## Taanit Daf 3a

###### Taanit 3a:1
[Taanit 3a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/3a:1)

אִי סָבַר לַהּ כְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בְּתִירָה — נֵימָא כְּווֹתֵיהּ! קָסָבַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא: כִּי כְּתִיב נִיסּוּךְ יַתִּירָא — בְּשִׁשִּׁי הוּא דִּכְתִיב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara objects: **If** Rabbi Akiva **holds in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira** with regard to this derivation, **let** him **say** that it **is in accordance with his** ruling that one begins mentioning rain from the second day of *Sukkot*, not the sixth day. The Gemara answers: **Rabbi Akiva holds** that **when** that **extra** reference to **libation is written** in the verse, it is with regard **to the sixth day that it is written.** In other words, it is the plural phrase: “Its libations [*unsakheha*]” (Numbers 29:31), which appears on the sixth day, that directly indicates that one must perform more than one libation, while the other two superfluous letters merely serve to teach that this second libation must be of water, not wine. Therefore, the additional libation is performed on the sixth day.


###### Taanit 3a:2
[Taanit 3a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/3a:2)

תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר: ״בַּקֹּדֶשׁ הַסֵּךְ נֶסֶךְ שֵׁכָר לַה׳״, בִּשְׁנֵי נִיסּוּכִין הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, אֶחָד נִיסּוּךְ הַמַּיִם וְאֶחָד נִיסּוּךְ הַיַּיִן. אֵימָא תַּרְוַיְיהוּ דְּחַמְרָא! אִם כֵּן, לִכְתּוֹב קְרָא אוֹ ״הַסֵּךְ הֶסֶךְ״, אוֹ ״נַסֵּךְ נֶסֶךְ״, מַאי ״הַסֵּךְ נֶסֶךְ״ — שָׁמְעַתְּ מִינַּהּ: חַד דְּמַיָּא וְחַד דְּחַמְרָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **It is taught** in a *baraita* that **Rabbi Natan says: “In the Sanctuary you shall pour out a libation [*hassekh nesekh*] of strong drink to the Lord”** (Numbers 28:7). The Torah states the term for libation twice, which indicates that **the verse is speaking of two libations: One** is **the water libation and** the other **one** is **the wine libation.** The Gemara asks: Why not **say** that **both** libations are **of wine?** The Gemara answers: **If so, let the verse write either *hassekh hessekh* or *nassekh nesekh*,** with the same prefix each time. **What is** the meaning of the varied formulation: **“*Hassekh nesekh*”? Learn from this** that **one** libation is **of water and** the other **one** is **of wine.**


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

אֶלָּא, הָא דִּתְנַן: נִיסּוּךְ הַמַּיִם כׇּל שִׁבְעָה, מַנִּי? אִי רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ — נֵימָא חַד יוֹמָא, אִי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא — תְּרֵי יוֹמֵי, אִי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בְּתִירָה — שִׁיתָּא יוֹמֵי!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **However,** what about **that which we learned** in a mishna (*Sukka* 42b): **The water libation is** performed **all seven days** of *Sukkot*. **Who is** the author of this mishna? **If** you say it is **Rabbi Yehoshua, let us say** that this ritual is performed only **one day,** the Eighth Day of Assembly. **If** it is **Rabbi Akiva,** the mishna should state **two days,** the sixth and the seventh Festival days. **If** it is **Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira,** the mishna should say that the water libation is performed on **six days,** from the second day of *Sukkot* onward.


###### Taanit 3a:4
[Taanit 3a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/3a:4)

לְעוֹלָם רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בְּתִירָה הִיא, וּסְבִירָא לֵיהּ כְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה דְּמַתְנִיתִין. דִּתְנַן, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: בַּלּוֹג הָיָה מְנַסֵּךְ כׇּל שְׁמוֹנָה. וּמַפֵּיק רִאשׁוֹן וּמְעַיֵּיל שְׁמִינִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **Actually,** the ruling of the mishna **is** that of **Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira, and he holds in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Yehuda,** as stated **in a mishna. As we learned** in a mishna (*Sukka* 48b) that **Rabbi Yehuda says: He would pour with** a utensil that held **a *log*** of water **all eight days** of *Sukkot*, which includes the Eighth Day of Assembly. **And** Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira **removes the first day** from this obligation and **includes the eighth,** which results in seven days of water libations.


###### Taanit 3a:5
[Taanit 3a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/3a:5)

וּמַאי שְׁנָא רִאשׁוֹן דְּלָא, דְּכִי רְמִיזִי מַיִם — בְּשֵׁנִי הוּא דִּרְמִיזִי; שְׁמִינִי נָמֵי, כִּי רְמִיזִי מַיִם — בִּשְׁבִיעִי הוּא דִּרְמִיזִי!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And what is different** about **the first** day, **that** the water libation **is not** performed on that day, according to the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira? Is the reason **that when** the Torah **alludes** to **water, it is on the second day that it alludes** to this libation? If so, one should not bring the libation on the **eighth** day **either,** because **when** the Torah **alludes** to **water** for the last time, **it is on the seventh day that it alludes** to it.


###### Taanit 3a:6
[Taanit 3a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/3a:6)

אֶלָּא: רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הִיא, וְנִיסּוּךְ הַמַּיִם כׇּל שִׁבְעָה — הִלְכְתָא גְּמִירִי לַהּ,

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather,** the Gemara retracts from the previous explanation in favor of the claim that this mishna **is** in accordance with the opinion of **Rabbi Yehoshua. And** Rabbi Yehoshua maintains that this ruling that **the water libation is** performed **all seven days** of *Sukkot* **is a *halakha*** transmitted to Moses from Sinai, **learned through tradition.** In other words, this obligation is not based upon a textual source.


###### Taanit 3a:7
[Taanit 3a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/3a:7)

דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אַמֵּי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי נְחוּנְיָא אִישׁ בִּקְעַת בֵּית חוֹרְתָן: עֶשֶׂר נְטִיעוֹת, עֲרָבָה, וְנִיסּוּךְ הַמַּיִם — הֲלָכָה לְמֹשֶׁה מִסִּינַי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**As Rabbi Ami said** that **Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Neḥunya of the valley of Beit Ḥortan:** The *halakha* of **ten saplings,** that if there are ten saplings that require water planted in an area of a *beit se’a*, 2,500 square cubits, it is permitted to plow the entire field in the summer preceding the Sabbatical Year despite the fact that it is prohibited to plow other fields starting from the preceding *Shavuot*; the practice of walking around the altar with **a willow** and adorning the altar with it on *Sukkot* and taking it on the last day of *Sukkot*; and the obligation of **the water libation;** each of these three is **a *halakha*** transmitted **to Moses from Sinai.**


###### Taanit 3a:8
[Taanit 3a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/3a:8)

רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: הָעוֹבֵר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּיבָה בְּיוֹם טוֹב הָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁל חַג — הָאַחֲרוֹן מַזְכִּיר, הָרִאשׁוֹן אֵינוֹ מַזְכִּיר. בְּיוֹם טוֹב הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל פֶּסַח — הָרִאשׁוֹן מַזְכִּיר, הָאַחֲרוֹן אֵינוֹ מַזְכִּיר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
It is stated in the same *baraita* cited previously that **Rabbi Yehuda says in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua:** With regard to **the one who passes before the ark** as prayer leader **on the concluding Festival day of the festival** of *Sukkot*, the Eighth Day of Assembly, **the last** prayer leader of the additional prayer **mentions** rain, whereas **the first** prayer leader for the morning prayer **does not mention** rain. Conversely, **on the first Festival day of Passover, the first** prayer leader **mentions** rain, while **the last** prayer leader **does not mention** rain.


###### Taanit 3a:9
[Taanit 3a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/3a:9)

הֵי רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ? אִילֵּימָא רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּמַתְנִיתִין, הָא אָמַר: בְּיוֹם טוֹב הָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁל חַג הוּא מַזְכִּיר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: To **which** statement of **Rabbi Yehoshua** is Rabbi Yehuda referring? **If we say** that he is referring to the statement of **Rabbi Yehoshua** cited **in the mishna,** this cannot be the case, as Rabbi Yehoshua in our mishna **said** that **one** begins to **mention** rain **on the last Festival day of the festival** of *Sukkot*, the Eighth Day of Assembly. This indicates that one starts to **mention** rain from the beginning of the day, i.e., the evening prayer service.


###### Taanit 3a:10
[Taanit 3a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/3a:10)

אֶלָּא: רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּבָרַיְיתָא, הָאָמַר: מִשְּׁעַת הַנָּחָתוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather,** you will say that Rabbi Yehuda is referring to the opinion of **Rabbi Yehoshua,** cited **in the *baraita*.** However, this too is untenable, as **didn’t** Rabbi Yehoshua **say** there that one begins to mention rain **from the time one puts down** the *lulav*, i.e., from the end of the seventh day of *Sukkot*? This statement also indicates that one begins to mention rain from the evening service of the Eighth Day of Assembly.


###### Taanit 3a:11
[Taanit 3a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/3a:11)

וְתוּ, הָא דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר מִשּׁוּם בֶּן בְּתִירָה: הָעוֹבֵר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּיבָה בְּיוֹם טוֹב הָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁל חַג — הָאַחֲרוֹן מַזְכִּיר, הֵי בֶּן בְּתִירָה? אִילֵימָא רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בְּתִירָה — הָא אָמַר: בַּשֵּׁנִי בֶּחָג הוּא מַזְכִּיר!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks another question: **And, furthermore, that which is taught** in a *baraita* that **Rabbi Yehuda says in the name of ben Beteira:** With regard to **the one who passes before the ark on the concluding Festival day of the festival** of *Sukkot*, the Eighth Day of Assembly, **the last** prayer leader **mentions** rain. To **which** of the *halakhot* of **ben Beteira** is Rabbi Yehuda referring here? **If we say** he is referring to the ruling of **Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira,** this cannot be the case, **as he said** that **one** begins to **mention** rain **on the second** day of *Sukkot*.


###### Taanit 3a:12
[Taanit 3a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/3a:12)

אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: תְּהֵא בְּרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן בְּתִירָה, זִמְנִין דְּקָרֵי לֵיהּ בִּשְׁמֵיהּ, וְזִימְנִין דְּקָרֵי לֵיהּ בִּשְׁמֵיהּ דְּאַבָּא. וְהָא מִקַּמֵּי דְּלִיסְמְכוּהוּ, וְהָא לְבָתַר דְּלִיסְמְכוּהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Naḥman Bar Yitzḥak said: Let** the ben Beteira mentioned by Rabbi Yehuda in the *baraita* **be** understood as a reference **to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Beteira,** and this will resolve all the above difficulties. **At times,** Rabbi Yehuda **calls him by his name,** Rabbi Yehoshua, despite the fact that the name Rabbi Yehoshua generally refers to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya. **At** other **times,** Rabbi Yehuda **calls him by his father’s name,** e.g., in the second *baraita*, when the ruling is attributed to ben Beteira. **And** the Gemara explains the reason for the different names: **This** *baraita*, where he is called by his father’s name, was written **before he was ordained, and this** *baraita*, where he is called simply Rabbi Yehoshua, was from **after he was ordained.**


###### Taanit 3a:13
[Taanit 3a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/3a:13)

תְּנָא: בַּטַּל וּבָרוּחוֹת, לֹא חִיְּיבוּ חֲכָמִים לְהַזְכִּיר. וְאִם בָּא לְהַזְכִּיר — מַזְכִּיר. מַאי טַעְמָא? אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: לְפִי שֶׁאֵין נֶעֱצָרִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ It is **taught** in another *baraita*: With regard **to dew and** with regard **to wind, the Sages did not obligate one to mention** them by reciting: He makes the wind blow and the dew fall, in the second blessing of the *Amida*, **but if one seeks to mention** them, **he** may **mention** them. The Gemara asks: **What is the reason** that this recitation is optional? **Rabbi Ḥanina said: Because** winds and dew **are** consistent and **not withheld,** since the world could not exist without them, their mention is optional.


###### Taanit 3a:14
[Taanit 3a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/3a:14)

וְטַל מְנָלַן דְּלָא מִיעֲצַר — דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלִיָּהוּ הַתִּשְׁבִּי מִתֹּשָׁבֵי גִלְעָד אֶל אַחְאָב חַי ה׳ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר עָמַדְתִּי לְפָנָיו אִם יִהְיֶה הַשָּׁנִים הָאֵלֶּה טַל וּמָטָר כִּי אִם לְפִי דְבָרִי״, וּכְתִיב: ״לֵךְ הֵרָאֵה אֶל אַחְאָב וְאֶתְּנָה מָטָר עַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה״, וְאִילּוּ טַל לָא קָאָמַר לֵיהּ, מַאי טַעְמָא — מִשּׁוּם

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains: **And dew, from where do we** derive **that it is not withheld? As it is written: “And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab: As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be no dew or rain in these years but according to my word”** (I Kings 17:1), **and it is written: “Go, show yourself before Ahab, and I will send rain upon the land”** (I Kings 18:1). God stated that He will resume rainfall, **whereas He did not say to** Elijah that He will restore **dew. What is the reason? Because** dew