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Taanis 11b

תענית י״א ע״ב

Taanit 11b

Learn Taanis 11b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Who should fast, part-day private fasts and the fast-day prayer, and the questions brought to מר עוקבא

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a challenge. רבי אלעזר praised the one who fasts as holy, but he also said to treat the body as if something holy lives inside it. The גמרא answers that fasting is good only for someone who can handle it. ריש לקיש calls the one who fasts a חסיד. רב ששת and ריש לקיש warn that a תלמיד חכם should not fast, because it weakens his learning. רב ירמיה בר אבא adds that in בבל only תשעה באב is a full public fast. Next the גמרא returns to the משנה. רב הונא rules on when a private faster says the fast-day prayer, and אביי explains that hours never accepted in advance do not count. The amud ends with מר עוקבא, who brings three questions to the בית מדרש: whether one can fast for part of a day, whether gentile wine jars may be used, and what משה wore during the מילואים. A new teaching of רב חסדא begins at the end and continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

כְּאִילּוּ קָדוֹשׁ שָׁרוּי בְּתוֹךְ מֵעָיו,

as though a holy one dwells inside his innards,

שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בְּקִרְבְּךָ קָדוֹשׁ וְלֹא אָבוֹא בְּעִיר״!

as it is stated: 'The holy one is in your midst, and I will not come into the city'!

לָא קַשְׁיָא:

It is not difficult:

הָא — דְּמָצֵי לְצַעוֹרֵי נַפְשֵׁיהּ,

this one is where he is able to afflict himself,

The steps (14)

  1. ChallengeA person should treat his body as if something holy lives inside it
  2. ResolutionIt depends on whether the person can handle the fast
  3. Statementריש לקיש: one who fasts is called pious
  4. Statementרב ששת: a תורה student who fasts wastes his meal
  5. StatementIn בבל, only תשעה באב is a full public fast
  6. StatementA תלמיד חכם may not fast
  7. StatementBack to the משנה: eating at night before a fast
  8. StatementWhen a private faster says the fast-day תפילה
  9. QuestionWhat is the reason behind רב הונא's ruling?
  10. Responseאביי: the night hours were never accepted
  11. Questionמר עוקבא is asked three questions in גינזק
  12. ResponseThe בית מדרש answers all three questions
  13. Statementרב כהנא: the robe had no hem
  14. Statementרב חסדא is introduced as the next speaker