Commentary for Taanit 3:1
סֵדֶר תַּעֲנִיּוֹת אֵלוּ הָאָמוּר, בִּרְבִיעָה רִאשׁוֹנָה. אֲבָל צְמָחִים שֶׁשָּׁנוּ, מַתְרִיעִין עֲלֵיהֶם מִיָּד. וְכֵן שֶׁפָּסְקוּ גְשָׁמִים בֵּין גֶּשֶׁם לְגֶשֶׁם אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם, מַתְרִיעִין עֲלֵיהֶם מִיָּד, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִיא מַכַּת בַּצֹּרֶת:
This [previously mentioned] order of fasts applies with regard to the first rains [ie., when they do not descend]; but [if] the plants change [from their normal stage of growth] , we cry out upon them immediately. And so too, if there is an interval between rains of forty days, we cry out upon them immediately, since this is a plague of drought.
Bartenura on Mishnah Taanit
סדר תעניות האלו – that are mentioned in the chapter above, are not observed other than for the rainfall in the autumn. If the three times of the early rainfall passed, which are the third of Marcheshvan, the seventh [of Marcheshvan] and the seventeenth [of Marcheshvan] and rain did not fall, then individuals would fast, and afterwards, the community would [observe] thirteen fasts according to the order that was mentioned.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Taanit
Introduction
This mishnah teaches that sometimes we skip the order of fasts that was taught in the previous two chapters and we proceed straight to the last set of fasts, when we blow the shofar and fast for the entire day.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Taanit
אבל – if rains fell at their appropriate time and the seeds sprouted and changed, such as in place of wheat came thorns and in place of barley came the early stages of ripening, or another change.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Taanit
The order of public fasts mentioned above is enacted because of [lack of] the first rain, but if the crops have undergone [an unusual] change they sound a blast immediately. If it doesn’t rain during the first season in which rain should come, then we begin the series of fasts that was described in the previous two chapters. However, if the crops start to look as if they are going bad, then the situation is obviously more serious. In such a case we skip the first two sets of fasts and go right to the third set, the set where we blast the shofar. The change of the crops appearance is far more serious and therefore it calls for an immediate sounding of the alarm.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Taanit
מתריעין עליהם מיד – with the first fast, for all the stringency related to the latter fasts are practiced immediately on the first fast.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Taanit
Similarly, if the rain has stopped for forty days between one rainfall and the next, they sound a blast immediately, because it is a plague of drought. Another case in which we skip immediately to blowing the shofar and fasting for the entire day is a situation in which it began to rain but then stopped raining for forty days. Such a situation foreshadows drought and therefore it is especially dangerous.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Taanit
בין גשם לגשם—between the rainfall in the autumn and the second period.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Taanit
מכת בצורת – it is a sign of drought [of rain in season].
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