Mishnah Ta'anit
משנה תענית
Sefaria Community Translation
https://www.sefaria.org

Mishnah Ta'anit



Chapter 1

From when do we begin to mention the power of [bringing] rain [in the <i> Shemoneh Esrai</i>], Rabbi Eliezer says, from the first day of the festival [Sukkot]. Rabbi Yehoshua says, from the last day of the festival [Sukkot]. Rabbi Yehoshua said to him [Rabbi Eliezer], since rain on the festival is nothing but a sign of a curse why should he mention it?  Rabbi Eliezer said to him: I also did not say to request [rain] but to make mention, “He causes the wind to blow and the rain to fall” in its due season. He replied to him: if so one should at all times make mention of it.
We do not ask for rain, unless it is near [or during] the rains. Rabbi Yehudah says, "He who passes in front of the ark [the chazzan] on the last day of the festival [Shmini Atzeret], the last one [the chazzan who does the Musaf service] mentions [that G-d brings rain], but the first one [the one who does the Shacharit service] does not. On the first day of Passover, the first [chazzan] still mentions it, but the last one does not." Until when is the rain to be prayed for? Rabbi Yehudah says till after the Passover; Rabbi Meir says till the month of Nissan has passed, because it is said [Joel 2:23], "And he will cause to come down for you the rain, the early rain and the late rains in the first month."
On the third of Mar-Cheshvan prayers for the rain are to be said, but according to Rabbon Gamaliel, on the seventh of the same month, namely, fifteen days after the feast of tabernacles, in order that the last Israelites might have reached the river Euphrates.
If the seventeenth of Mar-Cheshvan has come without the rain having yet descended, private individuals commence to keep three fast-days. On the night beforehand, they are allowed to eat and drink, and it is allowed [on the fast day itself] to work, to bathe, to anoint the body, to wear [leather] shoes, and to perform the marriage duty.
If the new moon of Kislev has arrived without the rain having yet descended, the Beth Din (law court) shall order three public fast days. On the night beforehand, we may eat and drink, and it is allowed [on the fast day itself] to work to bathe, to anoint the body, to wear [leather] shoes, and to perform the marriage duty.
If these [fasts] have passed and were not [favorably] answered, the Beth Din shall decree three more public fasts. On the night beforehand, we may eat and drink, but [on the fast day itself] it is prohibited to work, to bathe, anoint the body, wear [leather] shoes, and to perform the marriage duty. Additionally, we lock the bathhouses. If these [fasts] have passed and were not [favorably] answered, the Beth Din shall decree seven more fast days, which altogether make thirteen public fasts. These are more [strict] than the earlier [fast days], because [on these new fasts] we cry out [with shofar or voice], and we lock the shops. On Mondays, towards the evening, the shop-shutters [of those who sell articles of food] may be [loosely] leaned on [that is, not fully closed, but in a slanting position, so as to discourage but not completely prohibit buying], and on Thursdays, they may be entirely taken off, in honor of the [approaching] Sabbath.
If these [fasts] have passed and were not [favorably] answered, we lessen from engaging in business transactions; from erecting buildings and planting; and from betrothings, weddings, and mutual greetings, like men who have been rebuked [and, so to speak, put] in their place. Private individuals return to fasting until the end of the month of Nissan. If Nissan has elapsed, and then the rain falls (some change the words to read "without rain," though not all. Due to the verse quoted, it seems that the phrase should be left out), it must be considered as a curse, for thus it is written [I Samuel 12:17], "Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain (proving through context that rain during the harvest season is a curse)."

Chapter 2

What is the order of the [prayer service of the] fast-days? We take out the ark to the square of the city, and we place ashes of burnt [substances] on the heads of the <i>Nasie</i> and of the chief of the tribunal of justice, and other persons shall also put ashes on their heads; the eldest among them shall then address them in heart-moving terms: "My brethren, consider that it is not written in respect to [the repentance of] the Ninevites, that God regarded their having wrapped themselves in sackcloth, and considered their fast-days, but that 'God saw their acts, and that they had turned from their evil ways' (Jonah 3:10), and the tradition of the prophets also is, 'Tear your hearts, and not your garments' (Joel 2:13).
They stand to pray. We bring in front of the ark (meaning, to be the chazzan) an elderly man who is regular [to function as chazzan], who has children, and whose house is empty (meaning, he is poor), so that his heart may be entirely [devoted] to his prayer, and he says before them twenty-four blessings: the eighteen that are [said] every day, and he adds upon them another six.
These [extra blessings] are as follows: (1) [The blessing of] Remembrances, (2) [The blessing of] Shofars, (3) [Psalm 120,] "Hashem is my G-d in times of distress to me," (4) [Psalm 121,] "I lift my eyes up to the mountains," (5) [Psalm 130,] "From the depths I have called to you, O G-d," (6) [Psalm 102,] "A prayer of the impoverished, when he wraps himself [in a Tallit]. Rabbi Yehudah says, "It was not necessary to say [the blessings of] Remembrances and Shofars‎, but rather he says in their place, "When there is famine in the land, when there is pestilence in the land (I Kings 8:37)," and, "The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the droughts (Jer. 14:1)." And he says their conclusions:
Upon the first blessing he shall say [in conclusion], "He who answered Abraham on Mount Moriah, may He answer you, and listen to your cry on this day. Blessed art thou, O Lord, Redeemer of Israel!" Upon the second he shall say, "He who answered our ancestors on the Red Sea, may He answer you, and listen to your cry on this day. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who remembers the [things] forgotten [by man]!" Upon the third he shall say, "He who answered Yejoshua in Gilgal, may He answer you, and listen this day to your cry. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who deigns to listen to the sound of the shofar!" Upon the fourth he shall say, "He who answered Samuel in Mizpah, may He answer you, and listen to your cry on this day. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who hearkens to [our] cry!" Upon the fifth he shall say, "He who answered Elijah on Mount Carmel, may He answer you, and listen  to your cry on this day. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who hearkens to prayer!" Upon the sixth he shall say, "He who answered Jonah in the entrails of the fish, may He answer you, and listen  to your cry on this day. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who answers in the time of distress!" Upon the seventh he shall say, "He who answered David, and his son Solomon, in Jerusalem, may He answer you, and listen to your cry on this day. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who has compassion on the earth!"
It happened in the times of Rabbi Halaphta and Rabbi Hanina ben Teradion, that a minister advanced to the reading-desk and finished the whole of the blessing without any [of the congregation] answering thereupon, "Amen:" [a minister called], "Sound, O priests! sound!" [the minister who said the prayers continued], "May he who answered our father Abraham on Mount Moriah answer you, and listen [favourably] to your prayer this day:" [a minister called] "Sound an alarm, sons of Aaron! sound an alarm!" [the minister who said the prayers continued], "May he who answered our ancestors on the Red Sea answer you, and listen [favourably] to your cry this day." When the sages were informed of this, they said, "This was not our custom, except at the eastern door [of the Temple], and on the Temple-mountain [Mount Moriah]."
On the three first fasts, the priests who had the weekly watch of the Temple fasted, but not the whole day; and the ministering priests did not fast at all. On the second three fasts, the priests on the weekly duty fasted the whole day; and the ministering priests fasted, but not the whole day. But on the last seven, both classes of priests fasted the whole day. Such is the opinion of R. Joshua; but the sages say, "The three first fasts were not kept by any of the said priests: on the second three, the priests who had the weekly duty used to fast, but not the whole day; and the officiating priests did not fast at all. On the last seven, the priests on the weekly duty fasted the whole day; and the officiating priests fasted, but not the whole day."
The priests on the weekly duty may drink wine at night, but not during the day; the officiating priests may not drink it either by day or night. The priests of the weekly watch, and the standing men are prohibited from shaving their beards, and washing their clothes; but, on Thursday, they are allowed to do so, in honour of the [approaching] Sabbath.
Wherever it is mentioned in "The Roll of Fasts," that "no lamentation and mourning is to be made" on certain days, it is also prohibited to do so on the day preceding, but allowed on the day following them; but Rabbi Yose says, "It is prohibited to do so on the day preceding, and on the day following; where it is said, that 'no fasts are to be kept thereon,' it is allowed to fast on the day preceding and following days." Rabbi Yose says, "It is prohibited on the preceding, but allowed on the following day."
Public fasts are not to be ordered to commence on a Thursday, in order not to raise the price of victuals in the markets; but the first fasts are to be on Monday, Thursday, and [the following] Monday; but the second three fasts may follow on Thursday, Monday, and [the following] Thursday. Rabbi Yose says, "Even as the first fasts are not to be commenced on Thursday, so also are the second and last fasts not to commence on that day."
Public fasts are not to be ordered to take place on the feast of new moon, nor on that of dedication and of lots [pureem]; but if the fast has been already commenced thereon, it need not be broken. Such is the opinion of Rabbon Gamaliel. Rabbi Meir says, "Although Rabbon Gamaliel has said that the fast need not be broken, he agrees that on these days they are not to fast the whole of the day; and thus is it with the [fast of the] ninth of Av, when it happens on a Friday."

Chapter 3

This [previously mentioned] order of fasts applies with regard to the first rains [ie., when they do not descend]; but [if] the plants change [from their normal stage of growth] , we cry out upon them immediately. And so too, if there is an interval between rains of forty days, we cry out upon them immediately, since this is a plague of drought.
If rain sufficient for the growth of sprouts and herbage has fallen, but not for the growth of trees; or sufficient for the growth of trees, but inadequate to the growth of herbage; or sufficient for both, but not to fill the wells, cisterns, and caves, an alarm is immediately to be sounded.
And thus if no rain should have fallen over any particular city similar to that which is written (Amos 4:7), "I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city, one piece was rained upon," &amp;c., [the inhabitants of] such a city must fast, and sound an alarm, and those of the circumjacent places shall fast, but not sound. Rabbi Akivah says, "they are to sound, but not to fast."
And thus, when pestilence reigns in a city, or when the [sound] walls fall down, [the inhabitants of] such a city must fast, and sound an alarm: and those of the circumjacent places shall fast, but not sound. Rabbi Akivah says, "they are to sound, but not to fast." What must be considered as a pestilence? When in a city, capable of furnishing five hundred able men, three persons die in three consecutive days, it is a pestilence; less than this is not a pestilence.
An alarm is to be sounded in all places for the following plagues:—For a corn-blast, mildew, locusts, caterpillars, attacks of ferocious animals, hosts of armed men; for all these an alarm must be sounded, because they are spreading evils.
It once happened, that some elders went from Jerusalem, each to his own place, and they decreed a fast, because a corn-blast, of a size to cover therewith the mouth of an oven, had been seen near Ashkelon. They also decreed a fast on account of two children having been devoured by wolves on the other side of the Jordan. Rabbi Yose says, "it was not because the wolves actually devoured [children], but because they had appeared [in the towns prowling for food]."
For the following calamities an alarm is to be sounded even on the Sabbath:—For a city surrounded by enemies; for a flood threatening to inundate the country; for a ship in imminent danger of being wrecked at sea [in a storm]. Rabbi Yose says, This sounding is to be, to obtain assistance [from men], not as an imploring cry [to God]." Simeon the Temanite says, "They shall also sound on the Sabbath in case of pestilence;" but the sages did not agree with him [in this].
For every plague—which may the community never be visited with! —an alarm is to be sounded, except for a superabundance of rain. It happened once, that they said to Choni Hama'gal, "Pray for us, that rain may fall." He told them, "Go and bring in the Passover ovens, that they may not be spoiled by the rain." He prayed, and the rain did not descend. What did he then? He marked out a circle, and placing himself within it, thus prayed, "Creator of the world! thy children have looked up to me as being peculiarly favoured by thee; I swear, by thy Great Name, that I will not move from this place until thou wilt have compassion on thy children." The rain began to drop down [gently]. He said, "It was not for this that I petitioned, but for rain [sufficient to fill] wells, cisterns, and caves." The rain then fell in violent torrents; when he said, "Not for such rains did I petition, but for mild, felicitous, and liberal showers." The rain then fell in the usual manner, until the Israelites of Jerusalem were obliged to go from the city to the Temple mountain, on account of the rain. They came and said to him, "Even as thou didst pray that the rains might come down, thus pray now that they may cease." He said to them, "Go and see whether the stone ‏טועים‎ is covered by the waters." Simeon, son of Shatach sent him word, "If thou wert not Honee, I would order thee to be anathematised; but what shall I do to thee? since thou sinnest against God, and yet he forgives and indulges thee like a favoured child, who sins against his father, and is yet forgiven and indulged. To thee may be applied the text, 'Thy father and mother shall rejoice, and they who begot thee shall be glad.' (Prov. 23:25)"
If, while they are fasting, rain should fall before sunrise, they shall not continue to fast the whole day; but they must if after sunrise. Rabbi Eleazar says, "If [it rains] before noon they need not continue to fast the whole day; but they must if the rain commenced after noon is passed." It happened once that a fast [for rain] was ordered in Lod and it rained before noon; when Rabbi Tarfon said unto them, "Go, eat and drink, and make a feast." They went, eat and drank, and made a feast; but in the evening they returned, and sang the great Hallel. (Ps. 136, &amp;c.)

Chapter 4

At three periods of the year, the priests shall raise their hands [to bless the people], in each prayer, [and] four times [in one of them], in the morning, additional, afternoon, and closing [or concluding] prayers. [The three mentioned periods are] on the fast-days, on the fast of the standing men, and on the day of atonement.
These are ‏<i>ma'amadot</i>; [standing men]. [The reason for this institution is] as it is written (Numbers 28:2), "Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, viz. my bread," &amp;c. How can an offering be brought for a person without his standing near it [at the time of its being sacrificed]? Therefore did the elder prophets institute twenty-four "mishmar" [or divisions of orders]; each mishmarah always always a "ma'amad" [or section of standing men], composed of <i>Kohanim</i> [priests], Levites, and Israelites, stationed at Jerusalem. When it came to the turn of each mishmarah to go up [from their cities to the Temple], the priests and Levites went up to Jerusalem, and the Israelites who belonged to that mishmarah, assembled in [the synagogues of] their cities to read the history of the creation [Genesis 1].
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 Sunday, 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 commencing): 'In the beginning,' etc. (Genesis 1:1-5), and, 'Let there be an expansion,' etc. (Genesis 1:6)
On those days on which <i>Hallel</i> is sung, the standing men used not to attend during the morning prayer [in Jerusalem]. When there was an additional offering of the <i>korban mussaf</i>, 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. So says Rabbi Akivah; but Ben Azzai said to him, "Rabbi Yehoshua taught as follows: When there was an additional offering, the standing men did not assemble during the afternoon prayers; when a wood-offering was brought, they did not assemble at the time of the closing prayer." Then Rabbi Akivah changed [his opinion] and taught like Ben Azzai.
The times [of the delivery] of wood [for the altar] by priests and people, were on nine appointed days; on the first of Nissan, the family Arah of Yehudah [delivered]; on the twentieth of Tamuz, the family of David of  Yehudah; on the fifth of Av, the family of Parosh of Jehudah; on the seventh, the family of Jonadav ben Rechav; on the tenth, the family of Sinha of Benjamin; on the fifteenth, the family of Zatu of Jehudah, and with them priests and Levites, and all those who did not know from what tribe [they were descended], also the family of Gonve Eli, and the family of Kotzei Ketziot; and on the twentieth the family Pachat Moav of Jehudah; on the twentieth of Elul, the family Adin of Jehudah; on the first of Tevet, the family Parosh, [offered a] second time. There was no meeting of the standing men on the first of Tevet; because <i>Hallel</i> was recited, and an additional sacrifice and wood-offering were brought [on that day].
Five events befell out ancestors on the seventeeth of Tamuz and five on the Ninth of Av. On the seventeenth of Tamuz, the Tablets were broken, the Tamid offering was ended, the city walls were breached, Apaustamous burned the Torah, an idol was placed in the temple courtyard. On the Ninth of Av, it was decreed upon our ancestors that they would not be allowed to enter the Land of Israel, the First and Second temples were destroyed, Beitar was captured, The city of Jerusalem was plowed over. From when the month of Av starts, we reduce joy.
During the week in which the ninth of Av happens, it is prohibited to a person to shave himself, or to wash [his clothes], but on Thursday it is allowed in honour of the Sabbath. On the day before the ninth of Ab, a person may not partake of two [different kinds] of cookeries [or dishes], eat meat, or drink wine thereon. Rabbon Simeon ben Gamaliel says "[It is sufficient to] alter [from one's customary mode of living]." Rabbi Yehudah considers it obligatory to turn over the bed places, but the sages do not agree in this.
R. Simeon ben Gamaliel said, "Never were more joyous festivals in Israel than the fifteenth of Av and <i>Yom Kippur</i>, for on them the maidens of Jerusalem used to go out dressed in white garments—borrowed ones, in order not to cause shame to those who had them not of their own;—these clothes were also to be previously immersed, and thus they went out and danced in the vineyards, saying, Young men, look and observe well whom you are about to choose [as a spouse]; regard not beauty [alone], but rather look to a virtuous family, for 'Gracefulness is deceitful, and beauty is a vain thing, but the woman that feareth the Lord, she is worthy of praise' (Prov. 31:3); and it is also said (Prov. 31:31), 'Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.' And thus is it said [in allusion to this custom], 'Go out, maidens of Jerusalem, and look on King Solomon, and on the crown wherewith his mother has encircled [his head] on the day of his espousals, and on the day of the gladness of his heart' (Song of Songs 3:11); 'the day of his espousals,' alludes to the day of the gift of the law, and 'the day of the gladness of his heart,' was that when the building of the Temple was completed." May it soon be rebuilt in our days. Amen!