אֵין שׁוֹאֲלִין אֶת הַגְּשָׁמִים אֶלָּא סָמוּךְ לַגְּשָׁמִים. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, הָעוֹבֵר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּבָה בְּיוֹם טוֹב הָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁל חַג, הָאַחֲרוֹן מַזְכִּיר, הָרִאשׁוֹן אֵינוֹ מַזְכִּיר. בְּיוֹם טוֹב הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל פֶּסַח, הָרִאשׁוֹן מַזְכִּיר, הָאַחֲרוֹן אֵינוֹ מַזְכִּיר. עַד אֵימָתַי שׁוֹאֲלִין אֶת הַגְּשָׁמִים, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, עַד שֶׁיַּעֲבֹר הַפָּסַח. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר, עַד שֶׁיֵּצֵא נִיסָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יואל ב) וַיּוֹרֶד לָכֶם גֶּשֶׁם, מוֹרֶה וּמַלְקוֹשׁ בָּרִאשׁוֹן:
We do not ask for rain, unless it is near [or during] the rains. Rabbi Yehudah says, "He who passes in front of the ark [the chazzan] on the last day of the festival [Shmini Atzeret], the last one [the chazzan who does the Musaf service] mentions [that G-d brings rain], but the first one [the one who does the Shacharit service] does not. On the first day of Passover, the first [chazzan] still mentions it, but the last one does not." Until when is the rain to be prayed for? Rabbi Yehudah says till after the Passover; Rabbi Meir says till the month of Nissan has passed, because it is said [Joel 2:23], "And he will cause to come down for you the rain, the early rain and the late rains in the first month."
Jerusalem Talmud Shekalim
It is written, on the banks of the river on both sides all kinds of fruit tree will grow; its leaf shall not wilt, and its fruit not stop; in its months it shall produce first fruits. It was stated: Rebbi Jehudah said, in the present world grain grows in six months and trees produce every twelve months, but in the future grain will grow in a month and trees will produce in two months. Rebbi Yose said, in the present world grain grows in six months and trees produce every twelve months, but in the future grain will grow in fifteen days and trees will produce in a month, for so we find that grain grew in the days of Joel in fifteen days, and the ‘Omer was brought from it. What is the reason? The people of Zion shall enjoy and be happy in the Eternal, your God, for He in truth gave you strong rain, early rain and late rain in the first {month}. How does Rebbi Yose satisfy in its months it shall produce first fruits? Every month it shall produce first fruits. And its leaf as medicine. Rebbi Joḥanan said, its healing is that one looks at it and food is turned into medicine. Rav and Samuel, one says, to open the upper mouth, but the other one says, to open the lower mouth. Rebbi Ḥanina and Rebbi Joshua ben Levi, one says, to open the mouth of sterile women, but the other one says, to open the mouth of the dumb.
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