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Taanis 2b

תענית ב׳ ע״ב

Taanit 2b

Learn Taanis 2b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

רבי יוחנן's keys in ה׳'s hand, and the opinions on when to start mentioning rain in davening, with their sources

Overview

This amud finishes רבי יוחנן's list of keys that ה׳ keeps for Himself, with a verse for the key of תחיית המתים. The scholars of ארץ ישראל add a key of פרנסה, and the גמרא explains that for רבי יוחנן rain already includes פרנסה. Then the גמרא asks where רבי אליעזר learns that we start mentioning rain on the first יום טוב of סוכות: from לולב, which would mean starting by day, or from ניסוך המים, which would mean starting the night before. רבי אבהו answers that it is from לולב, and a ברייתא shows this. In that ברייתא, רבי אליעזר and רבי יהושע argue whether mentioning rain on סוכות is fitting, since rain on סוכות is a curse. רבי אליעזר answers that mentioning rain is only praise, like mentioning תחיית המתים. The גמרא answers for רבי יהושע: rain is not a blessing at every time, as a משנה about rain after ניסן shows. Finally, the גמרא explains why רבי יהודה בן בתירה starts on the second day and רבי עקיבא on the sixth day. Both base it on a hint in the תורה to ניסוך המים.

Opening lines

אֵלֶיהָ אֱלֹהִים וַיִּפְתַּח אֶת רַחְמָהּ״.

to her, and He opened her womb.

מַפְתֵּחַ שֶׁל תְּחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים מִנַּיִן —

From where do we know the key of the resurrection of the dead?

דִּכְתִיב:

As it is written:

״וִידַעְתֶּם כִּי אֲנִי ה׳

And you shall know that I am ה׳

The steps (27)

  1. ProofFinishing the childbirth proof and proving the key of resurrection
  2. StatementThe scholars of ארץ ישראל add a key of פרנסה
  3. QuestionWhy did רבי יוחנן leave out livelihood?
  4. ResolutionRain already counts as livelihood
  5. QuestionWhere does רבי אליעזר learn his starting date for mentioning rain?
  6. QuestionIf the source is לולב, mentioning rain starts by day
  7. QuestionIf the source is the water libation, mentioning rain starts the night before
  8. Responseרבי אבהו: רבי אליעזר learned it from the לולב
  9. StatementHow רבי אבהו knew this
  10. ResponseThe ברייתא: from taking the לולב or from putting it down
  11. Statementרבי אליעזר's reason: the four species are about water
  12. Challengeרבי יהושע: rain on סוכות is a bad sign
  13. Resolutionרבי אליעזר: mentioning is not asking
  14. Statementרבי: stop mentioning when you stop asking
  15. StatementTwo more opinions: the second day or the sixth day of סוכות
  16. StatementWhich prayer leader mentions rain on שמיני עצרת and on the first day of פסח
  17. Challengeרבי אליעזר's argument seems strong
  18. ResolutionEvery day is a fitting time for תחיית המתים, but not for rain
  19. ProofProof from a משנה: rain after ניסן is a curse
  20. QuestionWhat is the reason for רבי יהודה בן בתירה?
  21. ResponseThe answer begins: a ברייתא from רבי יהודה בן בתירה
  22. ResponseThree extra letters spell 'water'
  23. QuestionWhy start on the second day?
  24. ResponseThe hint begins on the second day
  25. Statementרבי עקיבא: start on the sixth day
  26. ChallengeMaybe both libations are wine
  27. Resolutionרבי עקיבא agrees the פסוקים hint at water