משנה: בִּשְׁלשָׁה בְּמַרְחֶשְׁוָן שׁוֹאֲלִין אֶת הַגְּשָׁמִים. רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר בְּשִׁבְעָה בוֹ חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם אַחַר הֶחָג כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּגִּיעַ הָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לִנְהַר פְּרָת. MISHNAH: On the Third of Marḥeshwan121The eighth Month of the year, counting from Nisan. one prays for rain. Rabban Gamliel says on the Seventh of the month, fifteen days after Tabernacles, so that the last of the Jews may reach the river Euphrates122Then he is in Mesopotamia where rains start only at the end of November; he is not hindered by rains falling near the coast of the Meditteranean..
הלכה: מַתְנִיתָא דְרִבִּי מֵאִיר. דְּתַנֵּי. אֵי זֶהוּ זְמַנָּהּ שֶׁלְרְבִיעָה. רִבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר. הַבְּכִירָה בִשְׁלֹשָׁה וְהַבֵּינוֹנִית בְּשִׁבְעָה וְהָאֲפֵילָה בְשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר. רִבִּי יוּדָה אוֹמֵר. הַבְּכִירָה בְּשִׁבְעָה וְהַבֵּינוֹנִית בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר וְהָאֲפֵילָה בְעֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה. רִבִּי יוֹסֵה אוֹמֵר. הַבְּכִירָה בְשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר וְהַבֵּינוֹנִית בְּעֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה וְהָאֲפֵילָה בִשְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם. שֶׁכֵּן מָצָאנוּ שֶׁאֵין הַיְּחִידִים מַתְחִילִין לְהִתְעַנּוֹת אֶלָּא בְרֹאשׁ חוֹדֶשׁ כִּסְלֵיו. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּמָרִי אָחוֹי דְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי. הַכֹּל מוֹדִים בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר שֶׁהוּא זְמַן כִּימָה לִשְׁקֹעַ. שֶׁבּוֹ יָרַד מַבּוּל לָעוֹלָם. מַה טַעַם. בַּיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֗ה נִבְקְעוּ֙ כָּל־מַעְייְנוֹת תְּה֣וֹם רַבָּ֔ה. רִבִּי אַבָּא בַּר זְמִינָא רִבִּי לָֽעְזָר בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה. הֲלָכָה כְמִי שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר. בִּשְׁלשָׁה בְּמַרְחֶשְׁוָן שׁוֹאֲלִין אֶת הַגְּשָׁמִים. וְלָמָּה לֹא אָמַר. כְּרִבִּי מֵאִיר. אִית תַּנָּיֵי תַנֵּי וּמַחֲלִף. HALAKHAH: The Mishnah is Rebbi Meïr’s, as it was stated, 123Taanit.6a">Babli 6a, Nedarim.63a">Nedarim63a; Tosephta 1:3.“what is the time of rainfall? Rebbi Meïr says, the early one on the Third, the average one on the Seventh, and the late one on the Seventeenth. Rebbi Jehudah says, the early one on the Seventh, the average on on the Seventeenth, and the late one on the Twenty-third. Rebbi Yose said, the early one on the Seventeenth, the average one on the Twenty-third, and the late one on the Thirtieth day124The 30th day after the first of Marḥeshwan, which may be the first of Kislev., since we find that particular people125The community leaders start to fast in a year of drought; Mishnah 5. In the Tosephta this is formulated as a statement of R. Yose, contradicting Mishnah 5. only start to fast on the New Moon of Kislev.” Rebbi Abbamari, the brother of Rebbi Yose, said: everybody agrees that the Seventeenth is the time for the pleiads to disappear126Since the pleiads are visible only in summer. Cf. Berakhot.59a">Babli Berakhot59a. Babli Roš Haššanah11b., since on it the Deluge came over the world. What is the reason? On this day all sources of the deep abyss were opened127Genesis.7.11">Gen. 7:11. In the verse, the date is “the 17th day of the Second Month.”. Rebbi Abba bar Zamina, Rebbi Eleazar in the name of Rebbi Hoshaia: Practice follows him who says, “on the Third of Marḥeshwan one prays for rain”128Denied in the Taanit.6a">Babli, 6a.. And why did he not say, following Rebbi Meïr? There are Tannaim who switch129The tradition of names here, in the Tosephta and the Babli is not beyond dispute..
כַּמָּה גְשָׁמִים יֵרְדוּ וִיהֵא אָדָם צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ. רִבִּי חִייָה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. כַּתְּחִילָּה כְדֵי רְבִיעָה. וּבַסּוֹף כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּדוּחוּ פְנֵי הַקִּרְמִיד. רִבִּי יַנַּיי בֵירִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ. כַּתְּחִילָּה כְדֵי רְבִיעָה. וּבַסּוֹף כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּשְׁרֶה הַמְּגוּפָה. וְיֵשׁ מְגוּפָה נִשְׁרִית. אֶלָּא רוֹאִין אוֹתָהּ כְּאִילּוּ הִיא שְׁרוּייָה. רִבִּי יוֹסֵה בְשֵׁם רַב יְהוּדָה רִבִּי יוֹנָה רַב יְהוּדָה בְשֵׁם שְׁמוּאֵל. כַּתְּחִילָּה כְדֵי רְבִיעָה. וּלְבַסּוֹף אֲפִילוּ כָּל־שֶׁהוּא. רִבִּי יוֹסֵה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי זְעוּרָה. לְהֶפְסֵק תַּעֲנִית נֶאֶמְרָה. רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה וְרִבִּי נָחוּם וְרַב אָדָא בַּר אִיכּוּמָא הֲווֹן יְתִיבִין. אָמַר רִבִּי נָחוּם לְרַב אָדָא בַּר אִיכּוּמָא. לֹא מִסְתַּבְּרָא לִבְרָכָה נֶאֶמְרָה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. אִין. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. וְלָמָּה אָמַרְתָּ לֵיהּ אָכֵין. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. דְּהוּא נְהִיג בְּשִׁיטַּת רַבֵּיהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי מָנָא לְרִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה. מָנוּ רַבֵּיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. רִבִּי זְעוּרָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. [אַף] אֲנָן אָֽמְרִין. רִבִּי יוֹסֵה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי זְעוּרָה. לְהֶפְסֵק תַּעֲנִית נֶאֶמְרָה. How130The text almost to the end of the Halakhah also appears in Berakhot 9:2:20" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Berakhot.9.2.20">Berakhot9:3 (Notes 155–162, ב) and partially in Gen. rabba13(16). much rain should fall that a man is required to recite a benediction? Rebbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: At the start131If in a year of drought a public fast was proclaimed and before the start of the fast it rained, everybody agrees that the fast is cancelled if the rain has agricultural use. (This is the only criterion known to the Taanit.25b">Babli, 25b.) If one started to fast, one interrupts the fast according to one of the criteria “at the end”., that it should fertilize, at the end that a brick should be soaked132That a brick should become soft from the rain. The Arabic dictionary translates קרמיד by “(fired) brick, roof tile; plaster of Paris.”. Rebbi Yannai ben Rebbi 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 soaked. Is the seal ever soaked133Are these statements only phrases which hide the fact that a fast for rain which has started is never interrupted? The fast will be interrupted for a real downpour.? But it is as if it were soaked. Rebbi Yose in the name of Rav Jehudah, Rebbi Jonah, Rav Jehudah in the name of Samuel: At the start, that it should fertilize, at the end even a minimal amount. Rebbi Yose in the name of Rebbi Ze`ira: It was said for the interruption of fasting134Even though the question was asked about the benediction required by Berakhot 9:5:13" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Berakhot.9.5.13">Mishnah Berakhot9:3, the statements are about aborting a fast announced in a drought. The implication is that the benediction, or alternative prayer as described in the next paragraph, is required if the amount of initial rainfall is of agricultural significance.. Rebbi Ḥizqiah, Rebbi Naḥum, and Rav Ada bar (Ikoma) <abimi>135The name <used in <i>Berakhot> is to be adopted here also. were sitting. Rebbi Naḥum said to Rav Ada bar (Ikoma) <abimi>: Is it not reasonable that this was said for the benediction; he answered: Yes. 136Added from ב, needed but missing here because of homeoteleuton.<rebbi Ḥizqiah said to rav ada bar (ikoma) <abimi>: Is it not reasonable that this was said for the interruption of fasting; he answered: Yes.> He said to him, why did you say “yes” here? He said to him, because he follows the argumentation of his teacher. Rebbi Mana asked Rebbi Ḥizqiah, who is his teacher? He said to him, Rebbi Ze`ira. He said to him, so we are saying: Rebbi Yose in the name of Rebbi Ze`ira: It was said for the interruption of fasting.
רַב יְהוּדָה בַּר יְחֶזְקְאֵל אָמַר. הָכֵין הֲוָה יְחֶזְקֵאל אַבָּא מְבָרֵךְ עַל יְרִידַת גְּשָׁמִים. יִתְגַּדַּל יִתְקַדַּשׁ יִתְבָּרַךְ יִתְרוֹמַם שִׁמְךָ מַלְכֵּינוּ עַל כָּל־טִיפָּה וְטִיפָּה שֶׁאַתְּ מוֹרִיד לָנוּ. שֶׁאַתְּ מַמְנִיעָן זוֹ מִזּוֹ. [שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר] כִּ֭י יְגָרַ֣ע נִטְפֵי־מָ֑יִם יָזוֹקּוּ מָטָ֣ר לְאֵידוֹ. כְּמַה דְאַתְּ אָמַר וְנִגְרַ֖ע מֵֽעֶרְכֶּֽךָ׃ אָמַר רִבִּי יוּדָן אָבוֹי דְרִבִּי מַתַּנְיָה. וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁהוּא מוֹרִידָן בְּמִידָּה. [שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר] וּ֝מַ֗יִם תִּיכֵּן בְּמִידָּה׃ רִבִּי יוֹסֵה בַּר יַעֲקֹב סְלַק מְבַקְּרָה לְרִבִּי יוּדָן מוּגְדָּלַיָּא. עַד דְּהוּא תַמָּן נְחַת מִיטְרָא. שְׁמַע קָלֵיהּ אֲמַר. אֶלֶף אֲלָפִים אָנוּ חַייָבִין לְהוֹדוֹת לִשְׁמָךְ מַלְכֵּינוּ עַל כָּל־טִיפָּה וְטִיפָּה שֶׁאַתְּ מוֹרִיד לָנוּ. שֶׁאַתְּ גּוֹמֵל טוֹבָה לַחַייָבִים. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. הָדָא מְנָן לָךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. הָכֵין הֲוָה רִבִּי סִימוֹן רִבִּי מְבָרֵךְ עַל יְרִידַת גְּשָׁמִים. Rav Jehudah bar Ezechiel137He is Rav Jehudah, frequently mentioned in both Talmudim. said, so was my father Ezechiel 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 other138Differently in the Taanit.6b">Babli 6b.. [As it is said,] for He reduces water drippings; they combine as rain for a flood139Job.36.27">Job36:27., as one says, the valuation will be reduced140Leviticus.27.18">Lev.27:18.. Rebbi Yudan, the father of Rebbi Mattaniah, said, not only that, but He brings them down in measure, as it is said: Water He determined by measure141Job.28.25">Job28:25..” Rebbi Yose bar Jacob went to visit Rebbi Yudan from Migdal. While he was there, rain started to come down and he heard his voice saying: Thousands of thousands 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 him142R. Yose bar Jacob to R. Yudan from Magdala.: From where do you have this? He said to him: This is the benediction that Rebbi Simon recited for rainfall.
וְכַמָּה גְשָׁמִים יֵרְדוּ וִיהֵא בָהֶם כְּדֵי רְבִיעָה. מְלֹא כְלִי מַחֲזִיק שָׁלֹשׁ טְפָחִים. דִּבְרֵי רִבִּי מֵאִיר. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר. בַּתְּחִילָּה טֶפַח. וּבַשְּׁנִייָה טְפָחַיִים. וּבַשְּׁלִישִׁית שְׁלֹשָׁה טְפָחִים. תַּנֵּי. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר. אֵין לָךְ טֶפַח שֶׁהוּא יוֹרֶד מִלְּמַעֲלָן שֶׁאֵין הָאָרֶץ מַַעֲלָה טְפָחַיִים כְּנֶגְדּוֹ. וּמַה טַעַם. תְּה֚וֹם אֶל־תְּה֣וֹם ק֭וֹרֵא לְק֣וֹל צִינּוֹרֶיךָ. How much rain should fall that it is considered fertilizing143The root רבע of רְבִיעָה may mean either “to lie down”, as an Aramaism parallel to Hebrew רבץ, or it may have the same sexual connotation as the synonym שכב. Therefore רְבִיעָה either may be interpreted as the rain which “lies down” on the earth and moistens it for agricultural use or as “fertilizing”.
There are two parallel traditions, both of Galilean origin. The text here is almost identical with Tosephta 1:4. In the Taanit.25b">Babli (25b) and the Yerushalmi source Gen. rabba13(13), Rebbi Meïr is reported to require that the rains penetrate the depth of the penetration of the ploughs̮hare (which is assumed to be three hand-breadths,) whereas R. Yehudah says that for dry earth, one handb̮readth was enough, for average ground two handb̮readths, and for well worked ground, three handb̮readths. 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 handb̮readths (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 Taaniot 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.? If it fills a vessel of three handb̮readths, the words of Rebbi Meïr. Rebbi Yehudah says, the first rainfall one handb̮readth, the second one two hand breadths, and the third one three handb̮readths. It has been stated144Tosephta 1:4.: Rebbi Simeon ben Eleazar says, there is no handb̮readths that falls from above that the earth does not raise two handb̮readths towards it. What is the reason? The deep calls to the deep by the sound of Your water spouts145Psalms.42.8">Ps.42:8. Rashi explains in Babli Taanit that clouds also are called “deep”. The Targum to Ps. reads: The upper abyss calls to the lower abyss by the sound of the sprinkling of your channels (Rashi Ps. in Romance: tes canales.).
אָמַר רִבִּי לֵוִי. הַמַּיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים זְכָרִים וְהַתַּחְתּוֹנִים נְקֵבוֹת. מַה טַעַם. תִּפְתַּח־אֶ֣רֶץ וְיִפְרוּ־יֶ֗שַׁע. תִּפְתַּח־אֶ֣רֶץ. כִּנְקֵיבָה הַזֹּאת שֶׁהִיא פוֹתַחַת לִפְנִי הַזָּכָר. וְיִפְרוּ־יֶ֗שַׁע. זוֹ פִרְייָה וְרִבְייָה. וּצְדָקָ֤ה תַצְמִ֨יחַ֙. זוֹ יְרִידַת גְּשָׁמִים. אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָה֭ בְּרָאתִֽיו׃ לְכָךְ בְּרָאתִיו. לְתִיקּוּנוֹ וּלְיִישׁוּבוֹ שֶׁלְעוֹלָם. רִבִּי אָחָא. וְתַנֵּי לָהּ בְשֵׁם רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל. וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָהּ רְבִיעָה. שֶׁהִיא רוֹבַעַת אֶת הָאָרֶץ. Rebbi Levi said: The upper waters are male and the lower ones female. What is the reason? The earth shall open, they shall bear fruit of help145aThe 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 Jehudah is reported in 6b that rain is the earth's husband because in Is. 55:10 it is said that rain makes the earth give birth, while Rebbi Abbahu (there and 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 North- African Rabbenu Hanan`el. Rashi, sensing the apparent contradiction to R. Levi’s statement, 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, that is rainfall; I, the Eternal, did create it, for this purpose I created it, for the wellb̮eing of the world. Rebbi Aḥa stated it in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Gamliel146This is the end of Rebbi Simeon ben Eleazar’s text in Tosephta 1:4. In the Taanit.6b">Babli 6b, this passage appears as a statement of the Amora Rebbi Abbahu. The statement also is quoted in Ševi`it9:7 (Note 101), Nedarim 8:5:3" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Nedarim.8.5.3">Nedarim8:6 (Note 73).: Why is it called “fertilizing”? Because it impregnates the earth.
רִבִּי חֲנִינָה בַּר יַקָּה בְשֵׁם רַב יְהוּדָה. שׁוֹרְשֵׁי חִיטָּה בּוֹקְעִין בָּאָרֶץ חֲמִשִּׁים אַמָּה. שָׁרְשֵׁי תְאֵינָה רַכִּין בּוֹקְעִין בַּצּוּר. אִם כֵּן מַה יַעֲשׂוּ שָׁרְשֵׁי חָרוּב וְשָׁרְשֵׁי שִׁקְמָה. אָמַר רִבִּי חֲנִינָה. אַחַת לִשְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם הַתְּהוֹם עוֹלֶה וּמַשְׁקֶה אוֹתָהּ. מַה טַעַם. אֲנִ֤י יי נֽוֹצְרָהּ לִרְגָעִ֖ים אַשְׁקֶ֑נָּה. [תַּנֵּי. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאֵין הָאָרֶץ שׁוֹתָה אֶלָּא לְפִי חִיסּוּמָהּ.] 147This paragraph also is copied in Avodah zarah3:6, Notes 152–153. Like the entire series here it seems that the origin is in Gen. rabba13. Rebbi Ḥanina bar Yaqqa in the name of Rav Jehudah148In all readable sources of Gen. rabba“Rebbi Jehudah”. In the Genizah fragment published by M. Sokoloff (Jerusalem 1982), “… bar `Iqa, R. Berekhia in the name of Rebbi Jehudah.”: The roots of wheat split the earth to a depth of 50 cubits. The soft roots of a fig tree split rock. If this is so, what do the roots of the carob or the roots of the sycamore do149Which grow on hard soil unfit for agriculture.? Rebbi Ḥanina150In the Gen. rabba fragment: R. Levi. said, once every thirty days the abyss wells up and drenches them. What is the reason? I, the Eternal, watch over it151The desirable vineyard. and water it in152Isaiah.27.3">Is. 27:3..” [It has been stated: Rebbi Simeon ben Eleazar says, the earth drinks only according to its hardness.153Corrector’s addition from the parallel sources. In the ms. sources of Gen. rabba the name is as given here; in the Midrash prints R. Eleazar ben R. Simeon; in Berakhot R. Ismael ben Eleazar.]
תַּנֵּי. אִם הָֽיְתָה הַשָּׁנָה חֲסֵירָה נוֹתְנִין לָהּ חֶסְרוֹנָהּ. וְאִם לָאו הוֹלְכִין אַחַר סִידְרָהּ. דִּבְרֵי רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל. רִבִּי אוֹמֵר. לְעוֹלָם הוֹלְכִין אַחַר סִידְרָהּ. אִם הָֽיְתָה הַשָּׁנָה מְעוּבֶּרֶת הוֹלְכִין אַחַר עִיבּוּרָהּ. מִחְלְפָה שִׁיטָּתִיהּ דְּרִבִּי. תַּמָּן הוּא אָמַר. אַחַר סִידְרָהּ. וָכָא הוּא אָמַר. אַחַר עִיבּוּרָהּ. רִבִּי זְעוּרָה רִבִּי יָסָא רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב יִצְחָק מַטֵּי בָהּ בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. לְבַסּוֹף נִצְרְכָה. 154Tosephta 1:2. There the name tradition is switched. From the Yerushalmi text, practice follows Rebbi.“If the year was deficient, one makes up for the deficiency155If the lunar year makes the fall festivals early in the solar year, one waits with praying for rain until two weeks after the fall equinox, in order not to pray for unnatural acts of nature. Following Rebbi one starts early in Marḥeshwan, irrespective of the solar date.; otherwise one follows its order, the words of Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel. Rebbi says, one always follows its order. If the year was intercalary, one follows its intercalation.” The argument of Rebbi seems inverted. There he says, one follows its order. And here he says, after its intercalation. Rebbi Ze`ira, Rebbi Yasa, Rebbi Samuel ben Rav Isaac brings it in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan, this was needed for the end156The month after the intercalary, the second Adar, as well as the first two weeks of Nisan, always are a time to pray for rain. One stops only on the 15th of Nisan, irrespective of the solar date..