Commentary for Taanit 2:16

The order of the fasts, how is it: It is the last seven fasts that we are dealing with.

Introduction In the previous chapter we learned about the series of fast days declared in order to petition God for rain. In this chapter we learn the rituals that were observed on those days.

את התיבה – the ark which the Torah scroll is placed in, that is to say, we had a modest utensil which was despised by our sins And why is it brought to the city street? To say, we cried out in private in the synagogue and we were not answered; we will despise ourselves in public in the city street.

What is the order [of service] for fast days?
They take the ark out to the open space of the city. They bring the ark with the Torah or Torahs outside to the open space where they will have a very public ceremony. This is part of their attempt to achieve as broad of a spectrum of involvement as possible.

אפר מקלה – ashes from the burning, and because dust is called ashes, the Mishnah teaches, אפר מקלה – ashes from the roast (i.e. vegetable ashes) and because dust is called ashes, for here, it is necessary that they are ashes specifically in order that the Holy One, blessed be He remember the Binding of Israc and be merciful [upon us].

And they put ashes on the ark and on the head of the Nasi and on the head of the head of the court (av bet. The leaders of the community ceremonially put ashes on the heads of the two main leaders of the community and on the ark as well. It seems that by putting ashes on the ark, it is as if they were putting ashes on God’s head as well. Perhaps they might even be trying to show that God is sharing in Israel’s distress. Theologically, this creates somewhat of a paradox we are praying to God for rain, rain that God is withholding, and yet at the same time we believe and we demonstrate that God is sharing in our distress. The image is one of a parent, punishing a child and yet at the same time feeling the child’s pain.

על גבי התיבה – because as it is written (Isaiah 63:9): “In all their troubles He was troubled, [and the angel of His Presence delivered them…].”

And everyone [else] puts ashes on his own head. Everyone else puts ashes on their own heads. The ritual application of the ashes is performed only for the two leaders and for the ark.

ובראש הנשיא וכו' – But they themselves do not take, in order that they be even more embarrassed, since one who is embarrassed on his own is not the same as one who is embarrassed by others.

The elder among them says in front of them words of admonition, “Brothers, it does not say of the people of Nineveh, ‘And God saw their sackcloth and their fasting,’ but, ‘And God saw their deeds, for they turned from their evil way. (Jonah 3:10)’ And in the prophets it says, ‘And rend your heart and not your garments” (Joel 2:13). The elder among the people now reminds them that the external motions are meant to invoke inner teshuvah, repentance. When God sees that Nineveh has repented, He says that He has seen their deeds and not that He has seen their external signs. Similarly, Joel tells the people that they should rend their hearts, meaning tear their hearts so that they repent, and not merely their external garments. Note that the mishnah emphasizes this message at the very point at which they are describing the intricate ritual of the Taanit. It is as if they wish to warn us of the danger of slipping into “ritualism” a fixation on the external at the expense of the more important internal.

דברי כבושים – words that conquer the heart of a person to return him to the good.

ובקבלה – the words of the prophets.

ורגיל – who knows the order of prayer.

Introduction Today’s mishnah continues to set the scene for the prayers recited on the special fast days.

ויש לו בנים וביתן ריקן – But his home lacks what to support his children, and because his soul is in grief, he prays with spiritual intention; alternatively, his home is empty from sin, for a bad name has not gone - out during his youth about him.

[When] they stand up to pray they bring down before the ark an old man conversant [with the prayers], one who has children and whose house is empty [of food], so that his heart is complete prayer. This section describes the shaliah tzibbur, the prayer leader. It is critical for the success of the community’s prayers for them to choose a qualified shaliah tzibbur. Their prayers will be mediated through him so as a community this is a consequential choice. The person chosen is not one who sings the best, but one whose prayers will be the most heart felt and who knows the liturgy. The person has to be old, one who has gone through many of life’s experience and is therefore wiser. The person has to have children. A man who has children will pray even harder during a drought because he knows that without rain he will not be able to provide food for them. As hard as it is for a person to suffer, it is even harder for one to watch his/her children suffer. Finally, his house must be empty, for if his house were full, his prayers would be less personal. In short, they would find an old poor person who has children.

ומוסיפין עליהם שש – between [the blessing] “who redeems [Israel] (the fifth blessing of the weekday Amidah) and [the blessing] “who heals [the infirm of his people Israel] (the eighth blessing of the weekday Amidah), he recites these six blessings.

He recites before them twenty-four benedictions, the eighteen recited daily, to which he adds six. This section begins to describe the contents of the prayers themselves. The Amidah for fast days is made up of the 18 benedictions that are recited every week day, plus another six special blessings, which shall be enumerated in the following mishnah.

זכרונות ושופרות – all the Biblical verses like we recite on Rosh Hashanah.

These are they [the six additional benedictions:
Zikhronot,
“If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence” (I Kings 8:37).
Shofarot,
“The word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah concerning the droughts” (Jeremiah 14).
“In my distress I called to the Lord and He answered me” (Psalm 120).
“I turn my eyes to the mountains” (Psalm 121).
“Out of the depths I call you, O Lord” (Psalm 130).
“A prayer of lowly man when he is faint” (Psalm 102). Rabbi Judah says: he need not recite the zikhronot and shofarot, but instead he should recite [the following]: And he ends each [of the additional six] sections with its appropriate concluding benediction.
There are six additional benedictions listed in our mishnah. Our mishnah provides the scriptural verses that are recited as part of these benedictions. In the following mishnah we will learn the additional liturgy attached to each benedictions, liturgy based on verses but composed by the rabbis.
Section A: The first two benedictions are the same as two of the three benedictions recited on Rosh Hashanah zikhronot, remembrances and shofarot. These are appropriate for fast days because we are asking God to remember us and deliver us rain and we blow the shofar. Malkhuyot, kingship, the other special benediction for Rosh Hashanah would not be appropriate for a fast day.
The other four benedictions consist of Psalms. While the mishnah only mentions the first verse, the meaning is that the entire Psalm is recited.
Section B: Rabbi Judah disagrees with the recitation of the zikhronot and shofarot and instead offers two other appropriate biblical verses.
Section C: Each section is ended with an appropriate concluding benediction. These are explicated in tomorrow’s mishnah.

ואומר חותמיהן – After the [Biblical verses] of Zikhronot/God remembers, the concluding blessing for that section and after [the Biblical verses of] Shofarot/God redeems through the sound of the Shofar, the concluding blessing for that section, and after all of them as it explains further on.

על הראשונה – in [the seventh blessing of the Amidah] “who redeems Israel” , he begins to enlengthen, and even though it is not part of the number six, he recites it first, because in it he begins to add and enlengthen.

Introduction Today’s mishnah provides liturgical conclusions to the six additional benedictions for the Taanit Amidah. Each conclusion here correlates with one of the seven benedictions in the previous mishnah. The basic structure of this liturgy is quite simple. After having read a Psalm or other biblical passage, the benediction concludes by reminding God of another incident in which He answered Israel’s prayers. It then ends with a concluding benediction. There are actually seven benedictions in our mishnah, but only six are additional. The first “who redeems Israel” is the seventh benediction in every weekday Amidah. The following six are additional.

על השביעית – of the blessings that he lengthens, but the blessings that he adds because of the fast day are only six, for the first blessing which is “who redeems Israel” of the Shemonah Eshreh which he lengthens.

For the first he says: He who answered Abraham on Mt. Moriah, He shall answer you and hear the voice of your cry on this day. Blessed are You Lord who redeems Israel. This first benediction is part of the weekday Amidah. It refers to the binding of Isaac.

מי שענה את דוד ואת שלמה בנו – And even though that Jonah [came] after David and Solomon. Nevertheless, we place them first, because it is necessary to close the blessing at its conclusion, “Blessed be…who has mercy on the Land,” for David and Solomon his son are they who prayed over the Land of Israel; David [as it is written concerning him] (II Samuel 21:1): “There was a famine during the reign of David, [year after year for three years],” ; and Solomon [as it is written concerning him] (I Kings 8:37): “So, too, if there is a famine in the land, [if there is pestilence, blight, mildew, locusts or caterpillars…].”

For the second he says: He who answered our fathers at the Sea of Reeds, He shall answer you and hear the voice of your cry on this day. Blessed are You Lord who remembers all forgotten things. This is the additional benediction called “zikhronot”, remembrances, in the previous mishnah. It refers to the splitting of the Sea of Reeds.

For the third he says: He who answered Joshua in Gilgal, He shall answer you and hear the voice of your cry on this day. Blessed are You Lord who hears a blast. This is the additional benediction called “shofarot”. The reference is to Joshua 6-7, when he blew shofarot to destroy the walls of Jericho. In Joshua 5:10 we learn that the Israelites were encamped in Gilgal.

For the fourth he says: He who answered Shmuel in Mitzpah, He shall answer you and hear the voice of your cry on this day. Blessed are You Lord who listens to cries. This is a reference to I Samuel 7:5-9 where Shmuel leads the people to a decisive victory over the Philistines.

For the fifth he says: He who answered Elijah on Mt. Carmel, He shall answer you and hear the voice of your cry on this day. Blessed are You Lord who hears prayer. This refers to I Kings 18:26-39 where Elijah challenges the false prophets and God sends a fire from heaven to demonstrate that He is the true and only God. Since this episode takes place on Mt. Carmel, it is appropriate for Psalm 121 which begins, “I lift my eyes up to the hills” (Psalms 121). This Psalm is the heart of this benediction, as we learned in yesterday’s mishnah.

For the sixth he says: He who answered Jonah in the belly of the fish, He shall answer you and hear the voice of your cry on this day. Blessed are You Lord who answers in time of trouble. A reference to Jonah in the belly of the whale is appropriate to Psalm 130 used in this fifth benediction, since it begins, “Out of the depths I called to You Lord”.

For the seventh he says: He who answered David and Shlomo his son in Jerusalem, He shall answer you and hear the voice of your cry on this day. Blessed are You Lord Who has mercy upon the land. God rescued David in a time of famine (II Samuel 21: 1-14). Shlomo prays to God for rain (I Kings 8:35) and to stop a famine (ibid, 37) and God answers him (ibid 9:3). The liturgist mentions David and Shlomo at the end because they were answered in the very type of occasion in which this liturgy was being recited famine or drought. Had the benedictions gone in simple chronological order, David and Shlomo should have been before Elijah and Jonah. The concluding formula, “Who has mercy on the land” is appropriate because Psalm 102 which is part of the benediction includes the verse, “You will surely arise and have mercy on Zion” (v. 14).

בימי רבי חלפתא – This was in Sepphoris.

Introduction Our mishnah relates a story in which some people used slightly different liturgy than was dictated in yesterday’s mishnah, and the rabbis objected to this liturgy.

ולא ענו אחריו אמן – As our tradition reads it, because In the Temple, they would not answer Amen after every blessing but rather “Praised be the name of the God’s glorious kingdom forever and ever>’ as we read in the Gemara of Berakhot in the Chapter “HaRoeh” (ninth chapter). And these were not in the Temple and they behaved as they would in the Temple.

It happened in the days of Rabbi Halafta and Rabbi Hanina ben Tradyon that a man passed before the ark [as shaliah tzibbur] and completed the entire benediction and they did not respond, “amen.” [The hazzan called out]: Sound a tekiah, priests, sound a tekiah. [The shaliah tzibbur continued]: He who answered Abraham on Mt. Moriah, He shall answer you and hear the voice of your cry on this day. Then [the hazzan called out]: Sound a teru'ah, sons of Aaron, sound a teru'ah. [The shaliah tzibbur continued]: He who answered our fathers at the Sea of Reeds, He shall answer you and hear the voice of your cry on this day. There seem to be several differences between the customs mentioned here and those in the previous mishnah. First of all the people did not answer “Amen.” According to the Talmud they answered “Blessed is the name of His Kingship forever and ever” instead (this is the line we say after the first line of the Shema). Another difference, according to some commentators, is that they blew the shofar after every benediction, instead of blowing once at the end of the entire Amidah.

תקעו בני אהרן תקעו – The sexton of the synagogue would say to them such each and every blessing.

And when the matter came up before the sages, they said: they only practiced in this way at the eastern gates on the Temple Mount. When the sages heard the report about these practices, they objected. Note that they didn’t say that this practice was completely illegitimate, just that now that the Temple has been destroyed, our practice has changed slightly. To me this seems very typical of rabbinic activity they preserve many earlier practices, but modify them slightly to denote the radical change in the world that occurred during the destruction of the Second Temple.

לא היינו נוהגין כן – That they would not say “Amen” [at the conclusion of each blessing] but rather, “Praised be the name of God’s glorious kingdom forever and ever.”

אלא בשער המזרח – at the eastern gate of the Temple Mount and at the eastern gate of the Temple Courtyard (which had seven gates – See Mishnah Middot Chapter 1, Mishnah 4). For they would mention God’s special name (i.e., the Tetragrammaton) at the conclusion of each blessing and it was not sufficient to say “Amen.” And this is not to say that they did not have the practice of sounding the Shofar other than in the Temple, for they clearly did sound the Shofar outside [of Jerusalem], as is proven in this Tractate and in Rosh Hashanah, and the Halakha is according to the Sages.

אנשי משמר – there were twenty-four priestly divisions and each division serves on its week.

Introduction The priests were divided into twenty-four guards called “mishmarot.” Each guard served in the Temple for one week. Each guard was divided into subsections by the father’s house, and on each day a different father’s house would serve in the Temple. Our mishnah deals with how these guards and father’s houses would act on fast days decreed because of rain.

אנשי בית אב – Each division is divided into seven distinct units corresponding to the days of the week. Each one serves on its particular day.

On the first three fasts the men of the guard fast but do not complete their fast, and the men of the father’s house do not fast at all. On the second three fasts the men of the guard fast and complete their fast and the men of the father’s house fast but do not complete their fast. On the last seven both fast and complete their fast, the words of Rabbi Joshua. The fasts are divided into three sets, each set of fasts more serious than the previous one (see above 1:5). The general principle in the mishnah is clear. The “men of the guard” fast less than normal people. Thus during the first three fasts, while other people complete their fast, meaning they fast until the end of the day, the men of the guard end their fast early. The reason is that since they are serving in the Temple, the day is somewhat of a personal holiday for them. However, according to Rabbi Joshua, by the second set of fasts they are already acting like all other people. The “men of the father’s house” are those who are actually serving in the Temple on that day. Since they are actually working, it is an even greater day of celebration for them. To denote this, they don’t fast at all during the first three fasts, they semi-fast during the second set and only begin to fully fast during the last seven fasts.

מתענין ולא משלימין – The first fasts were not so stringent. Therefore they would not complete them for if the service was that weighty on the men of a particular priestly division that they were doing that day, others would come to help them so that they would have the strength to serve [appropriately].

The sages say: on the first three fasts neither fast at all. On the second three, the men of the guard fast but do not complete their fast, and the men of the father’s house do not fast at all. On the last seven, the men of the guard fast and complete their fast and the men of the father’s house fast but do not complete their fast. The sages agree with the general principles of Rabbi Joshua, they are just more lenient than he is at every stage. For instance, on the first three fasts, even the men of the guard don’t fast at all. And even on the last seven, the men of the father’s house don’t fully fast. Assumedly, the other sages hold that serving in the Temple is a greater celebration than Rabbi Joshua thinks.

אנשי משמר מותרין לשתות יין – This is not referring to the fast, but it is these are speaking of the membes of the division that they bring it here.

Introduction In the previous mishnah we learned that the men of the guard have to fast more on a Taanit then the “men of the father’s house.” Today’s mishnah teaches another distinction between the two groups, one that has nothing to do with fast days.

בלילות – that we should not fear lest the service become too heavy on the men of each division who served daily at night where they [i.e., others] would need to come to assist them.

The men of the guard are permitted to drink wine in the evenings but not during the day, but the men of the father’s house may not [drink wine] either on the day or on the preceding evening. A kohen may not be drunk while serving in the Temple. Our mishnah discusses when during his week of service in the Temple a priest may drink. The men not serving in the Temple on a given day may drink at night. Since there is little work to be done in the Temple at night, they are allowed to drink. However, during the day they may not drink. This is because these kohanim may be asked to replace or supplement those members of the father’s house who are serving on that day. Since they might end up serving in the Temple, they may not drink. The men of the father’s house, who are actually serving in the Temple may not drink either at night or in the day. Even though there is not much work to be done at night, there may be some work so they may not drink.

לא ביום ולא בלילה – since they had to bring up all night fats and limbs that sprang from the altar.

Both the men of the guard and the men of the ma'amad may not cut their hair nor wash their clothes, but on Thursday they may [do so] in honor of Shabbat. Corresponding to the twenty-four divisions of priests, there were twenty-four divisions of Israelites who would offer up special prayers while their corresponding division of priests were serving in the Temple. These groups are called ma’amadim or a ma’amad. The purpose of this set-up is to allow all of Israel to take part in the sacrificial service. This week is special holiday-like time for each group. In order to encourage the men of the ma’amad to cut their hair and wash their clothes before their week, they are not allowed to do so during this week. As an aside, we should note that this is similar to the laws concerning the intermediate days of the festival (we shall learn these when we learn Tractate Moed Katan). However, they may cut their hair and wash their clothes on Thursday in preparation for the coming of Shabbat. Again we see what an important place Shabbat played in their lives.

אנשי מעמד – these were Israelites who were set up in Jerusalem and stood over the sacrifices of their brethren and would pray that it would be accepted with favor. And during the time of the Divine Service, representatives from all Israel would stand there, for how could the sacrifice of a person be offered and he was not standing by it, as the Bible states (Numbers 28:2): “…Be punctilious in presenting to Me at stated times.” For the Israelite, it was a commandment that they should stand over the Kohanim at the time of Divine Worship.

אסורים לספר ולכבס – When they entered into their division, all the entire week, in order that they should cut their hair prior to that, therefore they would not enter their division while they look repulsive.

ובחמישי – in the midst of their division service [on the given Thursday]. מותרים – it is the manner of most people to get their hair cut on Thursday and not put off shaving/cutting their hair until Friday because of the pain-staking preparations.

כל הכתוב במגילת תענית – days in which miracles were performed for Israel during the Second Temple period and they established holidays. There is a day where one only does not fast on them and there are days in which they were more stringent by not giving eulogies on them, and those in which they were more stringent, it was forbidden to give eulogies.

Introduction In mishnaic times there existed a scroll called “Megillat Taanit”, which literally translates as “Scroll of Fasts.” Despite its name, the scroll does not contain a list of fasts but rather a list of days on which it is forbidden to eulogize at funerals and/or fast. Most of these days were commemorations of various military victories that occurred throughout the Second Temple period, from the Hasmonean period in the mid-second century B.C.E. through the Roman period in the subsequent centuries. By Talmudic times these days were mostly forgotten and neglected. The only two that were still observed were Hannukah and Purim.

[With regard to every day] about which it is written in the Scroll of Fasts (Megillat “One may not eulogize” on the preceding day it is prohibited but on the following day it is permitted. Rabbi Yose says: it is forbidden [to mourn] both on the preceding day and on the following day. Concerning some of the days listed in Megillat Taanit, it says that one may not eulogize because eulogies are a sign of mourning. For these days it is prohibited to eulogize also on the previous day, but not on the subsequent day. Rabbi Yose holds that for these days one may not offer a eulogy on the preceding or on the following day.

לפניו אסור – to give eulogies [on the day before], lest they come to do this on the holy day itself [where it was absolutely forbidden].

[On days about which it is written], “One may not fast” on the preceding day and on the following day it is permitted. Rabbi Yose says: on the preceding day it is forbidden but on the following day it is permitted. Days concerning which it is written “One may not fast” are somewhat lesser than days concerning which it is written “One may not eulogize.” Therefore, for these days one may fast on both the preceding and following days. Rabbi Yose is again slightly stricter and allows fasting only on the following day but not on the preceding day.

לאחריו מותר – since the holiday passed, we are not concerned. And we establish for ourselves [today] since the Scroll of Fasts has been voided, that all of the days that were written there to not fast or to give eulogies on them – all of them are permissible [now] to fast and give eulogies [on them], except for Hanukkah [25 Kislev to 2/3 Tevet] and Purim [i.e. 14 Adar or 15 Adar in a walled city from the time of Joshua] , which in which giving eulogies and fasting are prohibited, but on the days before them and after them, it is permissible.

שלא להפקיע את השערים – When we see that store owners would purchase two large meals at the conclusion of the fifth day of the week (i.e., Thursday), one for the night of the fast and one for Shabat, people would think that there a famine is coming in the world causing prices to rise and unsettling the market. But when they started to fast on Mondays, people knew that it was none other than because of [the need to] fast [for rain to fall]. Another explanation: that they should not say that if the Jewish court did not see that the famine is coming, they would not have pushed to decree a fast now so close to Shabbat, and because of that, the prices would rise and the market became unsettled.

Introduction This mishnah discusses on what day the series of fasts can begin.

They do not decree upon the community a fast to begin on a Thursday in order not to cause a rise in the market prices. There are several explanations as to why the market prices will rise if a series of fasts is decreed on Thursday. One explanation is that if the store owners see people buying big meals on a Thursday, a meal for the end of the fast and large meals for Shabbat, they will think that a famine has struck and they will raise the prices. This is not a problem on Monday which is not next to Shabbat and so people are buying less food. Another explanation is that fasting so close to Shabbat will cause the storeowners to think that there will be a great panic and they will raise the prices. Yet another explanation is that since the villagers bring the food to sell in the market on Thursday, and they will not know that there is a fast ahead of time, they will not bring enough food for the Shabbat and the break-fast meal and the great demand will cause a rise in the prices. What I find interesting is that in times of crisis the rabbis were cautious not to impose additional financial hardships by decreeing fasts.

Rather the first three fasts are held [in this order], Monday, Thursday, and Monday; the second three, Thursday, Monday, and Thursday. Rabbi Yose says: just as the first three [fasts] should not begin on a Thursday so too neither the second [three] nor the last [seven]. According to the first opinion, while the first three fasts do not begin on Thursday, the second set does. Since the second set is not the beginning of the entire series but rather just a continuation of it, they need not fear that starting on Thursday will cause prices to rise. Rabbi Yose holds that none of the series of fasts begins on Thursday.

ואם התחילו – that they decreed these fasts earlier than this and began to fast on the trouble, even one day, and one of these days came up, we don’t halt [from fasting].

Introduction This mishnah deals with fast days that come into conflict with other various holidays.

מודה הוא שאין משלימין – to fast on them the entire day, but he eats in the evening close to sunset.

They do not ordain upon the community a fast on Rosh Hodesh, on Hanukkah, or on Purim, but if they had already begun [a series of fasts and one of these days intervened] they do not interrupt [their fasts], the words of Rabban Gamaliel. According to Rabban Gamaliel, the court may not decree that a series of fast days begins on any of these holidays. However, if a series of fast days had begun and then one of these holidays landed on a Monday or Thursday on which people were supposed to fast, they do indeed fast.

וכן ט' באב שחל להיות בערב שבת – such as at the time when the Jewish court would establish [the months] through visual [sighting of the New Moon]. But he would eat in the evening near sunset because of the honor of the Sabbath, so that he would not enter the Sabbath while he is hungry. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Meir but rather, we complete the fast. Similarly, Tisha B’Av that occurs on a Friday, we complete the fast (Note: Today, this situation would never arise due to the fact that the first day of Passover is always the same day of the week as Passover, and the first day of Passover can never fall on a Friday, since the tine and edicts of Hillel II in the fourth century CE).

Rabbi Meir said: even though Rabban Gamaliel said that the [fasts] should not be interrupted he agrees that they should not complete their fasts. Rabbi Meir says that when Rabban Gamaliel said that Rosh Hodesh, Hannukah and Purim do not interrupt if the series of fasts had already begun, he nevertheless agrees that on these days they should not complete their fasts until the evening. In this way people will signify in at least some way that the day still has some celebratory character to it.

And the same applies to the Ninth of Av should it fall on Friday. In the days in which the monthly calendar was not predetermined, the Ninth of Av (Tisha B’av) could fall on Friday. Today this cannot happen. If this happens they do not complete the fast, due to the honor accorded to Shabbat, so that they shouldn’t begin Shabbat with ravenous hunger. Another reason seems to be that there is a mitzvah to add on to Shabbat at both the beginning and at the end. If one fasts during this period he is diminishing the joy of a time of day when he should already be celebrating.