Jerusalem Talmud Berakhot 9:2:4

משנה: עַל הַזִּיקִים וְעַל הַזְּוָעוֹת וְעַל הַבְּרָקִים וְעַל הָֽרְעָמִים וְעַל הָרוּחוֹת הוּא אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ שֶׁכּוֹחוֹ מָלֵא הָעוֹלָמִים. עַל הֶהָרִים וְעַל הַגְּבָעוֹת וְעַל הַיַּמִּים וְעַל הַנְּהָרוֹת וְעַל הַמִּדְבָּרוֹת הוּא אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ עוֹשֶׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר הָרוֹאֶה אֶת הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ שֶׁעָשָׂה אֶת הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל בִּזְמַן שֶׁהוּא רוֹאֵהוּ לִפְרָקִים. עַל הַגְּשָׁמִים וְעַל בְּשׂוֹרוֹת טוֹבוֹת הוּא אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ הַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב. וְעַל שְׁמוּעוֹת הָרָעוֹת הוּא אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ דַּייָן הָאֱמֶת. MISHNAH: On ziqin⁸⁸The Yerushalmi does not define זיקא. In the Berakhot.58b">Babli (58b), Samuel defines it as “star with a tail”, which may mean either a comet (Arukh s. v. ככב) or a meteorite (Rashi). Arukh s. v. זק quotes Rav Hai Gaon as defining זיקא as thunderless lightning that illuminates an entire cloud. The latter determination is probably the correct one since it fits the context of the Mishnah and its author has the highest authority among those who explain difficult words in the Talmudim., earthquakes, lightning, thunder, and hurricanes, one says: Praise to Him Whose power⁸⁹In the Rome manuscript and in many (mostly Ashkenazic) manuscripts of the Babli and the Mishnah, one adds וּגְבוּרָתוֹ “and His strength.” fills the world. On mountains, hills, seas, rivers, and deserts, one says: Praise to the Maker of Creation⁹⁰The same manuscripts that add “His strength” in the first sentence, add “the work of Creation” here.. Rebbi Yehudah says, he who sees the ocean says: Praise to Him Who made the ocean; if he sees it at intervals⁹¹This is the reading of all manuscripts of Yerushalmi, Babli, and Mishnah, except the Leyden manuscript and the Venice print who have this language only in the Mishnah, but the quote in the Halakhah reads: “Rebbi Yehudah says, he who sees the ocean says: Praise to Him Who made the ocean; if he sees it at intervals, he says: Praise to the Maker of Creation.” However, from the discussion in the Talmud it is clear that this is a scribal error.. On rains⁹²In Israel, where there is only one rainy season. and good tidings one says: Praise to Him Who is good and does good. On bad news, one says: Praise to the True Judge.

הלכה: תַּנִּי בַּר קַפָּרָא מַתְרִיעִין עַל הַזְּוָעוֹת. HALAKHAH: Bar Kappara stated: One blows the shofar because of an earthquake⁹⁵Blowing the shofar on days other than Rosh Hashanah was only done on public fast days. This means that Bar Qappara declares an earthquake a catastrophy which requires repentance; hence, he disagrees with the Mishnah and requires the benediction “the True Judge” for an earthquake..

שְׁמוּאֵל אֲמַר אִין עֲבַר הָהֵן זִיקָא בִּכְסִיל מַחֲרִיב הָעוֹלָם. מֵתִיבוּן לִשְׁמוּאֵל וַאֲנָן חֲמִייָן לֵיהּ עֲבַר. אֲמַר לְהוֹן לֵית אֶיפְשָׁר אוֹ לְעֵיל מִינָּהּ אוֹ לְרַע מִינָּהּ. שְׁמוּאֵל אֲמַר חַכִּים אֲנָא בִשְׁקָקֵי שְׁמַיָא כִשְׁקָקֵי נָהָרְדֵּעָא קַרְתִּי. בַּר מִן הָהֵן זִיקָא לֵית אֲנָא יְדַע מַה הוּא. וְכִי שְׁמוּאֵל עָלָה לַשָּׁמַיִם. אֶלָּא עַל שֵׁם מִי יְסַפֵּר שְׁחָקִים בְּחָכְמָה. Samuel said: If that ziqa would pass by Kesil⁹⁶Ibn Janaḥ defines kesil as the star that in Arabic is called suhail, “Canopus”. Ibn Ezra identifies the word as meaning “Pleiades”. Since the Pleiades are seen only during summertime in the Northern Hemisphere, this might justify the characterization of kesil as “hot” in the Berakhot.58b">Babli (58b).
The statement of Samuel and his qualifications are also quoted in the Berakhot.58b">Babli (58b). The text of the Yerushalmi is quoted in slightly changed form in Arukh, s. v. ככב., it would destroy the world. They objected to Samuel: Do we not see that it passes by it? He said to them: It is impossible; either above or below it. Samuel said: I know the places⁹⁷Derivative of שוּק “market place,” [maybe a pun on שחקים “skies” (E. G.)]. of heaven like the places of my city Nahardea; except for that ziqa, I do not know what that is. Did Samuel ascend to heaven? No, following (Job.38.37">Job 38:37): “Who may discourse about heaven in wisdom⁹⁸I. e., be an astronomer.?”

אֱלִיָּהוּ זָכוּר לַטּוֹב שָׁאַל לְרִבִּי נְהוֹרַיי מִפְּנֵי מַה בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שְׁקָצִים וּרְמָשִׂים בְּעוֹלָמוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ לְצוֹרֶךְ נִבְרְאוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהַבִּרְיוֹת חוֹטְאִין הוּא מַבִּיט בָּהֶן וְאוֹמֵר מַה אֵלוּ שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶן צוֹרֶךְ הֲרֵי אֲנִי מְקַייְמָן אֵלוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ [בָּהֶן] צוֹרֶךְ לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן. אָמַר לֵיהּ עוֹד הָן יֵשׁ בָּהֶן צוֹרֶךְ זְבוּב לְצִירְעָה. פִּשְׁפֵּשׁ לָעֲלוּקָתָה. נָחָשׁ לַחֲפָפִית. [שַׁבְּלוֹן לְחַזִּיּוֹן]. סְמָמִית לְעַקְרָב. Elijah, may he be well remembered, asked Rebbi Nehorai: Why did the Holy One, praise to Him, create abominable and crawling animals in His world? He said to him, they fill a need because, when men sin, He gazes at those and says, if I am keeping those who have no utility, certainly I shall keep these who might have utility. He said to him, still they have utility¹⁰⁴A similar statement is found in Shabbat.77b">Babli Šabbat 77b, by Rav Yehudah in the name of Rav.: a fly for wasps¹⁰⁵Rashi in Babli Šabbat 77b explains that as antidote for the poison of the sting of a wasp, one grinds up some flies and puts them as ointment on the sting. He explains the same for the use of semamit for the sting of a scorpion, but the Babli (loc. cit.) notes that the scorpion is afraid of the semamit. Hence, it seems more likely that flies carry diseases into wasp’s nests and therefore curb their numbers, and semamiot eat scorpions., bedbugs for a leech, snail for skin rash¹⁰⁶The last two must certainly be explained as medical uses., semamit¹⁰⁷Arukh gives two Italian explanations of this word, the first ragnatello“spider” is also given by Rashi (araignée) in Babli Šabbat, the second lucertola “lizard” is more probable, in particular the gecko, Arabic סַאם אַבּרַצ, which is known to eat scorpions. Arabic סַאמָּה “poisonous animal”, but cf. Accadic summatu “pidgeon”, simmatu “poisoning”. for the scorpion.

עַל הַבְּרָקִים. רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה וְרִבִּי זְעִירָא בְּשֵׁם רַב חַסְדַּאי דַּיּוֹ פַּעַם אַחַת בְּכָל הַיּוֹם. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי מַה אֲנָן קַייָמִין אִם בְּטוֹרְדִין דַּיּוֹ פַּעַם אַחַת בַּיּוֹם. אִי בְּמַפְסִיקִין מְבָרֵךְ עַל כָּל אַחַת וְאַחַת. חֵייְלֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי יוֹסֵי מִן הֲדָא. הָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בַּחֲנוּתוֹ שֶׁל בַּשָּׂם כָּל־הַיּוֹם אֵינוֹ מְבָרֵךְ אֶלָּא אַחַת. אֲבָל אִם הָיָה נִכְנָס וְיוֹצֵא נִכְנָס וְיוֹצֵא מְבָרֵךְ עַל כָּל פַּעַם וּפַעַם. אָתָא אָמַר רִבִּי אָחָא וְרִבִּי חֲנִינָא בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אִם בְּטוֹרְדִין דַּיּוֹ פַּעַם אַחַת בַּיּוֹם. אִם בְּמַפְסִיקִין מְבָרֵךְ עַל כָּל אַחַת וְאַחַת. “On lightning.” Rebbi Jeremiah, Rebbi Zeïra in the name of Rav Ḥasdai¹⁰⁸He is Rav Ḥisda.: It is enough once a day. Rebbi Yose¹⁰⁹From the following, it is clear that this is Rebbi Yose II, colleague of R. Jonah. said, what are we talking about? If it is permanent¹¹⁰From Biblical דלף טוֹרד “unceasing downpour”., once a day is enough. If it is intermittent, one recites the benediction for each occurrence. The force of Rebbi Yose from the following¹¹¹Tosephta Berakhot 5:32, Berakhot.53a">Babli 53a.: If he was sitting in the perfumer’s store all day long, he would recite the benediction only once. But if he enters and leaves, enters and leaves, he recites a benediction every time. It came¹¹²Somebody came with a collection of older formulations and showed that the discussion was already settled in earlier generations., it was said by Rebbi Aḥa (and)¹¹³This is a scribal error; R. Aḥa cannot be concurrent with his teacher’s father. Rebbi Ḥanina in the name of Rebbi Yose¹¹⁴He is either the Amora R. Yasa (Assi) or the Tanna R. Yose.: If it is permanent, once a day is enough. If it is intermittent, one recites the benediction for each occurrence.

הָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בְּבֵית הַכִּסֵּא אוֹ בְּבֵית סְפֵיקַרִיָּא אִם יָכוֹל לָצֵאת וּלְבָרֵךְ בְּתוֹךְ דִיבּוּר יֵצֵא וְאִם לָאו לֹא יֵצֵא. רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה בְּעִי הָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ עָרוּם מַהוּ שֶׁיֵּעָשֶׂה בֵּיתוֹ כְּמוֹ מַלְבּוּשׁ וְיוֹצִיא רֹאשׁוֹ חוּץ לַחֲלוֹן וִיבָרֵךְ. הָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בְּמִגְדָּל עָרוּם מִגְדָּל מַהוּ שֶׁיֵּעָשֶׂה לוֹ כְּמִין מַלְבּוּשׁ וְיוֹצִיא רֹאשׁוֹ חוּץ לַחֲלוֹן וִיבָרֵךְ. If one was sitting in the bathroom or the room of filth¹¹⁵And he sees lightning while there.
It seems that the second word is simply a Latinate form of the first, the bathroom or it may mean “garbage room”. In the Rome manuscript and the text of R. S. Cirillo, the reading is ספיקלריא, with change of liquids r - l. The Latin would be faecaria, “dregs, filthy matter”; Kohut compares Greek σφέκλη “dregs”., if he can exit and recite the benediction in time for one sentence¹¹⁶Defined earlier as time to say: “Peace on you, my teacher.”, he should exit, but if not, he should not exit¹¹⁷This implies that the benediction over lightning must be recited within this time span after the lightning was observed.. Rebbi Jeremiah asked: If he was sitting naked in his house, should he make the house a garment¹¹⁸Since one may not mention the Divine Name with one’s genitals uncovered., lean his head out of the window and recite the benediction? If he was sitting naked in a “tower”¹¹⁹The “tower” is no tower, but one kind of sedan chair. Mishnah and Talmudim always speak of three kinds of sedan chairs, שידה תיבה וּמגדל, the exact definitions of these are unknown. But in any case, the “tower” is a wooden chest-like implement. The new question implies that the first question was answered in the negative (it is noted so in Sukkah.10b">Babli Sukkah 10b), that a house, or any “tent”, can never be a garment. The substitute question now is whether a wooden movable cover can take the place of a textile cover. A similar question is asked in Sukkah.10b">Babli Sukkah 10b for somebody lying naked in bed and covered by a mosquito net; the answer is that it is possible only if the bed assembly does not qualify as a “tent.” The question here goes unanswered because, characteristic for R. Jeremiah, it is asked in a totally unrealistic form. [In contrast to the Babli, the Yerushalmi never requires that heart and genitals should be covered by separate garments.], should he make it a garment, lean his head out of the window and recite the benediction?

עַל הָרוּחוֹת מַהוּא אוֹמֵר. בָּרוּךְ שֶׁכֹּחוֹ מָלֵא עוֹלָם. מַתְנִיתָא בְּשֶׁבָּאִין בְּזַעַף. אֲבָל שֶׁבָּאִים בְּנַחַת אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ עוֹשֶׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית. “On winds what does he say? Praise to Him, Whose power and might fill the world.” The Mishnah if they come destructively. But if they come quietly, one says: Praise to the Maker of Creation.

אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן חֲנַנְיָה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָרוּחַ יוֹצֵא לָעוֹלָם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְשַׁבְּרוֹ בֶּהָרִים וּמְרַשְּׁלוֹ בִּגְבָעוֹת וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ תֵּן דַּעְתָּךְ שֶׁלֹּא תַזִּיק בִּרְיוֹתָי. מַה טַעַם כִּי רוּחַ מִלְּפָנַי יַעֲטוֹף. מְשַׁלְהִי לֵיהּ. כְּמַה דְּאַתְּ אֲמַר בְּהִתְעַטֵּף עָלַי רוּחִי. כָּל־כַּךְ לָמָּה. רִבִּי חוּנָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי אָחָא וּנְשָׁמוֹת אֲנִי עָשִׂיתִי. בִּשְׁבִיל נְשָׁמוֹת שֶׁעָשִׂיתִי. Rebbi Joshua ben Ḥananiah said: When the wind goes out into the world, the Holy One, praise to Him, breaks it on mountains, lets it stumble on hills, and tells it: Be careful not to hurt my creatures. What is the reason? (Isaiah.57.16">Is. 57:16) “The wind becomes faint before Me.” He makes it tired, as one says (Jonah.2.8">Jonah 2:8): “When I am fainting.” All that why? Rebbi Ḥuna in the name of Rebbi Aḥa (Isaiah.57.16">Is. 57:16): “And I made souls;” because of the souls that I made.

אָמַר רִבִּי הוּנָא בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה מְקוֹמוֹת יָצָא הָרוּחַ שֶׁלֹּא בְּמִשְׁקָל וּבִיקֵּשׁ לְהַחֲרִיב אֶת הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ. אַחַת בִּימֵי יוֹנָה. וְאַחַת בִּימֵי אֱלִיָּהוּ. וְאַחַת בִּימֵי אִיּוֹב. בִּימֵי יוֹנָה וַיי֨ הִטִּיל רוּחַ גְּדוֹלָה. בִּימֵי אִיּוֹב וְהִנֵּה רוּחַ גְּדוֹלָה בָּאָה מֵעֶבֶר הַמִּדְבָּר וגו׳. בִּימֵי אֱלִיָּהוּ מְנַיִין וְהִנֵּה יי֨ עוֹבֵר וְרוּחַ גְּדוֹלָה חָזָק מְפָרֵק הָרִים. אָמַר רִבִּי יוּדָן בַּר שָׁלוֹם נֵימָר אוֹתוֹ שֶׁל אִיּוֹב בִּשְׁבִילוֹ הָיָה. וְשֶׁל יוֹנָה בִּשְׁבִילוֹ הָיָה. אֵין לָךְ אֶלָּא שֶׁל אֱלִיָּהוּ שֶׁהָיָה קוֹסְמִיקוֹן. וְהִנֵּה יי֨ עוֹבֵר וכו׳. וְאַחַר כַּךְ רַעַשׁ וְאַחַר הָרַעַשׁ אֵשׁ לֹא בָּאֵשׁ יי֨. Rebbi Ḥuna said, in three places did the wind come out without measure and desired to destroy the entire world; once in the time of Jonah, once in the time of Elijah, and once in the time of Job. In the time of Jonah (Jonah.1.4">Jonah 1:4): “The Eternal sent a strong wind.” In the time of Job (Job.1.19">Job 1:19): “A great wind came across the desert.” In the time of Elijah, from where? (1K. 19: 19:11) “Lo, the Eternal passes, and a great, strong wind, shattering mountains.” Rebbi Yudan ben Shalom¹²⁰A late Galilean Amora, also called Rebbi Yehudah Halevi, infrequently appearing in halakhic discussions; he is a major source of the early Tanḥuma Midrash. said, let us say that the one of Job was for him only¹²¹It took place just around the house it destroyed., that of Jonah was for him only. You have only that of Elijah which was worldwide¹²²Greek κοσμικόν. “Lo, the Eternal passes, etc. After that an earthquake¹²³The earthquake by its nature is felt at great distances. and after the earthquake fire, but the Eternal was not in the fire.”

רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר הָרוֹאֶה אֶת הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ שֶׁעָשָׂה אֶת הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל בִּזְמַן שֶׁרוֹאֵהוּ לִפְרָקִים. וְכַמָּה הוּא פֶּרֶק אֶחָד לִשְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם. שִׁמְעוֹן קָמָטֵרִיָּא שְׁאַל לְרִבִּי חִייָא בַּר בָּא בְּגִין דַּאֲנָא חַמָּר וּסְלִיק לִירוּשָׁלִַם בְּכָל [שָׁעָה] מַהוּ שֶׁנִּקְרַע. אָמַר לֵיהּ אִם בְּתוֹךְ שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם אִי אַתָּה צָרִיךְ לִקְרוֹעַ לְאַחַר שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם צָרִיךְ אַתָּה לִקְרוֹעַ. “Rebbi Yehudah says, he who sees the ocean says: Praise to Him Who made the ocean, if he sees it at intervals.” What is an interval? Once in thirty days¹²⁴In the Berakhot.59b">Babli (59b), this is a statement of the Palestinian Rebbi Isaac; it seems that he brought the Galilean tradition to Babylonia.. Simeon the hard-working man¹²⁵Greek καματηρός “laborious, hardworking” (E. G.). This person is mentioned only here and in the following Aggadah (which appears here because it mentions Simeon Qamateria.) As a learned man, he is addressed in Hebrew, not in Aramaic. asked Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba: Since I am a donkey driver and go up to Jerusalem all the time¹²⁶This is the reading of the Rome manuscript. The Venice print has בכל שנה “every year”, which does not fit the context., how do I have to tear¹²⁷Just as one has to tear one’s clothes upon hearing of the death of a close relative, so one has to tear one’s clothes when seeing Jerusalem in a state of destruction.? He said to him: If it is within thirty days, you do not have to tear, after thirty days you have to tear.

רִבִּי חוּנָא וְשִׁמְעוֹן קָמָטֵרִיָּא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן וִיהוֹנָתָן בֶּן גֵּרְשׁוֹם בֶּן מְנַשֶּׁה נוּן תְּלוּיָ. אִם זָכָה בֶּן מֹשֶׁה. וְאִם לָאו בֶּן מְנַשֶּׁה. חֲבֵרָייָא בְּעוּן קוֹמֵי רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן כּוֹמֶר הָיָה לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהֶאֱרִיךְ יָמִים. אֲמַר לוֹן עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיָה עֵינוֹ צָרָה בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁלּוֹ. כֵּיצַד הָֽיְתָה עֵינוֹ רָעָה בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁלּוֹ. הֲוָה בַּר נַשׁ אֲתִי לְמִיקְרְבָה תוֹר אוֹ אִימֵּר אוֹ גְדִי לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ פַּייְסֵיהּ עָלַי. וְהוּא אֲמַר לֵיהּ מַה זוּ מוֹעִילָה לָךְ לֹא רוֹאָה וְלֹא שׁוֹמַעַת לֹא אוֹכֶלֶת וְלֹא שׁוֹתָה לֹא מֵטִיבָה וְלֹא מְרֵיעָה וְלֹא מְדַבֶּרֶת. אֲמַר לֵיהּ חַיֶּיךָ וּמַה נַעֲבִיד. וְאֲמַר לֵיהּ אֲזִיל עֲבִיד וְאַייְתִי לִי חַד פִּינָךְ דְּסוֹלֶת וְאַתְקִין עֲלוֹי עֶשֶׂר בֵּיעִין וְאַתְקוּן קוֹמוֹי וְהוּא אֲכַל מִכָּל־מַה דַּאֲתִי וַאֲנָא מְפַייֵס לָהּ עַלָּךְ. מִכֵּיוָן דַּאֲזִיל לֵיהּ הֲוָה אֲכִיל לוֹן. זִימְנָא חָדָא אֲתָא חַד בַּר פָּחִין אֲמַר לֵיהּ כֵּן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִם אֵין מוֹעִילָה כְּלוּם אַתְּ מַה אַתְּ עֲבִיד הָכָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ בְּגִין חַיָּי. כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָמַד דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ שָׁלַח וְהֵבִיאוֹ. אָמַר לֵיהּ אַתְּ בֶּן בְּנוֹ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק וְאַתְּ עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. אָמַר לֵיהּ כַּךְ אֲנִי מְקוּבָּל מִבֵּית אֲבִי אַבָּא מְכוֹר עַצְמְךָ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְאַל תִּצְטָרֵךְ לַבִּרְיוֹת. אָמַר לֵיהּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם לֹא אָמַר כֵּן אֶלָּא מְכוֹר עַצְמְךָ לַעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁהִיא זָרָה לָךְ וְאַל תִּצְטָרֵךְ לַבִּרְיוֹת. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה דָּוִד כָּךְ שֶׁהוּא אוֹהֵב מָמוֹן מַה עָשָׂה הֶעֱמִידוֹ קוֹמוֹס עַל תֵּיסַבְרִיּוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ. הֲדָא הִיא דִכְתִיב וּשְׁבוּאֵל בֶּן גֵּרְשׁוֹם בֶּן מֹשֶׁה נָגִיד עַל הָאוֹצָרוֹת. שְׁבוּאֵל שֶׁשָּׁב אֶל אֵל בְּכָל־לִבּוֹ וּבְכָל־כֹּחוֹ. נָגִיד עַל הָאוֹצָרוֹת שֶׁמִּינֵּהוּ עַל תֵּיסַבְרִיּוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ. מְתִיבִין לְרִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן וְהָא כְתִיב עַד יוֹם גְּלוֹת הָאָרֶץ. אֲמַר לוֹן כֵּיוָן שֶׁמֵּת דָּוִד עָמַד שְׁלֹמֹה וְחִילֵּף סֻנְקְלֵיטִין שֶׁלּוֹ. חָזַר לְקִילְקוּלוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן. הֲדָא הִיא דִכְתִיב וְנָבִיא אֶחָד זָקֵן יוֹשֵׁב בְּבֵית אֵל וגו׳. אָֽמְרִין הוּא הֲוָה. Rebbi Ḥuna and Simeon Qamateria in the name of Rebbi Samuel ben Naḥman (Judges.18.30">Jud. 18:30): “Jonathan ben Gershom ben Manasseh,” a hanging נ¹²⁸In Bible manuscripts and prints, the name is יהונתן בן גרשם בן מ^נשה, to hide the fact that a grandson of Moses was priest of the idol at Dan. Manasseh is the bad king of Judah, son of king Hezekiah. The parallels to this paragraph are Sanhedrin 11:4:2-4" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Sanhedrin.11.4.2-4">Yerushalmi Sanhedrin11:5, Babli Bava Batra 110a.. If he merits it, ben Mosheh. If he does not merit it, ben Manasseh. The colleagues asked before Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman: He was a priest of idol worship and lived so long¹²⁹The verse reads: “Jonathan ben Gershom ben Mo(n)sheh, he and his sons, were priests for the tribe of Dan, until the day the land was exiled. They put up for themselves the idol of Micah, that the latter had made, all the days that the House of God was at Shiloh.” There are several interpretations of “the day the land was exiled.” Rashi takes it to mean the exile of Dan by the Assyrians, Babylonian tradition (Seder Olam Chapter 24) takes it as the time of captivity of king Manasse in Babylon; most later Medieval commentators (Ibn Ezra, Gersonides, R. Isaiah of Trani) take it to refer to the destruction of Shiloh (since Jeroboam put up a new Golden Calf at Dan, the original idol can no longer have survived.) However, as Y. Yadin has pointed out, already in the Song of Deborah there is a reference to the tribe of Dan who “went to dwell on ships.” Rashi’s interpretation is that of the Talmudim (the parallel in the Babli is Bava Bathra 110a), since both have Jonathan (not just one of his descendants) alive and active at the time of David, about 300 years after the conquest of Laish by the tribe of Dan.? He said to them, because he [Jonathan] was grudging to his idol. How was he grudging to his idol? If a man came to sacrifice an ox, a sheep, or a goat to the idol and told him: Make it favorably inclined towards me, he would say: What use does it have for you? It neither sees, nor hears, nor eats, nor drinks, nor does good or evil, and does not talk. He said to him, by your life, what should we do? He said to him, go, make, and bring me a wooden vessel¹³⁰Greek πίναξ, “wooden platter”. full of fine flour and put on it ten eggs, then I shall prepare it before that one and it will eat from all that comes and I shall make it favorably inclined towards you! After he left, he would eat it. One day, a son of pashas came and he said that to him. He said to him, if it is of no use, what are you doing here? He said to him, because of my livelihood. When David became king, he sent and brought him. He said to him, you are the grandson of that righteous man and you worship idols? He said to him: I have a tradition from my grandfather’s house: Sell yourself to idol worship¹³¹In Hebrew, “strange work”. rather than need other people¹³²To take money from charity.. He said to him: Heaven forbid! He did not say so, but sell yourself to work that is strange to you rather than to need other people. When David saw that he loved money, he made him count¹³³Latin comes, a high official in post-Diocletian Rome. “Treasury” from Greek θησαυρός. of his treasuries. That is what is written (1Chr. 26:24): “Shabuel ben Gershom ben Moshe, overseer of the treasuries.” “Shabuel” because he returned to God with all his heart and all his might. “Overseer of the treasuries,” that he made him count of the treasuries. They objected to Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman: (Judges.18.30">Jud. 18:30): “Until the day the land went into exile.” He said to them, when David died, Shelomo rose and exchanged all his counselors¹³⁴Greek singular σύγκλητος (βουλή) “summoned (council, senate)”, also συγκλητικός “of senatorial rank”, with Aramaic plural ending. Seder Olam, quoted earlier, seems to assume that he stayed in Jerusalem after that.. He returned to his former bad ways. That is what is written: (1K. 13:11) “An old prophet¹³⁵Since prophets are usually experienced people, this one must have been very old. was dwelling at Beth El;” they say that this was he.

הָרוֹאֶה אֶת הַחַמָּה בִּתְקוּפָתָהּ וְאֶת הַלְּבָנָה בִּתְקוּפָתָהּ וְאֶת הָרָקִיעַ בְּטִיהֲרוֹ אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ עוֹשֶׂה בְּרֵאשִית. אָמַר רִבִּי חוּנָה הֲדָא דְתֵימַר בִּימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים בִּלְבַד לְאַחַר שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים. וְהֲדָא הִיא דִכְתִיב וְעַתָּה לֹא רָאוּ אוֹר וגו׳. He who sees the sun at its turning point¹³⁶According to the Berakhot.59b">Babli (59b), this is the moment when the sun would stand at the point where it was created if the Julianic calendar could be extrapolated backwards. It is not permissible to read the Yerushalmi by the interpretations of the Babli. Usually, a “turning point” of the sun is either a solstice or an equinox; it also could just mean “the sun turning”. The latter meaning is implied by the Tosephta (6:6): “He who sees sun, moon, fixed stars, planets, says: Praise to the Maker of Creation. Rebbi Yehudah says, he who recites a benediction over the sun is on the way of heretics. Similarly, Rebbi Yehudah used to say, he who sees the ocean frequently has to recite a benediction if it has changed.” Here it is clear that the entire statement refers to weather-related phenomena; the following statement of R. Ḥuna therefore should not be taken to refer to the clear sky only (as it is taken in the Babli) but for all celestial phenomena when they are observed in an unpolluted sky. The coastline of the ocean may have changed during a storm; after the clearing of the sky R. Jehudah requires a new benediction., the moon at its turning point, and the sky in its purity, says: Praise to the Maker of Creation. Rebbi Ḥuna says, that means in the rainy season and only after three days. That is what is written (Job.37.21">Job 37:21): “Now they do not see light, etc.¹³⁷The end of the verse: “He is lucent in the skies, a wind passed by and purified them,” shows that the sky is really radiant only if the sun comes out after a long rain.
A parallel Yerushalmi source, Midrash Wayiqra rabba 23(8) reads: “ ‘Now they do not see light,’ we have formulated: He who sees the sun at its turning point, the moon in its spherical shape, the stars in their paths, the planets in their order, says: Praise to the Maker of Creation. Rebbi Ḥuna says, that means in the rainy season and only after three days.” Rabbenu Ḥananel, in his commentary to the Babli, takes sun, moon, stars, and planets all together and requires a benediction if any of them has not been seen for a prolonged time.”

הָרוֹאֶה אֶת הַלְּבָנָה בְחִידּוּשָׁהּ אוֹמֶר בָּרוּךְ מְחַדֵּשׁ חֳדָשִׁים. עַד אֵיכָן. רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אָחָא בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹסֵי עַד שֶׁתֵּרָאֶה כַּחֲצִי הַמַּטֶּה. רִבִּי אָחָא וְרִבִּי חִינְנָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹסֵי עַד שֶׁתִּתְמַלֵּא פְגִימָתָהּ. רַבָּנָן דְּקֵיסַרִין אָֽמְרִין עַד אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּי רִבִּי בוּן וְיֵאוֹת. כְּלוּם מִתְמַלְּאֵת פְּגִימָתָהּ אֶלָּא עַד אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם. הָא כָּל־אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ. He who sees the moon in its renewal says: Praise to Him Who renews months¹³⁸The Sanhedrin.42a">Babli (Sanhedrin 42a) notes that in Galilee one recites simply: “Praised are You, Eternal, our God, King of the Universe, Who renews months,” and that this is the formula used by women in Babylonia, but men in Babylonia use the formula “Praised are You, Eternal, our God, King of the Universe, Who renews months” only as conclusion of a longer prayer.. Until when? Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa in the name of Rebbi Yose¹³⁹He is Rebbi Assi; in the Babli (loc. cit.) he is reported to have said in the name of R. Yoḥanan that one recites the benediction “until its (the moon’s) missing part is filled” and Rebbi Jacob bar Idi interprets this to mean that the appearance of the moon is no longer concave, i. e. that its visible circumference looks like a semicircle with its diameter (ascribed here to R. Jacob bar Aḥa). The people of Nehardea say, until after the 15th of the month, an interpretation which is more lenient than any opinion expressed here.: Until it is seen like half a stick. Rebbi Aḥa and Rebbi Ḥinena in the name of Rebbi Yose: Until its missing part is filled. The rabbis of Caesarea say, until the fourteenth day. Rebbi Yose bar Abun said, that is correct; the missing part is never filled before the fourteenth day. Hence, all fourteen days one needs to recite the benediction.

בִּתְפִילָּה רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר נְהוֹרַיָּא אָמַר מְקַדֵּשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל מְחַדֵּשׁ חֳדָשִׁים. רִבִּי חִייָא בַּר אַשִּׁי אָמַר מְקַדֵּשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְרָאשֵׁי חֳדָשִׁים. שְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר וְהַשִּׂיאֵנוּ. רַב אָמַר צָרִיךְ לְהַזְכִּיר בָּהּ זְמָן. תַּנִּי רִבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה וְהָיוּ לְאוֹתוֹת וּלְמוֹעֲדִים וּלְיָמִים וּלְשָׁנִים. In prayer¹⁴⁰The Musaph prayer of the day of the New Moon., Rebbi Yose bar Nahorai said: “He Who sanctifies Israel, renews months.” Rav Ḥiyya bar Ashi said: “He Who sanctifies Israel and the New Moon.¹⁴¹This is the Babylonian version, given by a Babylonian.” Samuel said, one must say “bestow on us¹⁴²The formula used on holidays to introduce the final paragraph of the middle benediction of the Amidah: “Bestow on us, o Eternal, our God, the blessing of Your holiday.” There is no mention of this and the following statement of Rav in any Babylonian source. Even though this might indicate concurrence of the Babli, the requirements of Samuel and Rav are not followed. [The Yerushalmi prayer texts from the Cairo Genizah show the Musaph Amidah of the days of the New Moon following the text of the holiday Amidah.].” Rav said, one must mention “time.¹⁴³Recite on the day of New Moon the benediction: “Praise to You, Eternal, our God, King of the Universe, Who made us live, sustained us, and let us reach this time.”” Rebbi Hoshaya stated: (Genesis.1.14">Gen. 1:14) “They should be for signs and appointed times, days and years.¹⁴⁴The explanation is given in Bereshit rabba 6(3): “They shall be for signs”, these are the Sabbaths, “and appointed times,” these are the holidays of pilgrimage, “days,” these are the days of the New Moon, “and years,” that is the sanctification of years. [The Sabbath is called a sign in Exodus.31.13">Ex. 31:13,Exodus.31.17">17. The sanctification of years is the solemn declaration of a Jubilee year by the Synhedrion.] In this interpretation, the days of the New Moon are on the same level as holidays.”

הָעוֹבֵר בֵּין הַקְּבָרוֹת מַהוּ אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי֨ מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִים. רִבִּי חִייָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן בָּרוּךְ נֶאֱמָן בִּדְבָרוֹ וּמְחַיֵּה מֵתִים. רִבִּי חִייָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן הַיּוֹדֵעַ מִסְפַּרְכֶם הוּא יְעוֹרֵר אֶתְכֶם הוּא יְגַלֶּה אֶת הֶעָפָר מֵעַל עֵינֵיכֶם. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי֨ מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִים. רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי חֲנִינָא אֲשֶׁר יָצַר אֶתְכֶם בַּדִּין וְכִלְכֵּל אֶתְכֶם בַּדִּין. וְסִילֵּק אֶתְכֶם בַּדִּין. וְעָתִיד לְהַחֲיוֹתְכֶם בַּדִּין. הַיּוֹדֵעַ מִסְפַּרְכֶם הוּא יְגַלֶּה עָפָר מֵעֵינֵיכֶם. בָּרוּךְ מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִים: [הֲדָא דְתֵימַר] בְּמֵיתֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. אֲבָל בְּמֵיתֵי אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם אוֹמֵר בּוּשָׁה אִמְּכֶם מְאֹד חָֽפְרָה יוֹלַדְתְּכֶם וגוֹ׳׃ What says he who passes between graves¹⁴⁵The parallel in the Berakhot.58a">Babli (58a) quotes a baraita that parallels the statement of R. Ḥanina here. An addition in the name of Rav Naḥman gives the second text of R. Yoḥanan here. The conclusion is simply “He Who makes the dead live.” In the Tosephta (6:6), the text is that of R. Yoḥanan with the longer conclusion of R. Yoḥanan. The medieval quotes of these texts differ widely, cf. Diqduqe Soferim Berakhot p. 330, Toseftakifshutah Berakhot p. 109. It seems that the original benediction was simply: Praised are You, Eternal, Who makes the dead live. The longer texts are additions of Tannaïm of the last and Amoraïm of the first generations.? Praised are You, Eternal, Who makes the dead live. Rebbi Ḥiyya¹⁴⁶Here and in the following it is always R. Ḥiyya bar Abba. in the name of Rebbi Yoḥanan: Who is true to His word and makes the dead live. Rebbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rebbi Yoḥanan: He Who knows your number will wake you up and remove the dust from upon your eyes. Praised are You, Eternal, Who makes the dead live. Rebbi Eleazar in the name of Rebbi Ḥanina: Who created You by judgment, fed you by judgment, and removed you by judgment, He will in the future make you live by judgment. He Who knows your number will remove the dust from upon your eyes. Praised be He Who makes the dead live. That is, for Jewish dead. But for the dead of the Gentiles, he says (Jeremiah.50.12">Jer. 50:12): Your mother is very shameful, the one who bore you is ashamed¹⁴⁷The end of the verse is: “Lo, the future of the Gentiles is desert, wilderness and steppe,” not the blissful afterlife. The Babli quotes the same verse. ….

הָרוֹאֶה הַקֶּשֶׁת בֶּעָנָן אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי֨ זוֹכֵר הַבְּרִית. רִבִּי חִייָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן נֶאֱמָן בִּבְרִיתוֹ וְזוֹכֵר הַבְּרִית. He who sees the rainbow in the clouds says: Praised are You, Eternal, Who remembers the Covenant. Rebbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rebbi Yoḥanan: Who is faithful to His Covenant and remembers the Covenant¹⁴⁸This is the formulation of the Tosephta (6:5); the Berakhot.59a">Babli (59a) has a different formulation from a baraita. The formula is not original with R. Yoḥanan; he simply chose one among several that were current..

רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה כָּל־יָמָיו שֶׁל רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֵּן יוֹחַי לֹא נִרְאֲתָה הַקֶּשֶׁת בֶּעָנָן. רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה כֵּן הֲוָה רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי אוֹמֵר בִּקְעָה בִּקְעָה הִתְמַלְּאִי דִּינָרֵי זָהָב וְהָֽיְתָה מִתְמַלָּאה. רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה כֵּן הֲוָה רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי אוֹמֵר אֲנִי רָאִיתִי בְּנֵי הָעוֹלָם הָבָּא וּמוּעָטִים הֵן. אִין תְּלָתִין אִינּוּן אֲנָא וּבְרִי מִנְהוֹן. אִין תְּרֵין אִינּוּן אֲנָא וּבְרִי אִינּוּן. רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה כָּךְ הָיָה רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי אוֹמֵר יְקָרֵב אַבְרָהָם מִן גַּבֵּיהּ וְעַד גַּבַּיי. וַאֲנָא מִיקָרֵב מִן גַּבַיי וְעַד סוֹף כָּל־דָּרֵי. וְאִין לָא יְצָרֵף אֲחִיָּה הַשִּׁילוֹנִי עִמִּי וַאֲנָא מְקָרֵב כָּל־עַמָּא. Rebbi Ḥizqiah in the name of Rebbi Jeremiah: No rainbow was seen all the days of Rebbi Simeon ben Yoḥai¹⁴⁹Since the rainbow is a sign that God will not bring a deluge over humankind even though their misdeeds would justify it; one single perfectly just person does by his existence exclude the possibility of a deluge and, therefore, the rainbow does not have to appear in his lifetime. It follows that a person in whose lifetime (probably meaning, from age 20 and onward) a rainbow is sighted cannot be perfect. This paragraph is inserted as addition to the topic of the rainbow.. Rebbi Ḥizqiah in the name of Rebbi Jeremiah: Rebbi Simeon bar Yoḥai used to say, “Valley, valley, get filled with gold denars,” and it got filled¹⁵⁰Rebbi Simeon is the only Tanna (except Simeon ben Azai who died very young) about whom it is reported positively that he spent all his time in the study of Torah and did not earn money. Since it has been shown in the story of Jonathan ben Gershom that one may not take money from charity or contributions if one can avoid it at all, it is clear that he must have lived off his own money; otherwise he could not have been a just person.. Rebbi Ḥizqiah in the name of Rebbi Jeremiah: Rebbi Simeon bar Yoḥai used to say, I saw the people of the Future World and they are few¹⁵¹The Sukkah.45b">Babli (Sukkah 45b, Sanhedrin.97b">Sanhedrin 97b) explains that this refers only to the highest state attainable in the Future World. This is also implied by the rest of the paragraph where R. Simeon declares that he can bring practically everybody to the Future World. [It is obvious that in both places in the Babli, one has to read “Rebbi Ḥizqiah” instead of “Ḥizqiah” (in the current text), who would be the son of Rebbi Ḥiyya, preceding R. Jeremiah by two generations.]. If they are three, I and my son are of them. If they are two, they are me and my son. Rebbi Ḥizqiah in the name of Rebbi Jeremiah: Rebbi Simeon bar Yoḥai used to say, Abraham should bring near from his back to my back¹⁵²Rescue everybody from punishment and bring him to the Future world.; I shall bring near from my back to the end of all generations. Otherwise, Aḥiya from Shiloh¹⁵³Cf. Seder Olam, Chapter 1, end. should join me and I shall bring everybody near.

וְכִי מַה רָאוּ לִסְמוֹךְ בְּשׂוֹרוֹת טוֹבוֹת לִגְשָׁמִים. רִבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי לֵוִי עַל שֵׁם מַיִם קָרִים עַל נֶפֶשׁ עֲיֵיפָה שְׁמוּעָה טוֹבָה מֵאֶרֶץ מֶרְחָק. What reason did they have to take together¹⁵⁴In the Mishnah, having the same formula of thanks for good news and winter rain. good news and rains? Rebbi Berekhiah in the name of Rebbi Lewi: Because of (Proverbs.25.25">Pr. 25:25) “cold water on a weary person and good news from a distant land.”

וְכַמָּה גְשָׁמִים יֵרְדוּ וִיהֵא אָדָם צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ. רִבִּי חִייָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן בִּתְחִילָּה כְדֵי רְבִיעָה. וּבַסּוֹף כְּדֵי שֶּׁיּוּדְחוּ פָנֶיהָ. רִבִּי יַנַּאי בַּר יִשְׁמָעֵאל בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ בִּתְחִילָּה כְדֵי רְבִיעָה. וּלְבַסּוֹף כְּדֵי שֶּׁתִּשְׁרֶה הַמְּגוּפָה. וְיֵשׁ מְגּוּפָה נִשְׁרֵית. אֶלָּא רוֹאִין אוֹתָהּ כְּאִילּוּ הִיא שְׁרוּיָה. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בְשֵׁם רַב יְהוּדָה וְרִבִּי יוֹנָה וְרַב יְהוּדָה בְשֵׁם שְׁמוּאֵל בִּתְחִילָּה כְדֵי רְבִיעָה. וּלְבַסּוֹף אֲפִילוּ כָּל־שֶׁהוּא. רִבִּי יוֹסָה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי זְעִירָא לְהַפְסִיק תַּעֲנִית נֶאֱמְרָה. רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה וְרִבִּי נָחוּם וְרַב אָדָא [בַּר אֲבִימִי] הֲווּן יָֽתְבִין. אָמַר רִבִּי [נָחוּם] לְרַב אָדָא בַּר אֲבִימִי לֹא מִסְתַּבְּרָא לִבְרָכָה נֶאֱמְרָה. אָמַר לֵיהּ הִין. אָמַר רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה לְרַב אָדָא בַּר אֲבִימִי לֹא מִסְתַּבְּרָא לְהַפְסִיק תַּעֲנִית נֶאֱמְרָה. אָמַר לֵיהּ אִין. אָמַר לֵיהּ לָמָּה אָֽמַרְתָּ לֵיהּ הִין הָכִין. אָמַר לֵיהּ בְּשִׁיטַּת רִבִּי. אָמַר רִבִּי מָנָא לְרִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה מָנִי רַבֵּיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי זְעִירָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ וַאֲנָן אָֽמְרִינָן רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי זְעִירָא לְהַפְסִק תַּעֲנִית נֶאֱמְרָה. How¹⁵⁵The almost exact parallel is in Taanit 1:3:2-8" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Taanit.1.3.2-8">Taäniot 1:3, Bereshit rabba 13(16). The text here follows the one in Taänit where it is supported by the Rome manuscript. much rain should fall that a man is required to recite a benediction? Rebbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rebbi Yoḥanan: At the start¹⁵⁶After it was dry for at least thirty days (in the Middle East, usually for six months.), that it should fertilize¹⁵⁷The definition is discussed in the second paragraph after this one., at the end that the surface should be wet¹⁵⁸In Taänit and Bereshit rabba, “that a brick should be wet.”. Rebbi Yannai ben Ismael in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish: At the start, that it should fertilize, at the end that the seal of the amphora should be soaked¹⁵⁹Wine and oil were kept in clay amphoras (חבית) that were closed with clumps of clay. The measure is that the clay should become wet inside.. Is the seal ever soaked? But it is as if it were soaked. Rebbi Yose in the name of Rav Yehudah, Rebbi Jonah, Rav Yehudah in the name of Samuel: At the start, that it should fertilize, atthe end even a minimal amount. Rebbi Yose in the name of Rebbi Zeïra: It was said for fast days¹⁶⁰If there was a draught and a fast-day was decreed, when it has started to rain in the night before services begin in the synagogue, one stops and eats if there was enough rain to fertilize the earth. If they already started to recite the liturgy for fast days during daytime, then one stops according to one of the rules given above. [The Taanit.25b">Babli, Taänit 25b, knows only of the rule of fertilizing.]. Rebbi Ḥizqiah, Rebbi Naḥum, and Rav Ada bar Abimi¹⁶¹He is mentioned only here. were sitting. Rebbi Naḥum said to Rav Ada bar Abimi: Is it not reasonable that this was said for the benediction; he answered: Yes. Rebbi Ḥizqiah said to Rav Ada bar Abimi: Is it not reasonable that this was said for fast days; he answered: Yes. He said to him, why did you say “yes” here? He said to him, it is the argumentation of my teacher. Rebbi Mana asked Rebbi Ḥizqiah, who is his teacher? He said to him, Rebbi Zeïra. He said to him, but we say: Rebbi Yose in the name of Rebbi Zeïra: It was said for fast days¹⁶²The rules have been formulated for fast days only..

רַב יְהוּדָה בַּר יְחֶזְקְאֵל אָמַר אַבָּא מְבָרֵךְ עַל יְרִידַת גְּשָׁמִים יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ וְיִתְבָּרַךְ וְיִתְרוֹמַם שִׁמְךָ מַלְכֵּינוּ עַל כָּל־טִיפָּה וְטִיפָּה שֶׁאַתְּ מוֹרִיד לָנוּ שֶׁאַתְּ מַמְנִיעָן זוּ מִזּוּ. כִּי יְגָרַע נִטְפֵי מָיִם. כְּמַה דְאַתְּ אָמַר וְנִגְרַע מֵעֶרְכֶּךָ. אָמַר רִבִּי יוּדָן וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁהוּא מוֹרִידָן בְּמִידָּה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וּמַיִם תִּיכֵּן בְּמִידָּה. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר יַעֲקֹב סְלַק מְבַקְּרָה רִבִּי יוּדָן מִגְדָּלָיָא. עַד דַּהֲוָא תַּמָּן נָחַת מִיטְרָא וְשָׁמַע קָלֵיהּ אָמַר אֶלֶף אֲלָפִין וְרִיבֵּי רִיבְווָן חַייָבִין לְהוֹדוֹת לִשְׁמָךְ מַלְכֵּינוּ עַל כָּל־טִיפָּה וְטִיפָּה שֶׁאַתְּ מוֹרִיד לָנוּ שֶׁאַתְּ גּוֹמֵל טוֹבָה לַחַייָבִים. אֲמַר לֵיהּ הֲדָא מְנָא לָךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ הָכִין הֲוָה רִבִּי סִימוֹן מְבָרֵךְ עַל יְרִידַת גְּשָׁמִים. Rav Yehudah bar Ezechiel¹⁶³He is Rav Yehudah who is frequently quoted in both Talmudim. The texts given are only an introduction to the doxology required by the Mishnah, “He Who is good and does good.” In the Taanit.6b">Babli (Taänit 6b), Rav Yehudah quotes a shorter text in the name of Rav. A longer text, patterned on the benediction after the recitation of Psalms on Sabbath and holidays with a different final doxology, is reported there in the name of R. Yoḥanan. It seems that long texts were never accepted in Galilee. said, my father used to recite for rainfall: May Your Name be magnified, sanctified, praised, and elevated, our King, for every drop that You bring down to us, and you make them refrain one from the other. (Job.36.27">Job 36:27) “For He reduces water drippings;” as one says (Leviticus.27.18">Lev. 27:18): “Your value will be reduced.” Rebbi Yudan said, not only that, but He brings them down in measure, as it is said (Job.28.25">Job 28:25): “Water He determined by measure.” Rebbi Yose bar Jacob¹⁶⁴He always is quoted together with R. Yudan of Migdal; he might be R. Yose bar Jacob bar Idi mentioned in Midrashim. went to visit Rebbi Yudan from Migdal¹⁶⁵An Amora of the fourth generation, living in Migdal Nunia North of Tiberias.. While he was there, rain started to come down and he heard his (R. Yudan’s) voice saying: Thousands of thousands and myriads of myriads we are obliged to thank Your Name, our King, for every drop that You bring down to us, for You do good things for the guilty ones. He said to him: From where do you have this? He said to him: This is the benediction that Rebbi Simon recited for rainfall.

וְכַמָּה גְּשָׁמִים יֵרְדוּ וִיהֵא בָּהֶן כְּדֵי רְבִיעָה מְלֹא כֵלִי מַחֲזִיק שְׁלֹשָׁה טְפָחִים דִּבְרֵי רִבִּי מֵאִיר. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר בַּתְּחִילָּה טֶפַח וּבַשְּׁנִיָּיה שְׁנֵי טְפָחִים וּבַשְּׁלִישִׁית שְׁלֹשָׁה טְפָחִים. תַּנִּי רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר אֵין לְךָ טֶפַח יוֹרֵד מִלְּמַעֲלָה שֶׁאֵין הָאָרֶץ מַעֲלָה כְּנֶגְדּוֹ שְׁנֵי טְפָחִים מַאי טַעֲמָא תְּהוֹם אֶל תְּהוֹם קוֹרֵא לְקוֹל צִינּוֹרֶיךָ. How¹⁶⁶There are two parallel traditions, both of Galilean origin. The text here is almost identical with Tosephta Taäniot 1:4. In the Taanit.25b">Babli (Taänit 25b) and the Yerushalmi source Bereshit rabba 13(13), Rebbi Meïr is reported to require that the rains penetrate the depth of the penetration of the plough-share (which is assumed to be three hand-breadths,) whereas R. Yehudah says that for dry earth, one hand-breadth was enough, for average ground two hand-breadths, and for well worked ground, three hand-breadths. If these are two equivalent formulations, then the text here has to be interpreted in the light of the text in Babli/Midrash: Not that R. Meïr requires a rainfall of three hand-breadths (10.8 inches) in one storm (or R. Yehudah rainfalls of 3.6, 7.2, 10.8 inches, respectively) but that the moisture has to penetrate the earth to the depth indicated. In that case, “dry earth” is simply the earth after the rainless summer months, average earth is the earth after the first winter storms, and well worked ground is the earth after an uninterrupted rain of seven days (the first, second, and third fertilizing periods in the language of Tosephta Taäniot 1:4). R. Simeon ben Eleazar seems to object to both R. Meïr and R. Yehudah because rain will make the ground water level rise by twice the amount of rain water; hence, moisture in the ground can come from below as well as from above. One must assume that in the Yerushalmi also the measurements are those of moist spots in the earth and not of rainfall in the modern sense. much rain should fall that it is considered fertilizing? If it fills a vessel of three hand-breadths, the words of Rebbi Meïr. Rebbi Yehudah says, the first rainfall one hand-breadth, the second one two hand breadths, and the third one three hand-breadths. It has been stated: Rebbi Simeon ben Eleazar says, there is no hand-breadth that falls from above that the earth does not raise two hand-breadths towards it. What is the reason? (Psalms.42.8">Ps. 42:8) “The deep calls to the deep¹⁶⁷Rashi explains in Babli Taänit that clouds also are called “deep”. by the sound of Your water spouts.”

וְאָמַר רִבִּי לֵוִי הַמַּיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים זְכָרִים וְתַחְתּוֹנִים נְקֵבוֹת. מַה טַעַם תִּפְתַּח אֶרֶץ. כִּנְקֵבָה הַזֹּאת שֶׁהִיא פוֹתַחַת לִפְנֵי הַזָּכָר. וְיִפְרוּ יֶשַׁע. זוּ פִּרְיָה וְרִבְיָיה. וּצְדָקָה תַצְמִיחַ יַחַד. זוּ יְרִידַת הַגְּשָׁמִים. כִּי אֲנִי יי֨ בְּרָאתִיו. לְכַךְ בְּרָאתִיהָ לְתִיקוּנוֹ וּלְיִישּׁוּבוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם. רִבִּי אָחָא תַנִּי לָהּ בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָהּ רְבִיעָה שֶׁהִיא רוֹבַעַת אֶת הָאָרֶץ. And Rebbi Levi said: The upper waters are male and the lower ones female. What is the reason? (Isaiah.45.8">Is. 45:8)¹⁶⁸The verse starts: “The heavens should pour down from high, and the skies should flow with justice,” speaking of rain. The Babli has two contradictory sermons in this matter. Rav Yehudah is reported in Taanit.6b">Taänit 6b that rain is the earth’s husband because in Isaiah.55.10">Is. 55:10 it is said that rain makes the earth give birth, while Rebbi Abbahu (there and Berakhot.59b">Berakhot 59b) says that a benediction is recited only if “the bridegroom goes towards the bride,” meaning that drops jump up from the earth towards the descending rain. [This is the traditional interpretation, given by Ashkenazic Rabbenu Gershom and Sephardic Rabbenu Ḥanan‘el. Rashi, sensing the apparent contradiction, has a prosaic interpretation, that on both sides of the street the gutters will spout water one towards the other.] “The earth shall open,” like a female who opens before a male; “they should bear fruit of help,” that is being fruitful and multiplying; “and justice shall sprout together,” that is rainfall; “I, the Eternal, did create it,” for that I created it, for the well-being of the world. Rebbi Aḥa stated it in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Gamliel¹⁶⁹This is the end of Rebbi Simeon ben Eleazar’s text in Tosephta Taäniot. In the Taanit.6b">Babli (Taänit 6b), this passage appears as a statement of the Amora Rebbi Abbahu.: Why is it called “fertilizing,” because it impregnates the earth.

רִבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר יַקָּא בְּשֵׁם רַב יְהוּדָה שׁוֹרְשֵׁי חִיטָּה בּוֹקְעִין בָּאָרֶץ חֲמִשִּׁים אַמָּה. שׁוֹרְשֵׁי תְאֵינָה רַכִּים בּוֹקְעִין בַּצּוּר. תַּנִּי רִבִּי יִשְׁמָעְאֵל בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר אֵין הָאָרֶץ שׁוֹתָה אֶלָּא לְפִי חִיסּוּמָהּ. אִם כֵּן מַה יַעֲשֶׂה שׁוֹרְשֵׁי חָרוּב. מָה יַעֲשׂוּ שׁוֹרְשֵׁי שִׁקְמָה. אָמַר רִבִּי חֲנִינָא אַחַת לִשְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם תְּהוֹם עוֹלֶה וּמַשְׁקֶה אוֹתוֹ. וּמַה טַעַם אֲנִי יי֨ נוֹצְרָהּ לִרְגָּעִים אַשְׁקֶנָּה. Rebbi Ḥanina bar Yaqqa¹⁷⁰A Galilean Amora of the third generation who studied under Rav Yehudah in Babylonia and only reports sayings of Rav Yehudah. The paragraph has three parallels, Taanit 1:3:2-8" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Taanit.1.3.2-8">Yerushalmi Taäniot 1:3, Avodah zarah 3:6, Midrash Bereshit rabba 13(19). In Taäniot, the name is R. Ḥanania bar Yaqqa, in Avodah zarah it is R. Ḥaninah bar Yasa, and in the Midrash it is R. Ḥanina ben R. ‘Izqa in the name of Rebbi (!) Yehudah. in the name of Rav Yehudah: The roots of wheat split the earth to a depth of 50 cubits. The soft roots of a fig tree split rock. It has been stated: Rebbi Ismael ben Eleazar¹⁷¹In Taäniot and Avodah zara, as well as here in the Rome ms., correctly R. Simeon ben Eleazar; in the printed Midrash R. Eleazar ben R. Simeon, R. Simeon ben Eleazar in manuscripts. says, the earth drinks only according to its hardness¹⁷²The harder the soil, the less it is penetrated by moisture.. If this is so, what do the roots of the carob do? What do the roots of the sycamore do¹⁷³These trees grow mainly wild, mostly in places unsuited for more delicate fruit trees because of the hardness of the soil. Their roots are very deep.? Rebbi Ḥanina said, once every thirty days the abyss wells up and drenches them. What is the reason? (Isaiah.27.3">Is. 27:3) “I, the Eternal, watch over it¹⁷⁴The desirable vineyard. and water it in moments.”

אָמַר רִבִּי זְעִירָא תַּנִּי תַמָּן רָאָה זוֹל בָּא לָעוֹלָם וְשׂוֹבַע בָּא לָעוֹלָם נָהָר מַסְפִּיק לִמְדִינָה אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ הַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב. Rebbi Zeïra¹⁷⁵Here starts the discussion of the last part of the Mishnah, what to recite for good news and what for bad news. One has first to define good and bad news. said, it is stated there¹⁷⁶In Babylonia.: If one notices cheapness¹⁷⁷Falling prices for consumers, disinflation. coming to the world, plenty coming to the world, or a river supplying¹⁷⁸A river (or, in Babylonian terms, an arm of a river) changing its course and now suppliying a town with flowing water when before they had to draw water from wells. In Israel, rivers are not fed by melting snow, so this kind of spring flood does not happen there; it is truly a Babylonian formulation. a city, one recites: He Who is good and does good.

אָֽמְרוּ לוֹ מֵת אָבִיו. אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ דַּייָן הָאֱמֶת. מֵת וְהוֹרִישׁוֹ אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ הַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב. If he was told that his father had died, he says: “Praise to the True Judge.” He died and made him an heir, he says: “Praise to Him Who is good and does good¹⁸⁰Here starts the discussion of the last part (in the Mishnah collection, Berakhot 9:3:1" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Berakhot.9.3.1">Mishnah 4)..”