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Taanis 12a

תענית י״ב ע״א

Taanit 12a

Learn Taanis 12a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

What makes a fast a real תענית: lasting until sunset, accepting it in advance, and eating the night before

Overview

רב חסדא teaches that 'fasting for hours' counts only if nothing is eaten until evening. This covers someone who decided partway through the day to keep fasting. He also rules that a fast broken before sunset is not called a תענית. Three challenges, from the אנשי משמר, the family of סנאה בן בנימין, and רבי יוחנן, are each answered: none of those cases was a real תענית. שמואל adds that a fast must be accepted while it is still day, and someone who fasts without accepting it is like a bellows full of air. רב and שמואל argue whether the acceptance happens in the afternoon or during the מנחה prayer. רב יוסף tries to prove שמואל's view from מגילת תענית, but the proof is pushed away by reading יאסר instead of ייסר, and the גמרא explains that reading. Finally, a ברייתא discusses how late one may eat the night before a fast. אביי and רבא limit that permission by finishing the meal or by sleep. The amud ends as רב אשי begins to define 'dozing'.

Opening lines

הָא דְּאָמְרַתְּ מִתְעַנִּין לְשָׁעוֹת —

That which you said, 'one may fast for hours' —

וְהוּא שֶׁלֹּא טָעַם כְּלוּם עַד הָעֶרֶב.

that is only where he did not taste anything until the evening.

אָמַר לֵיהּ אַבָּיֵי:

Abaye said to him:

הָא תַּעֲנִית מְעַלַּיְיתָא הִיא!

But this is a full-fledged fast!

The steps (29)

  1. StatementFasting for hours only counts if nothing is eaten until evening
  2. Challengeאביי: that is just a full fast
  3. ResolutionThe case: he decided to fast partway through the day
  4. StatementA fast that ends before sunset is not a fast
  5. ChallengeChallenge from the אנשי משמר, who fast but do not finish
  6. ResolutionThat was only self-affliction
  7. ChallengeChallenge from the family of סנאה בן בנימין on a delayed תשעה באב
  8. ResolutionThat too was only self-affliction
  9. ChallengeChallenge from רבי יוחנן's fast until he got home
  10. Resolutionרבי יוחנן was politely excusing himself from the נשיא's house
  11. StatementA fast must be accepted the day before
  12. QuestionWhat if he fasted anyway?
  13. ResponseLike a bellows full of air
  14. QuestionWhen is the fast accepted?
  15. Responseרב and שמואל argue about the time
  16. Proofרב יוסף supports שמואל from מגילת תענית
  17. ProofHow the word ייסר proves שמואל
  18. RejectionNo, read it as יאסר
  19. StatementTwo sages argue about the reading
  20. QuestionWhat does the יאסר reading mean?
  21. ResponseThe meaning of יאסר: an earlier vow to fast still stands
  22. StatementUntil when may one eat the night before a fast
  23. Statementאביי: only if he has not finished his meal
  24. Challengeרבא challenges: finished and stood up, yet he may eat
  25. ResolutionThe table was not yet cleared
  26. StatementSecond version, רבא: only if he has not slept
  27. Challengeאביי challenges: slept and got up, yet he may eat
  28. ResolutionHe was only dozing
  29. QuestionWhat counts as dozing?