Taanit 15

Chapter 15

א שלמודו קשה עליו כברזל בשביל משנתו שאינה סדורה עליו שנאמר (קהלת י, י) והוא לא פנים קלקל
1 to whom his studies are as hard as iron,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He cannot grasp what he learns. keke ke ohbp');"><sup>1</sup></span> it is because he has failed to systematize his studies, as it is sai And one do not whet the edge.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Taking as a reduplication of light, clear. I.e., he did not make it clear unto himself: the meaning of a passage in the Torah, cf. Aboth III, 11,');"><sup>2</sup></span>
ב מאי תקנתיה ירבה בישיבה שנאמר (קהלת י, י) וחילים יגבר ויתרון הכשיר חכמה כ"ש אם משנתו סדורה לו מעיקרא
2 What is his remedy? Let him attend the school even more regularly, as it is said, Then must he put to more strength; but wisdom is profitable to direct.
ג כי הא דריש לקיש הוה מסדר מתני' ארבעין זמנין כנגד מ' יום שניתנה תורה ועייל לקמיה דר' יוחנן רב אדא בר אהבה מסדר מתני' עשרין וארבע זמנין כנגד תורה נביאים וכתובים ועייל לקמיה דרבא
3 [The latter words indicate] how much more profitable would his efforts be if he had originally systematized his studies. Thus for example, Resh Lakish made it his practice to repeat in systematic order his studies forty times corresponding to the forty days<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXXIV, 28.');"><sup>3</sup></span>
ד רבא אמר אם ראית תלמיד שלמודו קשה עליו כברזל בשביל רבו שאינו מסביר לו פנים שנאמר והוא לא פנים קלקל
4 during which the Torah was given, and only then would he come before R'Johanan. R'Adda B'Abbahu made it his practice to repeat in systematic order his studies twenty-four times corresponding to the [twenty-four books<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the twenty-four books of the Bible v. Blau, Zur Einleitung in die heilige Schrift, pp. 6ff. ,uph ohbp rcxc');"><sup>4</sup></span>
ה מאי תקנתיה ירבה עליו רעים שנאמר וחילים יגבר ויתרון הכשיר חכמה כ"ש אם הוכשרו מעשיו בפני רבו מעיקרא
5 which embody] the Torah, the Prophets and the Hagiographa, and only then would he come before Raba. Raba said: If you see a student who finds his studies as hard as iron, it is because his teacher does not encourage him,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Does not show him a cheerful countenance. Cf. Aboth 1, 15 . keke');"><sup>5</sup></span>
ו ואמר ר' אמי מאי דכתיב (קהלת י, יא) אם ישוך הנחש בלא לחש ואין יתרון לבעל הלשון אם ראית דור שהשמים משתכין כנחשת מלהוריד טל ומטר בשביל לוחשי לחישות שאין בדור
6 as it is said, 'and one do not whet the edge'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Taking in the sense of 'corrupting' to make unpleasant. He showed a displeasing countenance to him.]');"><sup>6</sup></span> What is his remedy?
ז מאי תקנתן ילכו אצל מי שיודע ללחוש דכתיב (איוב לו, לג) יגיד עליו רעו ואין יתרון לבעל הלשון ומי שאפשר לו ללחוש ואינו לוחש מה הנאה יש לו
7 Let him seek many companions [to intercede for him with his teacher], as it is said.' Then must he put to more strength; but wisdom is profitable to direct.'
ח ואם לחש ולא נענה מאי תקנתיה ילך אצל חסיד שבדור וירבה עליו בתפלה שנאמר (איוב לו, לב) ויצו עליה במפגיע ואין פגיעה אלא תפלה שנאמר (ירמיהו ז, טז) ואתה אל תתפלל בעד העם הזה ואל תשא בעדם רנה ותפלה ואל תפגע בי
8 [The latter words indicate,] how much more successful he would have been had his efforts originally found favour with his teacher. R'Ammi further said: What is the meaning of the verse, If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then the charmer hath no advantage?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Eccl. X, 11. lab l,a ajb ,ajb');"><sup>7</sup></span>
ט ואם לחש ועלתה בידו ומגיס דעתו עליו מביא אף לעולם שנאמר (איוב לו, לג) מקנה אף על עולה
9 If you see a generation over whom the heavens are rust coloured<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Taking to bite, in the Aramaic sense of to become rusty coloured; shortened for copper. The heavens are, so to speak, covered with a deposit of copper-rust and this prevents rain and dew from falling. ajk');"><sup>8</sup></span> like copper so that neither dew nor rain falls, it is because that generation is wanting in men who pray softly.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' to charm, is also used in the sense of, to whisper. and then to pray. The Tefillah (v. Glos.) was recited in silence. gr gur gr vgr');"><sup>9</sup></span>
י רבא אמר שני ת"ח שיושבין בעיר אחת ואין נוחין זה לזה בהלכה מתקנאין באף ומעלין אותו שנאמר מקנה אף על עולה
10 What then is their remedy? Let them go to one skilled in the art of praying softly, as it is written, The noise thereof telleth concerning it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job XXXVI, 33. Connecting noise, from root to shout, with friend from root to associate with. The context in Job deals with rain.');"><sup>10</sup></span>
יא אמר ר"ל מאי דכתיב אם ישוך הנחש בלא לחש ואין יתרון לבעל הלשון לעתיד לבא מתקבצות ובאות כל החיות אצל הנחש ואומרים לו ארי דורס ואוכל זאב טורף ואוכל אתה מה הנאה יש לך אמר להם ואין יתרון לבעל הלשון
11 'Then the charmer hath no advantage' [means]: 'As to him who is skilled in the art of praying softly and does not do so what benefit has he?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He himself suffers with others from the drought that follows.');"><sup>11</sup></span> But if he has prayed softly and was not answered, what is his remedy?
יב אמר רבי אמי אין תפלתו של אדם נשמעת אלא אם כן משים נפשו בכפו שנאמר (איכה ג, מא) נשא לבבנו אל כפים [איני והא] אוקים שמואל אמורא עליה ודרש (תהלים עח, לו) ויפתוהו בפיהם ובלשונם יכזבו לו ולבם לא נכון עמו ולא נאמנו בבריתו ואף על פי כן (תהלים עח, לח) והוא רחום יכפר עון וגו'
12 Let him go to the most pious man of that generation that he may intercede abundantly for him, as it is said, And giveth it a charge that it strike the mark [be-mafgia'h]. and striking the mark [pegi'ah] is prayer, as it is said, Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession [tifga'] to Me.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra p. 30, n. 3. [MS.M omits: 'But if he has prayed . . to me'.]');"><sup>12</sup></span>
יג לא קשיא כאן ביחיד כאן בציבור
13 But if he did pray softly and proved successful and on account of this he becomes overproud he thereby brings divine displeasure upon the world, as it is said, The cattle also concerning the storm that cometh up.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job XXXVI, 33- The verse is generally interpreted, that the cattle through their greater sensitiveness to atmospheric conditions feel in vben vben ;t advance the coming of the storm. The Gemara reads (for of the Massoretic Text) in the sense of, acquire, and it takes to be a vkug noun meaning anger; and exalted or elated (with pride) . The meaning of the verse according to this interpretation would be: He brings upon the world divine displeasure who is overbearing with pride because his prayer was answered. vben c tbe,v ;t vkugh kg');"><sup>13</sup></span> Raba said: Two scholars who reside in the same city but are intolerant of each other in matters of halachah provoke anger and bring it upon themselves, as it is said, The cattle also concerning the storm that cometh up.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Raba takes =... to provoke; as previously, and = that cometh up. iuakv kgc');"><sup>14</sup></span>
יד אמר ר' אמי אין גשמים יורדין אלא בשביל בעלי אמנה שנאמר (תהלים פה, יב) אמת מארץ תצמח וצדק משמים נשקף
14 Resh Lakish said: What is the meaning of the verse, If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then the charmer hath no advantage? In the Messianic age all animals will assemble and come to the serpent and say to him, 'The lion claws [his victim] and devours him, the wolf tears him and devours him, but as for thee what benefit dost thou derive?
טו וא"ר אמי בא וראה כמה גדולים בעלי אמנה מניין מחולדה ובור ומה המאמין בחולדה ובור כך המאמין בהקב"ה עאכ"ו
15 His reply will be, The charmer hath no advantage.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Heb. lit., 'the man of tongue'; figuratively, the slanderer. The allusion here is to the tempting of Eve, Gen. III.');"><sup>15</sup></span> R'Ammi said: A man's prayer is only answered if he takes his heart into his hand,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He feels deeply what he prays.');"><sup>16</sup></span>
טז אמר רבי יוחנן כל המצדיק את עצמו מלמטה מצדיקין עליו הדין מלמעלה שנאמר אמת מארץ תצמח וצדק משמים נשקף רבי חייא בר אבין אמר רב הונא מהכא (תהלים צ, יא) וכיראתך עברתך
16 as it is said, Let us l up our heart with our hands.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lam. III, 41.');"><sup>17</sup></span> [But it is not so.
יז ריש לקיש אמר מהכא (ישעיהו סד, ד) פגעת את שש ועושה צדק בדרכיך יזכרוך הן אתה קצפת ונחטא בהם עולם ונושע אמר ריב"ל כל השמח ביסורין שבאין עליו מביא ישועה לעולם שנאמר בהם עולם ונושע
17 Surely]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So Bomberg ed. and inserted in cur. edd. in square brackets, p. 33 n. 1.');"><sup>18</sup></span> Samuel appointed an amora<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Same as Meturgeman. V. supra p. 12, n. 4.');"><sup>19</sup></span>
יח אמר ריש לקיש מאי דכתיב (דברים יא, יז) ועצר את השמים בשעה שהשמים נעצרין מלהוריד (טל ומטר) דומה לאשה שמחבלת ואינה יולדת והיינו דאמר ריש לקיש משום בר קפרא נאמרה עצירה בגשמים ונאמרה עצירה באשה
18 to act for him and his exposition ran thus: But they beguiled Him with their mouth, and lied unto Him with their tongue. For their heart was not steadfast with Him, neither were they faithful in His covenant; and yet, But He being full of compassion, forgiveth iniquity etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. LXXVIII, 36-38. [MS.M. adds: 'Do these (verses) not contradict one another'. This reading makes unnecessary the insertion noted on p. 32, n. 7. V. Marginal Glosses.]');"><sup>20</sup></span> ? - This is no contradiction. The one refers to the individual, and the other to the community.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The prayers of a community are accepted even if they do not come up to the higher standard set by R. Ammi. ,ubunt aht');"><sup>21</sup></span> R'Ammi said: Rain falls only for the sake of Men of Faith,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Trustworthy men, honest in business. Cf. Prov. XXVIII, 20 .');"><sup>22</sup></span> as it is said, Truth springeth out of the eart and righteousness hath looked down from heaven.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. LXXXV, 12. R. Ammi takes the verse to mean: When there is truth on earth righteousness symbolizing rain, (cf. Isa. XLV, 8) looketh down from heaven.');"><sup>23</sup></span> R'Ammi further said: Come and see how great the Men of Faith are as is evidenced from the episode of the Weasel<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' An allusion to the story of a young man who extracted a promise of marriage from a maiden who had fallen into a well, if he rescued her. The well and a passing weasel were made witnesses to the undertaking and avenged subsequently the maiden for the young man's breach of promise. skj V. Rashi and Tosaf. a.l. and Aruch s.v. esm ihs');"><sup>24</sup></span> and the Well. If this is the case with one who trusts in the Weasel and the Well how much more so if one trusts in the Holy One blessed be He! R'Johanan said: He who leads a righteous life [on earth below]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The greater the man the more strictly he is judged for his actions. R. Johanan takes in the sense of strict justice .');"><sup>25</sup></span> is judged strictly [in heaven] above, as i is said, Truth springeth out of the earth and righteousness hath looked down from heaven. R'Hiyya B'Abin in the name of R'Huna [adduced this lesson] from this verse, And Thy wrath according to the fear that is due unto Thee.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XC, 11.');"><sup>26</sup></span> Resh Lakish said: [It may be adduced] from this verse, Thou didst take away him that joyfully worked righteousness, those that remembered Thee in Thy ways - behold Thou wast wroth, and we sinned-upon them have we stayed of old, that we might be saved.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. LXIV,4.');"><sup>27</sup></span> R'Joshua B'Levi said: He who joyfully bears the chastisements that befall him brings salvation to the world as it is said, 'Upon them have we stayed of old, that we might be saved'. Resh Lakish said: What is the meaning of the verse, And He will shut up the heaven?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. Xl, 17.');"><sup>28</sup></span> - When the heavens are shut up so that neither dew nor rain falls it is like to a woman who is in labour but who cannot give birth. This is in keeping with what Resh Lakish said in the name of Bar Kappara: 'Withholding' is applied to rain, and 'withholding' is applied to a woman;
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