With today’s daf TB Taanit 10 we begin studying the heart of our massekhet, fasting because of a drought. As we learned previously, the rabbis connected the people’s sinful behavior to God’s punishment of withholding the rain. The further in the calendar year without rain the more intense the fast becomes. “MISHNA: If the seventeenth of Marḥeshvan arrived and rain has not fallen, individuals, but not the entire community, begin to fast three fasts for rain. How are these fasts conducted? As the fast begins in the morning, one may eat and drink after dark, and one is permitted during the days of the fasts themselves to engage in the performance of work, in bathing, in smearing oil on one’s body, in wearing shoes, and in conjugal relations. If the New Moon of Kislev arrived and rain has still not fallen, the court decrees three fasts on the entire community. Similar to the individual fasts, everyone may eat and drink after dark, and they are permitted to engage in the performance of work, in bathing, in smearing one’s body with oil, in wearing shoes, and in conjugal relations.” (Sefaria.org translation) Solomon Schechter writes that the rabbinic mind compares fasting to offering up sacrifices. “Self-inflicting suffering, such as fasting, assumes naturally the aspect of sacrifices. Hence the prayer of a Rabbi after a fast that the fat and blood which he lost through the fast should be accounted to him as a sacrifice on the altar, and have the same effect as a sacrifice in the days of Yore when the holy Temple was in existence. (See TB Berakhot 17a, Cf. M. T., 25a)[1]
Fasting is such an important element of teshuva,
repentance, the Gemara goes on to teach what happens when a person goes from a
town that is fasting to a town that is not and vice a versa. “The baraita
continues: With regard to one who goes from a place where they are not
fasting to a place where they are fasting, he fasts with them. Conversely,
with regard to one who goes from a place where they are fasting to a place
where they are not fasting, he completes his fast as a resident of his
hometown.
“With regard to
one who forgot the fast and ate and drank, he should not show himself
before the community while satiated, and he should not indulge in
luxuries. One should not think that because one has already eaten, his fast
is completely nullified, and one may conduct himself as if it were not a fast
day at all. Rather, one should minimize one’s eating, as it is stated: “And
Jacob said to his sons: Why do you show yourselves?” (Genesis 42:1). Jacob
said to his sons: Do not show yourselves when you are satiated, not before
the members of the house of Esau, nor before those of Ishmael, so
that they not be jealous of you, as they suffer from hunger. This teaches
that one should not show he is full when others are hungry.” (Sefaria.org
translation)
My middle name is “wrong way”
because I have such a terrible sense of direction so I appreciate the next bit
of advice the Gemara shares.
“The Gemara presents another piece
of advice related to the story of Joseph and his brothers. Joseph said to them:
“See that you not fall out by the way” (Genesis 45:24). Rabbi Elazar
said that Joseph said to his brothers: Do not become occupied in a
matter of halakha, lest you fall out on the way. If you discuss a halakha
while traveling you might get into an argument, and it is important for
travelers to remain on good terms.
“The Gemara
asks: Is that so? But didn’t Rabbi Elai bar Berekhya say: With regard to
two Torah scholars who are walking along the road and there are no Torah
matters discussed between them, they are worthy of being burned, as it
is stated: “And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that,
behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them
both asunder” (II Kings 2:11). The reason that the chariot of
fire did not harm Elisha is because there was a Torah matter
between them, from which it may be inferred that had they not been
discussing a Torah matter, they would have been worthy of being
burned.
The Gemara
answers: This is not difficult. This opinion of Rabbi Elai bar Berekhya
is referring to studying by rote, by reviewing material one has already
learned, which is permitted and even appropriate while traveling, whereas that
opinion of Rabbi Elazar is referring to examining a halakha in
depth, in which case it is likely that the scholars become so involved that
they will take a wrong turn and get lost (Rashi).” (Sefaria.org
translation)
I
probably should not talk too much about anything when I’m driving for I am likely
to take a wrong turn or miss my exit.
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