(Mishnah): For every Tzarah, that it should not come on the Tzibur, we are Masri'a, except for excess rain.

An episode occurred in which they told Choni ha'Ma'agil "pray for rain.'' He told them to bring in the ovens for [roasting Korbanos] Pesachim, lest they dissolve (come apart in the great rain that will come).

He prayed, and rain did not fall. He drew a circle and stood inside, and said "Master of the world! Your children put their eyes on me, for I am like a child of the house in front of You. I swear in Your great name that I will not move from here until You have mercy on Your children!''

Drops of rain started to fall. He said "I did not request this, rather, rain [that will fill] Boros, Sichin and caves.'' [Rain] fell with anger.

He said "I did not request this, rather, rain of desire (You want to help Yisrael), Brachah and good will.'' Rain began to fall properly, until Yisrael ascended from Yerushalayim to Har ha'Bayis due to the rain.

They told him, just like you prayed for [rain] to fall, pray for it to go away! He said, go see if the rock of To'im (a very tall rock where people announce Aveidos that they found) was dissolved.

(Gemara - R. Yonah citing Shimon bar Ba citing R. Yochanan): (It says "va'Harikosi Lachem Brachah Ad Bli Dai.'') Something that you may not say about it "enough!'', this is a Brachah. (OHR LI'YESHARIM)

(R. Berachiyah citing R. Chelbo citing Rav Aba bar Ila'i citing Rav): [The verse means that Hash-m will send Brachah] until your lips wear out from saying "enough Brachah for us! Enough Brachah for us!''

(He told them to bring in the Pesach ovens.) This shows that it was Erev (close to) Pesach.

Support (Beraisa in Megilas Ta'anis): On the 20th [of Adar] the entire nation needed water, and it came down for them. (It was within 30 days of Pesach, when we start expounding its laws. We explained this like AMUDEI YERUSHALAYIM.)

(Mishnah): He prayed, and rain did not fall.

(R. Yosi bei R. Bun): This is because he did not come with humility.

(R. Yudan Giriya): This Choni ha'Ma'agil [of our Mishnah] is the grandson of Choni ha'Ma'agil that was close to Churban [of the first] Beis ha'Mikdash. He went out to the mountain, to the workers. When he was there, rain came, and he entered a cave.

When he sat there, he fell asleep. He was immersed in sleep for 70 years, until the Mikdash was destroyed and was built a second time. After 70 years he woke from his sleep and went out from the cave;

He saw that the world had changed. Places that used to be vineyards were producing olives. Places that used to produce olives were seeded [with crops]. He asked people "what is new in the world?''

They asked, you do not know what is new in the world? He said no. They said, who are you? He said, Choni ha'Ma'agil.

They said to him, we heard that when [Choni ha'Ma'agil] entered the Azarah, it illuminated. He entered, and it illuminated. He applied to himself "b'Shuv Hash-m Es Shivas Tziyon Hayinu k'Cholmim.''

(Mishnah): Drops of rain started to fall.

They said that they came only to permit his vow. (It did not help Yisrael.)

(Mishnah): He said "I did not request this, rather, rain [that will fill] Boros, Sichin and caves.'' [Rain] fell with anger.

(Shmuel): [Giant drops fell] like the opening of a barrel (HA'GAON RAV C. KANIEVSKY, SHLITA).

(Mishnah): He said "I did not request this, rather, rain of desire, Brachah and good will.'' Rain began to fall properly, until Yisrael ascended from Yerushalayim to Har ha'Bayis due to the rain.

This shows that Har ha'Bayis had a roof. (They did not go there because it was the highest place in Yerushalayim. Ein Eitam was higher (Zevachim 54b) - PF.)

Support (Beraisa): It was a platform inside [the wall, which was inside an outer] platform.

(Mishnah): They told him, just like you prayed for it to fall, pray for it to go away! He said, go see if the rock of To'im was dissolved.

What was the matter of Even ha'To'im? Everyone who lost something would take it from there, for everyone who found something would bring it there.

[Choni] told them, just like this rock cannot be wiped out from the world, so one cannot pray for rain to go away. Rather, go bring me a bull of thanks [to offer for a Todah];

They went and brought him a bull of thanks. He leaned his two hands on it, and said my Master - You brought evil (drought) on Your children, and they could not bear it. You brought good on Your children, and they could not bear it! Rather, it should be Your will to bring relief.

Immediately, a wind blew and scattered the clouds and the sun shone and the land dried. They went out and found a wilderness full of mushrooms (i.e. it was rain of Brachah).

They asked R. Eliezer from when we pray for rain to go away. He said, in order that a man stands in Keren Ofel (a high rock), and he can shake his feet in Nachal Kidron (the river rose to there. This would never happen!)

Rather, we rely on the Master of mercy, that He will not bring a flood on the world. What is the source? "Ki Mei No'ach Zos Li Asher Nishbati me'Avor Mei No'ach Od Al ha'Aretz.''

Note: It is not clear why we need a verse from Navi. Bereishis 9:11-17 mentions six times Hash-m's Bris not to destroy the world again through a flood! Perhaps a Shevu'ah is stronger. If one side annuls a Bris, the other side need not keep it. However, the Bris about a flood does not have any obligations that man must fulfill!