Torah Community Connections

Week 43 - Wednesday - 20 September 2000

TA'ANIT: CHAPTER 2: MISHNAH 8

All that is written in Megillat Ta'anit "not to eulogize" - before is prohibited, after is permitted. Rabbi Yose says, Before is and after is prohibited; "that is not to fast on it", before is and after is permitted. Rabbi Yose says, Before is prohibited, after is permitted.

Kehati

Megillat Ta'anit is a record of all the days on which miracles were performed for Israel during the Second Temple period, upon which the Sages prohibited fasting. There are respective days regarding which it is stated, "that is not for a eulogy," i.e., the Sages prohibited eulogizing and mourning on them. The mishnah relates the difference between the days when fasting is prohibited, and the days when eulogizing is prohibited.

All - the days, that regarding which it is written in Megillat Ta'anit "not to eulogize" - on the day before it is also prohibited - to eulogize, lest one eulogize on the holiday itself, but on the day after it is permitted - to eulogize, for once the holiday has passed, the reason for the prohibition is no longer relevant. Rabbi Yose says, On the days both before it is and after it is prohibited - to eulogize; the days regarding which it is written, "that it is not to fast on it" - in which the Sages prohibited fasting, on the days before and after it is permitted - to fast.

Rabbi Yose says, On the day before it is prohibited - to fast, on the day after it is permitted - to fast. After the Temple's destruction, Megillat Ta'anit was cancelled, and on the days regarding which it was written "that is not to fast on it and that it is not for a eulogy" it is permitted to eulogize and fast, with the exception of Hanukkah and Purim when it is still prohibited to eulogize and fast (but it is permitted on the days before and after) (R. H. 19b; Rambam; Bartenura).

TA'ANIT: CHAPTER 2: MISHNAH 9

They do not decree a fast for the community in the beginning on Thursday, so as not to raise market prices; but the first three fasts - Monday and Thursday, and Monday and the three seconds - Thursday, Monday, and Thursday, Rabbi Yose says, Just as the first are not on Thursday, so, too, the second ones and the last ones.

They do not decree a fast for the community in the beginning on Thursday, so as not to thereby raise market prices - of food. According to one interpretation, when shopkeepers perceive that large purchases of food are being made for the eve of a fast or for Shabbat, they conclude there is a famine and raise their prices, but when people fast on Monday, they realize that this is due only to the fast (Rashi; Tosafot). Rambam writes, in his commentary on the Mishnah: "because the poor say, if it were not for the great need for rain, they would not fast before Shabbat" (see also Tosefot Yom Tov). Rabbeinu Gershom provides the following explanation for this law: the villagers supply their brethren in the cities with water and food. And when they come on a Thursday, since they did not know that there is a fast, they would bring sufficient food only for Shabbat, and people would purchase everything for Thursday night, after the fast, and the price of food for Shabbat would rise. But when they decreed a fast for Monday, then when they come to the city on Monday and learn that a fast has been decreed, when they come again on Thursday they will bring sufficient food for both after the fast and Shabbat; but the first three fasts - that the Court decrees for the community (see 1:5, above), Monday, and Thursday, and Monday - i.e., the first fast which is on a Monday, for the reason which was explained above, and the three seconds - the second group of fasts (see 1:6, above), Thursday, Monday and Thursday - since these fasts are a continuation of the first group, there is no danger of rising market prices, and so it is permitted to begin them on a Thursday.

Rabbi Yose says, Just as the first fasts are not - do not begin, on the Thursday - but rather on Monday, so, too, the second ones - the three second fasts, and the last ones - the seven last fasts, do not begin on Thursday, but rather on Monday.

Return to Mishna Yomit Index

Visit the Mishna Yomit Archives