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prepared by Rabbi Eliezer Chrysler
Kollel Iyun Hadaf, Jerusalem

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Ta'anis 8



(a) Resh Lakish learns from the Pasuk "ve'Hu Lo Panim Kilkel" - that if a Talmid has problems with understanding a Sugya (i.e. he has many Kashyos on what he has learned) it is because he has not mastered the text properly (or because he made textural errors that cause him to misconstrue what he has learned).

(b) The antidote, based on "ve'Chayalim Yigaber" is - to sit for a long time in the Yeshivah (so that the other Talmidim can help him straighten out his learning).

(c) We learn from the conclusion of the Pasuk "ve'Yisron Hachsher Chochmah"- that it would have been better had he learned it properly the first time (because it is difficult to rid oneself of errors that have crept into one's learning).


1. Resh Lakish would prepare his Mishnayos for *forty* days, before going to learn the Gemara from Rebbi Yochanan - corresponding to the forty days in which the Torah was given.
2. Rav Ada bar Ahavah would prepare his for *twenty-four* days before going to learn the Gemara from Rava - corresponding to the twenty-four books of T'nach.
(a) Rava learns from the Pasuk "ve'Hu Lo Panim Kilkel" - that if a Talmid has difficulty with understanding a Sugya that he learns from his Rebbe, it is because his Rebbe has not given him proper attention.

(b) The antidote, based on "ve'Chayalim Yigaber" - is to obtain many friends, who will prevail upon his Rebbe to teach him thoroughly.

(c) We learn from the conclusion of the Pasuk "ve'Yisron Hachsher Chochmah" - that it would have been far better had he been in his Rebbe's good books to begin with, in which case he would have taught him properly the first time.

(a) The eighth reason for Hashem withholding rain is because of "Lo Lachesh" - because people do not Daven properly.

(b) We learn from ...

1. ... "Yagid Alav Rei'o" - that the antidote is to go to someone who does know how to Daven to Daven on one's behalf (and, as we learned earlier, Hashem sends rain even for a Yachid).
2. ... "u'Mah Yisron le'Ba'al ha'Lashon?" - What does he gain, if he knows how to Daven but refuses to do so?
3. ... "va'Yetzav Alav be'Mafgi'a" - that if he *did* Daven but his prayers were not answered, then one should go to a Gadol ha'Dor, and *he* will Daven on one's behalf.
(c) If, after Hashem accepts his prayers and sends rain, he becomes conceited - the whole world will feel the vent of Hashem's anger.

(d) Hashem brings the Ba'al ha'Lashon to the snake - because *he* was the first to speak Lashon ha'Ra (about his Creator), and all those who subsequently follow in his footsteps will share in his humiliation.

(a) Rava says that two Talmidei-Chachamim who live in the same town but who decline to communicate in Halachah - evoke Hashem's anger on themselves.

(b) Resh Lakish explains the Pasuk ...

1. ... "Im Yishach ha'Nachash be'Lo Lachash" - that in time to come, all the wild animals will gather together and say to the snake 'the lion kills its prey and eats it immediately, the wolf first takes his prey to his lair and eats it there (at least they both enjoy the benefits of their kill), but why do *you* kill (seeing as you get nothing out of it)?
2. ... "Mah Yisron le'Ba'al ha'Lashon" - to mean that that is what the snake will anwser. After all, he is the forerynner and symbolical of the person who speaks Lashon ha'Ra. So he will tell the other animals to go and ask the Ba'al Lashon ha'Ra what *he* benefits from speaking Lashon ha'Ra.
(c) Hashem brings the Ba'alei ha'Lashon to the snake - so that they should all suffer embarrassment for their terrible sin together.
(a) A person's Tefilah is not accepted, says Rava, unless he is 'Meisim Nafsho be'Chapo' - meaning that his heart and his mouth act in unison (Agados Maharsha).

(b) When Shmuel Darshens that even though "va'Yefatuhu be'Fihem u'vi'Leshonam Yechazvu Lo ve'Libam Lo Nachon Imo" (Tehilim), nevertheless "ve'Hu Rachum Yechaper Avon" (that Hashem listens to Tefilah anyway, even if one's heart is not so sincere) - he was referring to a Tefilas Tzibur, whereas Rava is talking about a Tefilas Yachid.

(c) Hashem only sends rain, says Rav Ami, because of the Ba'alei Amanah - because of the people whose word is sacrosanct.

(d) He proves his point from the young man who promised a girl that he would marry her, and seeing that there were no other witnesses, he declared that the weasel and the pit who had witnessed his vow would be their witnesses. Time passed, and he forgot his vow and married someone else. She bore him two sons, one was taken by a weasel, the other, fell into a pit and died. (Incidentally, he later returned to his childhood sweetheart and fulfilled his vow).

(a) Rebbi Ami based his previous statement on the Pasuk in Tehilim "Emes me'Eretz Titzmach, ve'Tzedek mi'Shamayim Nishkaf". *Rebbi Yochanan* learns from that Pasuk - that when someone perfects his deeds in this world, Hashem judges him to the letter and punishes him for all his actions (so that he can receive the full reward for his Mitzvos in the World to Come (as will be explained on 11a.).

(b) Rav Huna learns the same thing from the Pasuk in Tehilim "u'che'Yir'ascha Evrasecha" - meaning the more fear (that a person has towards Hashem) the more fury (Hashem displays towards him in this world).

(c) Someone who rejoices in his suffering - brings salvation to the world.




(a) Resh Lakish quoting Bar Kapara learns from the fact that 'Atzirah' is mentioned both in connection with a woman ("Ki Atzor Atzar Be'ad Kol Rechem - in Vayeira), and in connection with the rain ("ve'Atzar es ha'Shamayim ... ") - that just as a woman suffers pains when she needs to give birth but cannot, so too, when the heaven ought to give rain but cannot, there is suffering (because it is the result of sin).

(b) We also find 'Leidah' mentioned by both ("va'Tahar va'Teiled Ben" - Vayeitzei, and "ve'Holidah ve'Hitzmichah" - [Yeshayah] - as well as 'Pekidah' ("va'Hashem Pakad es Sarah" - [Vayeira] by the one, and "Pakadta ha'Aretz, ve'Teshokekeha ... " [Tehilim] by the other). The sequence stresses the role that prayer plays in these maters.

(a) The "Peleg Elokim Malei Mayim" that David refers to in Tehilim - is a tent-like structure in which the rain that will later fall on the earth is stored.

(b) Sometimes the rain is compared to a 'Shevet' (a rod of punishment), sometimes it is referred to as 'le'Artzo' (moderate), and sometimes, to 'le'Chesed' (to an act of kindness - see Agados Maharsha). When it is referred to as ...

  1. ... a Shevet' - it falls on the mountains and the hills (where it goes to waste).
  2. ... 'Chesed' 'le'Artzo' - it falls on the fields and the vineyards (where it is most useful).
  3. ... 'le'Artzo' - part on the one and part on the other.
(c) When the rain is referred to as ...
  1. ... a Shevet - it will fall on the trees.
  2. ... 'le'Artzo' - on the seeds.
  3. ... 'Chesed - it will fill the pits and trenches.
(a) In the days of Rebbi Shmuel bar Nachmeini, there was a drought and a plague of pestilence. They did not want to pray for the removal of both Tzaros at the same time. Some quote Daniel as the source. Others learn it from the Pasuk in Ezra "ve'Natzuma u'Nevakshah me'Elokeinu al *Zos*" - implying for *this* Tzarah, but not for *another* Tzarah that struck simultaneously.

(b) They opted to pray for the removal of the pestilence. Rebbi Shmuel bar Nachmeini disagreed. *He* ruled that they should pray for the removal of the drought - on the basis of the Pasuk "Posei'ach es Yadecha ... ", which teaches us that when Hashem sends a blessing, He does it with goodwill. Consequently, if the drought was dispelled, it would be for life and not for death (and the pestilence would cease automatically).

(c) In the days of Rebbi Zeira, the Nochrim issued a decree of Sh'mad (to convert), and they forbade them to fast (in order to nullify the decree - Rabeinu Chananel). Rebbi Zeira advised them - to undertake to fast as soon as the decree would be nullified.

(d) Hashem said to Daniel - that from the day that he had decided to fast, He had already accepted his fasts, from which we learn that a person who is in trouble but is unable to fast, should undertake to fast when the trouble is over, and it will be considered as if he had already fasted.

(a) Rain on Erev Shabbos a sign of curse, even following a three year drought (like that of the days of Eliyahu) - because it prevents the people from going to the market to make their purchases in honor of Shabbos.

(b) If not for the fact that the rain was needed so badly - Rav Shilo would have prayed for the rain that was falling on Erev Shabbos, to stop.

(c) Rebbi Yitzchak says that sunshine on Shabbos - is a blessing for the poor (because that is the day on which they are able to relax and enjoy its warmth and its other beneficial qualities.

(d) On the day of rain - even a Perutah in one's purse (which does not need the rain) is blessed.

(a) Rebbi Yitzchak learns from the Pasuk "Yetzav Hashem Itcha es ha'Berachah ba'Asamecha" - that Hashem's blessing is restricted to something of unknown quantity.

(b) Tana de'Bei Rebbi Yishmael learn that Berachah is confined to something that is not visible to the eye - from the same Pasuk (the one interprets 'ba'Asamecha' to mean 'hidden from one's knowledge', the other, 'hidden from the eye').

(c) Someone who enters his granary to measure his corn, says the Tefilah "Yehi Ratzon ... she'Tishlach Berachah be'Ma'aseh Yadeinu". When he actually begins to measure it - he recites the Berachah 'Baruch ... ha'Sholei'ach Berachah ba'K'ri ha'Zeh'.

(d) The Beraisa says - that saying a Tefilah *after* having measured the corn is futile (as we learned in the Mishnah in Berachos).

(a) Rebbi Yochanan learns from the Pasuk "Shuvah Hashem es Sheviseinu ka'Afikim ba'Negev" - that the day of rain (*Afikim* means water or rain) is compared to the ingathering of the exiles.

(b) The day of rain is so great, because even armies stop invading on it.

(c) The clouds and the wind come (according to Rashi's first explanation), but no rain - when people promise to donate Tzedakah and then fail to do so (the ninth reason for there being no rain). So Hashem too, makes out as if He is about to send rain, and then fails to do so).

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