Today's Daf Yomi
November 27, 2021 | כ״ג בכסלו תשפ״ב
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This month is sponsored by Esther Kremer in loving memory of her father, Manny Gross z'l, on his 1st yahrzeit
Taanit 15
How do the prayers work during the last set of fasts? The Ark is taken into the street – why? Ashes are placed on the heads of the leaders and then the people also put on their own heads. An elder gets up and stresses how God isn’t interested in our fasts and sackcloth but in our actions. There are criteria for choosing who will lead the prayers. An extra six blessings are added into the shmoneh esreh prayer and the shofar is sounded for each extra blessing. What is said in the body of each blessing and how does each blessing end? In the time of Rabbi Chalafta and Rabbi Chanina ben Tradion, the people answered as they did in the Temple instead of answering amen is as done outside the Temple and the rabbis were not pleased with this. What are the rules regarding fasting for the Kohanim who are on duty to work in the temple that week when the fast comes out? What else are they prohibited to do on the week that they are working on the Temple. What exceptions are made? The dates mentioned in Megillat Taanit – can one fast the day before or after? On what does it depend and what are the different opinions? Fasts always are scheduled for Mondays and Thursdays but each set begins on a Monday, never on a Thursday – why? If fasts are declared and later they realize that one of the dates falls Rosh Chodesh or Chanuka or Purim, do they still fast? The Gemara discusses the placing of the ashes and why it is done in that order and in the particular manner discussed in the Mishna?
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לבזה נפש למתעב גוי לעבד משלים מלכים יראו וקמו ושרים בהשתחויה דכתיב שרים וישתחוו מתקיף לה רבי זירא ואיתימא רבי שמואל בר נחמני אי הוה כתיב ושרים ישתחוו כדקאמרת השתא דכתיב שרים וישתחוו הא והא עבוד
to he who is despised of men, to he who is abhorred of nations, to a servant of rulers: Kings shall see and arise” (Isaiah 49:7); and ministers by bowing, as it is written, in the same verse: “Ministers, and they shall bow.” Rabbi Zeira strongly objects to this interpretation, and some say it was Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani who objected. Had the verse written: And ministers shall bow, the meaning would have been as you said. However, now that it is written: “Ministers, and they shall bow,” this indicates that ministers will do this and that, i.e., they will both arise and bow.
אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק אף אני אומר לא הכל לאורה ולא הכל לשמחה צדיקים לאורה וישרים לשמחה צדיקים לאורה דכתיב אור זרע לצדיק ולישרים שמחה דכתיב ולישרי לב שמחה:
Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: I too say a similar idea. Not all are fit for light, and not all are fit for gladness. The righteous are fit to be rewarded with light, and the upright are fit to be rewarded with gladness. The righteous are fit to be rewarded with light, as it is written: “Light is sown for the righteous” (Psalms 97:11), and the upright are fit to be rewarded with gladness, as it is written, in the same verse: “And gladness for the upright in heart.”
הדרן עלך מאימתי
סדר תעניות כיצד מוציאין את התיבה לרחובה של עיר ונותנין אפר מקלה על גבי התיבה ובראש הנשיא ובראש אב בית דין וכל אחד ואחד נותן בראשו
MISHNA: What is the customary order of fast days? Normally the sacred ark in the synagogue, which was mobile, was kept in a locked room. However, on fast days they remove the ark to the main city square and place burnt ashes upon the ark, as a sign of mourning. And they also place ashes on the head of the Nasi, and on the head of the deputy Nasi, and each and every member of the community likewise places ashes upon his head.
הזקן שבהן אומר לפניהן דברי כבושין אחינו לא נאמר באנשי נינוה וירא אלהים את שקם ואת תעניתם אלא וירא האלהים את מעשיהם כי שבו מדרכם הרעה ובקבלה הוא אומר וקרעו לבבכם ואל בגדיכם
The eldest member of the community says to the congregation statements of reproof, for example: Our brothers, it is not stated with regard to the people of Nineveh: And God saw their sackcloth and their fasting. Rather, the verse says: “And God saw their deeds, that they had turned from their evil way” (Jonah 3:10). And in the Prophets it says: “And rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the Lord your God” (Joel 2:13). This teaches that prayer and fasting are insufficient, as one must also repent and amend his ways in practice.
עמדו בתפלה מורידין לפני התיבה זקן ורגיל ויש לו בנים וביתו ריקם כדי שיהא לבו שלם בתפלה
They stood for prayer. The congregation appoints an elder, who is experienced in leading prayer, to descend before the ark as communal prayer leader. And this prayer leader must have children and must have an empty house, i.e., he must be poor, so that his heart will be fully concentrated on the prayer for the needs of his community.
ואומר לפניהן עשרים וארבע ברכות שמונה עשרה שבכל יום ומוסיף עליהן עוד שש ואלו הן זכרונות ושופרות אל ה׳ בצרתה לי קראתי ויענני אשא עיני אל ההרים וגו׳ ממעמקים קראתיך ה׳ תפלה לעני כי יעטף
And he recites twenty-four blessings before the congregation: The eighteen blessings of the everyday Amida prayer, to which he adds another six blessings, and they are as follows: The special series of blessings recited on Rosh HaShana, the Remembrances and Shofarot; and the sections of Psalms that begin with the verses: “In my distress I called to the Lord and He answered me” (Psalms 120:1), “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where will my help come” (Psalms 121:1), “Out of the depths I have called You, O Lord” (Psalms 130:1), and “A prayer of the afflicted, when he faints” (Psalms 102:1).
רבי יהודה אומר לא היה צריך לומר זכרונות ושופרות אלא אומר תחתיהן רעב כי יהיה בארץ דבר כי יהיה אשר היה דבר ה׳ אל ירמיהו על דברי הבצרות
Rabbi Yehuda says: The prayer leader did not need to recite the Remembrances and Shofarot passages. Rather, he recites instead of them the passage beginning with: “If there be famine in the land, if there be pestilence” (I Kings 8:37), followed by the verse “The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the droughts” (Jeremiah 14:1).
ואומר חותמיהן על הראשונה הוא אומר מי שענה את אברהם בהר המוריה הוא יענה אתכם וישמע בקול צעקתכם היום הזה ברוך אתה ה׳ גואל ישראל על השניה הוא אומר מי שענה את אבותינו על ים סוף הוא יענה אתכם וישמע קול צעקתכם היום הזה ברוך אתה ה׳ זוכר הנשכחות
And he recites at the end of all of these six blessing their unique conclusions. For the conclusion of the first blessing: Redeemer of Israel, he recites: He Who answered Abraham on Mount Moriah (see Genesis 22:11–18), He will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day. Blessed are You, Lord, Redeemer of Israel. For the second blessing, to which he adds the verses of Remembrances, he recites: He Who answered our forefathers at the Red Sea (see Exodus 14:15–31), He will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day. Blessed are You, Lord, Who remembers the forgotten.
על השלישית הוא אומר מי שענה את יהושע בגלגל הוא יענה אתכם וישמע בקול צעקתכם היום הזה ברוך אתה ה׳ שומע תרועה על הרביעית הוא אומר מי שענה את שמואל במצפה הוא יענה אתכם וישמע בקול צעקתכם היום הזה ברוך אתה ה׳ שומע צעקה על החמישית הוא אומר מי שענה את אליהו בהר הכרמל הוא יענה אתכם וישמע בקול צעקתכם היום הזה ברוך אתה ה׳ שומע תפלה
For the third blessing, which includes the verses of Shofarot, he recites: He Who answered Joshua at Gilgal, when they sounded the shofar in Jericho (see Joshua 5:6), He will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day. Blessed are You, Lord, Who hears the terua. For the fourth blessing, he recites: He Who answered Samuel in Mizpah (see I Samuel, chapter 7), He will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day. Blessed are You, Lord, Who hears cries. For the fifth he recites: He Who answered Elijah on Mount Carmel (see I Kings, chapter 18), He will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day. Blessed are You, Lord, Who hears prayer.
על הששית הוא אומר מי שענה את יונה ממעי הדגה הוא יענה אתכם וישמע בקול צעקתכם היום הזה ברוך אתה ה׳ העונה בעת צרה על השביעית הוא אומר מי שענה את דוד ואת שלמה בנו בירושלים הוא יענה אתכם וישמע בקול צעקתכם היום הזה ברוך אתה ה׳ המרחם על הארץ:
For the sixth blessing he recites: He Who answered Jonah from within the innards of the fish (see Jonah 2:2–11), He will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day. Blessed are You, Lord, Who answers in a time of trouble. For the conclusion of the seventh blessing, which is actually the sixth additional blessing, as the first blessing listed here is an expanded version of a regular weekday blessing, he recites: He Who answered David and Solomon his son in Jerusalem (see I Kings 8:12–53), He will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day. Blessed are You, Lord, Who has mercy on the Land.
מעשה
The mishna relates: An incident occurred
בימי רבי חלפתא ורבי חנניא בן תרדיון שעבר אחד לפני התיבה וגמר את הברכה כולה ולא ענו אחריו אמן תקעו הכהנים תקעו מי שענה את אברהם אבינו בהר המוריה הוא יענה אתכם וישמע בקול צעקתכם היום הזה הריעו בני אהרן הריעו מי שענה את אבותינו על ים סוף הוא יענה אתכם וישמע בקול צעקתכם היום הזה
in the days of Rabbi Ḥalafta and Rabbi Ḥananya ben Teradyon, that someone passed before the ark as prayer leader and finished the entire blessing of the fast day, but the congregation did not answer amen after him. Instead, the attendant of the synagogue said: Sound the shofar with a long, unwavering sound, priests, blow the shofar. The prayer leader continued: He Who answered Abraham on Mount Moriah, He will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day. Once again, the attendant announced: Blast the shofar, with a wavering sound, sons of Aaron, blast. The prayer leader resumed: He Who answered our forefathers by the Red Sea, He will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day, and continued in this way.
וכשבא דבר אצל חכמים אמרו לא היינו נוהגין כן אלא בשער מזרח ובהר הבית
And when this matter came before the Sages, and they heard the custom of Rabbi Ḥalafta and Rabbi Ḥananya ben Teradyon, they said: They would act in accordance with this custom only at the Eastern Gate of the Temple and on the Temple Mount. However, this ceremony is never performed outside the Temple.
שלש תעניות הראשונות אנשי משמר מתענין ולא משלימין ואנשי בית אב לא היו מתענין כלל שלש שניות אנשי משמר מתענין ומשלימין ואנשי בית אב מתענין ולא משלימין שבע אחרונות אלו ואלו מתענין ומשלימין דברי רבי יהושע
§ On the first three fasts, the members of the priestly watch, who are in charge of the Temple service that week, fast but do not complete their fast. And the members of the patrilineal family, who perform the Temple service on that particular day, did not fast at all. On the second set of three fast days, the members of the priestly watch fast and complete the fast, and the members of the patrilineal family fast but do not complete their fasts. On the final seven fasts, both groups fast and complete the fasts. This is the statement of Rabbi Yehoshua.
וחכמים אומרים שלש תעניות הראשונות אלו ואלו לא היו מתענין כלל שלש שניות אנשי משמר מתענין ולא משלימין ואנשי בית אב לא היו מתענין כלל שבע אחרונות אנשי משמר מתענין ומשלימין ואנשי בית אב מתענין ולא משלימין
And the Rabbis say: On the first three fasts, the members of both groups do not fast at all. On the second three fast days, the members of the priestly watch fast and do not complete their fast, and the members of the patrilineal family do not fast at all. On the final seven, the members of the priestly watch fast and complete the fast, and the members of the patrilineal family fast but do not complete their fast.
אנשי משמר מותרין לשתות יין בלילות אבל לא בימים ואנשי בית אב לא ביום ולא בלילה אנשי משמר ואנשי מעמד אסורין מלספר ומלכבס ובחמישי מותרין מפני כבוד השבת
The mishna mentions another difference between the members of the priestly watch and the patrilineal family: The members of the priestly watch were permitted to drink wine during the nights, but not during the days, as they might be called upon to assist in the Temple service, which may not be performed after drinking wine. And the members of the patrilineal family, who performed the Temple service, were not permitted to drink wine, neither at night nor during the day, as their tasks were performed at night as well. It is prohibited for both the members of the priestly watch and the members of the non-priestly watch to cut their hair or launder their garments throughout the week, but on Thursday it is permitted for them to cut their hair and launder their clothes in deference to Shabbat.
כל הכתוב במגלת תענית דלא למספד לפניו אסור לאחריו מותר רבי יוסי אומר לפניו ולאחריו אסור
§ The mishna returns to the issue of fasting: Any day concerning which it is written in Megillat Ta’anit not to eulogize on that day, it is also prohibited to eulogize on the day before, but it is permitted to do so on the following day. Rabbi Yosei says: It is prohibited to eulogize both on the day before and on the following day.
דלא להתענאה לפניו ולאחריו מותר רבי יוסי אומר לפניו אסור לאחריו מותר
The mishna continues: With regard to those days concerning which it is written only not to fast, it is permitted to fast on the day before and on the following day. Rabbi Yosei says: Fasting the day before is prohibited, but on the following day it is permitted to fast.
אין גוזרין תענית על הצבור בתחילה בחמישי שלא להפקיע השערים אלא שלש תעניות הראשונות שני וחמישי ושני ושלש שניות חמישי שני וחמישי רבי יוסי אומר כשם שאין הראשונות בחמישי כך לא שניות ולא אחרונות
The mishna continues: One may not decree a fast on the community starting on a Thursday, so as not to cause an increase in prices. If the first of a series of fasts is on a Thursday, then on Friday everyone will come to purchase their food for after the fast and for Shabbat, which will allow the storeowners to take advantage of the crowds and raise their prices. Rather, the first set of three fasts is on a Monday, Thursday, and the following Monday, and the second set of three is on a Thursday, Monday, and the following Thursday. Rabbi Yosei says: Just as the first three fasts do not begin on Thursday, so too, neither the second set nor the last set starts on a Thursday. Instead, all the series of fasts begin on a Monday.
אין גוזרין תענית על הצבור בראשי חדשים בחנוכה ובפורים ואם התחילו אין מפסיקין דברי רבן גמליאל אמר רבי מאיר אף על פי שאמר רבן גמליאל אין מפסיקין מודה היה שאין משלימין וכן תשעה באב שחל להיות בערב שבת:
The mishna further states: One may not decree a fast on the community on New Moons, on Hanukkah, or on Purim. And if they decreed and began a set of fasts, and only afterward realized that one of the fasts would occur on one of these days, they do not interrupt the sequence. This is the statement of Rabban Gamliel. Rabbi Meir said: Although Rabban Gamliel said that they do not interrupt the sequence, he concedes that on these days, which are days with special observances, they do not complete the fast. And similarly, when the Ninth of Av occurs on Shabbat eve, the fast is not completed and one eats before the start of Shabbat, so as not to enter Shabbat while fasting.
גמ׳ סדר תעניות כיצד מוציאין את התיבה כו׳ ואפילו בקמייתא ורמינהו שלש תעניות ראשונות ושניות נכנסים לבית הכנסת ומתפללין כדרך שמתפללין כל השנה כולה
GEMARA: The mishna teaches: What is the order of fast days? They remove the ark. The Gemara asks: And is this ritual performed even on the first set of fasts? And the Gemara raises a contradiction from a baraita: On the first and second sets of three fasts, everyone enters the synagogue and they pray in the manner that they pray throughout the entire year.
ובשבע אחרונות מוציאין את התיבה לרחובה של עיר ונותנין אפר על גבי התיבה ובראש הנשיא ובראש אב בית דין וכל אחד ואחד נוטל ונותן בראשו רבי נתן אומר אפר מקלה הן מביאין אמר רב פפא כי תנן נמי מתניתין אשבע אחרונות תנן:
The baraita continues: And on the final seven fasts they remove the ark to the main city square and place ashes upon the ark, and on the head of the Nasi, and on the head of the deputy Nasi, and each and every member of the community takes ashes and places them upon his head. Rabbi Natan says: They would bring specifically burnt ashes. This baraita indicates that the full ritual is performed only on the final set of fasts. Rav Pappa said in explanation: When we taught the mishna as well, it was taught only with regard to the final set of seven fasts, not the earlier series of fasts.
ובראש הנשיא והדר תני כל אחד ואחד נותן בראשו איני והתניא רבי אומר בגדולה מתחילין מן הגדול ובקללה מתחילין מן הקטן
§ And the mishna further states that ashes are placed on the head of the Nasi and on the head of the deputy Nasi. And then it teaches that each and every member of the community places ashes upon his head. The Gemara asks: Is that so? Is this the proper order? Isn’t it taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: With regard to matters of greatness, where it is a mark of honor and distinction to be treated first, one begins with the greatest member of the group, but for any matter involving a curse or dishonor, one begins with the least important member of the group.
בגדולה מתחילין מן הגדול שנאמר ויאמר משה אל אהרן ולאלעזר ולאיתמר ובקללה מתחילין מן הקטן שבתחלה נתקלל נחש ואחר כך נתקללה חוה ואחר כך נתקלל אדם
The Gemara cites a baraita which provides the sources for this principle. With regard to matters of greatness one begins with the greatest member, as it is stated: “And Moses said to Aaron, and to Elazar and to Itamar, his sons” (Leviticus 10:6). Moses first addresses the most important person, Aaron, and this was a matter of distinction, as the verse continues: “For the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you” (Leviticus 10:7). And for any matter involving a curse, one begins with the least important member of a group, as the serpent was cursed first, and afterward Eve was cursed and afterward Adam was cursed.
הא חשיבותא לדידהו דאמרי להו אתון חשיביתו למיבעי עלן רחמי אכולי עלמא:
Why, then, are the leaders of the community, its most important members, the first to perform these fast day expressions of mourning, which are a response to a curse? The Gemara answers: The reason is that this leadership role in the performance of these acts is considered a distinction and an honor for them, as it is as though the community is saying to them: You are worthy of requesting compassion on behalf of everyone.
כל אחד ואחד נותן בראשו נשיא ואב בית דין נמי נשקלו אינהו ונינחו בראשייהו מאי שנא דשקיל איניש אחרינא ומנח להו אמר רבי אבא דמן קסרי אינו דומה מתבייש מעצמו
§ The mishna teaches: Each and every member of the community places ashes upon his head. The Gemara asks: Let the Nasi and the deputy Nasi also take ashes themselves and place them upon their own heads. What is different with regard to them, that someone else takes the ashes and places them on their heads? Rabbi Abba of Caesarea said: This is done intentionally, as one who humiliates himself, in this case by placing ashes upon his own head, is not similar to
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This month is sponsored by Esther Kremer in loving memory of her father, Manny Gross z'l, on his 1st yahrzeit
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Taanit 15
The William Davidson Talmud | Powered by Sefaria
לבזה נפש למתעב גוי לעבד משלים מלכים יראו וקמו ושרים בהשתחויה דכתיב שרים וישתחוו מתקיף לה רבי זירא ואיתימא רבי שמואל בר נחמני אי הוה כתיב ושרים ישתחוו כדקאמרת השתא דכתיב שרים וישתחוו הא והא עבוד
to he who is despised of men, to he who is abhorred of nations, to a servant of rulers: Kings shall see and arise” (Isaiah 49:7); and ministers by bowing, as it is written, in the same verse: “Ministers, and they shall bow.” Rabbi Zeira strongly objects to this interpretation, and some say it was Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani who objected. Had the verse written: And ministers shall bow, the meaning would have been as you said. However, now that it is written: “Ministers, and they shall bow,” this indicates that ministers will do this and that, i.e., they will both arise and bow.
אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק אף אני אומר לא הכל לאורה ולא הכל לשמחה צדיקים לאורה וישרים לשמחה צדיקים לאורה דכתיב אור זרע לצדיק ולישרים שמחה דכתיב ולישרי לב שמחה:
Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: I too say a similar idea. Not all are fit for light, and not all are fit for gladness. The righteous are fit to be rewarded with light, and the upright are fit to be rewarded with gladness. The righteous are fit to be rewarded with light, as it is written: “Light is sown for the righteous” (Psalms 97:11), and the upright are fit to be rewarded with gladness, as it is written, in the same verse: “And gladness for the upright in heart.”
הדרן עלך מאימתי
סדר תעניות כיצד מוציאין את התיבה לרחובה של עיר ונותנין אפר מקלה על גבי התיבה ובראש הנשיא ובראש אב בית דין וכל אחד ואחד נותן בראשו
MISHNA: What is the customary order of fast days? Normally the sacred ark in the synagogue, which was mobile, was kept in a locked room. However, on fast days they remove the ark to the main city square and place burnt ashes upon the ark, as a sign of mourning. And they also place ashes on the head of the Nasi, and on the head of the deputy Nasi, and each and every member of the community likewise places ashes upon his head.
הזקן שבהן אומר לפניהן דברי כבושין אחינו לא נאמר באנשי נינוה וירא אלהים את שקם ואת תעניתם אלא וירא האלהים את מעשיהם כי שבו מדרכם הרעה ובקבלה הוא אומר וקרעו לבבכם ואל בגדיכם
The eldest member of the community says to the congregation statements of reproof, for example: Our brothers, it is not stated with regard to the people of Nineveh: And God saw their sackcloth and their fasting. Rather, the verse says: “And God saw their deeds, that they had turned from their evil way” (Jonah 3:10). And in the Prophets it says: “And rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the Lord your God” (Joel 2:13). This teaches that prayer and fasting are insufficient, as one must also repent and amend his ways in practice.
עמדו בתפלה מורידין לפני התיבה זקן ורגיל ויש לו בנים וביתו ריקם כדי שיהא לבו שלם בתפלה
They stood for prayer. The congregation appoints an elder, who is experienced in leading prayer, to descend before the ark as communal prayer leader. And this prayer leader must have children and must have an empty house, i.e., he must be poor, so that his heart will be fully concentrated on the prayer for the needs of his community.
ואומר לפניהן עשרים וארבע ברכות שמונה עשרה שבכל יום ומוסיף עליהן עוד שש ואלו הן זכרונות ושופרות אל ה׳ בצרתה לי קראתי ויענני אשא עיני אל ההרים וגו׳ ממעמקים קראתיך ה׳ תפלה לעני כי יעטף
And he recites twenty-four blessings before the congregation: The eighteen blessings of the everyday Amida prayer, to which he adds another six blessings, and they are as follows: The special series of blessings recited on Rosh HaShana, the Remembrances and Shofarot; and the sections of Psalms that begin with the verses: “In my distress I called to the Lord and He answered me” (Psalms 120:1), “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where will my help come” (Psalms 121:1), “Out of the depths I have called You, O Lord” (Psalms 130:1), and “A prayer of the afflicted, when he faints” (Psalms 102:1).
רבי יהודה אומר לא היה צריך לומר זכרונות ושופרות אלא אומר תחתיהן רעב כי יהיה בארץ דבר כי יהיה אשר היה דבר ה׳ אל ירמיהו על דברי הבצרות
Rabbi Yehuda says: The prayer leader did not need to recite the Remembrances and Shofarot passages. Rather, he recites instead of them the passage beginning with: “If there be famine in the land, if there be pestilence” (I Kings 8:37), followed by the verse “The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the droughts” (Jeremiah 14:1).
ואומר חותמיהן על הראשונה הוא אומר מי שענה את אברהם בהר המוריה הוא יענה אתכם וישמע בקול צעקתכם היום הזה ברוך אתה ה׳ גואל ישראל על השניה הוא אומר מי שענה את אבותינו על ים סוף הוא יענה אתכם וישמע קול צעקתכם היום הזה ברוך אתה ה׳ זוכר הנשכחות
And he recites at the end of all of these six blessing their unique conclusions. For the conclusion of the first blessing: Redeemer of Israel, he recites: He Who answered Abraham on Mount Moriah (see Genesis 22:11–18), He will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day. Blessed are You, Lord, Redeemer of Israel. For the second blessing, to which he adds the verses of Remembrances, he recites: He Who answered our forefathers at the Red Sea (see Exodus 14:15–31), He will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day. Blessed are You, Lord, Who remembers the forgotten.
על השלישית הוא אומר מי שענה את יהושע בגלגל הוא יענה אתכם וישמע בקול צעקתכם היום הזה ברוך אתה ה׳ שומע תרועה על הרביעית הוא אומר מי שענה את שמואל במצפה הוא יענה אתכם וישמע בקול צעקתכם היום הזה ברוך אתה ה׳ שומע צעקה על החמישית הוא אומר מי שענה את אליהו בהר הכרמל הוא יענה אתכם וישמע בקול צעקתכם היום הזה ברוך אתה ה׳ שומע תפלה
For the third blessing, which includes the verses of Shofarot, he recites: He Who answered Joshua at Gilgal, when they sounded the shofar in Jericho (see Joshua 5:6), He will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day. Blessed are You, Lord, Who hears the terua. For the fourth blessing, he recites: He Who answered Samuel in Mizpah (see I Samuel, chapter 7), He will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day. Blessed are You, Lord, Who hears cries. For the fifth he recites: He Who answered Elijah on Mount Carmel (see I Kings, chapter 18), He will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day. Blessed are You, Lord, Who hears prayer.
על הששית הוא אומר מי שענה את יונה ממעי הדגה הוא יענה אתכם וישמע בקול צעקתכם היום הזה ברוך אתה ה׳ העונה בעת צרה על השביעית הוא אומר מי שענה את דוד ואת שלמה בנו בירושלים הוא יענה אתכם וישמע בקול צעקתכם היום הזה ברוך אתה ה׳ המרחם על הארץ:
For the sixth blessing he recites: He Who answered Jonah from within the innards of the fish (see Jonah 2:2–11), He will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day. Blessed are You, Lord, Who answers in a time of trouble. For the conclusion of the seventh blessing, which is actually the sixth additional blessing, as the first blessing listed here is an expanded version of a regular weekday blessing, he recites: He Who answered David and Solomon his son in Jerusalem (see I Kings 8:12–53), He will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day. Blessed are You, Lord, Who has mercy on the Land.
מעשה
The mishna relates: An incident occurred
בימי רבי חלפתא ורבי חנניא בן תרדיון שעבר אחד לפני התיבה וגמר את הברכה כולה ולא ענו אחריו אמן תקעו הכהנים תקעו מי שענה את אברהם אבינו בהר המוריה הוא יענה אתכם וישמע בקול צעקתכם היום הזה הריעו בני אהרן הריעו מי שענה את אבותינו על ים סוף הוא יענה אתכם וישמע בקול צעקתכם היום הזה
in the days of Rabbi Ḥalafta and Rabbi Ḥananya ben Teradyon, that someone passed before the ark as prayer leader and finished the entire blessing of the fast day, but the congregation did not answer amen after him. Instead, the attendant of the synagogue said: Sound the shofar with a long, unwavering sound, priests, blow the shofar. The prayer leader continued: He Who answered Abraham on Mount Moriah, He will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day. Once again, the attendant announced: Blast the shofar, with a wavering sound, sons of Aaron, blast. The prayer leader resumed: He Who answered our forefathers by the Red Sea, He will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day, and continued in this way.
וכשבא דבר אצל חכמים אמרו לא היינו נוהגין כן אלא בשער מזרח ובהר הבית
And when this matter came before the Sages, and they heard the custom of Rabbi Ḥalafta and Rabbi Ḥananya ben Teradyon, they said: They would act in accordance with this custom only at the Eastern Gate of the Temple and on the Temple Mount. However, this ceremony is never performed outside the Temple.
שלש תעניות הראשונות אנשי משמר מתענין ולא משלימין ואנשי בית אב לא היו מתענין כלל שלש שניות אנשי משמר מתענין ומשלימין ואנשי בית אב מתענין ולא משלימין שבע אחרונות אלו ואלו מתענין ומשלימין דברי רבי יהושע
§ On the first three fasts, the members of the priestly watch, who are in charge of the Temple service that week, fast but do not complete their fast. And the members of the patrilineal family, who perform the Temple service on that particular day, did not fast at all. On the second set of three fast days, the members of the priestly watch fast and complete the fast, and the members of the patrilineal family fast but do not complete their fasts. On the final seven fasts, both groups fast and complete the fasts. This is the statement of Rabbi Yehoshua.
וחכמים אומרים שלש תעניות הראשונות אלו ואלו לא היו מתענין כלל שלש שניות אנשי משמר מתענין ולא משלימין ואנשי בית אב לא היו מתענין כלל שבע אחרונות אנשי משמר מתענין ומשלימין ואנשי בית אב מתענין ולא משלימין
And the Rabbis say: On the first three fasts, the members of both groups do not fast at all. On the second three fast days, the members of the priestly watch fast and do not complete their fast, and the members of the patrilineal family do not fast at all. On the final seven, the members of the priestly watch fast and complete the fast, and the members of the patrilineal family fast but do not complete their fast.
אנשי משמר מותרין לשתות יין בלילות אבל לא בימים ואנשי בית אב לא ביום ולא בלילה אנשי משמר ואנשי מעמד אסורין מלספר ומלכבס ובחמישי מותרין מפני כבוד השבת
The mishna mentions another difference between the members of the priestly watch and the patrilineal family: The members of the priestly watch were permitted to drink wine during the nights, but not during the days, as they might be called upon to assist in the Temple service, which may not be performed after drinking wine. And the members of the patrilineal family, who performed the Temple service, were not permitted to drink wine, neither at night nor during the day, as their tasks were performed at night as well. It is prohibited for both the members of the priestly watch and the members of the non-priestly watch to cut their hair or launder their garments throughout the week, but on Thursday it is permitted for them to cut their hair and launder their clothes in deference to Shabbat.
כל הכתוב במגלת תענית דלא למספד לפניו אסור לאחריו מותר רבי יוסי אומר לפניו ולאחריו אסור
§ The mishna returns to the issue of fasting: Any day concerning which it is written in Megillat Ta’anit not to eulogize on that day, it is also prohibited to eulogize on the day before, but it is permitted to do so on the following day. Rabbi Yosei says: It is prohibited to eulogize both on the day before and on the following day.
דלא להתענאה לפניו ולאחריו מותר רבי יוסי אומר לפניו אסור לאחריו מותר
The mishna continues: With regard to those days concerning which it is written only not to fast, it is permitted to fast on the day before and on the following day. Rabbi Yosei says: Fasting the day before is prohibited, but on the following day it is permitted to fast.
אין גוזרין תענית על הצבור בתחילה בחמישי שלא להפקיע השערים אלא שלש תעניות הראשונות שני וחמישי ושני ושלש שניות חמישי שני וחמישי רבי יוסי אומר כשם שאין הראשונות בחמישי כך לא שניות ולא אחרונות
The mishna continues: One may not decree a fast on the community starting on a Thursday, so as not to cause an increase in prices. If the first of a series of fasts is on a Thursday, then on Friday everyone will come to purchase their food for after the fast and for Shabbat, which will allow the storeowners to take advantage of the crowds and raise their prices. Rather, the first set of three fasts is on a Monday, Thursday, and the following Monday, and the second set of three is on a Thursday, Monday, and the following Thursday. Rabbi Yosei says: Just as the first three fasts do not begin on Thursday, so too, neither the second set nor the last set starts on a Thursday. Instead, all the series of fasts begin on a Monday.
אין גוזרין תענית על הצבור בראשי חדשים בחנוכה ובפורים ואם התחילו אין מפסיקין דברי רבן גמליאל אמר רבי מאיר אף על פי שאמר רבן גמליאל אין מפסיקין מודה היה שאין משלימין וכן תשעה באב שחל להיות בערב שבת:
The mishna further states: One may not decree a fast on the community on New Moons, on Hanukkah, or on Purim. And if they decreed and began a set of fasts, and only afterward realized that one of the fasts would occur on one of these days, they do not interrupt the sequence. This is the statement of Rabban Gamliel. Rabbi Meir said: Although Rabban Gamliel said that they do not interrupt the sequence, he concedes that on these days, which are days with special observances, they do not complete the fast. And similarly, when the Ninth of Av occurs on Shabbat eve, the fast is not completed and one eats before the start of Shabbat, so as not to enter Shabbat while fasting.
גמ׳ סדר תעניות כיצד מוציאין את התיבה כו׳ ואפילו בקמייתא ורמינהו שלש תעניות ראשונות ושניות נכנסים לבית הכנסת ומתפללין כדרך שמתפללין כל השנה כולה
GEMARA: The mishna teaches: What is the order of fast days? They remove the ark. The Gemara asks: And is this ritual performed even on the first set of fasts? And the Gemara raises a contradiction from a baraita: On the first and second sets of three fasts, everyone enters the synagogue and they pray in the manner that they pray throughout the entire year.
ובשבע אחרונות מוציאין את התיבה לרחובה של עיר ונותנין אפר על גבי התיבה ובראש הנשיא ובראש אב בית דין וכל אחד ואחד נוטל ונותן בראשו רבי נתן אומר אפר מקלה הן מביאין אמר רב פפא כי תנן נמי מתניתין אשבע אחרונות תנן:
The baraita continues: And on the final seven fasts they remove the ark to the main city square and place ashes upon the ark, and on the head of the Nasi, and on the head of the deputy Nasi, and each and every member of the community takes ashes and places them upon his head. Rabbi Natan says: They would bring specifically burnt ashes. This baraita indicates that the full ritual is performed only on the final set of fasts. Rav Pappa said in explanation: When we taught the mishna as well, it was taught only with regard to the final set of seven fasts, not the earlier series of fasts.
ובראש הנשיא והדר תני כל אחד ואחד נותן בראשו איני והתניא רבי אומר בגדולה מתחילין מן הגדול ובקללה מתחילין מן הקטן
§ And the mishna further states that ashes are placed on the head of the Nasi and on the head of the deputy Nasi. And then it teaches that each and every member of the community places ashes upon his head. The Gemara asks: Is that so? Is this the proper order? Isn’t it taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: With regard to matters of greatness, where it is a mark of honor and distinction to be treated first, one begins with the greatest member of the group, but for any matter involving a curse or dishonor, one begins with the least important member of the group.
בגדולה מתחילין מן הגדול שנאמר ויאמר משה אל אהרן ולאלעזר ולאיתמר ובקללה מתחילין מן הקטן שבתחלה נתקלל נחש ואחר כך נתקללה חוה ואחר כך נתקלל אדם
The Gemara cites a baraita which provides the sources for this principle. With regard to matters of greatness one begins with the greatest member, as it is stated: “And Moses said to Aaron, and to Elazar and to Itamar, his sons” (Leviticus 10:6). Moses first addresses the most important person, Aaron, and this was a matter of distinction, as the verse continues: “For the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you” (Leviticus 10:7). And for any matter involving a curse, one begins with the least important member of a group, as the serpent was cursed first, and afterward Eve was cursed and afterward Adam was cursed.
הא חשיבותא לדידהו דאמרי להו אתון חשיביתו למיבעי עלן רחמי אכולי עלמא:
Why, then, are the leaders of the community, its most important members, the first to perform these fast day expressions of mourning, which are a response to a curse? The Gemara answers: The reason is that this leadership role in the performance of these acts is considered a distinction and an honor for them, as it is as though the community is saying to them: You are worthy of requesting compassion on behalf of everyone.
כל אחד ואחד נותן בראשו נשיא ואב בית דין נמי נשקלו אינהו ונינחו בראשייהו מאי שנא דשקיל איניש אחרינא ומנח להו אמר רבי אבא דמן קסרי אינו דומה מתבייש מעצמו
§ The mishna teaches: Each and every member of the community places ashes upon his head. The Gemara asks: Let the Nasi and the deputy Nasi also take ashes themselves and place them upon their own heads. What is different with regard to them, that someone else takes the ashes and places them on their heads? Rabbi Abba of Caesarea said: This is done intentionally, as one who humiliates himself, in this case by placing ashes upon his own head, is not similar to
