Taanis 17a

תענית י״ז ע״א

Taanit 17a

Learn Taanis 17a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The fast-day blessings, and the wine and haircut rules for כהנים on duty in the בית המקדש, then and nowadays

Overview

This amud covers the extra blessings said on a public fast and the special rules for the כהנים on duty in the בית המקדש. First the גמרא explains why some people swap the endings 'crying' and 'prayer' between the blessings for שמואל and אליהו. Then it explains why יונה comes before דוד: the last blessing must end with 'מרחם על הארץ'. סומכוס ends that blessing with 'משפיל הרמים' instead. Next, a ברייתא explains why the אנשי משמר may drink wine only at night, while the בית אב on duty may never drink. From this, a כהן today avoids wine for a day, a week, or a whole year, depending on how much he knows about his turn. רבי says that by this logic wine should be forbidden forever, but the long חורבן makes that impossible, and אביי says כהנים today drink following רבי. The גמרא then explains the ban on haircuts and laundering during the week of service. It gives the haircut schedules of a מלך, a כהן גדול and a כהן הדיוט, learning the thirty days for a כהן from נזיר through the word 'פרע'. Finally it asks why כהנים do not keep this rule today. The challenge from רבי's view on wine continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (36)

1. StatementFinishing a teaching: only on three occasions
2. StatementSome people swap the endings for שמואל and אליהו
3. ChallengeWhere is 'crying' written about אליהו?
4. Resolution'Answer me, ה׳, answer me' is a cry
5. QuestionWhy is יונה placed before דוד?
6. ResponseThe last blessing must end 'מרחם על הארץ'
7. Statementסומכוס's different ending for the last blessing
8. StatementThe משנה's line about the priestly watch during the first fasts
9. QuestionWhy the priestly watch may drink wine at night but not by day
10. ResponseThey might be called in to help during the day
11. QuestionWhy the day's family group may never drink
12. ResponseThey are always busy with the service
13. StatementA priest who knows his exact day may not drink wine that day
14. StatementA priest who knows only his week may not drink all that week
15. ConclusionA priest who knows neither may not drink all year
16. Statementרבי: By Logic Wine Should Be Forbidden Forever, But It Cannot Be
17. Conclusionאביי: Today's כהנים Drink Wine Following רבי
18. StatementThe משנה: No Haircuts or Laundering During the Week of Service
19. QuestionWhy Ban Haircuts and Laundering?
20. ResponseSo They Won't Arrive Messy
21. Statementברייתא: How Often the מלך, כהן גדול, and כהן הדיוט Cut Their Hair
22. QuestionWhy Does the מלך Cut His Hair Every Day?
23. ResponseThe King Must Be Seen in His Beauty
24. QuestionWhy Does the כהן גדול Cut His Hair Every Friday?
25. ResponseA New משמר Arrives Each Week
26. QuestionWhere Do We Learn Thirty Days for a Regular כהן?
27. Responseגזירה שוה of 'פרע': Learning Thirty Days from a נזיר
28. QuestionHow do we know the thirty days for a נזיר himself?
29. ResponseA plain נזירות lasts thirty days
30. QuestionWhere does the thirty-day rule come from?
31. ResponseThe word 'יהיה' equals thirty
32. ChallengeMaybe כהנים should not grow hair at all
33. ResolutionThe word order shows some hair is allowed
34. ChallengeThen כהנים should keep this rule even today
35. ResolutionLike the wine ban, it applies only when serving
36. Challengeרבי says כהנים may never drink wine