Seventeenth. Rebbi Jehudah says, the early one on the Seventh, the average on on the Seventeenth, and the late one on the Twenty-third. Rebbi Yose said, the early one on the Seventeenth, the average one on the Twenty-third, and the late one on the Thirtieth day, since we find that particular people only start to fast on the New Moon of Kislev.” Rebbi Abbamari, the brother of Rebbi Yose, said: everybody agrees that the Seventeenth is the time for the pleiads to disappear, since on it the Deluge came over the world. What is the reason? On this day all sources of the deep abyss were opened. Rebbi Abba bar Zamina, Rebbi Eleazar in the name of Rebbi Hoshaia: Practice follows him who says, “on the Third of Marḥeshwan one prays for rain”. And why did he not say, following Rebbi Meïr? There are Tannaim who switch.

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Hebrew · Jerusalem Talmud, ed. Guggenheimer (Hebrew/Aramaic)

כַּמָּה גְשָׁמִים יֵרְדוּ וִיהֵא אָדָם צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ. רִבִּי חִיָיה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. כַּתְּחִילָּה כְדֵי רְבִיעָה. וּבַסּוֹף כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּדוּחוּ פְנֵי הַקִּרְמִיד. רִבִּי יַנַּיי בֵירִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ. כַּתְּחִילָּה כְדֵי רְבִיעָה. וּבַסּוֹף כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּשְׁרֶה הַמְּגוּפָה. וְיֵשׁ מְגוּפָה נִשְׁרִית. אֶלָּא רוֹאִין אוֹתָהּ כְּאִילּוּ הִיא שְׁרוּיָיה. רִבִּי יוֹסֵה בְשֵׁם רַב יְהוּדָה רִבִּי יוֹנָה רַב יְהוּדָה בְשֵׁם שְׁמוּאֵל. כַּתְּחִילָּה כְדֵי רְבִיעָה. וּלְבַסּוֹף אֲפִילוּ כָּל שֶׁהוּא. רִבִּי יוֹסֵה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי זְעוּרָה. לְהֶפְסֵק תַּעֲנִית נֶאֶמְרָה. רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה וְרִבִּי נָחוּם וְרַב אָדָא בַּר אִיכּוּמָא הֲווֹן יְתִיבִין. אָמַר רִבִּי נָחוּם לְרַב אָדָא בַּר אִיכּוּמָא. לֹא מִסְתַּבְּרָא לִבְרָכָה נֶאֶמְרָה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. אִין. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. וְלָמָּה אָמַרְתָּ לֵיהּ אָכֵין. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. דְּהוּא נְהִיג בְּשִׁיטַּת רַבֵּיהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי מָנָא לְרִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה. מָנוּ רַבֵּיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. רִבִּי זְעוּרָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. [אַף] אֲנָן אָמְרִין. רִבִּי יוֹסֵה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי זְעוּרָה. לְהֶפְסֵק תַּעֲנִית נֶאֶמְרָה.

English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

How much rain should fall that a man is required to recite a benediction? Rebbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: At the start, that it should fertilize, at the end that a brick should be soaked. Rebbi Yannai ben Rebbi Ismael in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish: At the start, that it should fertilize, at the end that the seal of the amphora should be soaked. Is the seal ever soaked? But it is as if it were soaked. Rebbi Yose in the name of Rav Jehudah, Rebbi Jonah, Rav Jehudah in the name of Samuel: At the start, that it should fertilize, at the end even a minimal amount. Rebbi Yose in the name of Rebbi Ze`ira: It was said for the interruption of fasting. Rebbi Ḥizqiah, Rebbi Naḥum, and Rav Ada bar (Ikoma) <abimi>> is to be adopted here also. were sitting. Rebbi Naḥum said to Rav Ada bar (Ikoma) <abimi>: Is it not reasonable that this was said for the benediction; he answered: Yes. <rebbi Ḥizqiah said to rav ada bar (ikoma) <abimi>: Is it not reasonable that this was said for the interruption of fasting; he answered: Yes.> He said to him, why did you say “yes” here? He said to him, because he follows the argumentation of his teacher. Rebbi Mana asked Rebbi Ḥizqiah, who is his teacher? He said to him, Rebbi Ze`ira. He said to him, so we are saying: Rebbi Yose in the name of Rebbi Ze`ira: It was said for the interruption of fasting.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rav Jehudah bar Ezechiel said, so was my father Ezechiel used to recite for rainfall: May Your Name be magnified, sanctified, praised, and elevated, our King, for every drop that You bring down to us, and you make them refrain one from the other. [As it is said,] for He reduces water drippings; they combine as rain for a flood, as one says, the valuation will be reduced. Rebbi Yudan, the father of Rebbi Mattaniah, said, not only that, but He brings them down in measure, as it is said: Water He determined by measure.” Rebbi Yose bar Jacob went to visit Rebbi Yudan from Migdal. While he was there, rain started to come down and he heard his voice saying: Thousands of thousands we are obliged to thank Your Name, our King, for every drop that You bring down to us, for You do good things for the guilty ones. He said to him: From where do you have this? He said to him: This is the benediction that Rebbi Simon recited for rainfall.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

How much rain should fall that it is considered fertilizing? If it fills a vessel of three handb̮readths, the words of Rebbi Meïr. Rebbi Yehudah says, the first rainfall one handb̮readth, the second one two hand breadths, and the third one three handb̮readths. It has been stated: Rebbi Simeon ben Eleazar says, there is no handb̮readths that falls from above that the earth does not raise two handb̮readths towards it. What is the reason? The deep calls to the deep by the sound of Your water spouts.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Levi said: The upper waters are male and the lower ones female. What is the reason? The earth shall open, they shall bear fruit of help. The earth shall open, like a female who opens before a male; they should bear fruit of help, that is being fruitful and multiplying; and justice shall sprout, that is rainfall; I, the Eternal, did create it, for this purpose I created it, for the wellb̮eing of the world. Rebbi Aḥa stated it in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Gamliel: Why is it called “fertilizing”? Because it impregnates the earth.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Ḥanina bar Yaqqa in the name of Rav Jehudah: The roots of wheat split the earth to a depth of 50 cubits. The soft roots of a fig tree split rock. If this is so, what do the roots of the carob or the roots of the sycamore do? Rebbi Ḥanina said, once every thirty days the abyss wells up and drenches them. What is the reason? I, the Eternal, watch over it and water it in.” [It has been stated: Rebbi Simeon ben Eleazar says, the earth drinks only according to its hardness.]

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

“If the year was deficient, one makes up for the deficiency; otherwise one follows its order, the words of Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel. Rebbi says, one always follows its order. If the year was intercalary, one follows its intercalation.” The argument of Rebbi seems inverted. There he says, one follows its order. And here he says, after its intercalation. Rebbi Ze`ira, Rebbi Yasa, Rebbi Samuel ben Rav Isaac brings it in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan, this was needed for the end.

Jerusalem Talmud Taanit 1.3

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