Mesechtas Taanit

Masechet Taanit (also called Masechet Taaniyot) is part of the "Moed" order of the six orders of Mishnah. This masechet is relatively short, and deals with the laws of fasts in general, particularly the fasts that the beit din would decree upon the entire community during times of "rain stoppage" and drought years. Along with this, the masechet also presents the laws of the sections in the Shmoneh Esreh prayer related to rainfall - mentioning "Who causes the rain to fall" and requesting "Give dew and rain for blessing." In addition to fasts related to rain, the masechet also deals with the fast of the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av, as well as the laws of the week in which the 9th of Av falls. This masechet in the Babylonian Talmud contains many aggadic sections, relative to other masechtot. In this masechet are found the well-known stories about Choni HaMeagel, Nachum Ish Gam Zu, and Nakdimon ben Gurion. In the Babylonian Talmud, this masechet has 30 pages.

Wood for the Arrangement

On page 21a of the masechet, it is explained that on the 20th of Menachem Av they would bring sacrifices for the wood of the arrangement, and this was one of twenty designated times for this purpose. When it fell on Shabbat, they would postpone rather than advance it, and according to Rashi's explanation, this is because one who says he will bring a sacrifice at a particular time - if he brought it earlier, he has not fulfilled his obligation.

According to these words of Rashi, the words of the Yerushalmi Chapter 6 Halacha 5 are explained, where there is a dispute whether the gabbai needs to borrow money to give to a poor person when there is no money in the charity fund. The Rebbe says in the name of the Gaon Rabbi Yosef Rozin of Rogatchov that the reason of the one who holds that there is no need to borrow is because he holds that it is not proper, since in a case where the mitzvah has already been fulfilled before giving the charity, such as in this case where at the time of giving the charity from the giver, the poor person has already received his money, in such a case the mitzvah is not fulfilled, as Rashi says, that "one who says he will bring a sacrifice at a particular time - if he brought it earlier, he has not fulfilled his obligation."

The Rebbe's Explanations

• 2a. Also the key of livelihood. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 39 p. 37 (p. 59)
• 5b. Regarding 'One does not converse during a meal'...'Our father Jacob did not die'...'Just as his seed is alive, so too is he alive'. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 35
• 7a. Is a man a tree of the field? Likkutei Sichos Vol. 24 p. 117 (p. 131)
• 9a. Rain for an individual, livelihood for the many. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 39 p. 37 (p. 59)
• 11b. There is no public fast in Babylon. Hitvaaduyot 5745 Vol. 2 p. 1154 (p. 470)
• 12a. Since it was permitted for a purpose, it is also permitted not for a purpose. (Rashi and Tosafot.) Likkutei Sichos Vol. 11 p. 36 (p. 44)
• 26a. The children of Yoav ben Tzeruya returned a second time. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 9 p. 86 (p. 114)
• 26b. There were no better days for Israel than the 15th of Av. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 24 p. 57 (p. 73)
• 28a. The children of Yoav ben Tzeruya returned a second time. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 9 p. 86 (p. 114)
• 30b. The day they stopped cutting wood for the arrangement. Shaarei HaMoadim p. 257 (p. 246)
• Yerushalmi Chapter 3 Halacha 4. Three things. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 24 p. 167 (p. 183)
• Yerushalmi conclusion of Masechet Taanit. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 24 p. 57 (p. 73)
• Conclusion on Erev Pesach for the fast of the firstborn, on Masechet Taanit. Shaarei HaMoadim Pesach Vol. 1 p. 204 (p. 193)

External Links

• Masechet Taanit
• Masechet Taanit with "Chavruta" explanation