Taanit 3 - November 15, 11 Kislev

Study Guide Taanit 3

What are the different possibilities to derive the source for the water libations on Sukkot? In the Mishna in Sukka, it says that we are obligated to do the water libations all seven days. That doesn’t seem to match any of the opinions in the braita which lists the possibilities for what day we begin to mention the rains in our prayers. Is the Rabbi Yehoshua quoted by Rabbi Yehuda in the braita (we begin only at musaf of Shmini Atzeret) the same Rabbi Yehoshua mentioned also in the braita (we begin in Shmini Atzeret)? They conclude that it is not the same as the opinions don’t match – why would Rabbi Yehoshua wait until musaf? Dew and winds and also clouds are not like rains because they are always in nature and God does not stop them from coming. Therefore we do not have to mention these in our prayers, but if we want to, we can. Is it really true that they are constants? Wind after the rain, sun after the rain, snow, etc. strengthen the positive effects of the rain on the crops. But other things such as lightning and being partly cloudy after the rains are considered to be bad for the crops.