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Taanis 22b

תענית כ״ב ע״ב

Taanit 22b

Learn Taanis 22b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Taanis 22b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The end of יאשיהו's story, and the משנה's cases of fasting and crying out: blight, wolves, dangers on שבת, plague, and too much rain.

Overview

The גמרא finishes the story of יאשיהו. He fought פרעה נכה because he read the פסוק 'a sword shall not pass through your land' as including even a peaceful army. He did not ask ירמיהו and did not realize his generation was unworthy, and he died accepting God's judgment. The גמרא then returns to the משנה. It asks how much blight 'fills the mouth of an oven' (תיקו), and it tells of wolves that swallowed children, whose digested flesh was ruled טהור and whose bones were ruled טמא. A ברייתא lists dangers for which an alarm is sounded on שבת. רבי יוסי argues that an individual may not weaken himself by fasting. The גמרא shows that the חכמים never cry out over plague. Finally, no alarm is sounded for too much rain, since we do not pray against too much good, except in the גולה. רבי אליעזר's measure for praying against rain and a ברייתא about moderate rain close the amud.

Opening lines

״וַיִּשְׁלַח אֵלָיו מַלְאָכִים לֵאמֹר

"And he sent messengers to him, saying:

מַה לִּי וָלָךְ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה

What have I to do with you, king of Judah?

לֹא עָלֶיךָ אַתָּה הַיּוֹם

Not against you do I come this day,

כִּי אֶל בֵּית מִלְחַמְתִּי

but against the house with which I am at war;

The steps (39)

  1. Statementפרעה נכה's message to יאשיהו
  2. QuestionWhich 'God' did Pharaoh mean?
  3. ResponseIt was עבודה זרה, so יאשיהו felt sure he would win
  4. QuestionWhat does 'I am badly wounded' mean?
  5. ResponseHis body was pierced like a sieve
  6. Statementיאשיהו was punished for not consulting ירמיהו
  7. QuestionWhich פסוק led יאשיהו to go to war
  8. QuestionWhat kind of 'sword' does the verse mean?
  9. ResponseEven a peaceful army is included
  10. Statementיאשיהו's mistake: his generation was not worthy
  11. Statementירמיהו worries about יאשיהו's last words
  12. Conclusionיאשיהו accepts God's judgment and ירמיהו eulogizes him
  13. QuestionHow much blight is 'enough to fill an oven'?
  14. ResponseThe משנה says 'the mouth of an oven'
  15. QuestionWhich kind of 'mouth of the oven' amount?
  16. ConclusionThe question stays unresolved
  17. StatementWolves swallowed two children
  18. ConclusionFlesh is pure, bones are impure
  19. StatementDangers that justify an alarm on שבת
  20. StatementAn individual may fast in these cases
  21. Statementרבי יוסי forbids an individual to fast
  22. QuestionWhat is רבי יוסי's source?
  23. ResponseKeep alive the soul I gave you
  24. QuestionHow far did the חכמים disagree with שמעון התימני?
  25. ResponseA ברייתא shows a view that you never cry out over plague
  26. StatementEvery trouble gets an alarm except too much rain
  27. QuestionWhy is too much rain left out?
  28. ResponseWe do not pray against too much good
  29. ProofA פסוק from מלאכי as the source
  30. QuestionWhat does 'עד בלי די' mean?
  31. ResponseSo much blessing that your lips wear out
  32. StatementIn the גולה, we do cry out over too much rain
  33. ProofThe משמר asked the מעמד to pray for the גולה
  34. QuestionHow much rain before we pray for it to stop?
  35. ResponseEnough to dip one's feet in water at קרן אפל
  36. ChallengeA ברייתא says 'hands,' not 'feet'
  37. ResolutionFeet as easily as hands
  38. Statementרבה בר בר חנה describes how tall קרן אפל is
  39. StatementRain 'in its season' means a moderate amount