Taanis 5a

תענית ה׳ ע״א

Taanit 5a

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Topic

When to stop mentioning and requesting rain, the miracle year of rain in יואל's time, and רב נחמן's questions to רבי יצחק about puzzling פסוקים.

Overview

The גמרא finishes the earlier question about mentioning rain. רבא and רב ששת rule that once you start mentioning rain on שמיני עצרת, you never stop. Even רב changed his mind to agree, and the הלכה follows this. A new משנה then asks until when we request rain: רבי יהודה says until פסח passes, and רבי מאיר says until ניסן ends, based on a פסוק in יואל about rain 'in the first month.' רב נחמן asks how the first rain (יורה) can be in ניסן when it normally falls in מרחשון. רבי יצחק answers in the name of רבי יוחנן that the פסוק describes one drought year in יואל's time. That year the people planted their last grain at the נביא's command, and the crop grew miraculously in eleven days, in time for the עומר. A פסוק in תהלים about sowing in tears and reaping with joy is explained as describing that generation. Then רב נחמן asks רבי יצחק a series of questions about hard פסוקים: what people ate in a seven-year famine, why God 'will not enter the city' (the ירושלים above waits for the ירושלים below), what 'one' sin burns the wicked (עבודה זרה), and why ירמיהו counts only 'two evils'. The answer to that last question continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (24)

1. StatementOnce you start mentioning rain, you do not stop
2. ProofEven רב changed his mind
3. ConclusionThe final ruling: do not stop once you start
4. Statementמשנה: until when do we request rain?
5. Challengeרב נחמן asks: isn't the first rain in מרחשון?
6. ResolutionThe פסוק describes one unusual year in יואל's time
7. StatementThe prophet tells the starving people to plant anyway
8. StatementThe crop grows in eleven days and the עומר is brought on time
9. ProofA פסוק in תהלים describes that generation
10. QuestionWhat does 'he goes along weeping' mean?
11. Responseרבי יהודה: the ox cries while plowing and eats on the way back
12. QuestionWhat does 'carrying his sheaves' mean?
13. Responseרב חסדא: the grain head was twice as long as the stalk
14. QuestionWhat did they eat during the seven-year famine?
15. ResponseThe famine got worse each year
16. QuestionA puzzling verse: 'I will not enter the city'
17. ResponseGod waits to enter the heavenly ירושלים
18. QuestionIs there really a ירושלים above?
19. ResponseYes, there is, as a verse shows
20. QuestionWhat does 'with one they are brutish' mean?
21. ResponseThe one sin that burns the wicked is idol worship
22. ProofProof from the shared word 'vanity'
23. QuestionOnly two evils? What about the twenty-four?
24. ResponseThe answer begins: one sin that is