Taanit 17A

אלא בראש השנה, וביובלות, ובשעת מלחמה.

only on Rosh HaShana, and on Yom Kippur of Jubilee Years, and in a time of war.

על הראשונה הוא אומר: מי שענה את אברהם כו׳. תנא: יש מחליפין צעקה לאליהו, ותפלה לשמואל. בשלמא גבי שמואל ⁠— כתיב ביה תפלה וכתיב ביה צעקה.

§ The Mishnah teaches: For the first blessing he recites: He Who answered Abraham. It was taught in a baraita: Some reverse the order of the conclusion of two blessings, by reciting: Who hears cries, in the fifth blessing, which deals with Elijah, and the conclusion: Who hears prayer, in the blessing of Samuel. The Talmud asks: Granted, with regard to Samuel both options are appropriate, as it is written concerning him: Prayer, and it is likewise written concerning him: Crying. One verse states: “And Samuel said: Gather all of Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you to YHWH” (I Samuel 7:5), while another verse states: “And Samuel cried to YHWH for Israel” (I Samuel 7:9).

אלא גבי אליהו ⁠— תפלה כתיב, צעקה לא כתיב! ״ענני ה׳ ענני״ לשון צעקה היא.

However, with regard to Elijah, although prayer is written, as it says: “Elijah the prophet came near and said: YHWH, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel” (I Kings 18:36), which is referring to a prayer, crying is not written. How, then, can one conclude a blessing that deals with Elijah by mentioning crying? The Talmud answers that Elijah’s statement: “Answer me, YHWH, answer me” (I Kings 18:37), is an expression of crying, even if the term crying does not itself actually appear.

על הששית הוא אומר: מי שענה את יונה כו׳. על השביעית הוא אומר: מי שענה את דוד כו׳. מכדי יונה בתר דוד ושלמה הוה, מאי טעמא מקדים ליה ברישא? משום דבעי למיחתם ״מרחם על הארץ״. תנא, משום סומכוס אמרו: ״ברוך משפיל הרמים״.

§ The Mishnah further teaches: For the 6th he recites: He Who answered Jonah; for the 7th he recites: He Who answered David. The Talmud asks: Since Jonah was after David and Solomon, what is the reason that the tanna mentions Jonah first? The Talmud answers: The reason is due to the fact that he wants to conclude the series with: Blessed are You, YHWH, Who has mercy on the Land. Therefore, the last blessing mentions David and Solomon, who were kings of Eretz Yisrael and prayed on its behalf. It was taught in the name of Sumakhos that they said he concludes the final blessing with: Blessed are You, YHWH, Who humbles the exalted.