Taanis 10a

תענית י׳ ע״א

Taanit 10a

Learn Taanis 10a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The special status of ארץ ישראל and the sources of rain; when to begin asking for rain; and the first fasts when rain is late

Overview

The amud opens by finishing an answer from the previous daf: a פסוק about water rising from the earth describes only בריאת העולם. A ברייתא then lists ways ארץ ישראל is special. It was created first, ה׳ waters it Himself, it gets real rain while the rest of the world gets the leftovers, and it drinks first. The גמרא finds a source in a one-letter difference between two פסוקים for רבי אליעזר's claim that ocean water is sweetened in the clouds. It then shows how רבי יהושע reads those פסוקים and matches a ברייתא about the upper waters to his view. Further teachings say the whole world drinks from the runoff of גן עדן, compare the sizes of the world, עדן and גיהנם, and praise בבל for being watered by its rivers. A new משנה sets when we begin asking for rain: the third of מרחשון, or the seventh according to רבן גמליאל, whom the halacha follows. Outside ארץ ישראל we start sixty days into the autumn season, counting day sixty itself. The next משנה teaches that if no rain falls, first the רבנן and then the whole community take on light fasts, held on Monday, Thursday and Monday.

Opening lines

The steps (39)

1. ResolutionThe earlier verse speaks about the creation of the world
2. Statementארץ ישראל was created before the rest of the world
3. Statementה׳ waters ארץ ישראל Himself
4. Statementארץ ישראל gets real rain; the world gets the leftovers
5. Statementארץ ישראל drinks first, explained with a cheese parable
6. QuestionWhat is the source that ocean water becomes sweet in the clouds?
7. ResponseTwo nearly identical verses show the source
8. ResponseCombining the two spellings into one word
9. QuestionWhat does רבי יהושע learn from these verses
10. ResponseDark clouds hold much water
11. QuestionWhose view fits the teaching about the upper waters
12. ResponseThe teaching follows רבי יהושע
13. ResolutionHow רבי אליעזר reads that verse
14. StatementThe whole world drinks from the runoff of גן עדן
15. StatementA big field's runoff waters a small field
16. StatementComparing the sizes of מצרים, the world, the גן, עדן and גיהנם
17. StatementOther opinions: גיהנם or עדן has no measure
18. Statementבבל's storehouses are full because it sits on many waters
19. Statementבבל is rich because it harvests without rain
20. StatementBetter a swampy land than a dry one
21. StatementNew משנה: start asking for rain on the third of מרחשון
22. Statementרבן גמליאל: wait until the seventh so the last pilgrim gets home
23. Conclusionרבי אלעזר rules like רבן גמליאל
24. Statementחנניה: outside ארץ ישראל, wait until sixty days into the season
25. Conclusionשמואל rules like חנניה
26. ChallengeChallenge: שמואל gave a different sign for starting to ask for rain
27. ResolutionAnswer: both signs are the same time
28. QuestionDoes day sixty itself count as before or after?
29. Responseרב and שמואל disagree about day sixty
30. StatementA memory aid for who holds what
31. ConclusionHalacha: day sixty counts as after sixty
32. Statementמשנה: individuals fast if no rain by the seventeenth of מרחשון
33. Statementמשנה: בית דין decrees community fasts by ראש חודש כסלו
34. QuestionWho are the individuals in the משנה?
35. Responseרב הונא: the individuals are the רבנן
36. StatementThe individuals' three fasts are Monday, Thursday, Monday
37. ChallengeWhy say it? A משנה already teaches this order
38. ResolutionWithout רב הונא, we might think individuals are different
39. ProofA ברייתא supports רב הונא