The tractate of Taanit Daf Kaf Hey is dedicated by the Jamal brothers, Norman, Joseph, and Jacob, in memory of their grandparents Sally and Norman Jamal and Vicki and Joseph Betta, may they rest in peace. May God's spirit grant them rest in Gan Eden, Amen. Today's page is studied for the elevation of the soul of Shaul ben Bahya. May God's spirit grant him rest in Gan Eden, Amen. We begin on Kaf Dalet Amud Bet, three lines from the bottom.
Amar Rav Yehuda Amar Rav taught: Every day, a Bat Kol, a heavenly voice, proclaims, "The entire world receives sustenance on account of Chanina my son," referring to Chanina ben Dosa. "Yet, my son Chanina is so poor, he can only afford to eat a measure of carob from Friday to Friday." His wife had the custom of firing up her oven every Friday afternoon, even though she had no food to bake. She would throw an item that caused smoke into the oven, so that it would appear to the neighbors that she was cooking, due to embarrassment. All the other ladies would be baking bread in honor of Shabbat, but she had nothing.
She had a bad neighbor who thought, "I know this woman has nothing, so what could be in her oven? What is all this smoke?" The neighbor went and knocked on her door. Mrs. Chanina ben Dosa was embarrassed, knowing she would be exposed. She retreated into an inner room to hide. A miracle then occurred: the neighbor saw that the entire oven was filled with bread, and the kneading bowl next to it was filled with dough. The neighbor, who had intended to embarrass her, called out, "Mrs. So-and-so, Mrs. So-and-so, bring the pitchfork! Your bread is burning!" Mrs. Chanina ben Dosa replied, "Yes, that's why I went in, to get the board to take out the bread." The Gemara clarifies that she was not lying; she had indeed gone to retrieve the bread shovel. This was because she was accustomed to miracles, and was confident that Hashem would perform one.
Mrs. Chanina ben Dosa then asked her husband, "How long must we suffer in this world?" He replied, "What do you want me to do? Pray to God, and God will give you something." He prayed, and a hand appeared from the heavens, giving him a golden leg from a table. According to Rashi, his wife, Mrs. Chanina ben Dosa, had a dream. She saw that in the future world, the righteous would eat from a table with three golden legs, but she and her husband would eat from a table with only two legs, meaning they had cashed out one of their legs from the World to Come in this world. She explained the dream to her husband, who asked, "Do you want everyone else to eat from a complete table, while we eat from a lacking one?" She replied, "What can we do now? We already have it." He said, "Pray to God that He will take it back from you." He prayed, and it was taken back.
It was taught that the second miracle was even greater than the first. We have a tradition that Heaven gives, but does not take back. This was once explained with an analogy: certain items, like an open can of food, cannot be refunded once opened because they are tainted. Similarly, this piece of gold came from Gan Eden. Once it entered this world, it became materialized and could not normally be returned to Gan Eden. The novelty here was that in Rabbi Chanina Ben Dosa's house, it was like Gan Eden in this world, so the gold did not lose any of its holiness. It was as if the package was never opened, or the World to Come was felt in this world in Chanina's presence. This is why the second miracle was greater than the first, as normally items from this world cannot be returned to the World to Come.
One Friday afternoon, Chanina's daughter was depressed. Her father asked her why she was sad. She replied that she had mistakenly filled the candles with vinegar instead of oil. By the time she realized, Shabbat had already begun, and she could not switch the liquids. Rabbi Chanina Ben Dosa told her, "My daughter, what do you care? The One who commanded the oil to burn can command the vinegar to burn." This highlights that there is no intrinsic property in oil that makes it burn more than vinegar. Scientists can describe the process, but not the ultimate reason. It is the Creator of the World who commanded oil to have this property and vinegar not to. Therefore, if the Creator of the World wishes to activate the properties of vinegar to make it combustible, He can do so. Everything is dependent on Hakadosh Baruch Hu.
This Gemara provides the answer given by the Sabba from Kelm to the famous question posed by the Beit Yosef regarding Chanukah: what was the miracle on the first night? Assuming they had enough oil for one night, the miracle should only apply to the subsequent nights, making Chanukah seven days, not eight. The Sabba from Kelm explains that the miracle on the first night is that oil lights at all. We take it for granted, but it is a miracle. If we were in the house of Rabbi Chanina Ben Dosa and saw vinegar lighting, it would be front-page news. Yet, Rabbi Chanina Ben Dosa states there is no greater miracle in oil lighting than in vinegar lighting; it is the same wondrous thing. The only reason we are not excited by oil lighting is because we are accustomed to it. The One who commanded the oil to light can command the vinegar to light. Thus, the miracle on the first night is the miracle of nature itself. We celebrate that when they lit the oil, it actually lit. This is significant because the Greeks sought to remove Hakadosh Baruch Hu from nature, denying His presence in the world. We must affirm that the Creator of the World is present not only in the miraculous but also in the continuous daily occurrences. The first night's intention is to acknowledge that the very act of oil lighting is a miracle, even if there was enough oil.
The Gemara adds a postscript to the story: the vinegar-filled lamp burned throughout Shabbat, until they used its light for Havdalah. It was taught that if one lights another lamp from a miraculous lamp to benefit from it, the original miraculous lamp is extinguished, as happened with Rabbi Yehuda, who, seeing sand turn into flour, did not want people to benefit directly from a miraculous act. Similarly, this lamp was a miraculous act, so they did not use it directly. They lit another lamp from it, considering it a new entity, not a miraculous act itself. This demonstrates that lighting from an existing lamp to create a new one is considered a new entity, not part of the original miraculous act. In the presence of Rav Chanina ben Dosa, it was as if the World to Come was manifest in this world.
The Gemara recounts more stories about Rav Chanina ben Dosa. He had goats, and his neighbors complained that they were damaging their fields. Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa declared, "If they are indeed causing damage, let them be eaten by wolves. But if not, let each goat return in the evening with a wolf between its horns." The next day, each goat returned with a wolf between its horns, proving they had not damaged the fields. There are different versions of the text regarding "bears" or "wolves," but the meaning is clear.
Another incident involves a neighbor who was building a house. She had mismeasured, and the beams did not reach across the walls. Instead of complaining to the contractor, she approached Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa. This highlights a different era, where people would turn to righteous individuals for solutions to all problems. She explained, "I built my house, and the beams do not reach." Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa asked her name, and she replied, "Ichu." He then said, "Ichu, may your beams stretch." It was taught that the beams not only stretched but overextended by a cubit on each side. Some say that extensions were miraculously added to them. Rashi explains that the beams were made of segments, and extensions were miraculously attached to make them reach. Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa asked her name to ensure the beams were her property, as he was strict about robbery and would not perform a miracle on stolen items.
It was taught that Plimo said, "I saw that house, and its beams extended a cubit on each side. They told me, 'This is the house that Rav Chanina ben Dosa built through his prayer.'" The Gemara then raises a question: earlier it was stated that Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa was so poor he only ate carobs, yet now he has goats? Furthermore, the Sages said that one may not raise small livestock in the Land of Israel because they damage crops. The Gemara in our text does not answer this, but the Maharsha offers a different version. The Gemara continues with an incident: a man passed Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa's house and left his chickens there. Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa's wife found them. He instructed her not to eat their eggs, as it was forbidden to benefit from found items. The chickens multiplied, laying many eggs, which became a burden. He sold them and bought goats with the proceeds, which were easier to manage. One day, the original owner passed by Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa's house again and told his friend, "This is where I left my chickens." Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa heard this and asked, "Do you have an identifying mark for them?" The man confirmed he did and provided the mark. Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa then returned the goats to him. These were the very goats that had returned with wolves between their horns, demonstrating that his self-sacrifice in guarding the lost item was rewarded with a miracle. He knew the goats were innocent because he had fulfilled the commandment of returning a lost item with such dedication, making it inconceivable that they would cause damage.
Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat lived in great distress due to poverty. He underwent bloodletting, a common medicinal practice. Afterward, he had nothing to eat to regain his strength, only a clove of garlic, which he ate. He became weak and fell asleep. The Rabbis, hearing he was unwell, came to visit him. They saw him crying and laughing, and a spark of fire emanated from his forehead. When he awoke, they asked him why he was crying and laughing. He explained that in his dream, he saw himself sitting with Hakadosh Baruch Hu and asked, "How long must I suffer in this world?" Hakadosh Baruch Hu replied, "My son Elazar, would you like me to recreate the entire world from the beginning? Perhaps you would be born at a more fortunate hour." The Maharsha clarifies that this means recreating Rabbi Elazar, perhaps through a reincarnation of souls, to give him a better chance. Rabbi Elazar responded, "All this, and it's still only a 'maybe'?" meaning it was not a guarantee. He then asked, "Do I have more life ahead of me, or is the majority of my life behind me?" He reasoned that if most of his life as a righteous person was behind him, he had already passed his trials and was guaranteed a good outcome. Hakadosh Baruch Hu replied, "You have already lived the majority of your life." Rabbi Elazar then said, "If so, I do not wish to change anything." Hakadosh Baruch Hu then told him, "For this reward, that you said 'I do not wish to change,' you will receive in the World to Come thirteen rivers of balsam oil." This is understood as a spiritual reward, symbolized by fragrance, the sense closest to spiritual matters. Rabbi Elazar then asked, "Is that all?" Hakadosh Baruch Hu replied, "What shall I give to your friend?" Rabbi Elazar responded, "I want from someone who has no portion," referring to the wicked who forfeit their share in the World to Come, which is then given to the righteous. Hakadosh Baruch Hu, as it were, tapped him on the forehead, a sign of endearment, and said, "My son, I have shot my arrows at you," meaning arrows of love. Rabbi Elazar was laughing because he saw his great reward, crying because of the initial "maybe," and shining because of the arrows of endearment.
Rav Chama bar Chanina decreed a fast, but no rain came. The people told him that when Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi decreed a fast, rain came. Rav Chama bar Chanina replied, "That is me, and that is Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi," implying they were different. The people then suggested, "Let him come, and we will focus our intentions together in prayer. Perhaps the community's hearts will be humbled, and rain will come." They prayed, but still no rain. Rav Chama bar Chanina asked them, "Do you agree that rain should come for our sake?" meaning, not necessarily through the community's merit. They agreed. He then addressed the sky, "Sky, cover your face!" The clouds did not respond. He exclaimed, "How brazen is the face of the sky!" At that moment, the clouds covered, and rain came. Rashi explains that he was embarrassed that the sky did not immediately respond to his command in front of the community.
Once, Levi decreed a fast, but no rain came. He stood before the Master of the Universe and declared, "You have ascended and sit on high, yet You do not have mercy on Your children!" Rain then came, but Levi became lame as a result. Rabbi Elazar commented, "One should never cast words towards Heaven in such a manner, for a great person did so and became lame." The Gemara identifies this great person as Levi. It asks how he became lame, as it was taught that Levi became lame when demonstrating a difficult form of bowing called Kida to Rabbi Yehuda. The Gemara concludes that both instances were causes: his harsh prayer was the underlying sin, and demonstrating the Kida was the moment the punishment manifested. Rashi and Tosafot concur that the sin caused the lameness, which became apparent when he put himself in a compromised position.
Rabbi Chiya bar Luliani heard the clouds speaking to each other, saying, "Let us bring water to the territories of Ammon u'Moav." He then addressed the Master of the Universe, "When You offered the Torah to Your people Israel, You approached all the nations of the world, but they did not accept it. And now You give them rain?" Rabbi Chiya bar Luliani used this analogy because the Torah is compared to rain. He argued that since they did not accept the spiritual "rain" of Torah, they should not receive physical rain. He then commanded, "Bring the rain here!" And indeed, the rain was brought to the Jews in the Land of Israel, demonstrating the strength of his argument based on measure for measure. He taught that the verse "The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree; they shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon" means that the righteous are compared to both a palm tree and a cedar. If it only said "palm tree," one might think that just as a palm tree's trunk does not regenerate once cut, so too, God forbid, the righteous would not merit the resurrection of the dead. Therefore, it also mentions the cedar, which does regenerate. Conversely, if it only said "cedar," one might think that just as a cedar does not bear fruit, so too, God forbid, the righteous would not benefit from the fruits of their labor in the World to Come. Therefore, both are mentioned.
The Gemara questions whether a cedar's trunk truly regenerates. It was taught that when buying a tree to cut down, one must leave a handbreadth of the trunk for regeneration. For a sycamore stump, two handbreadths; for a new sycamore tree, three handbreadths. For reeds and vines, above the first knot. But for palm trees and cedars, one can dig down and uproot them completely because their trunks do not regenerate. The Gemara resolves this by explaining that there are ten types of cedar trees. The verse refers to types of cedar that do regenerate, while the teaching refers to types that do not. As Rabbah bar Huna taught, "There are ten types of cedars," as it is written, "I will plant in the desert the cedar, the acacia, and the myrtle," and other trees, which, when counted, amount to seven. The Gemara in Rosh Hashanah explains that three more were added: oaks, pines, and corals.
The Rabbis taught: It happened that Rabbi Eliezer decreed thirteen fasts upon the community, but no rain fell. After the last fast, the people began to leave the synagogue. Rabbi Eliezer asked them, "Have you prepared your graves?" Rashi explains this as a rhetorical question, implying, "You have nothing left but to go dig your graves because you will die of famine." Hearing this, the entire nation burst into tears, and as a result, rain fell. Another incident involved Rabbi Eliezer descending before the ark and reciting the twenty-four blessings of the fast, but he was not answered. Rabbi Akiva then descended after him and recited only two lines: "Avinu Malkeinu, we have no King but You. Avinu Malkeinu, for Your sake, have mercy on us." And rain fell.
The Rabbis murmured, wondering if Rabbi Akiva was greater than Rabbi Eliezer. A Bat Kol then emerged and declared, "It is not because this one is greater than that one, but because this one overlooks his own honor, and that one does not." Rabbi Eliezer was strict, adhering to the approach of Shammai, which was not a weakness but a method to uphold the honor of the Torah. This strictness affected how his prayer was answered, as Heaven responds measure for measure. Rabbi Akiva, on the other hand, was known for overlooking his own honor, which was a better advantage for prayer, but did not imply he was inherently greater than Rabbi Eliezer.
The Rabbis taught: How much rain must fall for the community to cease their fasts? As deep as the knee of the plow. Rashi clarifies that if the rain penetrates the ground to the depth of a plow's blade, they may stop fasting. This is the opinion of Rabbi Meir. The Sages say it depends on the ground: in dry ground, one handbreadth; in medium ground, two handbreadths; in plowed ground, three handbreadths. These are all the same measure of rain, simply differing in how far they penetrate based on the ground's condition. Rabbi Shimon Ben Elazar taught an interesting insight: for every handbreadth of rain that falls from above, the deep waters below rise three handbreadths to meet it. Even though the deep waters are thousands of cubits down, their rising moisture benefits the ground above. The Gemara asks, "But it was taught that they rise two handbreadths?" It answers that this is not a contradiction: one refers to plowed ground, where a handbreadth of rain is less significant, causing only two handbreadths to rise; the other refers to unplowed ground, where a handbreadth of rain penetrates more deeply, causing three handbreadths to rise. The rule is: the more rain that penetrates, the more the deep waters rise.
Rabbi Elazar taught that when the water libation is performed on the festival of Sukkot, the depths of the ground say to each other, "Let out your waters! I hear the voice of two friends." These two friends are the water libation and the wine libation, both performed on the festival. As it is written, "Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your pipes." The pipes refer to the channels through which the wine and water were poured. Rabbah said, "I personally saw this angel in charge of rain; he looked like a calf, and his lips were split open as he spoke. He stood between the upper and lower waters." He would tell the upper deep, "Pour out your waters!" and the lower deep, "Let your waters rise up!" As it is written, "The blossoms appear in the land," referring to the yearly water libation, "and the time of singing has arrived," referring to the songs sung on the festival, "and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land," where "turtledove" is an Aramaic translation of "ox," referring to the angel who resembles an ox.
The Rabbis taught: If they were fasting for rain, and rain fell before sunrise, they do not need to complete the fast. If it rained after sunrise, they must complete it. This is the opinion of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yehuda says if it rained before midday, they do not need to complete it; if after midday, they must. Rabbi Yossi says if it rained before the ninth hour, they do not need to complete it; if after the ninth hour, they must. This is based on the story of Achav, King of Israel. After Eliyahu Hanavi cursed him, prophesying the death of his entire family, Achav humbled himself and fasted from the ninth hour onward. God saw that Achav was humbled and postponed the decree until after his lifetime. This shows that even fasting from the ninth hour is considered sufficient to avert a decree. Rashi explains that the ninth hour is typically when even kings, who rise late and conduct business for six hours, would eat. Thus, if one fasts until then, it is significant.
Rabbi Yehudah hanasi decreed a fast, and rain fell after sunrise. He thought they should complete the fast. Rabbi Ami told him, "We learned 'before midday' and 'after midday'," referring to Rabbi Yehuda's opinion. Since it was before midday, they could break their fast. Shmuel Hakatan decreed a fast, and rain fell before sunrise. The people thought, "This is a praise of the community!" since they were answered before even fasting for long. Shmuel Hakatan told them, "Let me tell you a parable: to what is this comparable? To a servant who asks his master for a reward. The master says, 'Give it to him, so I don't hear his voice!'" This implies that God did not desire their fast. Shmuel Hakatan understood that this was not a compliment, but rather God granting their request to avoid their prolonged supplications. Another time, Shmuel Hakatan decreed a fast, and rain fell after sunset, after the fast was over. The people again thought, "This is a praise of the community!" Shmuel Hakatan told them, "This is not a praise of the community. Let me tell you a parable: to what is this comparable? To a servant who asks his master for a reward. The master says, 'Make him suffer first, and then give it to him!'" This indicates that God made them suffer through the fast before granting the rain. So, what would Shmuel Hakatan consider a "praise of the community"? He said, "When you recite 'He causes the wind to blow,' and the wind blows, and you recite 'He causes the rain to fall,' and the rain falls, on a regular day, without fasting or special effort—that is indeed a praise of the community."
It happened that they decreed a fast in Lod, and rain fell before midday. They went home, ate, drank, and made a holiday. In the afternoon, they gathered and recited the Hallel HaGadol. The Gemara asks, "Why didn't they recite the Hallel first?" Abaye and Rava both said, "Because one only recites Hallel with a satisfied soul and a full stomach." Rashi explains that since the Hallel HaGadol contains the verse "He gives bread to all flesh," it is appropriate to recite it when one is satiated. The Gemara then asks, "But Rav Pappa once found himself in the synagogue of Avi Gubar, decreed a fast, and rain fell by midday. He recited Hallel, and only afterward did they eat and drink!" The Gemara answers that the people of Bnei Mechuza were prone to drunkenness. Rav Pappa was worried they would not return to recite the Hallel if they went home to eat first. Tosafot distinguishes between verses of praise recited as part of the regular prayer service, which can be said on an empty stomach, and those recited as a standalone expression of joy, like the Hallel HaGadol after a meal or during the Hagadah shel Pesach, which should be said on a full stomach.
The Maharsha begins by clarifying that the Bat Kol regarding Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa's sustenance was heard only during his lifetime, not in Rav's era. Regarding Mrs. Chanina ben Dosa's embarrassment and her going to get the bread shovel: Rashi was bothered that if she knew a miracle would happen, why was she embarrassed? The Maharsha explains that she was embarrassed initially, but because she was accustomed to miracles, she kept a bread shovel at home, ready for when a miracle would occur, even if she had no bread. The Gemara's mention of the kneading bowl being filled with dough might imply that even the bowl itself appeared miraculously. The golden table leg given to Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa is a hint, as explained in the "Three Pillars of the World": the world stands on Torah, divine service, and acts of kindness. These are the three legs of the table of the righteous in the World to Come. Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa prayed to receive his reward for divine service in this world, and thus received one leg. When he prayed for it to be returned, it was, demonstrating that while Heaven gives, it usually does not take back. This miracle was greater because, normally, once something from Gan Eden enters this world, it becomes materialized and cannot return. However, Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa's house was so holy that the golden leg retained its spiritual purity, allowing it to be returned. The phrase "at sunset" refers to the time of accepting Shabbat, when one adds from the weekday to the holy, before the sun fully sets. The lamp burning all day, even beyond the needs of domestic harmony, served to publicize the miracle, a concept similar to Chanukah's publicizing of the miracle. This is why the beams of the neighbor's house extended beyond the walls, to make the miracle evident to all.
The Maharsha addresses the question of where Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa got goats, given his poverty and the prohibition against raising small livestock in the Land of Israel. He suggests that the story of the chickens and goats might not be part of the original Gemara text, but rather later commentaries. He notes the difficulty that even if Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa sold chickens for goats, the prohibition against raising goats in the Land of Israel remains. He prefers the explanation of Tosafot in Ein Yaakov, which states that Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa simply found the goats and was acting as a guardian of lost items, not raising them. Regarding Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat's dream, the Maharsha explains that he saw the Divine Presence, which is possible in a dream, even for someone still alive. The offer to "recreate the world" meant recreating Rabbi Elazar himself, perhaps through a reincarnation of souls, to give him a better destiny. His decision not to change his fate, having already lived most of his life as a righteous individual, earned him extra reward in the World to Come, as he chose to endure his trials. The thirteen rivers of balsam oil symbolize spiritual pleasure, as fragrance is the sense closest to spiritual matters. The Maharsha also notes that some texts say twelve rivers, which could correspond to the twelve tribes, constellations, or springs associated with God's twelve-letter Name. Rabbi Elazar's request for a portion from those who forfeited their share in the World to Come aligns with the teaching that the righteous receive the portion of the wicked in Gan Eden. The "arrows of love" refer to God's endearment, a blessing, as explained in the Yerushalmi.
Regarding Rav Chama bar Chanina's fast, the Maharsha suggests that initially, only individual scholars fasted, as is the custom for the first three fasts. When this failed, and they mentioned Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi's success, Rav Chama bar Chanina implied that while he might be equal to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, the scholars fasting with him might not be. Therefore, they decided to involve the entire community in the subsequent fasts. When even the public fast failed, Rav Chama bar Chanina asked if they agreed to rain coming through their own merit, without relying on the community's merit, and then commanded the sky. His exclamation, "How brazen is the face of the sky!" was a complaint that the sky did not immediately obey. Levi's strong language, "You have ascended and sit on high, yet You do not have mercy on Your children!" was a complaint against Hakadosh Baruch Hu, implying that God had distanced Himself. The Maharsha explains that when Israel does God's will, God resides close to them, but when they do not, He ascends to the high heavens, and their prayers are not heard. Levi's complaint was inappropriate, though he was a great person, as evidenced by his prayer being answered. His punishment was due to his complaining tone.
The Maharsha clarifies that when Rabbi Chiya bar Luliani "heard the clouds talking," he actually heard the angel appointed over rain, whose name is Af Bri, speaking. This is similar to other instances where prophets "spoke" to natural elements, but were actually addressing their angelic representatives. The comparison of the righteous to both palm and cedar trees is to ensure they are understood to have both regeneration (like a cedar) and fruitfulness (like a palm). Regarding the people's reaction to rain before sunrise during Shmuel Hakatan's fast, the Maharsha questions why they considered it a "praise of the community" since they would have already started fasting the night before. He explains that the main part of the fast is during the day, and skipping dinner is not considered as significant a suffering, so they still felt it was a special merit.