The Talmud on Fasting and Praying for Rain
16b
And [the prayer leader] recites twenty-four blessings before them: [The] eighteen [blessings] of [the] everyday [Tefillah,] to which he adds another six. [Are] these six [blessings? In fact,] they are seven, as we learned [in a mishnah:] For the seventh he recites, “Who has mercy on the land.” R. Naḥman bar Isaac said: What [is the meaning of the] seventh [blessing? This is referring to the] seventh for length, [i.e., there were actually six new blessings, but as the prayer leader lengthens the sixth weekday blessing it is considered an additional blessing]. As it is taught: In [the blessing] “Redeemer of Israel,” [the prayer leader] lengthens [the blessing,] and for its conclusion he recites, “He who answered Abraham on Mount Moriah, He will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day. Blessed [are You, Lord,] Redeemer of Israel.” And [the community] answers amen after him. And the sexton [ḥazzan—Ed.] says to them, “Blow [a long, unwavering sound], sons of Aaron, blow.” And [the prayer leader] resumes and recites [the second blessing, concluding], “He who answered our forefathers by the Reed Sea, He will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day. Blessed [are You, Lord,] who remembers the forgotten.” And [the community] answers amen after him. And the sexton says to them, “Blast [a wavering sound], sons of Aaron, blast.” And similarly, [this is the procedure] for each and every [additional] blessing: After one [blessing] he says, “Blow [a long, unwavering sound],” and after [the next] one he says, “Blast [a wavering sound].” In what [case] is this statement said? [This method applies] in the outlying areas, [i.e., everywhere except in the Temple]. However, in the Temple [itself this] is not [the correct procedure], as one does not answer amen in the Temple. [Instead, one responds with a long blessing.] And from where [is it derived] that one does not answer amen in the Temple? As it is stated: Stand up and bless the Lord, your God, from everlasting to everlasting, and let them say: Blessed be Your glorious name, that is exalted above all blessing and praise (Nehemiah 9:5). [One] might [have thought that] for all blessings there should be only one praise, [i.e., all blessings are answered with amen. Therefore,] the verse states: That is exalted above all [‘al kol] blessing and praise, [which indicates that] for every [‘al kol] blessing, [you should] give it [its own] praise. But [if so,] in the Temple, what [would the prayer leader] recite? [He would conclude the blessing,] “Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed [are You, Lord,] Redeemer of Israel.” And [instead of amen,] they answer after him, “Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom forever and all time.” And the sexton says to them, “Blow, priests, sons of Aaron, blow.” And [the prayer leader] resumes and recites [the second blessing, concluding], “He who answered Abraham on Mount Moriah, He will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day. Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel, who remembers the forgotten.” And [the community] answers after him, “Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom forever and all time.” And the sexton says to them, “Blast, priests, sons of Aaron, blast,” etc. And similarly, [this is the procedure] for each and every [additional] blessing: After one [blessing] he says, “Blow [a long, unwavering sound],” and after [the next] one he says, “Blast [a wavering sound],” until he concludes all [the blessings]. And this was the custom R. Ḥalafta established in Sepphoris, and R. Ḥananya ben Teradyon in [the city of] Siknin. And when [this] matter came before the sages, they said: They would act [in accordance with] this custom only at the Eastern Gate [of the Temple] and on the Temple Mount, [but not outside the Temple]. [ . . . ]
25b
The sages taught: An incident [occurred] involving R. Eliezer, who decreed [a complete cycle of] thirteen fasts upon the congregation, but rain did not fall. At [the end of] the last [fast], the congregation began to exit [the synagogue]. He said to them: Have you prepared graves for yourselves? [If rain does not fall, we will all die of hunger.] All the people burst into tears, and rain fell. [There was] another incident involving [R. Eliezer,] who descended [to serve as prayer leader] before the ark [on a fast day]. And he recited twenty-four blessings, but he was not answered. R. Akiva descended before the ark [after him] and said: Our Father, our King, we have no king other [than] You. Our Father, our King, for Your sake, have mercy on us. And rain [immediately] fell. The sages were whispering [among themselves that R. Akiva was answered while his teacher, R. Eliezer, was not]. A divine voice emerged and said: [It is] not because this [sage, R. Akiva,] is greater than that one, [R. Eliezer,] but that this one is forgiving, and that one is not forgiving.
Notes
Words in brackets appear in the original translation unless otherwise indicated.
Credits
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.
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