Commentary for Yoma 42:15

<br><br><big><strong>הדרן עלך שבעת ימים</strong></big><br><br>

[It is stated above], 'But the smoke arising from the pile of wood, even all the winds of the world could not move it from its place'. But [did not] R'Isaac B'Abdimi Say: 'On the night following<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. R. H. 16a: At the Feast of Tabernacles the World is judged through water. V. Ta'an. 2a. Hence the anxiety to watch for the decision from the direction of the wind.');">²¹</span> the last day of the [Sukkoth] Festival all were gazing upon the smoke arising from the pile of wood. If it inclined northward, the poor rejoiced and the people of means were sad, because the rains of the coming year would be abundant and their fruits would rot.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence they would have to sell them fast, i.e., cheaply.');">²²</span> If it inclined southward, the poor were depressed and the men of means rejoiced, for there would be little rain that year and the fruit could be preserved. If it inclined eastwards, all rejoiced;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because it meant average rain, plenty of fruit, without danger of rotting so that the merchants could charge moderate prices.');">²³</span> if westwards all were depressed'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because it dries up the seeds, and causes famine, v. B.B. 147a. At any rate the smoke moved, which contradicts the statement above.');">²⁴</span> - It merely means that it swayed hither and thither like a tree, but it was not scattered. The Master said: [If it inclined] eastward all rejoiced: westward - all were depressed. There is a contradiction against it: The east wind is always good ' the west wind always bad, the north wind benefits wheat when it has grown to one third [of its usual height], and is bad for olives when they are budding; the south wind is bad for wheat which has grown one third [of its normal size] and good for olives when they are budding and R'Joseph or Mar Zutra said, in connection therewith, as a sign: The table was in the north, and the candlestick in the south,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. in the Sanctuary.');">²⁵</span> i.e., the one [north wind] grows what is good for the table,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Wheat for the shewbread.');">²⁶</span> and the other [south wind] what is good for the candlestick?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Oil of the olive.');">²⁷</span> - This is no contradiction: the former statement refers to us,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For Babylonia, which is always full of moisture, the east wind is good.');">²⁸</span> the latter to them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For Palestine, which is dry, full of mountains and hills, it is bad.');">²⁹</span> [

Explore commentary for Yoma 42:15. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.