משנה: וְכֵן עִיר שֶׁיֶּשׁ בָּהּ דֶּבֶר אוֹ מַפּוֹלֶת אוֹתָהּ הָעִיר מִתְעַנָּה וּמַתְרַעַת וְכָל־ סְבִיבוֹתֶיהָ מִתְעַנּוֹת וְלֹא מַתְרִיעוֹת. רִבִּי עֲקִיבָה אוֹמֵר מַתְרִיעוֹת וְלֹא מִתְעַנּוֹת. MISHNAH: Similarly, a town in which there is an epidemic or a building collapse, this town fasts and blows the shofar, and all its surroundings21While they have crops, they are at risk since the increased demand from the town without crops will drive prices higher. fast but do not blow the shofar; Rebbi Aqiba says they blow the shofar but do not fast.
הלכה: מוֹתְנָא הֲוָה בְצִיפּוֹרִין. לֹא הֲוָה עֲלִיל גַּו אִשְׁקָקָה דַהֲוָה רִבִּי חֲנִינָה שְׁרֵי בְגַוֵּיהּ. וַהֲווֹן צִיפּוֹרָאֵיי אָֽמְרִין. מָה הַהֵן סַבָּא בֵינְכִי וִיתָב שְׁלֵם הוּא וּשְׁכוּנְתֵיהּ וּמְדִינְתָא אָֽזְלָא בְבָאִישׁוּת. עָאַל וַאֲמַר קוֹמֵיהוֹן. זִמְרִי אֶחָד הָיָה בְדוֹרוֹ וְנָֽפְלוּ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה אֶלֶף. וְאָנוּ כַמָּה זִמְרִי יֵשׁ בְדוֹרֵינוּ וְאַתֵּם מִתְרַעֲמִין. HALAKHAH: There was an epidemic in Sepphoris but it did not touch the avenue where Rebbi Ḥanina was dwelling. The Sepphoreans were saying, why is this old man amongst us sitting in peace while the neighborhood and the town is ruined? He came to preach and said before them: There was one Zimry in his generation but 24’000 fell of Israel38Num. 25:9,14. Zimri’s sin was to sleep with a non-Jewish woman who offered herself to him.. But we, how many Zimry are in our generation39Visiting the bordellos in Roman Sepphoris. and you are complaining?
חַד זְמַן צָֽרְכוּן מֵיעֲבַד תַּעֲנִי וְלָא נְחַת מִיטְרָא. עֲבַד רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ [תַּעֲנִיתָא] בִּדְרוֹמָא וּנְחַת מִטְרָא. וַהֲווֹן צִיפּוֹרָאֵיי אָֽמְרִין. רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי מְחִית מִיטְרָא לַדְּרוּמָאיֵי. וְרִבִּי חֲנִינָה עֲצַר מַיָּא מִן צִיפּוֹרָאייֵ. צָֽרְכוּן מֵיעֲבַד זְמַן תִּינְייָנוּת. שְׁלַח וְאַייְתֵי לְרִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. מִישְׁגַּח מָרִי מֵיפּוּק עִימָּן לְהִתְעַנּוֹת. נַפְקוּן תְּרֵיהוֹן לְתַעֲנִיתָא וְלָא נְחַת מִיטְרָא. עָאַל וַאֲמַר קוֹמֵיהוֹן. לָא רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי מְחִית מִיטְרָא לַדְּרוֹמָאייֵ וְלָא רִבִּי חֲנִינָה עֲצַר מִיטְרָא מִן צִיפּוֹרָאיֵי. אֶלָּא דְרוֹמָאייֵ לִיבְּהוֹן רַכִּיךְ וּשְׁמָעִין מִילָּה דְאוֹרַייָא וּמִתְכַּנְעִין. וְצִיפּוֹרָאייֵ לִיבְּהוֹן קַשִּׁי וּשְׁמָעִין מִילָּה דְאוֹרַייָא וְלָא מִיתְכַּנְעִין. מִי עֲלִיל תְּלָה עֵינוֹי וַחֲמָא אֲוֵירָא שַׁייָף אֲמַר. עַד כְּדוֹן הָכֵין. מִיַּד נְחַת מִיטְרָא. וּנְדַר עַל גַּרְמֵיהּ דְּלָא לְמֵיֲעֲבַד כֵּן תִּוּבָן. אֲמַר. מָה אֲנָא מֵימוֹר לְמָרֵי חוֹבָא דְלָא יַגְבֵּי חוֹבֵיהּ. One time they needed to proclaim a fast but no rain fell. Rebbi Joshua ben Levi made (one) [a fast]40Unnecessary corrector’s addition. in the South41Lydda. and rain fell. The Sepphoreans were saying, Rebbi Joshua ben Levi brought rain to the Southerners, but Rebbi Ḥanina42The local Chief Rabbi. stopped water for the Sepphoreans. They needed to make a fast a second time. He sent and brought Rebbi Joshua ben Levi. He said to him, would my Master be willing to go with us to fast. They both went to the fast but no rain fell. He came to preach and said before them, not Rebbi Joshua ben Levi brought rain to the Southerners, nor Rebbi Ḥanina stopped water for the Sepphoreans. Only the Southerners’ hearts are soft and they hear words of instruction and submit. But the Sepphoreans’ hearts are hard; they hear words of instruction and do not submit. When he came home he raised his eyes and saw the air clear. He said, is it still like this43That his sermon had no influence on the people and therefore, while the drought was not his fault as explained in the next paragraph, it was his failure as a preacher which was the indirect cause. For this he felt very badly; Heaven sent rain to make feel him better. All these Aramaic texts are sermon concepts.? Immediately rain fell. He vowed by himself not to do this again. He said, who am I to tell to the creditor not to collect his due?
רִבִּי זְעוּרָה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי חֲנִינָה. מַה יַעֲשׂוּ גְדוֹלֵי הַדּוֹר וְאֵין הַצִּיבּוּר נִידּוֹן אֶלָּא אַחַר רוּבּוֹ. שֶׁכֵּן מָצָאנוּ שֶׁכָּל־שְׁלשִׁים וּשְׁמוֹנֶה שָׁנִים שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּמְנוּדִים לָא הָיָה מְדַבֵּר עִם מֹשֶׁה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר. וַיִהִ֨י כַֽאֲשֶׁר־תַּ֜מּוּ כָּל־אַנְשֵׁ֧י הַמִּלְחָמָ֛ה לָמ֖וּת מִקֶּ֥רֶב הַמַּחֲנֶה. מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ. וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר י֨י אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אִידִי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי. מַה יַעֲשׂוּ גְדוֹלֵי הַדּוֹר וְאֵין הַצִּיבּוּר נִידּוֹן אֶלָּא אַחַר רוּבּוֹ. שֶׁכֵּן מָצָאנוּ שֶׁאִילוּלֵא שְׁאָֽמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַר הַכַּרְמֶל י֨י ה֣וּא הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים י֨י ה֥וּא הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים לֹא יָֽרְדָה הָאֵשׁ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וְשָֽׂרְפָה אֶת הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת. Rebbi Ze`ira in the name of Rebbi Ḥanina: What should the great men of a generation do since the public is judged only according to its majority? So we find that during the 38 years during which Israel were as in a ban, He did not speak with Moses, as it is said44Deut. 2:16–17. Babli 30b.: It was when all the warriors finished dying from inside the camp. What is written next? The Eternal spoke to me to give orders. Rebbi Jacob bar Idi in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: What should the great men of a generation do since the public is judged only according to its majority? So we find that if Israel had not said451K. 18:39., The Eternal is the supreme power, the Eternal is the supreme power, no fire would have come down from heaven and burned the sacrifices46However the verse makes it clear that the people answered after the fire had descended..
רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן יָאִיר בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי פִינְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר. שְׁלִשָׁה בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְתָהָא שֶׁבְּרָאָן. וְאֵילּוּ הֵן. כַּשְׂדִּים וְיִשְׁמְעֵאלִים וְיֵצֶר הָרַע. כַּשְׂדִּים הֵ֣ן ׀ אֶ֣רֶץ כַּשְׂדִּ֗ים זֶ֤ה הָעָם֨ לֹ֣א הָיָ֔ה. הַלְוַאי לֹא הָיָה. יִשְׁמְעֵאלִים. יִשְׁלָ֤יוּ אוֹהָלִים ׀ לְשֽׁוֹדְדִ֗ים וּבַטּוּחוֹת לְמַרְגִּ֣יזֵי אֵ֑ל לַֽאֲשֶׁ֤ר הֵבִ֖יא אֱל֣וֹהַּ בְּיָדֽוֹ׃ יֵצֶר הָרַע. בַּיּ֨וֹם הַה֜וּא נְאֻם־י֙י אוֹסְפָה הַצּוֹלֵיעָה וְהַנִּדָּחָה֭ אֲקַבֵּ֑צָה וַֽאֲשֶׁר֭ הֲרֵעוֹתִי׃ רִבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה רִבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן יָאִיר בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי פִינְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר. הֲרֵי הוּא כְאִילּוּ הֲרֵיעוֹתִי. Rebbi Joshua ben Yair in the name of Rebbi Phineas ben Yair. Three created the Holy One, praise to Him, and was wondering why He created them. These are the Chaldeans, the Arabs, and evil inclinations. Chaldeans: this is the land of the Chaldeans, of the non-existing people47Is. 23:13.. If only they did not exist. Arabs: unkept tents of robbers, trusted by those who irritate God, those who God brought in His hand48Job12:6 (to be combined with the statement there v. 9 that the Eternal had created all this.). Evil inclinations: On this day, this is the Eternal’s oracle, I shall gather the lame, and collect the disowned, and to whom I did wrong49Micah4:6.. Rebbi Berekhiah, Rebbi Abba bar Cahana, Rebbi Joshua ben Yair in the name of Rebbi Phineas ben Yair: it is as if I did wrong to them50Extended Babli Sukkah52b; cf. Babli Berakhot 31b/32a and Rashi’s commentary, first line of 32a; Ta`anit25b in the name of Samuel Minor..
רִבִּי לִיעֶזֶר עֲבַד תַּעֲנִי וְלָא אִיתְנְחַת מִיטְרָא. עֲבַד רִבִּי עֲקִיבָא תַעֲנִי וּנְחַת מִיטְרָא. עָאַל וַאֲמַר קוֹמֵיהוֹן. אֶמְשׁוֹל לָכֶם מָשָׁל לְמַה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה. לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ שְׁתֵּי בָנוֹת אַחַת חֲצוּפָה וְאַחַת כְּשֵׁירָה. אֵימַת דַּהֲוָת בְּעָייָא הַהִיא חֲצִיפְתָּא עַלַת קוֹמוֹי. הֲוָה אֲמַר. יָבוּן לָהּ מַה דְהִיא בְעָייָא וְתֵיזִיל לָהּ. וְאֵימַת דַּהֲוָת הַהִיא כְשֵׁירְתָא עַלַת קוֹמוֹי. הֲוָה מַאֲרִיךְ רוּחֵיהּ מִתָחַמֵּד מִישְׁמוֹעַ שַׁוְעָתָהּ. וְאִית שָׁרִי מֵימוֹר כֵּן. אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא לְחַלֵּל שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם בֵּירִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר. Rebbi Eliezer organized a fast but no rain fell. Rebbi Aqiba organized a fast and rain fell. He preached and said before them: I shall tell you a parable, to what the situation is comparable. To a king who had two daughters, one insolent and one well-behaved. When the insolent one wanted to come before him, he said, give her what she wants and let her go away. But when the well-behaved came before him, he was patient and liked to hear her request. Is it permitted to say this50Extended Babli Sukkah52b; cf. Babli Berakhot 31b/32a and Rashi’s commentary, first line of 32a; Ta`anit25b in the name of Samuel Minor.? Only not to desecrate the Name of Heaven through Rebbi Eliezer.
רִבִּי אָחָא עֲבַד תְּלַת עֶשְׂרֵה תַעֲנִייָן וְלָא נְחַת מִיטְרָא. מִי עֲלִיל פְגַע בֵּיהּ חַד כּוּתַיי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. רִבִּי. רִבִּי. עֲצוֹר גּוּלְתָךְ מִן מִיטְרָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. חַייָו דְּהַהוּא גַבְרָא. שְׁמַייָא מֵיעֲבַד נִיסִּין וְשַׁתָּא מַצְלְחָא וְהַהוּא גַבְרָא לֵית הוּא מֵיחִי. וְעָֽבְדוּן שְׁמַיָּא נִיסִּין וְאַצְלַחַת שַׁתָּא וּמִית הַהוּא כותַּייָא. וַהֲווֹן כָּל־עַמָּא אָֽמְרִין. אַיְתוּן חָמוּן פּוֹרִין דְּשֶׁמֶשׁ. Rav Aḥa organized thirteen fast days52As described in Chapter 2. but no rain fell. When he went home he encountered a Samaritan who said to him: Rabbi, Rabbi, squeeze your garment because of the rain. He answered him, by the life of this man, Heaven will perform wonders and the year will be successful but this man will not then live. Heaven performed wonders, the year was successful, but this Samaritan died, and people were saying, come and see the fruits of the sun53That there were abundant fruits without rains..
וְכָל־סְבִיבוֹתֶיהָ מִתְעַנּוֹת וְלֹא מַתְרִיעוֹת. שֶׁכֵּן מָצָאנוּ בְיוֹם הַכִּיפּוּרִים. מִתְעַנִּין וְלֹא מַתְרִיעִין. רִבִּי עֲקִיבָה אוֹמֵר מַתְרִיעִים אֲבָל לֹא מִתְעַנִּין. שֶׁכֵּן מָצָאנוּ בִרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה. מַתְרִיעִין וְלֹא מִתְעַנִּין. “All its surroundings21While they have crops, they are at risk since the increased demand from the town without crops will drive prices higher. fast but do not blow the shofar;” since we find that on the Day of Atonement one fasts but does not blow the shofar. “Rebbi Aqiba says they blow the shofar but do not fast,” since we find that on New Year’s Day one blows the shofar but does not fast.