## Taanit Daf 23a

###### Taanit 23a:1
[Taanit 23a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/23a:1)

״בְּעִתָּם״ — בְּלֵילֵי רְבִיעִיּוֹת וּבְלֵילֵי שַׁבָּתוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**“In their season”** means **on Wednesday eves,** i.e., Tuesday nights, **and on Shabbat eves,** i.e., Friday nights, because at these times people are not out in the streets, either due to fear of demonic forces that were thought to wander on Tuesday nights or due to the sanctity of Shabbat.


###### Taanit 23a:2
[Taanit 23a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/23a:2)

שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ בִּימֵי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן שָׁטַח שֶׁיָּרְדוּ לָהֶם גְּשָׁמִים בְּלֵילֵי רְבִיעִיּוֹת וּבְלֵילֵי שַׁבָּתוֹת, עַד שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ חִטִּים כִּכְלָיוֹת, וּשְׂעוֹרִים כְּגַרְעִינֵי זֵיתִים, וַעֲדָשִׁים כְּדִינְרֵי זָהָב, וְצָרְרוּ מֵהֶם דּוּגְמָא לַדּוֹרוֹת, לְהוֹדִיעַ כַּמָּה הַחֵטְא גּוֹרֵם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עֲוֹנוֹתֵיכֶם הִטּוּ אֵלֶּה וְחַטֹּאתֵיכֶם מָנְעוּ הַטּוֹב מִכֶּם״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**As we found** in **the days of Shimon ben Shetaḥ that rain** invariably **fell for them on Wednesday eves and on Shabbat eves, until wheat grew** as big **as kidneys, and barley** as big **as olive pits, and lentils as golden dinars. And they tied** up some **of** these crops as **an example [*dugma*] for** future **generations, to convey** to them **how much** damage **sin causes, as it is stated:** “The Lord our God, Who gives rain, the former rain and the latter rain, in its season that keeps for us the appointed weeks of the harvest. **Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withheld the good from you”** (Jeremiah 5:24–25).


###### Taanit 23a:3
[Taanit 23a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/23a:3)

וְכֵן מָצִינוּ בִּימֵי הוֹרְדוֹס, שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹסְקִין בְּבִנְיַן בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, וְהָיוּ יוֹרְדִין גְּשָׁמִים בַּלַּיְלָה, לְמָחָר נָשְׁבָה הָרוּחַ וְנִתְפַּזְּרוּ הֶעָבִים וְזָרְחָה הַחַמָּה, וְיָצְאוּ הָעָם לִמְלַאכְתָּן, וְיָדְעוּ שֶׁמְּלֶאכֶת שָׁמַיִם בִּידֵיהֶם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And we likewise found** that **in the days of Herod** that **they were occupied in the building of the Temple, and rain would fall at night. And the next day the wind would blow, the clouds would disperse, the sun would shine, and the people would go out to their work. And** as rain would fall only at a time when it would not interfere with their labor, the nation **knew** that **the work of Heaven** was being performed **by their hands.**


###### Taanit 23a:4
[Taanit 23a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/23a:4)

מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁשָּׁלְחוּ לְחוֹנִי הַמְעַגֵּל וְכוּ׳. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: פַּעַם אַחַת יָצָא רוֹב אֲדָר וְלֹא יָרְדוּ גְּשָׁמִים, שָׁלְחוּ לְחוֹנִי הַמְעַגֵּל: הִתְפַּלֵּל וְיֵרְדוּ גְּשָׁמִים! הִתְפַּלֵּל, וְלֹא יָרְדוּ גְּשָׁמִים. עָג עוּגָה וְעָמַד בְּתוֹכָהּ, כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁעָשָׂה חֲבַקּוּק הַנָּבִיא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עַל מִשְׁמַרְתִּי אֶעֱמֹדָה וְאֶתְיַצְּבָה עַל מָצוֹר וְגוֹ׳״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna taught: **An incident** occurred in **which** the people **sent** a message **to Ḥoni HaMe’aggel.** This event is related in greater detail in the following *baraita*. **The Sages taught: Once, most of** the month of **Adar had passed but rain had** still **not fallen. They sent** this message **to Ḥoni HaMe’aggel: Pray, and rain will fall. He prayed, but no rain fell. He drew a circle** in the dust **and stood inside it, in the manner that the prophet Habakkuk did, as it is stated: “And I will stand upon my watch and set myself upon the tower,** and I will look out to see what He will say to me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved” (Habakkuk 2:1). This verse is taken to mean that Habakkuk fashioned a kind of prison for himself where he sat.


###### Taanit 23a:5
[Taanit 23a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/23a:5)

אָמַר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! בָּנֶיךָ שָׂמוּ פְּנֵיהֶם עָלַי, שֶׁאֲנִי כְּבֶן בַּיִת לְפָנֶיךָ. נִשְׁבָּע אֲנִי בְּשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁאֵינִי זָז מִכָּאן עַד שֶׁתְּרַחֵם עַל בָּנֶיךָ. הִתְחִילוּ גְּשָׁמִים מְנַטְּפִין. אָמְרוּ לוֹ תַּלְמִידָיו: רַבִּי! רְאִינוּךְ וְלֹא נָמוּת, כִּמְדוּמִּין אָנוּ שֶׁאֵין גְּשָׁמִים יוֹרְדִין אֶלָּא לְהַתִּיר שְׁבוּעָתְךָ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Ḥoni **said before** God: **Master of the Universe, Your children have turned their faces toward me, as I am like a member of Your household.** Therefore, **I take an oath by Your great name that I will not move from here until you have mercy upon Your children** and answer their prayers for rain. **Rain began to trickle** down, but only in small droplets. **His students said to him: Rabbi, we have seen** that **you** can perform great wonders, **but** this quantity of rain is not enough to ensure that **we will not die. It appears to us that** a small amount of **rain is falling only** to enable you **to dissolve your oath,** but it is not nearly enough to save us.


###### Taanit 23a:6
[Taanit 23a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/23a:6)

אָמַר: לֹא כָּךְ שָׁאַלְתִּי, אֶלָּא גִּשְׁמֵי בּוֹרוֹת שִׁיחִין וּמְעָרוֹת. יָרְדוּ בְּזַעַף, עַד שֶׁכׇּל טִפָּה וְטִפָּה כִּמְלֹא פִּי חָבִית. וְשִׁיעֲרוּ חֲכָמִים שֶׁאֵין טִפָּה פְּחוּתָה מִלּוֹג. אָמְרוּ לוֹ תַּלְמִידָיו: רַבִּי, רְאִינוּךְ וְלֹא נָמוּת, כִּמְדוּמִּין אָנוּ שֶׁאֵין גְּשָׁמִים יוֹרְדִין אֶלָּא לְאַבֵּד הָעוֹלָם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Ḥoni **said** to God: **I did not ask for this, but** for **rain to** fill the **cisterns, ditches, and caves.** Rain **began to fall furiously, until each and every drop** was as big **as the mouth of a barrel, and the Sages estimated that no drop was less than a *log*** in size. **His students said to him: Rabbi, we have seen** that **you** can call on God to perform miracles **and we will not die,** but now **it appears to us that rain is falling only to destroy the world.**


###### Taanit 23a:7
[Taanit 23a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/23a:7)

אָמַר לְפָנָיו: לֹא כָּךְ שָׁאַלְתִּי, אֶלָּא גִּשְׁמֵי רָצוֹן בְּרָכָה וּנְדָבָה. יָרְדוּ כְּתִיקְנָן, עַד שֶׁעָלוּ כׇּל הָעָם לְהַר הַבַּיִת, מִפְּנֵי הַגְּשָׁמִים. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: רַבִּי, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהִתְפַּלַּלְתָּ שֶׁיֵּרְדוּ, כָּךְ הִתְפַּלֵּל וְיֵלְכוּ לָהֶם. אָמַר לָהֶם: כָּךְ מְקוּבְּלַנִי שֶׁאֵין מִתְפַּלְּלִין עַל רוֹב הַטּוֹבָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Ḥoni again **said before** God: **I did not ask for this** harmful rain either, **but** for **rain of benevolence, blessing, and generosity.** Subsequently, the rains **fell in their standard manner, until all of the people** sought higher ground and **ascended to the Temple Mount due to the rain. They said to him: Rabbi, just as you prayed that** the rains **should fall, so too, pray that they should stop. He said to them: This is** the tradition that **I received, that one does not pray over an excess of good.**


###### Taanit 23a:8
[Taanit 23a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/23a:8)

אַף עַל פִּי כֵן, הָבִיאוּ לִי פַּר הוֹדָאָה. הֵבִיאוּ לוֹ פַּר הוֹדָאָה, סָמַךְ שְׁתֵּי יָדָיו עָלָיו, וְאָמַר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהוֹצֵאתָ מִמִּצְרַיִם אֵינָן יְכוֹלִין לֹא בְּרוֹב טוֹבָה וְלֹא בְּרוֹב פּוּרְעָנוּת. כָּעַסְתָּ עֲלֵיהֶם — אֵינָן יְכוֹלִין לַעֲמוֹד, הִשְׁפַּעְתָּ עֲלֵיהֶם טוֹבָה — אֵינָן יְכוֹלִין לַעֲמוֹד, יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ שֶׁיִּפָּסְקוּ הַגְּשָׁמִים, וִיהֵא רֶיוַח בָּעוֹלָם. מִיָּד נָשְׁבָה הָרוּחַ, וְנִתְפַּזְּרוּ הֶעָבִים, וְזָרְחָה הַחַמָּה, וְיָצְאוּ הָעָם לַשָּׂדֶה וְהֵבִיאוּ לָהֶם כְּמֵהִין וּפִטְרִיּוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Ḥoni continued: **Nevertheless, bring me a bull.** I will sacrifice it as **a thanks-offering** and pray at the same time. **They brought him a bull** for **a thanks-offering. He placed his two hands on its** head **and said before** God: **Master of the Universe, Your nation Israel, whom You brought out of Egypt, cannot** bear **either an excess of good or an excess of punishment. You grew angry with them** and withheld rain, **and they are unable to bear** it. **You bestowed upon them** too much **good, and they were** also **unable to bear** it. **May it be Your will that the rain stop and that there be relief for the world. Immediately, the wind blew, the clouds dispersed, the sun shone, and everyone went out to the fields and gathered for themselves truffles and mushrooms** that had sprouted in the strong rain.


###### Taanit 23a:9
[Taanit 23a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/23a:9)

שָׁלַח לוֹ שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן שָׁטַח: אִלְמָלֵא חוֹנִי אַתָּה, גּוֹזְרַנִי עָלֶיךָ נִידּוּי. שֶׁאִילּוּ שָׁנִים כִּשְׁנֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ שֶׁמַּפְתְּחוֹת גְּשָׁמִים בְּיָדוֹ שֶׁל אֵלִיָּהוּ, לֹא נִמְצָא שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם מִתְחַלֵּל עַל יָדְךָ,

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Shimon ben Shetaḥ relayed to** Ḥoni HaMe’aggel: **If you were not Ḥoni, I would have decreed ostracism upon you. For were** these **years like the years of Elijah, when the keys of rain** were entrusted **in Elijah’s hands,** and he swore it would not rain, **wouldn’t the name of Heaven have been desecrated by your** oath not to leave the circle until it rained? Once you have pronounced this oath, either yours or Elijah’s must be falsified.


###### Taanit 23a:10
[Taanit 23a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/23a:10)

אֲבָל מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לְךָ, שֶׁאַתָּה מִתְחַטֵּא לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם וְעוֹשֶׂה לְךָ רְצוֹנְךָ, כְּבֵן שֶׁמִּתְחַטֵּא עַל אָבִיו וְעוֹשֶׂה לוֹ רְצוֹנוֹ, וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ: אַבָּא, הוֹלִיכַנִי לְרׇחְצֵנִי בְּחַמִּין. שׇׁטְפֵנִי בְּצוֹנֵן. תֵּן לִי אֱגוֹזִים, שְׁקֵדִים, אֲפַרְסְקִים וְרִמּוֹנִים — וְנוֹתֵן לוֹ. וְעָלֶיךָ הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר: ״יִשְׂמַח אָבִיךָ וְאִמֶּךָ וְתָגֵל יוֹלַדְתֶּךָ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**However, what can I do to you, as you nag God and He does your bidding, like a son who nags his father and** his father **does his bidding. And** the son **says to** his father: **Father, take me to be bathed in hot water; wash me with cold water; give me nuts, almonds, peaches, and pomegranates. And** his father **gives him. About you, the verse states: “Your father and mother will be glad and she who bore you will rejoice”** (Proverbs 23:25).


###### Taanit 23a:11
[Taanit 23a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/23a:11)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מָה שָׁלְחוּ בְּנֵי לִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית לְחוֹנִי הַמְעַגֵּל — ״וְתִגְזַר אֹמֶר וְיָקׇם לָךְ וְעַל דְּרָכֶיךָ נָגַהּ אוֹר״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The Sages taught: What** message did **the members of the Chamber of the Hewn Stone,** the Great Sanhedrin, **send to Ḥoni HaMe’aggel?** About you, the verse states: **“You shall also decree a matter, and it shall be established for you; and the light shall shine upon your ways.** When they cast down, you will say: There is lifting up, for He saves the humble person. He will deliver the one who is not innocent and he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands” (Job 22:28–30).


###### Taanit 23a:12
[Taanit 23a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/23a:12)

״וְתִגְזַר אֹמֶר״ — אַתָּה גָּזַרְתָּ מִלְּמַטָּה, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְקַיֵּים מַאֲמָרְךָ מִלְמַעְלָה. ״וְעַל דְּרָכֶיךָ נָגַהּ אוֹר״ — דּוֹר שֶׁהָיָה אָפֵל הֵאַרְתָּ בִּתְפִלָּתֶךָ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
They interpreted: **“You shall also decree a matter”; you,** Ḥoni, **decree from below, and the Holy One, Blessed be He, fulfills your statement from above. “And the light shall shine upon your ways”; a generation that was in darkness, you have illuminated** it **with your prayer.**


###### Taanit 23a:13
[Taanit 23a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/23a:13)

״כִּי הִשְׁפִּילוּ וַתֹּאמֶר גֵּוָה״ — דּוֹר שֶׁהָיָה שָׁפֵל הִגְבַּהְתּוֹ בִּתְפִלָּתֶךָ. ״וְשַׁח עֵינַיִם יוֹשִׁעַ״ — דּוֹר שֶׁשַּׁח בַּעֲוֹנוֹ הוֹשַׁעְתּוֹ בִּתְפִלָּתֶךָ. ״יְמַלֵּט אִי נָקִי״ — דּוֹר שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה נָקִי מִלַּטְתּוֹ בִּתְפִלָּתֶךָ. ״וְנִמְלַט בְּבֹר כַּפֶּיךָ״ — מִלַּטְתּוֹ בְּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ הַבְּרוּרִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**“When they cast down, you will say: There is lifting up”; a generation that was cast down, you lifted it up with your prayer. “For He saves the humble person”; a generation that was humble in its transgression, you saved it through your prayer. “He will deliver the one who is not innocent”; a generation that was not innocent, you have delivered it through your prayer. “And he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands”; you have delivered** an undeserving generation **through the clean work of your hands.**


###### Taanit 23a:14
[Taanit 23a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/23a:14)

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כׇּל יָמָיו שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק, הָיָה מִצְטַעֵר עַל מִקְרָא זֶה: ״שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת בְּשׁוּב ה׳ אֶת שִׁיבַת צִיּוֹן הָיִינוּ כְּחֹלְמִים״, אָמַר: מִי אִיכָּא דְּנָיֵים שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין בְּחֶלְמָא?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara relates another story about Ḥoni HaMe’aggel. **Rabbi Yoḥanan said: All the days** of the life **of that righteous man,** Ḥoni, **he was distressed over** the meaning of **this verse: “A song of Ascents: When the Lord brought back those who returned to Zion, we were like those who dream”** (Psalms 126:1). **He said** to himself: **Is there** really a person **who can sleep and dream for seventy years?** How is it possible to compare the seventy-year exile in Babylonia to a dream?


###### Taanit 23a:15
[Taanit 23a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/23a:15)

יוֹמָא חַד הֲוָה אָזֵל בְּאוֹרְחָא, חַזְיֵיהּ לְהָהוּא גַּבְרָא דַּהֲוָה נָטַע חָרוּבָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַאי, עַד כַּמָּה שְׁנִין טָעֵין? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: עַד שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: פְּשִׁיטָא לָךְ דְּחָיֵית שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֲנָא חָרוּבָא בְּעָלְמָא אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ. כִּי הֵיכִי דִּשְׁתַלוּ לִי אֲבָהָתִי — שְׁתַלִי נָמֵי לִבְרָאִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**One day, he was walking along the road** when **he saw a certain man planting a carob tree.** Ḥoni **said to him: This** tree, **after how many years** will it **bear** fruit? The man **said to him:** It will not produce fruit **until seventy years** have passed. Ḥoni **said to him: Is it obvious to you that you will live seventy years,** that you expect to benefit from this tree? **He said to him: That man** himself **found a world** full **of carob trees. Just as my ancestors planted for me, I too am planting for my descendants.**


###### Taanit 23a:16
[Taanit 23a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/23a:16)

יָתֵיב, קָא כָּרֵיךְ רִיפְתָּא, אֲתַאי לֵיהּ שִׁינְתָּא, נִים. אַהְדַּרָא לֵיהּ מְשּׁוּנִּיתָא, אִיכַּסִּי מֵעֵינָא, וְנִים שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין. כִּי קָם, חַזְיֵיהּ לְהָהוּא גַּבְרָא דְּהוּא קָא מְלַקֵּט מִינַּיְיהוּ, אָמַר לֵיהּ: אַתְּ הוּא דִּשְׁתַלְתֵּיהּ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בַּר בְּרֵיהּ אֲנָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ דִּנְיַימִי שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין. חֲזָא לַחֲמָרְ[תֵּ]יהּ דְּאִתְיְילִידָא לַיהּ רַמְכֵי רַמְכֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Ḥoni **sat and ate bread. Sleep overcame him and he slept. A cliff formed around him, and he disappeared from sight and slept for seventy years. When he awoke, he saw a certain man gathering** carobs from that tree. Ḥoni **said to him:** Are **you the one who planted** this tree? The man **said to him: I am his son’s son.** Ḥoni **said to him:** I can **learn from this that I** have **slept for seventy years,** and indeed **he saw that his donkey had sired several herds** during those many years.


###### Taanit 23a:17
[Taanit 23a:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/23a:17)

אֲזַל לְבֵיתֵיהּ אֲמַר לְהוּ: בְּרֵיהּ דְּחוֹנִי הַמְעַגֵּל מִי קַיָּים? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: בְּרֵיהּ לֵיתֵאּ, בַּר בְּרֵיהּ אִיתֵאּ. אֲמַר לְהוּ: אֲנָא חוֹנִי הַמְעַגֵּל. לָא הֵימְנוּהוּ. אֲזַל לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ, שַׁמְעִינְהוּ לְרַבָּנַן דְּקָאָמְרִי: נְהִירָן שְׁמַעְתָּתִין כְּבִשְׁנֵי חוֹנִי הַמְעַגֵּל, דְּכִי הָוֵי עָיֵיל לְבֵית מִדְרְשָׁא — כֹּל קוּשְׁיָא דַּהֲווֹ לְהוּ לְרַבָּנַן הֲוָה מְפָרֵק לְהוּ. אָמַר לְהוּ: אֲנָא נִיהוּ, וְלָא הֵימְנוּהוּ, וְלָא עָבְדִי לֵיהּ יְקָרָא כִּדְמִבְּעֵי לֵיהּ. חֲלַשׁ דַּעְתֵּיהּ, בְּעָא רַחֲמֵי, וּמִית. אָמַר רָבָא: הַיְינוּ דְּאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: אוֹ חַבְרוּתָא אוֹ מִיתוּתָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Ḥoni **went home and said to** the members of the household: **Is the son of Ḥoni HaMe’aggel alive? They said to him: His son is no** longer with us, but **his son’s son is** alive. **He said to them: I am Ḥoni HaMe’aggel. They did not believe him. He went to the study hall,** where he **heard the Sages say** about one scholar: **His *halakhot* are as enlightening** and as clear **as in the years of Ḥoni HaMe’aggel, for when** Ḥoni HaMe’aggel **would enter the study hall he would resolve for the Sages any difficulty they had.** Ḥoni **said to them: I am he, but they did not believe him and did not pay him proper respect.** Ḥoni **became very upset, prayed for mercy, and died. Rava said: This** explains the folk saying **that people say: Either friendship or death,** as one who has no friends is better off dead.


###### Taanit 23a:18
[Taanit 23a:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/23a:18)

אַבָּא חִלְקִיָּה בַּר בְּרֵיהּ דְּחוֹנִי הַמְעַגֵּל הֲוָה, וְכִי מִצְטְרִיךְ עָלְמָא לְמִיטְרָא הֲווֹ מְשַׁדְּרִי רַבָּנַן לְגַבֵּיהּ וּבָעֵי רַחֲמֵי, וְאָתֵי מִיטְרָא. זִימְנָא חֲדָא אִיצְטְרִיךְ עָלְמָא לְמִיטְרָא, שַׁדּוּר רַבָּנַן זוּגָא דְּרַבָּנַן לְגַבֵּיהּ לְמִבְעֵי רַחֲמֵי דְּנֵיתֵי מִיטְרָא. אֲזוּל לְבֵיתֵיהּ וְלָא אַשְׁכְּחוּהּו, אֲזוּל בְּדַבְרָא וְאַשְׁכְּחוּהּ דַּהֲוָה קָא רָפֵיק, יְהַבוּ לֵיהּ שְׁלָמָא

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara relates another story, this time about Ḥoni HaMe’aggel’s descendants, who were also renowned for their righteous deeds. **Abba Ḥilkiyya was the son of Ḥoni HaMe’aggel’s son. And when the world was in need of rain they would send Sages to him, and he would pray for mercy, and rain would fall. Once the world was in need of rain,** and **the Sages sent a pair of Sages to him** so **that he would pray for mercy and rain would fall. They went to his house but they did not find him** there. **They went to the field and found him hoeing** the ground. **They greeted him,**