Of God’s Gifts and of Prayers: From Judaism – The Talmud, Part 1 of 2

Today, it is an honor to present selections from Tractate Taanith or “Days of Fasting” from the Talmud, which expounds on the importance of having faith in God in all situations.

“Rabbi Yohanan said: There are three keys which the Holy One, blessed be He, has not entrusted into the hands of any messenger, but keeps in His own hand. These are: The key of rain, the key of birth, and the key of the resurrection of the dead. The key of rain, for it is written: (Deuteronomy 28:12) ‘The Lord shall open unto thee His good treasure, the Heaven to give the rain unto the land in His season.’ The key of birth, for it is written: (Genesis 30:22) ‘And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.’ The key of the resurrection of the dead, for it is written: (Ezekiel 37:13) ‘And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves.’ […]”

“If on the seventeenth of Marheshwan no rain has as yet fallen, then some individuals begin to fast three days. They eat and drink after sundown, they may work, wash themselves, anoint themselves, [and] put on sandals. […] If the first of Kislev came and no rain has fallen, the court then orders the public to fast three days; they may eat and drink after sundown. They may work, wash themselves, anoint themselves, [and] put on sandals. […]

The Rabbis taught: When the people of Israel find themselves in trouble, and one of them separates himself from the people, then the two angels of service, who accompany every person, come and lay their hands on his head and say: So-and-so, who has separated himself from the people, shall not see the consolation of the people. In another place we learned: When the people find themselves in trouble, let not a man say, I will go into my home and eat and drink, and all will be well with me.

[…] A man should share in the sorrows and troubles of his community, for thus we found our master Moses, that he shared in common with the community its sorrows and troubles, for it was said: (Exodus 17:12) ‘But Moses’ hands were heavy, and they took a stone, and put it under him and he sat thereon.’ Did not Moses have a cushion or a bolster to sit upon? This is to teach us that Moses wished to say: ‘All of Israel find themselves in trouble, I too will suffer with them.’ And every person who shares in the sorrows of the community, lives to see also the consolation of the community. […]”