Mishneh Torah, Fasts Chapter 3

Chapter 3

א הֲרֵי שֶׁלֹּא יָרְדוּ לָהֶם גְּשָׁמִים כָּל עִקָּר מִתְּחִלַּת יְמוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים. אִם הִגִּיעַ שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר בְּמַרְחֶשְׁוָן וְלֹא יָרְדוּ גְּשָׁמִים מַתְחִילִין תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים בִּלְבַד לְהִתְעַנּוֹת שֵׁנִי וַחֲמִישִׁי וְשֵׁנִי. וְכָל הַתַּלְמִידִים רְאוּיִין לְכָךְ:
1 See that [if] no rain fell for them at all from the beginning of the rainy season: If the seventeenth of Marcheshvan arrived and rain had not fallen — Torah scholars alone begin to fast Monday, Thursday and Monday. And all [Torah] scholars are fit for this.
ב הִגִּיעַ רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ כִּסְלֵו וְלֹא יָרְדוּ גְּשָׁמִים בֵּית דִּין גּוֹזְרִין שָׁלֹשׁ תַּעֲנִיּוֹת עַל הַצִּבּוּר שֵׁנִי וַחֲמִישִׁי וְשֵׁנִי. וּמֻתָּרִין בָּהֶן לֶאֱכל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת בַּלַּיְלָה. וְאַנְשֵׁי מִשְׁמָר אֵין מִתְעַנִּין עִמָּהֶן מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן עֲסוּקִין בַּעֲבוֹדָה. וְכָל הָעָם נִכְנָסִים לְבָתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת וּמִתְפַּלְּלִין וְזוֹעֲקִין וּמִתְחַנְּנִין כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁעוֹשִׂין בְּכָל הַתַּעֲנִיּוֹת:
2 [If] Rosh Chodesh of Kislev arrived and rain has [still] not fallen, the court decrees three fasts on the community — Monday, Thursday and Monday. But they may eat and drink at night. However the men of the [priestly] shift do not fast with them, since they are involved in the [Temple] service. And all of the people enter the synagogues and pray, cry out and supplicate in the way that they do during all the fasts.
ג עָבְרוּ אֵלּוּ וְלֹא נַעֲנוּ בֵּית דִּין גּוֹזְרִין שָׁלֹשׁ תַּעֲנִיּוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת עַל הַצִּבּוּר שֵׁנִי וַחֲמִישִׁי וְשֵׁנִי. וּבְשָׁלֹשׁ אֵלּוּ אוֹכְלִין וְשׁוֹתִין מִבְּעוֹד יוֹם כְּמוֹ שֶׁעוֹשִׂין בְּצוֹם כִּפּוּר. וְאַנְשֵׁי מִשְׁמָר מִתְעַנִּין מִקְצָת הַיּוֹם וְלֹא מַשְׁלִימִין. וְאַנְשֵׁי בֵּית אָב וְהֵם הָעוֹסְקִין בַּעֲבוֹדָה בְּאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם לֹא יִהְיוּ מִתְעַנִּים כָּל עִקָּר. וְכָל תַּעֲנִית שֶׁאוֹכְלִין בָּהּ מִבְּעוֹד יוֹם אִם אָכַל וּפָסַק וְגָמַר שֶׁלֹּא לֶאֱכל אֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר וְאוֹכֵל אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ שְׁהוּת בַּיּוֹם:
3 [If] these passed and they have not been answered, the court decrees three other fasts upon the community — Monday, Thursday and Monday. And on these three [fasts], we may eat and drink [only] from when it is still day, like on the fast of [Yom] Kippur. And the men of the [priestly] shift fast part of the day, but they do not complete [it]. And the men of the [assigned priestly] family — and they are the ones busy with the service that day — would not fast at all. And [regarding] any fast upon which we eat from when it is still day: If one ate and stopped and decided not to eat [any more before the fast] — he may not eat again, even though there is [still enough] time in the day.
ד בְּשָׁלֹשׁ תַּעֲנִיּוֹת אֵלּוּ כָּל הָעָם אֲסוּרִין בַּעֲשִׂיַּת מְלָאכָה בַּיּוֹם וּמֻתָּרִין בַּלַּיְלָה. וַאֲסוּרִין בִּרְחִיצַת כָּל הַגּוּף בְּחַמִּין אֲבָל פָּנָיו יָדָיו וְרַגְלָיו מֻתָּר. לְפִיכָךְ נוֹעֲלִין אֶת הַמֶּרְחֲצָאוֹת. וַאֲסוּרִין בְּסִיכָה. וְאִם לְהַעֲבִיר אֶת הַזֻּהֲמָה מֻתָּר. וַאֲסוּרִין בְּתַשְׁמִישׁ הַמִּטָּה. וּבִנְעִילַת הַסַּנְדָּל בָּעִיר אֲבָל בַּדֶּרֶךְ מֻתָּר לִנְעל. וּמִתְפַּלְּלִין בְּבָתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת וְזוֹעֲקִין וּמִתְחַנְּנִין כִּשְׁאָר תַּעֲנִיּוֹת:
4 And on these three fasts, all of the people are forbidden to engage in work during the day; but they are permitted at night. They are forbidden to bathe the whole body with hot water; but it is permitted [to bathe] one's face, his hands and his feet. Hence we lock up the bathhouses. They are forbidden to smear [with oil]; but it is permissible if it is to remove filth. They are forbidden to have marital relations, and to wear (leather) shoes in the city; but it is permissible to wear leather shoes on the road. And they pray in the synagogues, cry out and supplicate — like the other fasts.
ה עָבְרוּ אֵלּוּ וְלֹא נַעֲנוּ בֵּית דִּין גּוֹזְרִין שֶׁבַע תַּעֲנִיּוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת עַל הַצִּבּוּר שֵׁנִי וַחֲמִישִׁי וְשֵׁנִי וַחֲמִישִׁי וְשֵׁנִי וַחֲמִישִׁי וְשֵׁנִי. וּבְאֵלּוּ הַשֶּׁבַע בִּלְבַד עֵבָּרוֹת וּמֵינִיקוֹת מִתְעַנּוֹת אֲבָל בִּשְׁאָר הַתַּעֲנִיּוֹת אֵין עֵבָּרוֹת וּמֵינִיקוֹת מִתְעַנּוֹת. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינָן מִתְעַנּוֹת אֵין מְעַנְּגוֹת עַצְמָן בְּתַפְנוּקִים אֶלָּא אוֹכְלוֹת וְשׁוֹתוֹת כְּדֵי קִיּוּם הַוָּלָד:
5 [If] these have passed and they [still] have not been answered, the court decrees seven other fasts on the community — Monday, Thursday, Monday, Thursday, Monday, Thursday and Monday. And only on these fasts do pregnant and nursing women fast. But on other fasts, pregnant and nursing women do not fast. However even though they do not fast, they may not indulge themselves with delicacies. Rather they eat and drink enough for the [needs] of the child.
ו וּבְשֶׁבַע תַּעֲנִיּוֹת אֵלּוּ אַנְשֵׁי מִשְׁמָר מִתְעַנִּין וּמַשְׁלִימִין. וְאַנְשֵׁי בֵּית אָב מִתְעַנִּין מִקְצָת הַיּוֹם וְלֹא מַשְׁלִימִין. וְכָל דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא אָסוּר בְּשָׁלֹשׁ אֶמְצָעִיּוֹת אָסוּר בְּאֵלּוּ הַשֶּׁבַע הָאַחֲרוֹנוֹת:
6 And on these seven fasts, the men of the shift fast and complete [it]. And the men of the [assigned priestly] family fast part of the day, but they do not complete [it]. And everything that is forbidden on the three middle ones is forbidden on these seven last ones.
ז וִיתֵרוֹת אֵלּוּ. שֶׁבָּהֶן בִּלְבַד מַתְרִיעִין וּמִתְפַּלְּלִין בִּרְחוֹב הָעִיר. וּמוֹרִידִין זָקֵן לְהוֹכִיחַ לָעָם כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּשׁוּבוּ מִדַּרְכָּם. וּמוֹסִיפִין שֵׁשׁ בְּרָכוֹת בִּתְפִלַּת שַׁחֲרִית וּבִתְפִלַּת מִנְחָה וְנִמְצְאוּ מִתְפַּלְּלִין כ"ד בְּרָכוֹת. וְנוֹעֲלִין אֶת הַחֲנֻיּוֹת. וּבַשֵּׁנִי מַטִּין לְעֵת עֶרֶב וּפוֹתְחִין אֶת הַחֲנֻיּוֹת. אֲבָל בַּחֲמִישִׁי פּוֹתְחִין כָּל הַיּוֹם מִפְּנֵי כְּבוֹד הַשַּׁבָּת. וְאִם יֵשׁ לַחֲנוּת שְׁנֵי פְּתָחִים פּוֹתֵחַ אֶחָד וְנוֹעֵל אֶחָד וְאִם יֵשׁ לַחֲנוּת אִצְטַבָּה פּוֹתֵחַ כְּדַרְכּוֹ בַּחֲמִישִׁי וְאֵינוֹ חוֹשֵׁשׁ:
7 And these exceeded [the others] in that only on them would they sound [trumpets] and pray in the town square. And they would bring down an elder to rebuke the people, so that they would repent from their [evil] ways. And they add six blessings in the morning prayers and in the afternoon prayers. So it would come out that they would recite twenty-four blessings in prayer (at each prayer service). And we lock up the stores. On Monday, we push the door ajar at evening time and [then] open the stores. But on Thursday, we open [them] the whole day on account of the honor of Shabbat. However if the store has two entrances, one should open one and lock one. And if the store has a platform (in front of it), he may open it in its usual way and he need not be concerned [that he is violating the law].
ח עָבְרוּ אֵלּוּ וְלֹא נַעֲנוּ. מְמַעֲטִין בְּמַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן וּבְבִנְיָן שֶׁל שִׂמְחָה כְּגוֹן צִיּוּר וְכִיּוּר. וּבִנְטִיעָה שֶׁל שִׂמְחָה כְּגוֹן מִינֵי הֲדַס וּמִינֵי אֲהָלִים. וּמְמַעֲטִין בְּאֵרוּסִין וְנִשּׂוּאִין אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן לֹא קִיֵּם מִצְוַת פְּרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה. וְכָל מִי שֶׁקִּיֵּם מִצְוַת פְּרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה אָסוּר לוֹ לְשַׁמֵּשׁ מִטָּתוֹ בִּשְׁנֵי רְעָבוֹן. וּמְמַעֲטִין בִּשְׁאֵלַת שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ. וְתַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים לֹא יִשְׁאֲלוּ שָׁלוֹם אֶלָּא כִּנְזוּפִין וּכִמְנֻדִּין לַמָּקוֹם. וְעַם הָאָרֶץ שֶׁנָּתַן לָהֶם שָׁלוֹם מַחְזִירִין לוֹ בְּשָׂפָה רָפָה וְכֹבֶד רֹאשׁ:
8 If these have passed and they have not been answered, they should minimize buying and selling; joyful building like etching and decorating [walls]; and joyful planting like types of myrtles and types of tents. And they should minimize betrothals and marriages unless one had not [yet] fulfilled the commandment of being fruitful and multiplying. And it is forbidden for anyone who has fulfilled the commandment of being fruitful and multiplying to engage in marital relations in years of famine. And they should minimize greetings between a person and his fellow. However Torah scholars should not greet (at all), but rather [act] like people who have been rebuked by the Omnipresent. And [in a case of] an ignorant person who has greeted them, they may return his greeting with a soft voice and a serious demeanor.
ט תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים חוֹזְרִין לְבַדָּם וּמִתְעַנִּים שֵׁנִי וַחֲמִישִׁי וְשֵׁנִי עַד שֶׁיֵּצֵא נִיסָן שֶׁל תְּקוּפָה אֲבָל לֹא הַצִּבּוּר. שֶׁאֵין גּוֹזְרִין עַל הַצִּבּוּר בִּשְׁבִיל גְּשָׁמִים שֶׁלֹּא יָרְדוּ יֶתֶר מִשְּׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה תַּעֲנִיּוֹת אֵלּוּ. וּכְשֶׁמִּתְעַנִּין הַיְחִידִים עַד שֶׁיָּצָא נִיסָן מֻתָּרִין לֶאֱכל בַּלַּיְלָה וּמֻתָּרִין בַּעֲשִׂיַּת מְלָאכָה וּבִרְחִיצָה וּבְסִיכָה וְתַשְׁמִישׁ הַמִּטָּה וּנְעִילַת הַסַּנְדָּל כִּשְׁאָר כָּל הַתַּעֲנִיּוֹת. וּמַפְסִיקִין לְרָאשֵׁי חֳדָשִׁים וּפוּרִים. יָצָא נִיסָן שֶׁל תְּקוּפָה וְהוּא כְּשֶׁהִגִּיעַ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לִתְחִלַּת מַזַּל שׁוֹר אֵין מִתְעַנִּים. שֶׁאֵין הַגְּשָׁמִים בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה אֶלָּא סִימַן קְלָלָה הוֹאִיל וְלֹא יָרְדוּ כָּל עִקָּר מִתְּחִלַּת הַשָּׁנָה:
9 Torah scholars resume fasting by themselves [every] Monday, Thursday and Monday until Nissan of the season concludes — but not the community. For we do not decree more than these thirteen fasts on the community because of rains that have not fallen. And when the [select] individuals fast until Nissan concludes, they are permitted to eat at night; and they are permitted to do work, to bathe, to smear [with oil], to have marital relations and to wear shoes — like all the other [conventional] fasts. And they break for [the days of] Rosh Chodesh and Purim. When Nissan of the season concludes — and that is when the sun reaches the beginning of the constellation of Taurus — they do not fast. For rain at that time is only a sign of curse — since they had not fallen at all from the beginning of the year.
י בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכָל הַדּוֹמֶה לָהּ. אֲבָל מְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁעוֹנַת הַגְּשָׁמִים שֶׁלָּהֶן קֹדֶם י"ז בְּמַרְחֶשְׁוָן אוֹ אַחַר זְמַן זֶה כְּשֶׁיַּגִּיעַ זְמַנָּם וְלֹא יָרְדוּ גְּשָׁמִים יְחִידִים מִתְעַנִּים שֵׁנִי וַחֲמִישִׁי וְשֵׁנִי. וּמַפְסִיקִין בְּרָאשֵׁי חֳדָשִׁים וּבַחֲנֻכָּה וּבְפוּרִים. וְשׁוֹהִין אַחֲרֵי כֵן כְּמוֹ שִׁבְעָה יָמִים. אִם לֹא יָרְדוּ גְּשָׁמִים בֵּית דִּין גּוֹזְרִין עַל הַצִּבּוּר שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה תַּעֲנִיּוֹת עַל הַסֵּדֶר שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ:
10 To what are these words applicable? To the Land of Israel and all that is similar to it. But in places in which their rainy period is before the seventeenth of Marchesvan or after this time: If its time arrived and rain did not fall, the [select] individuals fast on Monday, Thursday and Monday; but they break for [the days of] Rosh Chodesh, Chanukkah and Purim. And they wait about seven days afterwards. If rain has not fallen, the court decrees thirteen fasts upon the community in the order that we mentioned.
יא כָּל תַּעֲנִיּוֹת שֶׁגּוֹזְרִין הַצִּבּוּר בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ אוֹכְלִים בָּהֶם בַּלַּיְלָה וְדִינֵיהֶם כְּדִין שְׁאָר הַתַּעֲנִיּוֹת. שֶׁאֵין גּוֹזְרִין עַל הַצִּבּוּר תַּעֲנִית כְּגוֹן צוֹם כִּפּוּר אֶלָּא בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְבַד וּבִגְלַל הַמָּטָר. וּבְאוֹתָן עֶשֶׂר תַּעֲנִיּוֹת שֶׁהֵן שָׁלֹשׁ אֶמְצָעִיּוֹת וְשֶׁבַע אַחֲרוֹנוֹת:
11 [Regarding] all the fasts that we decree upon the community outside of the Land, we eat on them at night; and their laws are like the law of other [conventional] fasts. For we only decree a fast on the community like the fast of [Yom] Kippur in the Land of Israel alone, on account of rain, and on those ten fasts — which are the three middle ones and the seven last ones.
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