Siman - Taanis Daf 23
- Choni Hame’agel falls asleep for seventy years
After the Gemara recounts in detail the story of Choni Hame’agel’s davening for rain, it tells what happened at the end of Choni’s life. Rebbe Yochanan said: כל ימיו של אותו צדיק היה מצטער על מקרא זה – All the days of that tzadik’s life he was bothered by this passuk: "שיר המעלות בשוב ה' את שיבת ציון היינו כחלמים" – A song of ascent, when Hashem will return Tzion, we will be like dreamers. Choni asked if it is possible for anyone to sleep for seventy years with one long dream? Rashi explains that the passuk is referring to the galus in Bavel which lasted seventy years. One day Choni saw a man planting a carob tree and when he asked him how long it takes for the tree to grow, the man responded that it would take seventy years. Choni asked him if he will be around in seventy years to benefit from it and the man replied that just as he found a world of carob trees that that his ancestors planted for him, so too he’ll leave a world with carob trees for his children. Choni ended up falling asleep for seventy years and woke up to discover the man’s grandson by the tree. When he went to the Beis Midrash, no one would believe that he was Choni, for seventy years had passed since his disappearance. Choni became distraught, prayed for rachamim and died. Rava said: This is the meaning of the popular saying: או חברותא או מיתותא – Either a chavrusa or death. Rashi explains that if one’s chaveirim do not treat him with the kavod he was used to, death is preferable.
- Abba Chilkiyah and his wife davening for rain
The Gemara continues with the story of Abba Chilkiyah, the grandson of Choni Hame’agel, who also was known to bring rain through the power of his tefillos. One time when the Rabbis could not find him at home, they discovered him in the fields hoeing. He did not greet them, and when he returned in the evening, they noticed him do several strange things, among them that he only put on shoes when he walked through a stream, and he pulled up the hem of his garment when he walked through thorns and thistles. When he arrived home, he told his wife quietly that they should go up to the roof and daven for rain, so the Rabbis will not give them credit for bringing the rain. Nevertheless, when the rains fell, the Rabbis knew it was due to them. After asking Abba Chilkiyah about his various behaviors, they asked why the clouds came first to the corner where his wife was davening. Abba Chilkiyah answered, משום דאיתתא שכיחא בביתא – Because a woman is typically at home, so she can give to the poor when they come ומקרבא הנייתה – and she gives food, which the poor person can benefit from immediately . When he gives them money, they have to go first and buy food. Alternatively, she was answered first because she davened that these boors in their neighborhood do teshuvah, which they did, whereas he davened that they should die.
- Chanan Hanechba and the schoolchildren
The Gemara relates that when the world needed rain, the Rabbis would send schoolchildren to Chanan Hanechba, (the Hidden), who was the grandson of Choni Hame’agel. Rashi explains that school children were sent to soften his heart and increase his kavana in tefillah. They would grab the hem of his garment and say to him, “Abba, Abba, give us rain.” Chanan would then say before Hashem, רבונו של עולם עשה בשביל אלו שאין מכירין בין אבא דיהיב מיטרא לאבא דלא יהיב מיטרא – Ribono Shel Olam, do for the sake of these children, who cannot distinguish between the Father who brings rain and the father who does not bring rain. Why was he called Chanan Hanechba? Because he used to hide himself. Rashi explains that he would hide himself in his humility when he davened, so people would not attribute the rain to him.
