Mishnah 1
1)
(a)The Tana discusses 'Gevuros Geshamim'. What is he referring to?
(b)Why does he call it 'Gevuros Geshamim'?
(c)From which Pasuk in Iyov does he learn it? According to Rebbi Eliezer, one mentions (See Tos. Yom-Tov) 'Mashiv ha'Ru'ach' beginning from the first day of Sukos. What does Rebbi Yehoshua say?
1)
(a)Ta'anis follows Rosh ha'Shanah - because we learned in the Mishnah there (in the first Perek) that 'On Succos we are judged on water' (See Tos. Yom-Tov).
(b)The Tana discusses 'Gevuros Geshamim', with reference to - the insertion of 'Mashiv ha'Ru'ach ... ' in the Amidah.
(c)He calls it 'Gevuros Geshamim - because rain is one of the things that demonstrates Hash-m's power, as stated by Iyov "Oseh Gedolos ve'Ein Cheiker, ha'Nosein Matar al-P'nei Aretz".) According to Rebbi Eliezer, one begins inserting 'Mashiv ha'Ru'ach' (Mazkirin' [See Tos. Yom-Tov]) from the first day of Succos (See Tos. Yom-Tov). Rebbi Yehoshua says - from the last day of Succos (Shemini Atzeres).
2)
(a)Seeing as Sukos is the Chag connected with rain, on what grounds does Rebbi Yehoshua disagree with Rebbi Eliezer?
(b)How does Rebbi ...
1. ... Eliezer counter Rebbi Yehoshua's argument?
2. ... Yehoshua counter Rebbi Eliezer argument?
(c)Like whom is the Halachah?
2)
(a)Even though Succos is the Chag on which we are judged for rain (as we just saw), Rebbi Yehoshua disagrees with Rebbi Eliezer - since rain on Succos is a sign of a curse.
(b)Rebbi ...
1. ... Eliezer counters Rebbi Yehoshua's argument - by pointing out that he is not talking about praying for rain, only about mentioning that Hash-m sends rain in its season, on which Rebbi ...
2. ... Yehoshua comments - that, in that case, we may as well mention it throughout the year (See Tos. Yom-Tov DH 'Mashiv ha'Ru'ach' & 'Amar lo ... ').
(c)The Halachah is - like Rebbi Yehoshua.
Mishnah 2
3)
(a)When the Mishnah states that one only mentions rain close to the rain season, it may mean that one only mentions 'Mashiv ha'Ru'ach ... ' on the last day of Sukos, like the opinion of Rebbi Yehoshua. Why does it see fit to repeat it?
(b)What else might the Tana be referring to?
(c)What date might this involve?
3)
(a)When the Mishnah states that one only mentions rain close to the rain season, it may mean that one only mentions 'Mashiv ha'Ru'ach ... ' on the last day of Succos. - a Stam Mishnah like Rebbi Yehoshua (See Tos. Yom-Tov).
(b)Alternatively, the Tana miht be referring to - actually asking for rain ('ve'Sein Tal u'Matar ... ') ...
(c)... on the third or the seventh of Mar-Cheshvan.
4)
(a)Rebbi Yehudah teaches us that on Shemini Atzeres, it is the last one who mentions Geshamim. What does he mean by that?
(b)What does the first one (the Ba'al Shachris) mention?
(c)What does he then say about inserting Tal on the first day of Pesach?
4)
(a)Rebbi Yehudah teaches us that on Shemini Atzeres, it is the last one - (the Ba'al Musaf) who mentions Geshamim.
(b)The first one (the Ba'al Shachris) mentions - 'Tal'.
(c)Rebbi Yehudah then says - that it is the Ba'al Shachris who inserts 'Tal' on the first day of Pesach (See Tos. Yom-Tov). The Halachah is - like Rebbi Yehudah (See previous Tos. Yom-Tov).
5)
(a)What does Rebbi Yehudah now say about the time to begin replacing Geshem with Tal?
(b)How do we reconcile this with his previous statement?
(c)What does Rebbi Meir say, based on the Pasuk in Yo'el "Vayored lachem Geshem, Moreh u'Malkosh ba'Rishon"?
5)
(a)Rebbi Yehudah now says - that one only begins replacing 'Geshem' with 'Tal' after Pesach (See Tos. Yom-Tov).
(b)To reconcile this with his previous statement - we establish a Machlokes Tana'im, according to Rebbi Yehudah.
(c)Based on the Pasuk in Yo'el "Vayored lachem Geshem, Moreh u'Malkosh ba'Rishon", Rebbi Meir says - that one does not replace 'Geshem' with 'Tal' until after the month of Nisan, since from the Pasuk we can extrapolate that the entire month of Nisan is still considered the rain-season (See Tos. Yom-Tov).
Mishnah 3
6)
(a)According to the Tana Kama, we begin to ask for rain on the third of Marcheshvan. What does Raban Gamliel say?
(b)What is the latter's reason? How many days after Sukos does this occur?
(c)What is the significance of the River P'ras'?
6)
(a)According to the Tana Kama, we begin to ask for rain on the third of Marcheshvan (See Tos. Yom-Tov); Raban Gamliel says on the seventh ...
(b)... fifteen days after Succos (See Tos. Yom-Tov & Tiferes Yisrael) - fo give everybody a chance to arrive home before the rains begin ...
(c)... even as far as the River P'ras, which is the most northernmost spot from Yerushalayim.
7)
(a)What insertion exactly, is the Mishnah referring to?
(b)The current Machlokes is confined to Eretz Yisrael. When does one begin asking for rain in Chutz la'Aretz?
(c)On which day does one actually start?
7)
(a)The Mishnah is referring to - the insertion of 've'Sein Tal u'Matar li'Verachah ... ' in the B'rachah of 'Bareich Aleinu'.
(b)The current Machlokes is confined to Eretz Yisrael; In Chutz la'Aretz When, one begins asking for rain - on does not begin asking for rain until sixty days after Tekufas Tishri ...
(c)One actually starts - on the sixtieth day itself.
Mishnah 4
8)
(a)What happens in the event that the seventeenth of Marcheshvan arrives and rain has not yet fallen? Who are the 'Yechidim'?
(b)On which days do they then fast?
(c)What is the significance of the seventeenth of Marcheshvan?
(d)When does each of the fasts begin?
8)
(a)In the event that the seventeenth of Marcheshvan arrives and rain has not yet fallen - the Yechidim (i.e. the Talmidei-Chachamim [See Tos. Yom-Tov]) - fast three fasts ...
(b)... on the following Monday, Thursday and Monday.
(c)The significance of the seventeenth of Marcheshvan - is that three key dates (the third, the seventh and now the seventeenth, of Marcheshvan [See Tos. Yom-Tov]).
(d)The fasts begins in the morning.
9)
(a)On what condition are they forbidden to eat or drink even at night-time?
(b)According to others, this Chumra does not include drinking. What makes the latter opinion more logical?
(c)Besides working, which other three things does the Tana permit?
9)
(a)They are forbidden to eat or drink even at night-time - if they went to sleep without stipulating that they intended to eat before dawn-break.
(b)According to others this Chumra does not include drinking. What makes this opinion more logical is the fact - that there is no fixed time for drinking (like there is for eating).
(c)Besides working, the Tana also permits - washing or anointing oneself and intimate relations with one wife.
Mishnah 5
10)
(a)What do Beis-Din decree in the event that Rosh Chodesh Kislev arrives (See Tos. Yom-Tov) and rain has still not arrived?
(b)On whom did they decree this time?
(c)When did these fasts begin?
(d)What about washing and anointing oneself, wearing shoes and intimacy?
10)
(a)In the event that Rosh Chodesh Kislev arrives and rain has still not arrived - Beis-Din decree three fasts ...
(b)... on the Tzibur (on Monday. Thursday and Monday).
(c)These fast, like the previous ones - begin in the morning.
(d)And here too - washing and anointing oneself, wearing shoes and intimacy are permitted.
Mishnah 6
11)
(a)If, following these last-days, rain has still not fallen, Beis-Din decree another three fast-days. In which two regards do these fasts differ from the earlier ones?
(b)What else does one do on these fasts that one did not do earlier?
(c)If there is still no rain, Beis-Din initiate another seven fasts. How did they arrange this (See Tiferes Yisrael)?
(d)Bearing in mind that there have already been nine fasts, what does the Tana mean when he says that they add another seven fasts to the six that have already passed (making a total of thirteen [See Tos. Yom-Tov])?
11)
(a)If, following these last-days, rain has still not fallen, Beis-Din decree another three fast-days, which differed from the earlier ones in that - one is obligated to stop eating before nightfall (like on Yom Kipur [Tos. Yom-Tov]) and all the four things (work [See Tos. Yom-Tov), washing oneself ... ) that were permitted there are now forbidden.
(b)In addition - the bath-houses are shut.
(c)If there is still no rain, Beis-Din initiate another seven fasts - on Monday, Thursday, Monday, Thursday, Monday, Thursday and Monday.
(d)Despite the fact that there have already been nine fasts, the Tana says that they add another seven fasts to the six that have already passed (making a total of thirteen [See Tos. Yom-Tov]) - because the first set of fasts was confined to the 'Yechidim', and the Tzibur were not involved.
12)
(a)Which two decrees do they add to the last seven?
(b)What do they decree with regard to the stores on Monday?
(c)Why do they not do the same on Thursday?
12)
(a)To the last seven fasts they add - blowing Shofros (See Tos. Yom-Tov) and shutting the stores ...
(b)... which are partially opened towards evening (See Tos. Yom-Tov).
(c)On Thursday - the stores are left open all day because of Kavod Shabbos.
Mishnah 7
13)
(a)If after all that, there is still no rain, what do they initiate with regard to business?
(b)What is the Tana referring to when he says that they also cut down on building and planting?
(c)What does he mean by ...
1. ... 'Binyan shel Simchah'?
2. ... 'Neti'ah shel Simchah'?
(d)Which other two institutions did they cut down on?
(e)And what did they institute regarding greeting one another?
13)
(a)If after all that, there is still no rain, they initiate - cutting down business.
(b)When the Tana says that they also cut down on building and planting, he is referring specifically to building and planting of Simchah ...
(c)such as ...
1. ... constructing a house for a Chupah.
2. ... planting a large tree which spreads its branches over a large area, for kings to stroll in its shade.
(d)They also cut down on - engagements (See Tos. Yom-Tov & Tiferes Yisrael) and marriages.
(e)And they instituted that - people should greet one another as if they had been scolded by Hash-m.
14)
(a)Who continues fasting after that if rain has still not fallen?
(b)Until when did they do so?
(c)Why is that?
(d)From which episode in Shmuel do we learn it?
(e)On what condition is rain after Nisan not a curse?
14)
(a)If rain has still not fallen - the Yechidim continue fasting after that ...
(b)... until the end of Nisan (See Tos. Yom-Tov) ...
(c)... after which rain is a sign of curse.
(d)We learn it from the episode in Shmuel - where Shmuel asked Hash-m to bring rain during the wheat-harvest season as a sign that Yisrael had been wrong to ask for a king.
(e)Rain after Nisan is not a curse however - if rain has already fallen before (See Tos. Yom-Tov).
15)
(a)If all the above dates are confined to Eretz Yisrael and the surrounding areas, what is the Din with regard to asking for rain in distant lands?
(b)How are the fasts determined there?
(c)What procedure to they then follow?
15)
(a)All the above dates are confined to Eretz Yisrael and the surrounding areas. The Din with regard to asking for rain in distant lands is - that it all depends on when the rain is due ...
(b)... and that is determined - by the Beis-Din of each and every country independently.
(c)They then follow - the same procedure as the one in Eretz Yisrael.
