Ta'anit 20 Many Stories: On Asking, Demanding, and Receiving

Amud (a) tells us the story of Nakdimon Ben Guryon, who was one of the wealthiest people in Jerusalem around the time of the destruction of the Temple.  People came to Jerusalem for a festival but a there was not enough water to drink.  Also known as Buri, Nakdimon Ben Guryon made a deal with a Gentile officer.  If the officer gave Buri twelve cistern of water, he would either return twelve cisterns of water by the end of that day or he would pay the officer twelve talents of silver.  How could it possibly rain right then?  The officer had made a great deal.

Over the course of that day, the officer sent many messages to Buri, asking for his silver.  At the end of the day, when the rain had not fallen to refill the cisterns, the officer went happily to his bathhouse (obviously with more than enough water) while Buri prayed in the Temple.  He reminded G-d that his intentions were not based on pride but on the good of the community.  The rain fell to excess.  And so the officer asked for payment because of the damage caused by rain.  Buri prayed again, and the sun shone, and the water evaporated.

The rabbis use this story to spark many examples of ways that Jews are both blessed and cursed.  Metaphors abound.  Some of those metaphors incidentally compare Jerusalem to a woman: a woman menstruating (who will soon be with her husband) and a widow (more like a woman who's husband has gone overseas but will return to her).  Others refer to cedar trees, reeds, and other elements of nature.

Amud (b) begins with a fantastic story about Elazar ben Shimon, who was filled with pride after studying Torah. He rode his donkey to a stream by a town where he walked with his head up.  Looking down, he saw a very ugly man.  The man greeted him, but instead of replying, Rabbi Elazar said, "Worthless, what an ugly man.  Are all of the people in this town as ugly as you?"  The man said, "I do not know, but you go and say to the Craftsman Who made: How ugly is the vessel You made."  Rabbi Elazar realized his wrong and prostrated himself, begging forgiveness.   The man refused, repeating that Rabbi Elazar must say to the Craftsman Who made him: How ugly is the vessel You made".  Walking behind him to his city, Rabbi Elazar continued to beg forgiveness.  The people of the town hailed Rabbi Elazar, but the man said: For your sakes I forgive him provided that he does not become used to such behaviour".  Rabbi Elazar then went to the study hall and taught: A person should always be soft like a reed and he shouldn't be stiff like a cedar.   Thus a reed is fit to produce the quill that will write the scrolls of Torah, tefilin and mezzuzot.

In discussing the tragedy of a collapsing house (another reason to pray for a miracle), the Gemara tells us about Rav Huna.  Rav Huna brought Rav Adda bar Ahava to a dilapidated house in order to remove bottles of wine.  The house collapsed just after they finished their task.  Rav Addar bar Ahava was angry: we are not permitted to do something dangerous and assume that "a miracle will be performed for me".  

Rav Adda bar Ahava lived for a long, long time. We learn that his longevity was due to, in his opinion:

• never angry with his household
• never walked four cubits without thinking of Torah
• never walked four cubits without wearing tefilin
• never fell asleep at all in the study hall
• never rejoiced in the mishap of a colleague
• never called colleagues by a derogatory name - a nickname or family name 

Finally, we are told a story about Rav Huna, who policed dilapidated walls and instructed people to take down potentially dangerous structures.   If they could not be rebuilt, he would rebuilt them himself.  Rav Huna took it upon himself to buy up all of the vegetables left at market just before Shabbat -- and throw them in the river.  Why not give them to the poor?  So that the poor would not rely on this charity.  Why not give them to animals? Because animals should not eat human food.  Why not just leave the vegetables?  Because the sellers might bring less to market in following weeks and there might not be enough for Shabbat.

Rav Huna also shared new medicine with people.  He even hung a jug of water by his door, allowing people to protect themselves from the demon Shivta, who lives on dirty hands and causes death, especially to children who do not wash their hands.

Finally we are told that Rav Huna opened his door and offered food to anyone who was close by.  Rava notes that he could not uphold that one trait, for soldiers lived nearby and he would have no food left if he offered it away.

Much of today's daf is about asking G-d to intervene in our lives.   This is contrasted with Rav Huna's antics, which assume that we can take it upon ourselves to interpret and act upon G-d's will.