Ta'aniyot - Chapter 2

Having explained the nature of the obligations to fast and sound the trumpets in the previous chapter, the Rambam devotes this chapter to explaining the various situations in which these obligations apply.
It must be noted that the advances of civilization have cushioned us against many of these natural disasters and it is not common f or us to fast because of these situations. Nevertheless, the obligation for a community to fast in such times of distress applies even in the present age and in the diaspora. Thus, both the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch devote an entire chapter (576) to the discussion of fasts of this nature. Nevertheless, in the present era, even in times of genuine communal distress, it is infrequent f or the Rabbis to declare a communal fast, because our physical stamina is not as great as that of the previous generations.

Both Hebrew terms arbeh and chasil refer to species of locusts. The exact names of the species intended is a source of debate.

And because of earthquakes or hurricanes strong enough to cause buildings to topple.

The lack of rain is the most common and the most widely discussed of all the phenomena mentioned. Nevertheless, it is precisely for that reason that it is discussed last. All the other phenomena are discussed briefly in this chapter, while the fasts concerning rain are discussed in several halachot in this chapter and in the following two chapters in their entirety.

From Chapter 1, Halachah 5, it appears that the the intent is not to fast on consecutive days until the difficulty passes, but rather to fast on the Mondays and Thursdays in this period. Nevertheless, in times of great distress, the Rabbis occasionally ordained consecutive fasts.

Only the people in the immediate vicinity of the distressed area are obligated to fast. Were we to be obligated to fast for difficulties in distant places, we would be constantly fasting, for there are,, ע”ל a multitude of difficulties throughout the world (Kessef Mishneh). Although this ruling is generally followed, there are times when public fasts are called when Jews in distant lands are in profound distress. In particular, this applies with regard to the Jews in Eretz Yisrael. (See Halachah 6.)

Chapter 1, Halachah 6. See also Hilchot Shabbat 2:24.

In that halachah, it is mentioned that we also cry out to God in prayer on the Sabbath on behalf of people whose lives are in immediate danger—e.g., a besieged city or a ship in danger of sinking.

This refers to an unfair tax imposed on the Jews alone, and not a tax on all the inhabitants of the country.

Here too, mortal danger is involved. As the Rambam writes in Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 5:3, we are obligated to sacrifice our lives if gentiles pass a decree forbidding the observance of even a seemingly slight mitzvah (Kinat Eliyahu).

For the latter purpose, this is permitted even on the Sabbath, as stated in Chapter 1, Halachah 6.

This also refers to Jewish settlements in the Diaspora.

Although the Rambam proves his point through Biblical exegesis, anyone who reads the chronicles of the rampages of «friendly» armies through the various periods of Jewish history will realize how the passage of any armed forces can constitute communal distress f or our people.

I.e., since the lack of passage of an armed force is considered a blessing, it can be assumed that the passage of an armed force is the opposite.

The Lechem Mishneh associates this ruling with the concept of chazakah, i.e., once a phenomenon is repeated three times, it can be presumed to recur.

In one of his responsa, the Rambam writes that the numbers mentioned in this halachah also include gentiles. If a city is smitten by a plague, it will spread among all its inhabitants, whether Jew or gentile. This concept is quoted as halachah by the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 576:3).

The Maggid Mishneh notes that the Mishnah (Ta’ anit 3:1) uses the expression רגלי for inhabitants. From Exodus 12:37, “600,000 men on foot (רגלי) aside from children,” we know that the term refers to ad. ult males able to perform military service (i.e., below the age of sixty). The commentaries explain that elderly men, children, and women are considered to have a weaker constitution than adult males. Hence, it is only when a significant number of adult males die that one may be sure that the deaths can be attributed to a plague. (See also the Jerusalem Talmud, Ta’anit 3:5.)

Ta’anit 21b explains the rationale for this halachah: “If a Matron (Eretz Yisrael) is stricken, is it not likely that the maid-servant (the diaspora) will be stricken.” The welfare of the inhabitants of Eretz Yisrael is a matter of concern for all Jews.
The Ramah (Orach Chayim 576:2) states that this applies only when the plague has affected Eretz Yisrael in its entirety.

The Magen Avraham 576:2 states that it is not customary at present to fast because of a plague. The nature of our physical constitutions has changed, and, were the inhabitants of a city afflicted by a plague to fast, it is more likely that they would succumb to it. Similarly, if caravans frequently travel from one city to another, there is the danger of infection. Theref ore, even people in the distant city should not fast (Mishnah Berurah 576:10).

As mentioned in Halachah 2, in such an instance the surrounding cities should fast as long as there is no danger of infection (ibid.).

We have translate the word משלחת in this manner so that its intent will be easily understood. It is, however, worthy to mention the interpretation of Rashi, Ta’anit 22a, who interprets the word as “sent from Heaven,” i.e., a minister of Divine retribution.

A wild animal would not ordinarily enter a populated area during the daytime.

Although wild animals occasionally wander through fields, their tendency is to flee when they encounter humans.

As the Rambam mentions, it is common to find wild animals in a swamp. Therefore, the fact that they do not flee when discovered close to a swamp is not considered extraordinary. If, however, the animal pursues them, this is considered a departure from the norm and a sign that it was «sent from Heaven.»

It is not out of the ordinary for a wild animal to pursue intruders to its natural home.

The fact that the animal ate only one of the men is a clear indication that it was motivated by reasons other than natural hunger when it slew the men.

The Mishnah Berurah 576:23 states that a deep forest is governed by the same laws as a swamp.

Ta’anit 22a mentions this teaching in connection with hunters’ huts.

Reptiles as opposed to mammals.

The Ra’avad protests, stating that if these animals kill humans, that is a sign that they were chosen as “messengers of God,” and fasting should be instituted because of them. Although the Maggid Mishneh does not accept this ruling, the Kessef Mishneh takes note of the term “that cause injury,” and explains that the Rambam himself would accept the Ra’avad’s view when it has been demonstrated that these animals have deadly intentions. In his Beit Yosef and Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 576:7), Rav Y osef Karo quotes and even extends this interpretation.

Our translation of kanaf is taken from Rav Kapach, whose interpretation is based on the Arabic term used by the Rambam for that word in the Guide to the Perplexed, Vol. 1, Chapter 43. In his commentary, he also sheds light on the tendencies of the various insects mentioned by the Rambam. Others interpret kanaf as ref erring to a single locust.

Locusts multiply speedily. If one fleet is seen, we can assume that soon there will be swarms of them that will cover the entire countryside.

Govai is also a species of locusts. They are more dangerous than the others.

Chagav is also a species of locusts; they are smaller than the others and do not pose a serious danger to the crops.

We have followed the translation of “The Living Torah” (Deuteronomy 28:22), for it appears appiopriate in the immediate context. Both these terms appear to ref er to agriculural afflictions that affect crops and spread from field to field. Others, however, render either or both of these terms as damage to crops from a searing hot wind or burning sun.

As mentioned, the fear is that the contagion will spread from field to field. For this reason, the entire region in which the blight is f ound is required to fast (Ramah, Orach Chayim 576:8).

I.e., a portion of the field the size of the opening of an oven. Our translation is based on the Rambam’s Commentary on the Mishnah (Ta’anit 3:5). The Maggid Mishneh and others offer a different explanation, “the amount of grain necessary to bake enough bread to fill the mouth of an oven.”

The Mishnah Berurah 576:11 quotes the Ritba as explaining that this refers to the walls of three homes.

If, however, the houses are located on a river bank, the fact that the walls fall can be attributed to the erosion of their foundations by the water.

In his Commentary on the Mishnah (Ta’anit 3:4), the Rambam writes that this refers to walls that fall without any apparent reason.

The Hebrew אסכרה is related to the root סרנו, which means “close.” It refers to a throat infection which forces a person to keep his mouth closed (Ramah, Orach Chayim 576:5).

Our translation, admittedly somewhat of an extension, is based on the commentary of Rav Sa’adiah Gaon on Deuteronomy 28:22. Rashi describes it as a disease that causes a person to run a very high fever and to constantly thirst f or water; perhaps typhoid.

The Beit Yosef (Orach Chayim 576) questions why the Rambam does not mention that the situation warrants a fast only when three people die in three days, as he did with regard to plague (Halachah 5). He concludes that there is a more severe element to these epidemics ·than plague, and even if fewer than three people die each day, a communal fast should be held. The Ramah (Orach Chayim 576:5) quotes this as halachah.
The Lechem Mishneh explains the diff erence between the two as f ollows: Plague refers to an instance when death hits the city before there is an outbreak of illness. In contrast, the epidemic mentioned in this halachah ref ers to an instance where both illness and death are manifest in the city.

Literally, “a moist itch”—i.e., a skin inflammation that is aggravating and produces lymph secretions. Bava Kama 80b states that we cry out to God f or relief from this ailment, even on the Sabbath. The Lechem Mishneh questions why the Rambam does not quote this concept.

Although we have translated מתריעים as “sound the trumpets” throughout the text, we have altered our translation in this halachah, because in Halachah 2, the Rambam explicitly states that we call out to God on the Sabbath because of the loss of our source of sustenance, but we may not sound the trumpets. The word מתריעים is used as a quote from Bava Batra 91a.

Significantly, Bava Batra (ibid.) does not mention fasting f or this reason. Accordingly, the Ritba (Ta’anit 19b) states that this is not cause for a public fast. The ruling of most authorities (see Mishnah Berurah 576:29) is that a communal fast should be called.

As mentioned in Halachah 2, this and the instances when people’s lives are in immediate danger are the only times when such prayers are offered on the Sabbath.

Ta’anit 22b mentions this with regard to Babylon, which is a valley and whose homes are not built with sturdy f oundations.
ote the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch, who quote the Rambam’s statements (Orach Chayim 576:11), but also mention (577:1) a less extreme instance of abundant rainfall, in which the rains prevent the land from being tilled properly.

Hence, abundant rainfall does not pose a danger.

For there are few rivers, and the winter rains are the primary source of water throughout the entire year.

This and the f ollowing two halachot, in contrast to the fasts f or lack of rain mentioned in Chapter 3, describe a situation in which rain has already begun to descend and then ceases. To a certain degree, since crops have already sprouted, this situation is more distressing than if the rains had never descended at all. These three halachot are quoted without emendation in the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 575:8).

At which point, there would be no purpose in continuing the fast.

At this time, more water is necessary to allow the trees to produce fruit.

This and the previous halachah apply only in Eretz Yisrael where the rains are seasonal in this manner. ‘ln other countries, different principles apply.
Most texts of the Jerusalem Talmud (Ta’anit 3:2) which is the direct source for this halachah, state Atzeret (Shavuot), rather than Sukkot. The Rambam’s choice of this version of the text can be explained in that it is very unlikely f or rain to descend in the summer (the season of Shavuot) in Eretz Yisrael. ln contrast, it is possible for rain to descend on Sukkot, although this is slightly earlier than usual. Thus the Rambam chose the version that is closer to the prevailing circumstances.

The Ritba states that, in such circumstances, one should call out for Divine mercy, even on the Sabbath.