Taanit 4 - November 16, 12 Kislev

Study Guide Taanit 4 Today’s daf is sponsored by Mitzi Geffen in loving memory of her father Jack Lock, of Harrisburg PA, who passed away one year ago, 3 months shy of his 100th birthday. “He was an avid Zionist and so proud that all 4 of his children made Aliya to Israel, and that his “tribe” grew during his lifetime to nearly 100 family members, spanning 3 generations all in Israel. He was a generous and loving father, father-in-law, grandfather and great-grandfather, uncle and brother who is sorely missed.”  Today’s daf is also anonymously sponsored for the refuah shleima of Miriam Bat Malka. The Gemara mentions several different statements regarding Talmudic scholars. In another statement, we are told that there were three people who asked something inappropriately of God. Two were answered fairly and one unfairly - Eliezer the servant of Avraham and Shaul in the battle with Goliath, and Yiftach. What could Yiftach have done to save his daughter? A verse is brought to emphasize that God never intended for Yiftach to slaughter his daughter. Another rabbis says that the Jewish people also asked inappropriately on two occasions. They asked that God be like the rain, which isn’t always good (as in the summer months). They were answered fairly that God will be to them like dew which is a blessing all year round. There was a second request as well. Are the times for requesting rain and praising God about rain the same? This is an issue that is not one hundred percent clear. There is a contradiction in the words of Rabbi Yehuda between our Mishna and the next Mishna. In our Mishna it is written that we stop mentioning rain on the first day of Pesach. In the next Mishna it says we stop asking for rain at the end of Pesach. The Gemara brings four resolutions but rejects three of them and concludes that these are two different traditions about what Rabbi Yehuda said.  It was said that Rabbi Yochanan ruled like Rabbi Yehuda, that we mention rain on Shmini Atzeret. This contradicts his student, Rabbi Elazar, who ruled like Rabban Gamliel that we ask for rain on the 7th of Marcheshvan. Is this really a contradiction? And if so, how can it be resolved? Outside of Israel when the eighth day of Shmini Atzeret is possibly the 7th day of Sukkot, when do we mention rains in our prayer?