Siman - Taanis Daf 16
- Explanations for the various practices done on the seven last public fast days
The Mishnah on Daf 15 listed the practices that were done on a public fast day. The Gemara brings the explanations for each one. Included here is a partial list of reasons.
- Why do we go out to the town square? Rav Chiya bar Abba says: לומר זעקנו בצנעה ולא נענינו – To say that we cried out in tefillah in private and were not answered, נבזה עצמנו בפרהסיא – let us disgrace ourselves in public. Reish Lakish says: גלינו גלותנו מכפרת עלינו – The purpose is to convey that we have been exiled from our Beis Hakanessess. May our galus be mechaper for us.
– Why do we dress in sackcloth? Rebbe Chiya bar Abba said: לומר הרי אנו חשובין כבהמה – To convey that we are thought of as animals.
– Why does each person place ashes on his head? One Amora said it is to convey the idea that אנו חשובין לפניך כאפר – We are before you like ashes. Another said: כדי שיזכור אפרו של יצחק – in order that Hashem should remember the ashes of Yitzchak in our merit.
- Qualifications for the shaliach tzibur
It was taught in a Baraisa: עמדו בתפילה – When they stand to daven, אף על פי שיש שם זקן וחכם – even though there is an elderly person there that is a chochom, אין מורידין לפני התיבה אלא אדם הרגיל – We do not send someone before the Ark who is not skilled in the fast day tefillos . Rebbe Yehudah says that we select someone who has children but no livelihood to support them, so he feels the need for rain. He should be a farmer who relies on the rain, but his house is empty , which Rashi explains that he has not acquired anything though theft. ופרקו נאה ושפל רוח ומרוצה לעם – He should be someone who behaved properly when he was young, should have a humble spirt, and is pleasing to the people. He should also be an experienced baal koreh, and be able to recite from midrash, halachos and aggadatah, and be fluent in all the berachos.
- We do not answer “Amen” in the Beis HaMikdash
The Gemara brings a Baraisa that after each of the six additional berachos recited on the fast day, the congregation responds “Amen.” The Gemara clarifies that this was only in the provinces, but in the Beis Hamikdash, “Amen” is not recited לפי שאין עונין אמן במקדש – because we do not answer “Amen” at the end of berachos recited in the Beis Hamikdash. For it is written in the passuk, "קומו ברכו את ה' אלקיכם מן העולם עד העולם" – Arise and bless Hashem, your G-d, from the world until the world, referring to Olam Habah, "ויברכו שם כבדך ומרומם על כל ברכה ותהלה" – and let them the name of Your honor, that is elevated above every berachah and praise. It might be thought that the congregation only responds once after all of the berachos. This passuk teaches, על כל ברכה תן לו תהלה – for each berachah give Him praise. Rashi explains that this teaches that at the end each berachah they would recite, ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד – Blessed is the name of Your glorious kingdom forever and ever.
