Daf Yomi - Taanis 19 - Highlights

The Mishna teaches that there are certain circumstances in which we do not call for fasting that becomes progressively more severe, but rather we immediately declare a series of fasts with the strictest guidelines. Two cases listed in the Mishna are crops that grew strangely and if forty days passed between the first rain (in its proper time) and the second rain. The reason for this is because these are an affliction of food shortage. If rain fell for the crops and not for the trees, for the trees and not for the crops or it rained for both but not enough to fill the pits that were used for drinking water, we call out immediately. Also included would be a situation where there is rain in all communities but one and when a city is hit by plague or is surrounded by a non-Jewish enemy.

The Mishna proceeds to list cases of disasters where people everywhere are obligated to cry out because there is a good possibility that these disasters will spread. For plagues that ruin the grain, a severe drought that tends to cause the grain to yellow, locusts, wild animals and armies that are passing through we call out everywhere because these catastrophes travel to other areas.

The Mishna cites an incident where the elders went down from Yerushalayim to their cities to declare a communal fast because they saw the size of an oven mouth of plague damage on some grain in the city of Ashkelon. They also declared a fast due to an incident when wolves devoured two children on the other side of the Jordan River. Rabbi Yosi maintains that the fast was declared because the wolves were seen in the city.

The Mishna continues by listing cases that are so severe, that we would even call out on Shabbos. If a city was surrounded by gentiles, a river threatening to flood the fields and a ship that is in danger of sinking; we would call out even on Shabbos. Rabbi Yosi disagrees and maintains that they would call out for help but not in prayer.

The Mishna states that we call out for any catastrophe that threatens the city except for an overabundance of rain. The Mishnah relates the story of Choni HaMa’agel. In the course of a year of drought, the Chachamim looked to Choni HaMa’agel and asked him to daven for rain. He instructed the people to bring their ovens inside in order that do not dissolve in the rain. When his first pleas did not produce rain, he drew a circle around himself and swore to Hashem that he would not leave that spot until Hashem showed compassion on His children by ending the drought.

At first, rain began to trickle, and Choni insisted on rain that fill the water holes. When angry rains began to fall, Choni demanded rains of mercy and blessing. Finally, the rains fell until flooding began, and the people were compelled to leave Yerushalayim for the Temple Mount. They turned to Choni and asked him to pray that the rain should stop, which he was reluctant to do. He told them to go and see if the stone which was used to announce lost articles has been covered by water. (This stone was so high, that if it was covered, he would have prayed for the rain to cease.)

The story concludes with the words of Shimon ben Shetach who said that Choni's words to Hashem were so presumptuous that he deserved to be excommunicated. But he cannot be punished since he has such a close, personal relationship with Hashem, that He fulfills your requests like a father to a son even after the son sins towards the father.

The Mishna discusses whether a fast should be completed if they were answered in middle of the fast. If rain began to fall before sunrise, they are not obligated to complete the fast but if rain began to fall after sunrise, they should complete the fast. Rabbi Eliezer disagrees and maintains that if rain began to fall before midday, they are not obligated to complete the fast but if rain began to fall after midday, they should complete the fast.

The Mishna concludes with an incident that seems to support Rabbi Eliezer’s viewpoint. The Chachamim declared a fast in Lod and it began to rain before midday. Rabbi Tarfon said to them that they should do eat, drink and declare a festival. They went out, ate, drank and made the day into a holiday and returned to the synagogues in the afternoon to recite Hallel Hagadol. (18b)

The Gemora cites a braisa which states that they begin to fast if there is a delay in the third rains and it is apparent from our Mishna that they would begin to fast even if there is a delay in the first rains. Rav Yehuda explains that the Mishna is referring to a case where it rained in the proper time, however they planted seeds but nothing grew or they grew strangely; that is when they cry out immediately. (18b)

Rav Nachman distinguishes between a severe famine and a case where there is merely a food shortage. When one particular city doesn’t have food but they can have food delivered from another city through ships on a river, this is regarded as a food shortage and not a famine. If food is in short supply in one city and must be imported from another city by land route with donkeys, this condition is regarded as a famine since only minimal amount of food will be delivered. (18b – 19a)

The Mishna had stated that if rain fell for the crops and not for the trees, for the trees and not for the crops or it rained for both but not enough to fill the pits that were used for drinking water, we call out immediately. The Gemora explains each case. Light rain will be beneficial for crops but not for trees. Heavy rains will be beneficial for trees but not for crops. Heavy and light rain came but not enough to fill the water holes. There is an additional case listed in a braisa. If there was enough rain to fill the water holes but not for the trees and crops, we would cry out immediately. The Gemora explains this case that the rain descended in a heavy downpour which wasn’t beneficial for the trees or the crops. (19a)

The Gemora cites a braisa detailing the times of the year at which different water shortages become serious enough to necessitate fasting and crying out. If Pesach time came and there was insufficient water for the trees, we would cry out. If Sukkos time came and there was insufficient water to fill up the water holes (used for the animals and irrigation), we would cry out. Anytime there is not enough water to drink, we call out immediately. We cry out only inside the effected location. There are certain diseases that we would cry out for if they cause death. Certain locusts that generally come in large numbers, we cry out even if only a few were sighted. (19a)

There is a braisa cited that presents a dispute regarding crying out on account of the trees during the Shemitah year. Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel maintains that we would cry out because the fruits of the tree offer sustenance for the poor people. If there is a shortage of drinking water, we cry out even during Shemitah. (19a)

Rabbi Elozar ben Parta said that since the Beis Hamikdosh was destroyed, rain does not fall liberally. Some years there might be an abundance of rain and some years the rain that falls will be inadequate. Some years the rain will fall in the appropriate time and in some years it will not fall in its proper time.

A year that rain descends in its appropriate time is compared to a servant who received his weekly portion of grain from his master on Sunday and thereby has sufficient time to bake the bread so he can eat it on Shabbos. A year that the rain does not descend in its appropriate time is compared to a servant who received his weekly portion of grain from his master on Friday and thereby does not has sufficient time to bake the bread so he can eat it on Shabbos.

Nakdimon ben Gurion
The entire Jewish people were in Yerushalayim for the festival, but there was no water to drink. A Jewish leader, Nakdimon ben Gurion, approached a Roman nobleman who lived there.
"Lend me twelve wells of water for the people," he told him, "and I will replace it with another twelve wells of water [i.e. Hashem will replenish them for you;] and if not, I will pay you twelve bars of silver."
The nobleman agreed, and they set a date by which time the water must be returned. That day came, and still no rain had fallen. That morning the nobleman sent a messenger to Nakdimon ben Gurion.
"Send me my water or my silver," he commanded.
"I still have time. The whole day is still mine," Nakdimon ben Gurion sent back.
At noontime, he again sent a messenger. "Give me my water or my money," he ordered.
"I still have time," Nakdimon ben Gurion sent back.
In the late afternoon, he again sent a messenger. "Give me my water or my money," he ordered.
"I still have time," Nakdimon ben Gurion sent back.
The nobleman had a good laugh on hearing this. "Could it be," he chuckled, "that the whole year no rain falls, and now enough rain to fill my wells will fall?" He went to the local bathhouse joyously rubbing his hands at the thought of twelve bars of silver.
At the same time, Nakdimon ben Gurion entered the Beis HaMikdash anxiously. He wrapped himself in his tallis and stood in prayer.
"Ribono shel Olam, You know that neither for my honor, nor the honor of my father's house did I do this. I did it all for Your honor alone, that the Jewish people may have water for the festival."
Immediately, the skies filled with clouds and a great rain fell, until the twelve wells overflowed with water. The nobleman hurriedly left the bathhouse, bumping into Nakdimon ben Gurion as he left the Beis HaMikdash.
"Give me my change for the additional water you received," Nakdimon ben Gurion said to the nobleman.
"I know that Hashem turned the world over only for you," the nobleman answered, "but it won't help you. You still owe me those twelve bars of silver, for that rain fell after sunset, and it's all mine."
Hearing this, Nakdimon ben Gurion quickly returned to the Beis HaMikdash, rewrapped himself in his tallis and stood in prayer.
"Ribono shel Olam, let them know that we are Your friends in this world," he begged. The clouds then scattered, and the sun shone.
"Were it not for that sun shining through," the nobleman groaned, "that money would have been mine."
"Buni was his real name and not Nakdimon," the rabbis taught. "He was called Nakdimon since the sun pierced ["nikdera"] through the clouds for him.