Yerushalmi Taanit 2:1 ירושלמי תענית ב׳:א׳

MISHNAH: How is the order of the fast days? One removes the Ark¹This statement confirms that in Mishnaic times the Ark containing the Torah scrolls was a movable chest, not part of the synagogue building. This is confirmed by the archeological evidence that in early Galilean synagogues the entrance was in the South. For prayers the Ark was moved from the storage room to the entrance; the reader stood before the Ark, and everybody was praying in the direction of Jerusalem, facing the Ark. In Amoraic times the Ark became part of the building in the South wall and the entrance was moved to the North. to the town plaza²The town square accommodating a maximum number of people. and gives burnt ashes³The Mishnah explicitly excludes dust which is not ash. on top of the Ark, and on the head of the Patriarch, and on the the head of the presiding judge; also each individual takes and puts on his head. The Elder among them gives an exhortatory sermon: Our brothers, it is not said about the people of Nineveh, God saw their sackcloth and their fasting, but God saw their deeds that they repented their evil ways⁴Jonah3:10., and what does it say in prophecy? And tear your hearts and not your clothes, and return to the Eternal, your God⁵Joel2:13..

HALAKHAH: “How is the order of the fast days,” etc. Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said, why does one move to the town plaza? To say, we are considered as if exiled before You. Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, because they prayed in privacy and were not answered; therefore they went public and were publicized. Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said, why does one bring the Ark to the town plaza? To say that we had one precious vessel and our sins caused it to become debased. The Elder Rebbi Ḥuna of Sepphoris said, our forefathers covered it with gold and we covered it with ashes. Rebbi Jacob the Southerner said, why does one blow horns? To say, we are considered as if bellowing like animals before You. Rebbi Levi said, and why does one visit graves? To say, we are considered like dead before You. Rebbi Tanḥuma says, all of this is included. If we are guilty to die there are the dead, if exile there is exile, if hunger there is hunger⁶All these texts are sermon concepts. Babli 16a..

“One gives burnt ashes³The Mishnah explicitly excludes dust which is not ash. on top of the Ark.” Because of with him I am in trouble⁷Ps.91:15. Babli 15b.. Rebbi Ze`ira said, any time that I saw them doing this my body shuddered. In the days of Rebbi Ila they left the Ark standing and went away. Rebbi Ze`ira said to him, was it not stated: they should not take turns during the day but one person should sit there and watch it during the entire day⁸One has to date the abolition of this ceremony to his days.?

Rebbi Yudan ben Rebbi Menashe and Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman. One said, to mention the merit of Abraham; the other one said, to mention the merit of Isaac⁹His willingness to be sacrificed on Mount Moriah.. He who said, to mention the merit of Abraham, either ashes or dust, because of I am dust and ashes¹⁰Gen. 18:27. Cf. Gen. rabba49(23), Babli 16a.. He who said, to mention the merit of Isaac, only ashes. One sees the ashes of Isaac as if his ashes were collected on the altar¹¹Since the only reason that he was not burned was the intervention of the angel, his merit is to have been burned.. When Rebbi Judah bar Pazi went on a fast day; he said before them, our Brethren, anybody whom the beadle does not reach should take dust and put it on his head¹²The Mishnah requires that the synagogue personnel distribute ashes to everybody; but if the supply of ashes runs out one may substitute dust for ashes since according to one opinion the two are equivalent..

“And on the head of the Patriarch.” Rebbi Taḥlifa Caesarean said, to give it prominence. One cannot compare self-abasement with abasement by the hands of others¹³Since the Mishnah requires that the ashes be applied by others..

It is written¹⁴Joel2:16. Babli 15b/16a.: May the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her bridal chamber. May the bridegroom leave his room, that is the Ark, and the bride her bridal chamber, that is the Torah¹⁵In A: the Torah scroll.. Another word: May the bridegroom leave his room, that is the Patriarch, and the bride her bridal chamber, that is the presiding judge. Rebbi Ḥelbo said to Rebbi Yudan the Patriarch¹⁶R. Judah II, Rebbi’s grandson., come with us and your pain will be gone¹⁷In A and the quote by R. Nission Gerondi ad loc.: will be effective.. Rebbi Yose said, this implies that our fasts are no real fasts. Why? since the Patriarch is not with us¹⁸Since the Patriarch resided in Sepphoris but the Academy was in Tiberias. The implication seems to be that other details of the Mishnah also do not have to be executed exactly as described..

One verse says, in front of the cover¹⁹Lev. 16:2. (But maybe Lev. 4:17 was intended.), but another verse says, in front of the holy gobelin²⁰Lev. 4:6, the purification offering of the anointed High Priest.. Rebbi Aḥa said, Rebbi Abbahu and the rabbis disagree. One said, if the Patriarch sins, majesty remains in place. If the community sinned, majesty is not in place²¹In the Babli, Zevaḥim41b, the idea is formulated so: If an individual revolts, the king’s government is unchanged; if an entire country revolts, the king’s government is abolished.. But the other one said, because teacher and student sinned, they have to go public and be noticed, following and he shall remove the bull to outside the camp²²Lev. 4:21.. Ḥizqiah stated: it is a hint. Anywhere there is an anointed one there is the Ark²³As long as anointed High Priests officiated in the Temple, the Ark was in the Holiest of Holies. In the Second Temple, whose High Priests were invested but not anointed, there was no Ark.. Anywhere there is no anointed one there is no Ark. This follows what Rebbi Samuel ben Aina said in the name of Rebbi Aḥa²⁴Makkot2:7 (Notes 124–130), Horaiot3:2, Babli Yoma21b: Five things was the last Temple missing which were in the first Temple, as it is written²⁵Hag.1:8.: I shall be pleased with it and I will be honored. It is written I will be honored, without the letter he²⁶Ketib וְאֶכָּבֵד, Qere וְאֶכָּֽבְדָ֖ה. Both spellings make sense. The missing ה is interpreted in the Alexandrian system of numeration as “5”.. These are the five things which the last Temple was missing which were in the first Temple. They are: The {heavenly} fire, the Ark, Urim and Tummim, anointing oil²⁷It is stated in Ex.30:23 that only Moses himself could compound this oil and in v. 31 that it should be used for all subsequent generations. By tradition, Josia buried the oil flask together with the Ark of the Covenant in the Temple Mount (2Chr.35:3) after the prophetess Hulda informed him of the imminent destruction of the Temple., and the Holy Spirit.

Explanation²⁸Greek δήλωμα. A shortened version is in Thr. rabba3(33).. Rebbi Abba bar Zavda, Rebbi Tanḥum bar Ilai, and Rebbi Joshia came to the fast. Rebbi Abba bar Zavda preached: Let us lift our hearts on the palms²⁹Thr. 3:41.. Is this possible? May a person take his heart and put it on his hand? So what means “let us lift”? Let us treat our hearts equal to our hands³⁰Which one always washes to keep them clean., and then to God in Heaven. So if somebody would hold a crawling animal³¹A dead crawling animal as enumerated in Lev. 11:29–30, as source of original impurity. Babli 16a. in his hand, even if he immerses himself in the waters of Siloam or of the ocean, he never can become pure³²In A one reads: even if he immerses himself in all oceans he never will be pure. If he throws it from his hands, even if he only immerses himself in the waters of the Siloam which are 1x1x2 cubits, he immediately is pure.. But if he throws it³³The dead crawling animal. from his hand he immediately is pure. Rebbi Tanḥum bar Ilai preached: The ministers of Israel and the King submitted and said, the Eternal is just. And when the Eternal saw that they submitted, the Eternal’s word was to Shemaya as oracle³⁴2Chr. 12:6–7.. It is not written “their fast” but they submitted, I shall not destroy them. Rebbi Joshia preached: Become improved and improve³⁵Zeph. 2:1., let us purify ourselves before we purify others³⁶Babli Sanhedrin18a,19a, Bava batra 60b, Bava meṣi`a107b.. Since here are people present who calumniate me before Rebbi Joḥanan. But every single one is called to justice. Attending were Rebbi Ḥiyya³⁷Bar Abba., Rebbi Issy³⁸Usually he is called Yasa, in the Babli Assi., and Rebbi Immi. They got up and left³⁹What offended them in R. Joshia’s sermon is everybody’s guess; each commentator has his own opinion..

⁴⁰Tanḥuma Noaḥ 8, Tanḥuma Buber Noaḥ 13, Gen. rabba44(15), Eccl. rabba7(59). In a different context, Sanhedrin10:2 (Notes 169–171). Differently, Babli Roš Haššanah16b. The Tanḥuma text seems to be the source for Moses ben Kalonymos’s poem וּנְתַנֶּה תּוֹקֶף. Rebbi Eleazar said, three things annul the harsh decree. They are: prayer, charity and repentance. All three are from one verse⁴¹2Chr. 7:14.: My people, over whom My Name is called, will submit and pray, this is prayer, and desire my presence, this is charity as you are saying, by charity I shall see Your presence⁴²Ps. 17:15.. They will repent their evil ways, this is repentance. When they act in this way, what is written there? Then I shall hear in Heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land.

Rebbi Ḥaggai always preached the following from Rebbi Eleazar. Rebbi Eleazar said, the end of the year is like the year. From the dust of summer to winter, if North wind blows⁴³At a time when the West wind should bring rain. take care of your children. Any year for which no shofar was blown at the start, one will have to blow at the end⁴⁴If one fails to obey the religious commandment to blow the shofar on New Year’s Day one will have to blow later as a call of calamity and emergency. Babli Roš Haššanah16b.. Any which does not care for the produce of the preceding will at the end lose its produce⁴⁵If heave and tithes are not given according to the rules after the harvest of the preceding year, the yield of the following year is in jeopardy.. Rebbi Aḥa said, and most of its wine will turn to vinegar. There were old men in Sepphoris who at the first rainy period⁴⁶The text A reads: רִבִיעֲתָא קַדְמִייָתָא נַחְתָּה “when the first rains came down”. The character of A makes it questionable whether this is text or a gloss. were smelling the dust and could tell the {amount of} rains of the year.

Rebbi Eleazar said: Is that a fast day which I would prefer, that is a day where a person deprives himself? This is not a day to my liking. What is a day to my liking? Is not this a day I would prefer, opening chains of evil, unbinding fetters of the yoke. Is it not breaking your bread for the hungry, and bring to the house the poor persecuted ones. What is written after this? Then you will call and the Eternal will answer,⁴⁷Is. 58:5,7,9. The spelling פרוש against masoretic פרס is confirmed by Babli Bava batra9a and is not to be explained away (cf. Mesoret Hashas Babli9a, Note 2.) etc.

Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, it is written⁴⁸Gen. 2:6.: and distress⁴⁹He identifies אֵד “fog” and אֵיד “dies ater”. In Gen. rabba13(15) the entire paragraph is attributed to R. Berekhiah. rose from the earth. If rupture rises from the earth, rain will fall immediately. Rebbi Berekhiah said, it is written⁵⁰Deut. 32:2.: may my teaching drip like rain, because if one confesses in repentance⁵¹The homily identifies ערף “to drip” (Accadic arapu“to be cloudy”) with another root ערף (Arabic ערף “to know”, אעתרף “to confess”.) rain will fall immediately. Rebbi Berekhiah made thirteen fast days but no rain fell; at the end locusts came. He went and said before them, our brethren, look at what we are doing. Is that not what the prophet needles us⁵²Micah7:3–4., from evil hands to profit, we damage one another with our hands and expect good things; the noble asks where is the bribe to be collected, and the judge in payment, pay me and I shall pay you, the great one speaks lies from his soul and they will distort it, they will turn it thick, they turned it into a plaiting of debts. And who can stop it? Their best one is like thorns, the best one among them is like thorns, the straight one like a hedge of thorns, the most upright among them is like those branches, on the day to which they looked comes their due, on the day which we expected relief locusts, this shall be their consternation! From the midst of their crying, and crying, and crying, there fell rain.

Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, the people of Nineveh repented in trickery. What did they do⁵³Babli 16a.? Rebbi Ḥuna in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Ḥalfuta⁵⁴In A: R. Ḥanania in the name of Resh Laqish.: They put calves inside and their mothers outside, foals inside and their mothers outside; these were mooing from one side and those mooing from the other side. They said, if He does not have mercy on us we shall not have mercy on them. That is what is written⁵⁵Joel 1:18., how the animals groan, are cattle herds confused, etc. Rebbi Aḥa said, that is what they do in Arabia. They should be covered by sack-cloth, humans and animals, and call on God in force⁵⁶Jonah 3:8.. What means “in force”? Rebbi Simeon ben Ḥalfuta said, the brash one wins over the proper one⁵⁷Cf. Babli Sanhedrin 105a., so much more if it is for the good of the world. Each man shall repent his evil ways and robbery in their hands. Rebbi Joḥanan said, what they had in their hands they returned, what was in a chest, a trunk and a cupboard they did not return.

It is written⁵⁸Joel 2:13., and tear your hearts instead of your garments and return to the Eternal, your God, for He is compassionate and merciful. Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, if you tear up your hearts in repentance you will not have to tear your garments about your sons or daughters⁵⁹They will not die young., only about the Eternal, your God. Why? For He is compassionate and merciful, slow in anger, full of love, and sorrow about evil. ⁶⁰Babli Eruvin22a. Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman in the name of Rebbi Jonathan: It is not written here “slow in one anger” but “slow in anger”. He is slow in anger with the just ones, and slow in anger with the evil ones. Rebbi Aḥa, Rebbi Tanḥum ben Rebbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: It is not written here “slow in one anger” but “slow in anger”. He is slow in anger before he starts to collect. Once He starts to collect he is slow to complete His collection. ⁶¹Šeqalim5:2 Note 39, Yom Tov3:9 Note 124; Babli Bava qamma50a/b. Rebbi Ḥanina said, anybody who says that the All-Merciful is indulgent, his intestines shall dissolve themselves; for He is forbearing and then collects His due. Rebbi Levi said, what means “forbearing”? He is far from being angry⁶¹Šeqalim5:2 Note 39, Yom Tov3:9 Note 124; Babli Bava qamma50a/b.. {A parable of} a king who had two violent legions. Said the king, if they dwell with me at the capital, if the people of the capital would anger me they would get up and decimate them. Therefore I shall send them to a faraway place. Then if the people of the capital would anger me, until I shall send for them the people of the capital will pacify me and I will accept their excuses. [So the Holy One, praise to Him, said, anger and rage are angels of destruction. Therefore I shall send them to a faraway place. Therefore if Israel would anger me, until I shall send for them and bring them, Israel will repent and I shall accept their repentance.]⁶²Corrector’s addition; no source known for it. That is what is written⁶³Is. 13:5., they come from a far country, from the ends of heaven⁶⁴The verse continues: The Eternal and the instruments of His rage, to destroy the earth., etc. Rebbi Isaac said, not only that but He locked them up. That is what is written⁶⁵Jer. 50:25., the Eternal opened His storehouse and removed the vessels of his wrath. By the time He opened and He took pains, His mercies take over. It was stated in the name of Rebbi Meïr: For the Eternal left His place⁶⁶Is. 26:21., He went from mode to mode. He left the mode of judgement and came to the mode of mercy⁶⁷The designation of the mode of judgment is the name Elohim“supreme power”, referring to His rule of the forces of nature. The designation of the mode of mercy is YHWH“Eternal”. for Israel.

It is written⁶⁸Num. 23:19. In this verse Balaam seems to proclaim an extreme doctrine of predestination which negates the possibility of effective repentance, against the homiletics described in the Halakhah. Tanḥuma Mas`e6., God is no human that He would lie. Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman and the rabbis. Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman said, if the Holy One, praise to Him, says to give a benefit, God is no human that He would lie. If he said to make a detriment, He would say but not do it, and speak but not keep it. But the rabbis are saying, there is no man who could make God’s words as if nonexistent. Why should Your anger burn against Your people⁶⁹Ex. 32:11. Num. rabba23(8).? Or a human and He be sorrow. Not the son of Amram who made God to have second thoughts: the Eternal had second thoughts about the evil He had said to bring over His people⁷⁰Ex. 32:14..

Rebbi Abbahu said, if a man says to you, I am a god, he lies. I am the Son of Man⁷¹The expression, in imitation of Accadic awelum, “free man”, by which Ezechiel was addressed by God as true prophet., at the end he will regret it. That I ascend to heaven, “this he says but cannot fulfill.⁷²An imitation of Num. 23:19.”

Rebbi Aḥa in the name of Rav: Today there is no fast-day¹⁸Since the Patriarch resided in Sepphoris but the Academy was in Tiberias. The implication seems to be that other details of the Mishnah also do not have to be executed exactly as described.. Rebbi Yose said, does this mean that the fast-days which we are arranging are not those? He said to him, so says Rav: The verse says about any fast-day which does not follow its rules, she was noisy around me, therefore I hated her⁷²An imitation of Num. 23:19..