Siman - Taanis Daf 9
- עשר תעשר – עשר בשביל שתתעשר
Rebbe Yochanan asked Reish Lakish’s son what passuk he was currently learning, and the boy said, "עשר תעשר" –maaser, you shall give maaser. When the boy asked Rebbe Yochanan what the pshat was in the passuk, Rebbe Yochanan replied, עשר בשביל שתתעשר – Take maaser so that you will become wealthy. When the boy asked where Rebbe Yochanan knows this from, Rebbe Yochanan responded that the boy should test taking maaser and see whether he becomes rich. When the boy questioned whether testing Hashem was permissible, given that that the passuk states: "לא תנסו את ה'" – Do not test Hashem, he was told that Rebbe Hoshaya said that separating maasros was an exception to the rule, for the passuk states: Bring all the maaser to the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house (referring to food for those who do the avodah in the Beis Hamikdash) ובחנוני נא בזאת – and test Me now through this, if I will not open up for you the windows of the sky והריקתי לכם ברכה עד בלי די – and pour out blessing to you without limit. We see from here that one can test Hashem with maaser. The Gemara asks what is עד בלי די – without limits, and Rami bar Chama said in the name of Rav, עד שיבלו שפתותיכם מלומר די – Until your lips wear out from saying, “Enough.”
- The three gifts that were given in the zechus of Moshe, Aharon and Miriam
The Gemara brought a source that while rain is brought for an individual, prosperity is only brought in the merit of many people. The Gemara challenges this from a Baraisa that taught: שלשה פרנסים טובים עמדו לישראל – Three great leaders arose for Yisroel; Moshe, Aharon and Miriam. וג' מתנות טובות ניתנו על ידם – and three good gifts were given to Klal Yisroel because of them; the באר ענן ומן – the well, the Clouds of Glory and the mann. The well was in the zechus of Miriam. The clouds were in the zechus of Aharon, and the mann was in the zechus of Moshe. When Miriam died, the well went away, but then returned in the zechus of Moshe and Aharon. When Aharon passed away, the clouds went away, חזרו שניהם בזכות משה – then both the well and the clouds returned in the zechus of Moshe. מת משה נסתלקו כולן – When Moshe died, they all went away. The Gemara asks that we see from here that prosperity through the mann came in the merit of Moshe alone? The Gemara answers, שאני משה כיון דלרבים הוא בעי כרבים דמי – Moshe is different. Since he davened on behalf of many, he is regarded as many.
- Rain comes even for a certain part of an individual’s field
Reish Lakish holds that rain is brought for an individual, as it is stated in the passuk: "ומטר גשם יתן לאיש עשב בשדה" – and He will give them showers of rain, for each man, grass in his field. It might be thought that rain will come for each man if he needs the rain for all of his fields. The passuk states: "שדה" – field, which is singular. It still might be thought that rain will come only if he needs it for his entire field. The passuk therefore states: "עשב" – the grass of the field, meaning that rain will come even if necessary for only part of the field. This is like the story of Doniel bar Ketina, who had a garden and everyday he would inspect it and say, הא מישרא בעיא מיא והא מישרא לא בעי מיא – This row needs water and this row does not need water, and it would rain only in the places that needed water.
