In this daf, we continue our sweet and deep journey into the halachos of public fast days, focusing on the differences between the various sets of fasts decreed for rain. The Gemara guides us through the precise language of our Mishnah, explaining why certain public practices—like bringing the Aron (ark) out into the streets of the city and reciting the twenty-four special blessings—were omitted from the list of stringencies, showing us how the Tanna carefully structured the Mishnayos of our tractate.
We then delve into the practical halachos of our daily avodah, specifically where an individual inserts the Aneinu prayer in the Shemoneh Esrei on a fast day, and how we resolve seemingly contradictory baraitos regarding whether pregnant and nursing women are obligated to fast. Finally, the Gemara sweetens our understanding of how we cry out to Hashem in times of distress, analyzing the definition of "sounding the alarm"—whether it refers to the blowing of the shofarot, the recitation of Aneinu, or both.
וְהָא שַׁיַּיר תֵּיבָה!
But surely the Tanna of our Mishnah omitted the ark, which is brought out to the street on the last seven fasts, and yet he did not teach it!
אִי מִשּׁוּם תֵּיבָה — לָאו שִׁיּוּרָא הוּא. מִילֵּי דְצִינְעָא — קָתָנֵי, מִילֵּי דִבְפַרְהֶסְיָא — לָא קָתָנֵי.
The Gemara answers: If the objection is because of the ark, that is not considered an omission that disproves our rule. For only matters of privacy, which are practiced in private, does the Tanna teach in our Mishnah, but matters of publicity, which are performed in public like bringing the ark into the street, he does not teach here.
אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: מַתְנִיתִין נָמֵי דַּיְקָא, דְּקָתָנֵי: מָה אֵלּוּ יְתֵירוֹת עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת, אֶלָּא שֶׁבְּאֵלּוּ מַתְרִיעִין וְנוֹעֲלִין אֶת הַחֲנוּיוֹת. אֲבָל בְּכׇל דִּבְרֵיהֶן — זֶה וָזֶה שָׁוִין.
Rav Ashi said: The language of our Mishnah is also precise in supporting this, as it teaches: How are these last seven fasts more stringent than the first ones? Only that on these we sound the alarm and lock the stores. But in all their other matters, this and that are identical.
וְכִי תֵּימָא הָכָא נָמֵי תְּנָא וְשַׁיַּיר, וְהָא ״מָה אֵלּוּ״ קָתָנֵי.
And if you say that here too the Tanna taught some differences and omitted others, but surely it teaches "How are these more stringent," which implies that these are the only differences!
וְתִסְבְּרָא ״מָה אֵלּוּ״ דַּוְוקָא הוּא? וְהָא שַׁיַּיר לַהּ תֵּיבָה!
The Gemara asks: And can you understand that the phrase "How are these" is precise and exclusive? But surely he omitted the ark, which is a major difference between the first and last fasts!
אִי מִשּׁוּם תֵּיבָה — לָאו שִׁיּוּרָא הוּא, מִשּׁוּם דְּקָא חָשֵׁיב לַהּ בְּאִידַּךְ פִּרְקָא.
The Gemara answers: If the omission is because of the ark, that is not a real omission, because he counts it in the other chapter, the next perek of our tractate.
הַשְׁתָּא דְּאָתֵית לְהָכִי: עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה נָמֵי לָאו שִׁיּוּרָא הוּא, דְּקָתָנֵי לַהּ בְּאִידַּךְ פִּירְקָא.
The Gemara notes: Now that you have arrived at this line of reasoning, the omission of the twenty-four blessings of the Shemoneh Esrei is also not a real omission, as he teaches it in the other chapter as well.
מַאי הָוֵי עֲלַהּ?
The Gemara asks: What was the halachic conclusion reached upon it, regarding where an individual inserts the Aneinu prayer on a fast day?
אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר סִסְרָטַאי, וְכֵן אָמַר רַב חִיָּיא בַּר אָשֵׁי אָמַר רַב: בֵּין ״גּוֹאֵל״ לְ״רוֹפֵא״.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Sasretai said, and so too Rav Chiyya bar Ashi said in the name of Rav: One inserts it between the blessing of "Who redeems" and "Who heals."
וְרַב אָשֵׁי אָמַר מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יַנַּאי בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: בְּ״שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִילָּה״.
And Rav Ashi said in the name of Rabbi Yannai the son of Rabbi Yishmael: One inserts it in the blessing of "Who hears prayer."
וְהִלְכְתָא, בְּ״שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִילָּה״.
The Gemara rules: And the halachah is that one includes it in "Who hears prayer."
תָּנֵי חֲדָא: עוּבָּרוֹת וּמֵינִיקוֹת מִתְעַנּוֹת בָּרִאשׁוֹנוֹת, וְאֵין מִתְעַנּוֹת בָּאַחֲרוֹנוֹת.
It was taught in one braisa: Pregnant and nursing women fast on the first set of fasts, but they do not fast on the last set of fasts.
וְתַנְיָא אִידַּךְ: מִתְעַנּוֹת בָּאַחֲרוֹנוֹת, וְאֵין מִתְעַנּוֹת בָּרִאשׁוֹנוֹת.
And it was taught in another braisa: They fast on the last set of fasts, but they do not fast on the first set of fasts.
וְתַנְיָא אִידַּך: אֵין מִתְעַנּוֹת, לֹא בָּרִאשׁוֹנוֹת וְלֹא בָּאַחֲרוֹנוֹת.
And it was taught in yet another braisa: They do not fast, neither on the first fasts nor on the last fasts.
אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: נְקוֹט אֶמְצָעֲיָיתָא בִּידָךְ, דְּמִיתָּרְצָן כּוּלְּהוּ.
Rav Ashi said: Hold the middle fasts in your hand as the key, for through this all of them are reconciled. The halachah is that they only fast on the middle three fasts.
מָה אֵלּוּ יְתֵירוֹת עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת, אֶלָּא שֶׁבְּאֵלּוּ מַתְרִיעִין וְנוֹעֲלִין אֶת הַחֲנוּיוֹת.
We learned in the Mishnah: How are these seven fasts more stringent than the first ones? Only that on these we sound the alarm and lock the stores.
בְּמַאי מַתְרִיעִין?
The Gemara asks: With what do we sound the alarm?
רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר: בְּשׁוֹפָרוֹת, וְרַב יְהוּדָה בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר שִׁילַת מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב אָמַר: בַּ״עֲנֵנוּ״.
Rav Yehuda said: With shofars. And Rav Yehuda the son of Rav Shmuel bar Sheilat said in the name of Rav: With the recitation of Aneinu.
קָא סָלְקָא דַּעְתָּן, מַאן דְּאָמַר בַּ״עֲנֵנוּ״ — לָא אָמַר בְּשׁוֹפָרוֹת, וּמַאן דְּאָמַר בְּשׁוֹפָרוֹת — לָא אָמַר בַּ״עֲנֵנוּ״.
It entered our minds to assume that the one who said we sound the alarm with Aneinu did not say we do so with shofars, and the one who said with shofars did not say with Aneinu.
וְהָתַנְיָא: אֵין פּוֹחֲתִין מִשֶּׁבַע תַּעֲנִיּוֹת עַל הַצִּבּוּר, שֶׁבָּהֶן שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה הַתְרָעוֹת. וְסִימָן לַדָּבָר: יְרִיחוֹ.
But surely it was taught in a braisa: We do not decree fewer than seven fasts upon the community, in which there are eighteen soundings of the alarm. And a mnemonic for this matter is Jericho, where they blew the shofars.
וִירִיחוֹ שׁוֹפָרוֹת הֲוָה, וּתְיוּבְתָּא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר בַּ״עֲנֵנוּ״!
And the sounding in Jericho was with shofars! This is a refutation of the one who said that according to Rav we sound the alarm only with Aneinu!
אֶלָּא: בְּשׁוֹפָרוֹת, דְּכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא לָא פְּלִיגִי דְּקָרֵי לַהּ הַתְרָעָה. כִּי פְּלִיגִי בַּ״עֲנֵנוּ״. מָר סָבַר: קָרֵי לַהּ הַתְרָעָה, וּמָר סָבַר: לָא קָרֵי לַהּ הַתְרָעָה.
Rather, we must explain that regarding shofars, everyone agrees that it is called sounding the alarm. Where they differ is regarding Aneinu. One Master, Rav, holds that the Torah calls it sounding the alarm, and one Master, Rav Yehuda, holds that it is not called sounding the alarm.
לְמַאן דְּאָמַר בַּ״עֲנֵנוּ״ — כׇּל שֶׁכֵּן בְּשׁוֹפָרוֹת. וּלְמַאן דְּאָמַר בְּשׁוֹפָרוֹת — אֲבָל בַּעֲנֵנוּ לָא!
The Gemara notes: According to the one who said that sounding the alarm can be done with Aneinu, all the more so it is done with shofars. But according to the one who said it is done with shofars, he holds that with shofars we do so, but with Aneinu we do not call it sounding the alarm.
וְהָתַנְיָא: וּשְׁאָר כׇּל מִינֵי פּוּרְעָנוּיוֹת הַמִּתְרַגְּשׁוֹת, כְּגוֹן: חִיכּוּךְ, חָגָב, זְבוּב וְצִירְעָה וְיַתּוּשִׁין, וְשִׁילּוּחַ נְחָשִׁים וְעַקְרַבִּים — לֹא הָיוּ מַתְרִיעִין אֶלָּא צוֹעֲקִין.
But surely it was taught in a braisa: And for all other types of calamities that break out, such as scabs, locusts, flies, hornets, mosquitoes, and infestations of snakes and scorpions, they would not sound the alarm, but they would cry out.
מִדִּצְעָקָה בַּפֶּה, הַתְרָעָה בְּשׁוֹפָרוֹת!
Since crying out is with the mouth through prayer, it follows that sounding the alarm must be with shofars! This contradicts the view that Aneinu is called sounding the alarm.
תַּנָּאֵי הִיא, דִּתְנַן: עַל אֵלּוּ מַתְרִיעִין בְּשַׁבָּת, עַל עִיר שֶׁהִקִּיפוּהָ גַּיִיס אוֹ נָהָר, וְעַל סְפִינָה הַמְטוֹרֶפֶת בַּיָּם. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אֹמֵר: לְעֶזְרָה, אֲבָל לֹא לִצְעָקָה.
The Gemara answers: It is a dispute between Tannaim, as we learned in a Mishnah: For these we sound the alarm even on Shabbos: For a city surrounded by an invading army or a flooding river, and for a ship tossed about in the sea. Rabbi Yosei says: We sound the alarm to summon help, but not for crying out in prayer.
בְּמַאי? אִילֵימָא בְּשׁוֹפָרוֹת — שׁוֹפָרוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת מִי שְׁרֵי? אֶלָּא לָאו, בַּ״עֲנֵנוּ״, וְקָרֵי לַהּ הַתְרָעָה, שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ.
With what do they sound the alarm on Shabbos? If we say with shofars, is blowing shofars permitted on Shabbos? Rather, is it not with Aneinu, and yet the Mishnah calls it sounding the alarm? Learn from this that there is a Tanna who holds that prayer is called sounding the alarm.
בִּשְׁנֵי דְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה נְשִׂיאה הֲוָה צַעֲרָא, גְּזַר תְּלָת עַשְׂרֵה תַּעֲנִיּוֹת וְלָא אִיעֲנִי. סְבַר לְמִיגְזַר טְפֵי.
The Gemara relates: In the years of Rabbi Yehuda Nesia there was distress due to drought. He decreed thirteen fasts and they were not answered. He thought to decree more fasts.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי אַמֵּי: הֲרֵי אָמְרוּ אֵין מַטְרִיחִין אֶת הַצִּבּוּר יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי.
Rabbi Ammi said to him: Behold, they said in the Mishnah that we do not burden the community excessively by decreeing more than thirteen fasts.
אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא: רַבִּי אַמֵּי דַּעֲבַד — לְגַרְמֵיהּ הוּא דַּעֲבַד.
Rabbi Abba the son of Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba said: What Rabbi Ammi did, he did for himself based on his own opinion.
אֶלָּא הָכִי אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: לֹא שָׁנוּ אֶלָּא לִגְשָׁמִים, אֲבָל לִשְׁאָר מִינֵי פוּרְעָנוּיוֹת — מִתְעַנִּין וְהוֹלְכִין עַד שֶׁיֵּעָנוּ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם.
Rather, so said Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: They only taught this limit of thirteen fasts regarding rain, but for other types of calamities, they go on fasting until they are answered from Heaven.
תַּנְיָא נָמֵי הָכִי: כְּשֶׁאָמְרוּ שָׁלֹשׁ וּכְשֶׁאָמְרוּ שֶׁבַע — לֹא אָמְרוּ אֶלָּא לִגְשָׁמִים, אֲבָל לִשְׁאָר מִינֵי פוּרְעָנוּיוֹת — מִתְעַנִּין וְהוֹלְכִין עַד שֶׁיֵּעָנוּ.
It was also taught in a braisa like this: When they said three fasts and when they said seven fasts, they only said so regarding rain, but for other types of calamities, they go on fasting until they are answered.
לֵימָא תֶּיהְוֵי תְּיוּבְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי אַמֵּי!
The Gemara asks: Shall we say this is a refutation of Rabbi Ammi, who stopped the Nasi from decreeing more fasts?
אָמַר לָךְ רַבִּי אַמֵּי: תַּנָּאֵי הִיא, דְּתַנְיָא: אֵין גּוֹזְרִין יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה תַּעֲנִיּוֹת עַל הַצִּבּוּר, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין מַטְרִיחִין אֶת הַצִּבּוּר יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי.
Rabbi Ammi could say to you: It is a dispute between Tannaim, as it was taught in a braisa: We do not decree more than thirteen fasts on the community, because we do not burden the community excessively; these are the words of Rabbi.
רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: לֹא מִן הַשֵּׁם הוּא זֶה, אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיָּצָא זְמַנָּהּ שֶׁל רְבִיעָה.
Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: It is not for this reason, but rather because the time for rain has already passed, so fasting is no longer effective.
שְׁלַחוּ לֵיהּ בְּנֵי נִינְוֵה לְרַבִּי: כְּגוֹן אֲנַן, דַּאֲפִילּוּ בִּתְקוּפַת תַּמּוּז בָּעֵינַן מִטְרָא, הֵיכִי נַעֲבֵיד? כִּיחִידִים דָּמֵינַן אוֹ כְּרַבִּים דָּמֵינַן?
The people of Nineveh sent a question to Rabbi: For people like us, who need rain even in the Tammuz season, what should we do? Are we considered like individuals or are we considered like a community?
כִּיחִידִים דָּמֵינַן וּבְ״שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה״, אוֹ כְּרַבִּים דָּמֵינַן וּבְבִרְכַּת הַשָּׁנִים?
Are we considered like individuals and must ask for rain in "Who hears prayer," or are we considered like a community and ask for it in the Blessing of the Years?
שְׁלַח לְהוּ: כִּיחִידִים דָּמֵיתוּ וּבְ״שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה״.
He sent back to them: You are considered like individuals, and you must ask for rain in "Who hears prayer."
מֵיתִיבִי, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: אֵימָתַי — בִּזְמַן שֶׁהַשָּׁנִים כְּתִיקְנָן וְיִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁרוּיִן עַל אַדְמָתָן. אֲבָל בִּזְמַן הַזֶּה — הַכֹּל לְפִי הַשָּׁנִים, הַכֹּל לְפִי הַמְּקוֹמוֹת, הַכֹּל לְפִי הַזְּמַן!
The Gemara raises an objection: Rabbi Yehuda said: When do we follow the standard times for rain? When the years are normal and Israel dwells on their land. But nowadays, everything is according to the years, everything is according to the places, and everything is according to the time! This implies they should pray in the Blessing of the Years.
אֲמַר לֵיה: מַתְנִיתָא רָמֵית עֲלֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי?! רַבִּי תַּנָּא הוּא וּפָלֵיג.
The Gemara said to him: Do you raise a contradiction from a Mishnah against Rabbi? Rabbi is himself a Tanna and has the right to disagree with Rabbi Yehuda.
מַאי הָוֵי עֲלַהּ?
The Gemara asks: What was the final halachic conclusion reached upon it?
רַב נַחְמָן אָמַר: בְּבִרְכַּת הַשָּׁנִים. רַב שֵׁשֶׁת אָמַר: בְּ״שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה״. וְהִלְכְתָא: בְּ״שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה״.
Rav Nachman said: They pray in the Blessing of the Years. Rav Sheshes said: In "Who hears prayer." And the halachah is: In "Who hears prayer."
בַּשֵּׁנִי מַטִּין עִם חֲשֵׁיכָה וּבַחֲמִישִׁי כׇּל הַיּוֹם מִפְּנֵי כְּבוֹד הַשַּׁבָּת.
We learned in the Mishnah: On Monday they tilt the store doors open towards dark, and on Thursday they may open them all day because of the honor of Shabbos.
אִיבַּעְיָא לְהוּ, הֵיכִי קָתָנֵי: בַּשֵּׁנִי מַטִּין עִם חֲשֵׁיכָה, וּבַחֲמִישִׁי כׇּל הַיּוֹם — מִפְּנֵי כְּבוֹד הַשַּׁבָּת, אוֹ דִילְמָא: בַּשֵּׁנִי מַטִּין, וּבַחֲמִישִׁי פּוֹתְחִין כׇּל הַיּוֹם כּוּלּוֹ?
A dilemma was raised to them: How does the Mishnah teach this? Does it mean: On Monday they tilt the doors towards dark, and on Thursday they tilt them all day, because of the honor of Shabbos? Or perhaps: On Monday they tilt them, and on Thursday they open them wide the entire day?
תָּא שְׁמַע, דְּתַנְיָא: בַּשֵּׁנִי מַטִּין עַד הָעֶרֶב, וּבַחֲמִישִׁי פּוֹתְחִין כׇּל הַיּוֹם כּוּלּוֹ מִפְּנֵי כְּבוֹד הַשַּׁבָּת.
Come and hear, as it was taught in a braisa: On Monday they tilt the doors until the evening, and on Thursday they open them wide the entire day because of the honor of Shabbos.
הָיוּ לוֹ שְׁנֵי פְתָחִים — פּוֹתֵחַ אֶחָד וְנוֹעֵל אֶחָד. הָיָה לוֹ אִצְטְבָא כְּנֶגֶד פִּתְחוֹ — פּוֹתֵחַ כְּדַרְכּוֹ וְאֵינוֹ חוֹשֵׁשׁ.
The braisa continues: If he had two entrances, he opens one and locks one. If he had a bench in front of his entrance, he opens the door in his usual way and does not worry, as the bench conceals the opening.
עָבְרוּ אֵלּוּ וְלֹא נַעֲנוּ — מְמַעֲטִין בְּמַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, בְּבִנְיָן וּבִנְטִיעָה.
We learned in the Mishnah: If these fasts passed and they were not answered, they decrease business, building, and planting.
תָּנָא: בְּבִנְיָן — בִּנְיָן שֶׁל שִׂמְחָה. נְטִיעָה — נְטִיעָה שֶׁל שִׂמְחָה.
A Tanna taught: Regarding building, this means a building of joy. Regarding planting, this means a planting of joy.
אֵי זֶהוּ בִּנְיָן שֶׁל שִׂמְחָה — זֶה הַבּוֹנֶה בֵּית חַתְנוּת לִבְנוֹ. אִי זוֹ הִיא נְטִיעָה שֶׁל שִׂמְחָה — זֶה הַנּוֹטֵעַ אַבְּווֹרַנְקֵי שֶׁל מְלָכִים.
What is a building of joy? This is one who builds a wedding house for his son. What is a planting of joy? This is one who plants royal pleasure gardens.
וּבִשְׁאֵילַת שָׁלוֹם.
We learned in the Mishnah: And they decrease greeting one another.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: חֲבֵרִים, אֵין שְׁאֵילַת שָׁלוֹם בֵּינֵיהֶן. עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ שֶׁשּׁוֹאֲלִין — מַחְזִירִין לָהֶם בְּשָׂפָה רָפָה, וּבְכוֹבֶד רֹאשׁ.
The Rabbis taught: Torah scholars do not greet one another. If unlearned people greet them, they respond to them in a low voice and with gravity.
וְהֵן מִתְעַטְּפִין וְיוֹשְׁבִין כַּאֲבֵלִים וְכִמְנוּדִּין, כִּבְנֵי אָדָם הַנְּזוּפִין לַמָּקוֹם, עַד שֶׁיְּרַחֲמוּ עֲלֵיהֶם מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם.
And they wrap themselves in their cloaks and sit like mourners and like those excommunicated, like people rebuked by the Omnipresent, until they are pitied from Heaven.
אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אֵין אָדָם חָשׁוּב רַשַּׁאי לִיפּוֹל עַל פָּנָיו, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן נַעֲנֶה כִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֹּאמֶר ה׳ אֶל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ קֻם לָךְ לָמָּה זֶּה אַתָּה נֹפֵל עַל פָּנֶיךָ״.
Rabbi Eleazar said: An important person is not permitted to fall on his face in public prayer unless he is answered immediately like Yehoshua bin Nun, as it is said: "And Hashem said to Yehoshua: Get up! Why is it that you fall on your face?"
וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אֵין אָדָם חָשׁוּב רַשַּׁאי לַחֲגוֹר שַׂק אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן נַעֲנֶה כִּיהוֹרָם בֶּן אַחְאָב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיְהִי כִשְׁמֹעַ הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת דִּבְרֵי הָאִשָּׁה וַיִּקְרַע אֶת בְּגָדָיו וְהוּא עֹבֵר עַל הַחֹמָה וַיַּרְא הָעָם וְהִנֵּה הַשַּׂק עַל בְּשָׂרוֹ וְגוֹ׳״.
And Rabbi Eleazar said: An important person is not permitted to gird sackcloth unless he is answered like Yehoram ben Achav, as it is said: "And it was, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he tore his clothes... and the people saw, and behold, sackcloth was upon his flesh..."
וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: לֹא הַכֹּל בִּקְרִיעָה וְלֹא הַכֹּל בִּנְפִילָה. מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרוֹן — בִּנְפִילָה, יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָלֵב — בִּקְרִיעָה.
And Rabbi Eleazar said: Not everyone reacts with tearing clothes and not everyone with falling on their face. Moshe and Aharon reacted with falling, while Yehoshua and Calev reacted with tearing.
מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן בִּנְפִילָה, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיִּפּוֹל מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן עַל פְּנֵיהֶם״. יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָלֵב בִּקְרִיעָה, דִּכְתִיב: ״וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן וְכָלֵב בֶּן יְפֻנֶּה קָרְעוּ בִּגְדֵיהֶם״.
Moshe and Aharon reacted with falling, as it is written: "And Moshe and Aharon fell on their faces." Yehoshua and Calev reacted with tearing, as it is written: "And Yehoshua bin Nun and Calev ben Yefuneh tore their clothes."
מַתְקֵיף לַהּ רַבִּי זֵירָא, וְאִיתֵּימָא רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי: אִי הֲוָה כְּתִיב ״יְהוֹשֻׁעַ״ — כִּדְקָאָמְרַתְּ, הַשְׁתָּא דִּכְתִיב: ״וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ״, הָא וְהָא עָבֵיד.
Rabbi Zeira, and some say Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani, challenged this: If it were written "Yehoshua" without the prefix, it would be as you said. Now that it is written "And Yehoshua," it implies he did this and that—both falling on his face like Moshe and tearing his clothes.
וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: לֹא הַכֹּל בְּקִימָה וְלֹא הַכֹּל בְּהִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה. מְלָכִים — בְּקִימָה, וְשָׂרִים — בְּהִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה. מְלָכִים בְּקִימָה, דִּכְתִיב: ״כֹּה אָמַר ה׳ גֹּאֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל קְדוֹשׁוֹ
And Rabbi Eleazar said: Not everyone honors Hashem with rising and not everyone with prostration. Kings honor Him with rising, and princes with prostration. Kings with rising, as it is written: "Thus says Hashem, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One..."
The Gemara begins by resolving omissions in the Mishnah, explaining that the Tanna only listed private practices or left certain public matters, like the Aron and the twenty-four blessings, to be detailed in the next perek. In the realm of practical halacha, the Gemara rules that an individual inserts the Aneinu prayer in the blessing of Shome'a Tefillah. To resolve the conflicting baraitos regarding pregnant and nursing women, Rav Ashi beautifully explains that they only fast during the middle three fasts, which are stricter than the first three but less physically taxing than the final seven. The daf concludes with a deep discussion on how the community cries out to Hashem during a drought, debating whether "sounding the alarm" refers to blowing the shofarot or reciting the Aneinu prayer, and clarifying the nature of these different forms of crying out in times of tzarah.
When the Gemara describes the final, most intense public fasts, it paints a picture of a community that has completely humbled itself. The Chachamim teach that the people would wrap themselves in cloaks, sit like mourners, and speak to one another only with a soft, heavy voice, feeling like "people who are rebuked by the Omnipresent" (nezufin la-Makom) until Heaven showed mercy. This is not just a historical description of a drought; it is a profound lesson in how a Yid must react when things are not going well in life.
So often, when we face difficulties or when our tefillos seem unanswered, our natural reaction is to become defensive, frustrated, or to try to force our way through with sheer willpower. The Torah is teaching us the exact opposite path. True teshuvah and the key to unlocking the gates of Rachamim start with absolute surrender and humility before Hashem. It means stopping the noise, lowering our voices, and acknowledging that we are entirely dependent on His mercy.
Today, if you face a frustration, a setback, or a situation where you feel the lack of Hashem's apparent blessing, do not react with anger or loud complaints. Instead, take a moment to quiet your heart, speak softly, and say to Hashem with complete humility: "Ribono shel Olam, I have nothing of my own; I am entirely in Your hands."