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Taanis 31a

תענית ל״א ע״א

Taanit 31a

Learn Taanis 31a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The reasons for the joy of ט״ו באב, the vineyard dances described in the משנה, and the future dance of the צדיקים that closes מסכת תענית

Overview

The גמרא finishes its list of reasons why ט״ו באב was a day of joy. The roadblocks to ירושלים were removed. The dead of ביתר were finally buried, and in יבנה the ברכה of הטוב והמטיב was set up because of it. Wood-cutting for the מערכה on the מזבח ended, since the sun is too weak to dry the wood after that date, and people called the day 'the day the sickle breaks.' From then on, whoever adds gains life, and whoever does not add is 'gathered,' meaning his mother will bury him. Next the גמרא explains the rest of the משנה. Everyone, even the king's daughter, borrowed white clothes so that no poor girl would be shamed, and the clothes needed טבילה even if they had been stored in a box. Unmarried men went to the vineyards to find a wife, and each group of girls called out its own strength. The מסכת ends with רבי אלעזר's promise of a future dance of the צדיקים, where each one will point to ה׳ and say 'This is our God,' followed by the הדרן.

Opening lines

לְאֵיזֶה שֶׁיִּרְצוּ יַעֲלוּ.

to whichever they wish, they may go up.

רַב מַתְנָה אָמַר:

Rav Mattana said:

יוֹם שֶׁנִּתְּנוּ הֲרוּגֵי בֵיתֵּר לִקְבוּרָה.

It is the day the slain of Beitar were given over for burial.

וְאָמַר רַב מַתְנָה:

And Rav Mattana said:

The steps (15)

  1. StatementEnd of the earlier reason: people may go up wherever they wish
  2. Statementרב מתנה: the dead of ביתר were buried on this day
  3. StatementThe ברכה of הטוב והמטיב was set up in יבנה because of ביתר
  4. Statementרבה and רב יוסף: the day they stopped cutting wood for the מזבח
  5. ProofProof from רבי אליעזר הגדול: the sun is too weak to dry the wood
  6. Statementרב מנשיא: they called it 'the day the sickle breaks'
  7. StatementFrom now on: whoever adds will add, and whoever does not will be gathered
  8. QuestionWhat does 'he will be gathered' mean?
  9. Responseרב יוסף: his mother will bury him
  10. StatementEveryone borrows white clothes so no one is embarrassed
  11. StatementEven clothes stored away in a box need immersion
  12. StatementMen without wives went to the vineyards
  13. StatementWhat each group of girls called out
  14. StatementThe future dance of the צדיקים in גן עדן
  15. Conclusionהדרן — Closing the פרק בשלשה פרקים and מסכת תענית