Daf Yomi Taanit

Taanit 2a and Taanit 2b, starting the tractate Taanit, about rain, asking for rain, when and why.

Taanit 3a and Taanit 3b, figuring out when nisuch ha-mayim, the libating of water on the altar, happened, and then how wind and dew will not be withheld, with the impact on prayer.

Taanit 4a and Taanit 4b, Torah scholars’ temper, improper ways to make requests of Gd, and then when we do or do not mention Gd’s giving the rains.

Taanit 5a and Taanit 5b, a series of discussions where R. Nahman asks R. Yitzhak to explain verses, and he shares ideas he learned from R. Yohanan, the first related to Taanit.

Taanit 6a and Taanit 6b, when we can expect early rains, until when the early rain season is, and what counts as rains to give us the confidence we are not in a drought year.

Taanit 7a and Taanit 7b, aggadic statements about the greatness of rain and of Torah scholars and sharing Torah

Taanit 8a and Taanit 8b, inferences from verses about how to study better, how to implore Gd more effectively, the value of truth, and more.

Taanit 9a and Taanit 9b, the value of rain, the kinds of merits it takes to get rain, and whether rain is fundamentally earthly or supernatural.

Taanit 10a and Taanit 10b, more on where the waters come from, and then on the timing of asking for rain, fasting for rain, and who needs to fast in the early fasts, what to do if the time of trouble is resolved before the fasts are completed.

Taanit 11a and Taanit 11b, joining the community in times of trouble, the upside and downside of fasting, whether we can have fast days for parts of a day.

Taanit 12a and Taanit 12b, the parameters of a ta’anit sha’ot, fasting part of a day, when to accept a fast for it to count as a fast, when a fast can be broken and made up, and what happens in the second set of three fasts, the set of seven fasts, and if rains still did not come.

Taanit 13a and Taanit 13b, differences between major fasts (Tish’a B’Av and any other communal ones, as well as mourning) and minor ones, especially regarding bathing, and then where the special blessing for fast days is inserted.

Taanit 14a and Taanit 14b, differences among the groups of fasts, whether we cry out with a shofar or with extra Anenus, and where an individual asks for help.

Ta’anit 15a and Ta’anit 15b, finishing the first chapter, and then a long Mishnah about the order of the day for fast days, especially the six extra blessings inserted into the prayers and who does or does not fast a full day in which of the series of fasts.

Taanit 16a and Taanit 16b, the parts of the service of a fast day, who did what and why.

Taanit 17a and Taanit 17b, finishing the blessings of the order of a fast day, and then discussing when kohanim would be allowed to drink wine and/or grow their hairs, and how we know, then moving on to why days are defined as rabbinic holidays even when there is a Biblical holiday already there.

Taanit 18a and Taanit 18b finishing the chapter by figuring out the status of the days before or after days declared rabbinic holidays, to not fast or eulogize on them, learning along the way of a few holidays when Jews were saved or anti-Jewish non-Jews got their comeuppance. Then, starting the new chapter with what other troubles would spur fast days.

Taanit 19a and Taanit 19b, a long Mishnah, with other causes for calling out to Gd than rain, and how we do or don’t plead about rain.

Taanit 20 and Taanit 20b, story day, Nakdimon b. Gurion and Gd responding to prayers for a kiddush Hashem, R. Elazar berebbe Shimon learning the importance of civility, humility, and forgiveness, and R. Ada b. Ahavah teaching us how to earn merits.

Taanit 21a and Taanit 21b, more stories of people with merit and how they affect the world around them, as well as of lost potential and its significance.

Taanit 22a and Taanit 22b, unusual ways to earn a place in the World to Come, defining the kinds of wild animals that constitute a heaven-sent time of trouble, and the parameters of other troubles leading to fasting and/or blowing the trumpets.

More on how rain can be good or not so good, what merits can bring it, mostly told through examples of Honi Ha-Me’agel and his grandchildren.

Taanit 24a and Taanit 24b, some upsides and downsides of miracles and miracle workers, where and how to incorporate them in our lives.

Taanit 25a and Taanit 25b, R. Hanina b. Dosa stories, R. Elazar b. Pedat stories, and stories of how fast days did or did not bring rain.

Taanit 26a and Taanit 26b, new chapter, the idea of ma’amadot, gatherings of Jews to symbolically represent the nation with their communal sacrifices, the events of 17 Tammuz and 9 Av, the holiday of 15 Av, and when kohanim do or do not give the priestly blessing.

Taanit 27a and Taanit 27b, the ma’amadot and mishmarot, how they were made up, why they functioned, and what they did.

Taanit 28a and Taanit 28b, the wood sacrifices and who got to give them, events of 17 Tammuz.

Taanit 29a and Taanit 29b, verifying the five events of Tish’a B’Av, and then the prohibitions of Erev Tish’a B’Av and the week of Tish’a B’Av.

Taanit 30a and Taanit 30b, the rules of the se’udah mafseket, the last meal before Tish’a B’Av, and then of Tish’a B’Av itself, closing with why the 15th of Av became such a celebratory holiday.

Taanit 31a, finishing the massechet with the 15th of Av and its celebrations, and the hope for salvation in the future.