This order of fasts (1:4-6) applies only to the first rain. [If the three times of the first rain (the third, the seventh, and the seventeenth of Marcheshvan passed without rain), then the "individuals" and afterwards the congregation would fast in the order indicated.] But if the vegetation altered its appearance [i.e., if the rains were on time and the vegetation sprouted, but its appearance changed — (Job 41:40): "instead of wheat, thorns; instead of barley, cockle" — or some other change], the shofar is blown immediately [in the first fasts, all the stringencies of the latter fasts obtaining immediately in the first ones.] Likewise, if the rains stopped for forty days between [the first and second] rains, the shofar is blown immediately, this betokening a drought.

If it rained for vegetation but not for trees [i.e., if it came down gently, this availing for vegetation and grass but not for trees], (or if it rained) for trees but not for vegetation, [i.e., if it came down hard], (or if it rained) for both, but not for wells, pits, and caves [for the collection of water], the shofar is blown immediately.

Likewise, a city where it did not rain, viz. (Amos 4:7): "And I caused it to rain on one city, and on another city I caused it not to rain; one piece of land was rained upon, etc." — that city fasts and blows the shofar, and all its environs fast, [for all the people in the city where it did not rain will come to buy produce in a city where it did rain, and a famine will ensue], but they do not blow the shofar. R. Akiva says: They blow the shofar, but they do not fast.

Likewise, a city struck by pestilence or earthquake, [where its strong structures fall, but not its weak ones] — that city fasts and blows the shofar; and all its environs fast, but do not blow. R. Akiva says: They blow, but do not fast. What constitutes a "pestilence"? A city which furnishes five hundred footmen, and in which three die in three consecutive days (one each day). If less than this, it is not a pestilence.

For these, the shofar is blown in every place [even cities very far from the occurrence, as explained below, these being "walking plagues."]: blast, yerakon [the "silvering" of produce. Others interpret it as the "greening" of one's face as the greens of the field], locusts, "peelers," wild animals [seen in the settlement in the daytime], and the sword [i.e., troops passing from place to place, even though they do not come to fight against that city.] The shofar is blown for it (i.e., for each of the above), for it is a "walking plague."

Once, elders (of Sanhedrin) went down from Jerusalem to their cities [in Eretz Yisrael] and decreed a fast because they saw a full stove's mouth of blast in Ashkelon [in the land of the Philistines. An amount of produce was smitten with blast, from which there could be made a loaf to fill the mouth of a stove.] And they also decreed a fast because wolves devoured two children on the other side of the Jordan. R. Yossi says: Not because they devoured, but because they appeared [in the city].

For these the shofar is blown on the Sabbath: For a city besieged by gentiles or threatened with inundation, and for an ocean-tost (mitarefeth) vessel [("mitarefeth":) as in "beitzah hatrufah be'ka'arah" ("an egg beaten in a dish").] R. Yossi says: (The shofar is blown on Shabbath) to get help [to call the people together to come and save], but not for (the sake of) outcry. [And the halachah is that the shofar or trumpet is blown for these on Shabbath only if it were necessary to do so to gather the people. But it is permitted to fast, and cry out, and implore for them on Shabbath.] Shimon Hatemani [from Timnath] says: Also for pestilence [the shofar is blown on Shabbath], but the sages did not concur with him [to do so on Shabbath, but on a weekday, the shofar is blown.]

For any affliction that may befall the congregation, the shofar is blown, except for an abundance of rain. [Not when so much falls that the crops are destroyed, but when so much has fallen that no more is needed and it is regarded as a burden.] Once, they said to Choni Hame'agel ("the circle-drawer"): "Pray that it rain." He said: "Go out and take in the [earthenware] Pesach ovens, [which were portable], so that they not deteriorate [in the rain]. He prayed, but it did not rain. What did he do? He drew a circle and stood in its midst, and said before Him: "L rd of the universe, Your children have turned their faces to me because I am as one of Your household. I swear by Your great name that I shall not budge from here until you have pity on Your children" — whereupon the rains began to drip. He said: "This is not what I asked for, but (enough) rain (to fill) the wells, the pits, and the caves!" At this, it began to rain torrentially. He said: "This is not what I asked for, but (I asked for) rains of blessing and benefaction" — at which it rained normally — until the Jews went from Jerusalem to the Temple Mount because of the rain. They came and said to him: "Just as you prayed for the rain to fall, pray for it to stop!" He said: "Go out and see if the Strayer's Stone has been [completely] covered" [with water. There was a stone in Jerusalem upon which anyone who had found something would stand and proclaim that he had found a lost object, whereupon the owners would come, give identifying signs, and take it. That stone was called the Strayer's Stone." I found it written that it was very high and could not be covered unless a deluge came to the world.] Shimon b. Shetach sent to him: "Were you not Choni, I would decree excommunication upon you, [excommunication being the penalty for defiance of one's master]. But what can I do if you whine before G d and He does as you ask, just as a son who whines before his father, who grants him his wish. Of once such as you it is written (Proverbs 23:25): 'Your father and your mother will be glad, and she that bore you will rejoice.'"

If they fasted (i.e., if they took it upon themselves to fast), and it rained before sunrise, they do not consummate the fast; after sunrise, they do. R. Eliezer says: Before mid-day, they do not consummate it; after mid-day, they do. Once, they decreed a fast in Lod and it rained before mid-day, whereupon R. Tarfon said to them: "Go out and eat and drink and make yom tov." [And he did not tell them to recite Hallel Hagadol first, because Hallel Hagadol is recited only on "a full stomach and a contented soul."] And they went out and ate and drank and made yom tov, and they came towards evening and recited Hallel Hagadol.