MISHNAH: The reason for the institution of the stand men (guards) is because it is said (Num. 28, 2) Command the children of Israel, and say unto them: My offering, my bread for my sacrifices … shall ye observe, etc. How can an offering be brought for a person without his being present [when it is sacrificed]? Therefore did the first prophets institute twenty-four watches (divisions); each watch always had a section of standing men (guards), composed of priests, Levites, and Israelites, stationed at Jerusalem. When it became the turn of each watch to go up, the priests and Levites then went up to Jerusalem. "And the Israelites who belonged to that watch assembled in (the synagogues of) their respective cities to read the story of creation. On Sunday they read (Gen. 1, 1-5) the first chapter; on Monday they read (Ib. 9, etc.) Let there be an expansion, and, Let the waters, etc. On Tuesday (Ib. 14, etc.) Let the waters, and Let there be lights, etc. On Wednesday (Ib. 20, etc.) Let there be forth, etc., and Let the earth bring forth, etc. On Friday (Ib. 2, 1 to 4) Let the earth forth, etc. and Let the earth bring forth, etc. On Friday (Ib. ii. 1 to 4) Let the earth bring forth, and Thus were finished, etc. The long section of the day was read by two persons and the short by one; but at the afternoon prayers they entered (the synagogue) and recited the above sections by heart, even as the Sh'ma is recited. On Friday afternoon they did not go to the synagogue at all, in honor of the Sabbath."
(Fol. 27b) R. Ami said: "If not for the prayer meeting of the standing men (guards), the heaven and earth would not exist; as it is said (Jer. 33, 25) If My covenant be not with day and night, I would not appoint ordinances of heaven and earth. And it is also written (Gen. 14, 8) And he said, Lord God, whereby I know that I shall inherit it? Thus said Abraham before the Holy One, praised be He: 'Sovereign of the Universe! perhaps if Israel will sin before Thee wilt Thou destroy them as the generation at the time of the Flood and of the Dispersion of Babel?' And He answered: 'Nay.' 'Whereby will I know it?' Said Abraham. 'Take Me a heifer three years old,' answered the Lord [i.e., the sacrifices will forgive their sins]. Then Abraham said again: 'Sovereign of the Universe! this will be so long as the Temple exists, but what will happen after the destruction of the Temple?' And the Lord answered: 'I have therefore ordained the Order of Karbaneth to them [dealing with the sacrifices], and every time they read it, it will be considered by Me as though they had offered them, and I will forgive them all their sins.' "
Our Rabbis were aught: The men of the watch used to pray that the sacrifices of their brethren should be favorably accepted; and the standing men (guards) used to congregate in the synagogues and fast four consecutive days; Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On Monday, [they would fast] on behalf of those who plied the seas; on Tuesday, on behalf of those who traversed the desert; on Wednesday, on behalf of the children that they might be saved from the disease of croup; and on Thursday, on behalf of the pregnant and nursing women, that the former might be happily delivered and the latter retain their strength to nurse their children. On the day preceding the Sabbath they would not fast, in honor of the Sabbath, and so much the more not on the Sabbath itself. Why did they not fast on Sunday? R. Samuel b. Nachmeni said: "Because that is the third day after man was created." Resh Lakish, however, said: "Because of the additional soul that is given to man on the Sabbath, and which leaves him at the close of the Sabbath, for R. Simon b. Lakish said: 'An additional soul is given by the Holy One, praised be He! to a man on Friday and is taken back on Saturday night, as it is said (Ex. 31, 17) Resteth and ceased from his work. 'Vayinafash' (ceased) means Vay-N efesh (woe, soul).'"
(Fol. 28) Our Rabbis were taught: Who were the family of Gonbei-Eli (those who stole the pastle) and Kotzey-Ketzi'oth (figs sockers)? It was said that at one time the [Roman] government decreed that the Israelites should neither bring any wood for the altar nor the first fruit-offerings to Jerusalem, and guards were appointed to watch the roads in the same manner as Jeroboam b. Nebat appointed guards to prevent the Israelites from going to Jerusalem on the festivals. What did those shunning sin and the most righteous of that generation do? They would place a basket containing the first fruits at the bottom and cover it with dried fruits. In addition to that they would carry on their shoulder a pastle, and when they reached the guards and were asked whither they were going, they would answer: "We go to make two cakes of pressed figs with the pounder and pestle that we carry on our shoulder." After having safely passed the guards, they would decorate the basket containing the first fruits and bring it into the Temple. We are taught [in addition to this]: The Gonbei-Eli and the Kotze Keizi'oth are similar to those who are called the family of Salmai Hanthuphathi (the ladder of Niteofathi)" Who were the Salmai-Hanthuphathi? Our Rabbis were taught: Once the [Roman] Government decreed that no wood should be brought for the altar and guards were appointed to watch the roads in the same manner as Jeroboam b. Nabat appointed guards to prevent the Israelites from going to Jerusalem on the festivals. What did those shunning sin do? They constructed ladders, which they would carry on their shoulders and when approached by the guards, who asked them whither they were going, they would say, "We go to take down some doves from their dove-cots and here are our ladders." Having safely eluded the guards and arrived at the Temple, they would take the ladders apart and carry in the wood for the Altar. To these men and those similar to them [emulating their example] the following passage may be applied (Pro. 10, 7) The memory of the righteous shall be for a blessing. While on Jeroboam and his similar, the following is applied (Ib.) But the name of the wicked shall rot.
(Ib. b) MISHNAH: "Five calamities happened to our ancestors," etc. Whence do we know that on the seventeenth day of Tamuz the tables of Holy Law were broken?
We have been taught in a Baraitha: On the sixth day of Sivan the ten commandments were given unto Israel. R. Jose says: "On the seventh day the ten commandments were given." The one who maintains that it was given on the sixth day (shows us) that Moses received the Tablets on the sixth day and ascended Mount Sinai on the seventh, but the one who maintains that the Tablets were given on the seventh, holds that the tablets were given on the seventh day and that Moses ascended Mount Sinai on the same day. Moses was there, etc., i.e. the twenty-four days of Sivan together with the sixteen days of Tamuz, forty days. That the continual daily offerings ceased on the seventeenth of Tamuz, is known by tradition; and the statement that the city was stormed on that day refers to the second destruction. That the other two calamities occurred on that day is also traditional.
(Fol. 29) "And the site was ploughed up like a field." We are taught in a Baraitha: "When Turnus Rufus the Wicked destroyed the Temple, a decree was promulgated that Rabban Gamaliel (the first) should be executed. The commanding officer came into the college, and said that the man of the nose was being looked for [i.e., the most prominent member of the community]. Rabban Gamaliel understood that he was meant thereby, and hid himself. The commanding officer surreptitiously came to the place where Rabban Gamaliel was hidden, and asked him, 'If I should be instrumental in saving your life, would you assure me a share in the world to come?' 'Surely,' answered Rabban Gamaliel. He demanded that he (Rabban Gamaliel) swear to it, and Rabban Gamaliel swore. Thereupon the commanding officer ascended to an attic, threw himself down, and died. It is known by tradition that if one of the signers of a death-warrant dies, the decree becomes null and void. Thus was Rabban Gamaliel saved. A heavenly voice then came forth, and declared: 'This officer is ready for a share in the world to come.'"
Our Rabbis were taught: "When the first Temple was destroyed, groups of young priests, who had the keys of the Temple, went up to the roof and said: 'Sovereign of the Universe! Since we were not privileged to live and be trustworthy keepers of Thy treasure, we herewith return the keys.' With that they threw the keys up into die air, and something similar to a hand was seen to come forth and grasp them, whereupon the priests immediately threw themselves down into the fire beneath. They were mourned by Isaiah the Prophet (Is. 22, 1) The burden concerning the Valley of Vision. What aileth thee now, that thou are wholly gone up to the housetops? Thou, that art full of uproar, a tumultuous city, joyous town? Thy slain are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle."
R. Juda, the son of R. Samuel b. Shilath, said, in the name of Rab: "Just as we say that from the first of Ab participation in joyful events must be lessened, so is the tradition that as soon as the month of Adar enters, joyous festivities should be increased."
(Fol. 30b) MISHNAH: Rabban Simon b. Gamaliel said: "Never were there any more joyous festivals in Israel than the fifteenth of Ab and the Day of Atonement, for on them the maidens of Jerusalem would go forth dressed in white garments — borrowed ones, however, in order not to cause shame to those who had none of their own. These clothes were also to be previously immersed, and thus the maidens went out and danced in vineyards, saying: 'Young men, look and observe well whom you are about to choose; regard not beauty alone, but rather look to a virtuous family, for false is grace, and vain is beauty; a woman who only feareth the Lord shall indeed be praised (Pro. 31, 30); and it is also said (Ib. 31) Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in her gates. Furthermore, it is also said (Songs 3, 11) Go forth and look, O ye daughters of Zion, on King Solomon, with the crown wherewith his mother hath crowned him on the day of his espousals, and on the day of the joy of his heart; i.e., on the day of his espousals, refers to the day on which the Law was given; and the day of the joy of his heart, refers to the day when the building of the Temple was completed. May it soon be rebuilt in our days!' "
Rabban Simon b. Gamaliel said: "Never was there any more joyous festival than the fifteenth of Ab and on the Day of Atonement, etc." It is readily understood why the Day of Atonement should be a day of rejoicing, because that is a day of forgiveness, and on that day the second tables of the Law were given to Moses; but why should the fifteenth of Ab be a day of rejoicing? "Because," said R. Juda in the name of Samuel, "on that day the members of the different tribes were permitted to intermarry." What passage did they interpret to prove this? (Num. 36, 6) This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded concerning the daughters of Zelaphehad, etc.; i.e., this thing should only apply for this generation, but not for later generations. Rabba b b. Chana in the name of R. Jochanan said: "On that day (fifteenth of Ab) the members of the tribe of Benjamin were permitted to intermarry with the other tribes, as it is said (Jud. 21, 1) Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying: 'Not any one of us shall give his daughter unto Benjamin for a wife.' What passage did they interpret? The passage reads: Any one of us, but not our children." R. Ida b. Abin in the name of R. Joseph said: "On that day the last of those who were destined to die in the desert perished; for the master said that as long as those destined to die in the wilderness were still alive, the Lord did not speak to Moses, [in a favorable manner], as it is said (Deut. 2, 6) And it came to pass, when all the men of war were spent by dying from the midst of the people, that the Lord spoke unto me. saying; i.e., unto me in particular."
Ula said: "On that day the guards, appointed by Jeroboam to prevent the Israelites from coming to Jerusalem, were abolished by Hoshea, the son of Elah, who said: (Fol. 31) 'Let them go wherever they choose.'" R. Mathna said: "On that day permission was granted to bury the dead who were killed in battle at the city of Betha"; for R. Mathan said: "On that day, when those killed at Bethar were permitted to be buried, the assembly at Yamnia ordained the section of the after meal benediction: Blessed art thou, God the good; that doth good. By the good is meant that the bodies were not left to purify, and by doth good, that burial was permitted." Rabba and R. Joseph both said: "On that day Israel would cease to cut wood for the altar, as we are taught in a Baraitha: R. Eliezer the Great said: "From the fifteenth day of Ab the heat of the sun is lessened and the timber is no longer dry, so they ceased to cut wood for the altar.'" R. Menashia adds: And it was called the day of breaking the axe. From that day on, he who adds the night to his day-study may have years and days added to his life, but to him who does not, it may not be added to his days. R. Joseph was taught that the last statement means his mother will bury him.
"In white garments — borrowed ones," etc. Our Rabbis were taught: "The kings daughter borrowed from the high-priest; the daughter of the latter would borrow from the daughter of the Segan (assistant); the Segan's daughter would borrow from the daughter of the priest who was anointed tor the war, and she in turn would borrow from the daughter of an ordinary priest, The daughters of the ordinary Israelites would borrow from one another, lest they put to shame those who had none of their own."
"These clothes were also to be immersed." R. Zerika in the name of R. Elazar said: "Even if the clothes were folded and laid in a chest, they were also to be immersed." "The maidens went out and danced," etc.
We are taught in a Baraitha: Those that had no wives would go there [to procure a spouse].
Saying: "Young men, look and observe," etc. Our Rabbis were taught: The pretty ones among the maidens would say: "Regard but beauty alone, because a woman is made only for beauty." Those among them who were of good family would say: "Rather look to a good family, for women are but made to bear children [and those of good family produce good children." The rich ones would say. "Rather look to a rich family." The middle class and the poor ones among them would say: "Make your selections only for the glory of Heaven, but provide liberally for us."
R. Chelbu, in the name of Ula, who quoted R. Elazar, said: "In the future the Holy One, praised be He! will arrange a chorus for the righteous, and He will sit among them in the garden of Eden, and everyone will point to Him with their fingers, as it is said (Is. 25, 9) And man will say on that day, Lo, this is our God, for whom we have waited that He would help us; this is the Lord, for whom we have waited; we will he glad and we will rejoice in His salvation."
End of Tract Ta'anith