Study Taanit folio 7B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
אי הוו סנו — טפי הוו גמירי. דבר אחר: מה שלשה משקין הללו אין נפסלין אלא בהיסח הדעת — אף דברי תורה אין משתכחין אלא בהיסח הדעת.
R' Yehoshua replied: Had they been ugly, they would have been even more learned. Alternatively, the Torah is likened to water, wine, and milk because just as these 3 liquids are spoiled only by diversion of attention, so too, are Torah matters forgotten only through diversion of attention. If water, wine and milk are guarded, they will not spoil or have dirty objects fall into them.
אמר רבי חמא ברבי חנינא: גדול יום הגשמים כיום שנבראו שמים וארץ, שנאמר: ״הרעיפו שמים ממעל ושחקים יזלו צדק תפתח ארץ ויפרו ישע וצדקה תצמיח יחד אני ה׳ בראתיו״. ״בראתים״ לא נאמר, אלא ״בראתיו״.
§ The Talmud returns to the issue of rain. R' Ḥama, son of R' Ḥanina, said: The day of the rains is as great as the day on which the heavens and earth were created, as it is stated: “Drop down, heavens, from above, let the skies pour down righteousness; let the earth open that they may bring forth salvation, and let it cause righteousness to spring up together; I, YHWH, have created it” (Isaiah 45:8). The Talmud explains that the verse does not say: I have created them, in the plural, but: I have created it. In other words, the verse is referring to rain, rather than to the heavens and the earth, which indicates that rainfall is as important as the creation of the world.
אמר רב אושעיא: גדול יום הגשמים, שאפילו ישועה פרה ורבה בו, שנאמר: ״תפתח ארץ ויפרו ישע״. אמר רבי תנחום בר חנילאי: אין הגשמים יורדים אלא אם כן נמחלו עונותיהן של ישראל, שנאמר: ״רצית ה׳ ארצך שבת שבית יעקב. נשאת עון עמך כסית כל חטאתם סלה״.
R' Oshaya likewise said: The day of rain is great, as rain even facilitates salvation, which is fruitful and multiplies on that day. It is a time of God’s favor, when salvation is brought forth into the world, as it is stated: “Let the earth open that they may bring forth salvation” (Isaiah 45:8). R' Tanḥum bar Ḥanilai said: Rain falls only if the Jewish people’s transgressions have been forgiven, as it is stated: “YHWH, You have been favorable to Your land; You have turned the captivity of Jacob; You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have pardoned all their sin. Selah” (Psalms 85:2–3). This chapter proceeds to discuss rainfall: “And righteousness has looked down from Heaven” (Psalms 85:12), in the form of rain.