אמר לפניו רבונו של עולם בניך שמו פניהם עלי שאני כבן בית לפניך נשבע אני בשמך הגדול שאיני זז מכאן עד שתרחם על בניך התחילו גשמים מנטפין אמרו לו תלמידיו רבי ראינוך ולא נמות כמדומין אנו שאין גשמים יורדין אלא להתיר שבועתך
He exclaimed [before God], Master of the Universe, Thy children have turned to me because [they believe] me to be a member of Thy house. I swear by Thy great name that I will not move from here until Thou hast mercy Upon Thy children! Rain began to drip and his disciples said to him, We look to you to save us from death;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The meaning of the Hebrew phrase is doubtful. (3) [Rashi: 'for confession of sins'.]');"><sup>4</sup></span> we believe that this rain came down merely to release you from your oath.
Rashi on Taanit
We have seen you, but we shall not die: "We have seen you, but we shall not die," is as a statement: Take efforts that we shall not die from hunger due to the stoppage of the rain.
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Chidushei Agadot on Taanit
Like a member of the household: This is according to what is written in the chapter [entitled] Ain Omdin (Berakhot 34b:28) - that the wife of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai said to him, "And is Chanina greater than you, that you need to request from him that he pray for your son?" And he said to her, "No, but he is like a servant who is accustomed to the house of the king, whereas I am like a minister in front of the king" - as it is explained there. And so too here, this is what he means: It is not because of my greatness that they directed their faces towards me (for help), but rather since I am like a member of the household, accustomed to being before You.
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Chidushei Agadot on Taanit
Only to dissolve your oath, etc.: And even though he said in his oath, "until you have mercy upon Your children, etc." - it is possible that the students only heard the expression of the oath from him, "that I will not move from here"; but they did not hear the end of his words, such that he said, "until you have mercy, etc." So they thought that he only prayed that the rain fall; and that was fulfilled!
