tammuz

Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD’s house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.

Again they say of Aphrodite that she indeed is a goddess. And at times she dwells with their gods, but at other times she is a neighbour to men. And once she had Ares as a lover, and again Adonis who is Tammuz. Once also, Aphrodite was wailing and weeping for the death of Tammuz, and they say that she went down to Sheol that she might redeem Adonis from Persephone, who is the daughter of Sheol (Hades). If then Aphrodite is a goddess and was unable to help her lover at his death, how will she find it possible to help others? And this cannot be listened to, that a divine nature should come to weeping and wailing and adultery.

Again they say of Aphrodite that she indeed is a goddess. And at times she dwells with their gods, but at other times she is a neighbour to men. And once she had Ares as a lover, and again Adonis who is Tammuz. Once also, Aphrodite was wailing and weeping for the death of Tammuz, and they say that she went down to Sheol that she might redeem Adonis from Persephone, who is the daughter of Sheol (Hades). If then Aphrodite is a goddess and was unable to help her lover at his death, how will she find it possible to help others? And this cannot be listened to, that a divine nature should come to weeping and wailing and adultery.

And again they say of Tammuz that he is a god. And he is, forsooth! A hunter and an adulterer. And they say that he was killed by a wound from a wild boar, without being able to help himself. And if he could not help himself, how can he take thought for the human race? But that a god should be an adulterer or a hunter or should die by violence is impossible.

And in the fiftieth year of [the life of] Reu, Nimrod went up and built Nisibis, and Edessa, and Harran, which is Edessa. And Harrdanith, the wife of Dasan, the priest of the mountain, surrounded it with a wall, and the people of Flarran made a statue of her and worshipped her. And Baltin, who was given to Tamtza (Tammuz) —now because B‘élshemin loved her, Tammuz fled before him—set fire to Harran and burned it.

And in the fiftieth year of [the life of] Reu, Nimrod went up and built Nisibis, and Edessa, and Harran, which is Edessa. And Harrdanith, the wife of Dasan, the priest of the mountain, surrounded it with a wall, and the people of Flarran made a statue of her and worshipped her. And Baltin, who was given to Tamtza (Tammuz) —now because B‘élshemin loved her, Tammuz fled before him—set fire to Harran and burned it.

Paul of Tarsus was a Pharisee by sect, of the tribe of Ephraim. When he had been baptised by Ananias, he wrought many miracles, and taught great cities, and bore and suffered dangers not a few for the name of Christ. Afterwards he went to Peter at Rome. When they divided the world between them, and the heathen fell to Paul’s lot, and the Jewish nation to Peter, and they had turned many to the truth of Christ, Nero commanded that they should both die a cruel death. Then Simon asked to be crucified head downwards, that he might kiss that part of the cross where the heels of his Master had been. As they were going forth to be slain, they gave the laying on of hands of the priesthood to their disciples, Peter to Mark, and Paul to Luke. When Peter had been crucified, and Paul slain, together with many of those who had become their disciples, Mark and Luke went forth by night, and brought their bodies into the city. Now Paul’s head was lost among the slain, and could not be found. Some time after, when a shepherd was passing by the spot where the slain were buried, he found Paul’s head, and took it upon the top of his staff, and laid it by his sheep-fold. At night he saw a fire blazing over it, and he went in (to the city) and informed the holy bishop Xystus (Sixtus) and the clergy of the church; and they all recognised that it was Paul’s head. Xystus said to them, ‘ Let us watch and pray the whole night, and let us bring out the body and lay the head at its feet; and if it joins again to its neck, it will be certain that it is Paul’s.’ And when they had done so, the whole body was restored, and the head was joined to its neck as if the vertebrae had never been severed; and those who saw it were amazed and glorified God. From his call to the end of his life was thirty-five years; he went about in every place for thirty-one years; for two years he was in prison at Caesarea, and for two years at Rome. He was martyred in the thirty-sixth year after the Passion of our Lord, and was laid with great honour in the magnificent royal catacombs in Rome. They celebrate every year the day of his commemoration on the twenty-ninth of the month of Tammuz.

The times of the wood of the priests and the people was nine: On the first of Nisan the family Arah of Yehudah. On the twentieth of Tammuz the family of David of Yehudah. On the fifth of Av the family of Parosh of Yehudah. On the seventh of the same month, the family of Yonadav of Rechav. On the tenth of the same month, the family of Snaah of Benjamin. On the fifteenth of the same month, the family of Zattu of Yehudah, and with them were the priests and Levites and all those who were not certain of their tribe and the family of Gonve Eli and the family of Kotze Ketizot. On the twentieth of the same month the family of Pahat Moav of Yehudah. On the twentieth of Elul the family of Adin of Yehudah. On the first of Tevet the family of Parosh of Yehudah [offered] a second time. On the first of Tevet there was no maamad for there was Hallel, Musaf and the wood-festival.

There were five events that happened to our ancestors on the seventeenth of Tammuz and five on the ninth of Av. On the seventeenth of Tammuz: The tablets were shattered; The tamid (daily) offering was cancelled; The [walls] of the city were breached; And Apostomos burned the Torah, and placed an idol in the Temple. On the ninth of Av It was decreed that our ancestors should not enter the land, The Temple was destroyed the first And the second time, Betar was captured, And the city was plowed up. When Av enters, they limit their rejoicing.

There were five events that happened to our ancestors on the seventeenth of Tammuz and five on the ninth of Av. On the seventeenth of Tammuz: The tablets were shattered; The tamid (daily) offering was cancelled; The [walls] of the city were breached; And Apostomos burned the Torah, and placed an idol in the Temple. On the ninth of Av It was decreed that our ancestors should not enter the land, The Temple was destroyed the first And the second time, Betar was captured, And the city was plowed up. When Av enters, they limit their rejoicing.

MISHNAH: The times of wood offerings of the priests and the people are nine. On the first of Nisan, the family Araḥ from the tribe of Judah. On the twentieth of Tammuz, the family of David from the tribe of Judah. On the fifth of Av, the family of Par`osh from the tribe of Judah. On the seventh, the family of Yonadav ben Rekhav. On the tenth, the family of Senaah from the tribe of Benjamin. On the fifteenth the family of Zatuel from the tribe of Judah, and with them priests and Levites and everybody who is unsure of his tribe. The families of the pestle stealers and the fig hackers on the twentieth. The family of Paḥat Moab from the tribe of Judah on the twentieth of Elul. The family of Adin from the tribe of Judah on the first of Tevet. The family of Parosh came a second time. On the first of Tevet was no bystanding since there was hallel, musaf, and wood offering.

MISHNAH: Five things happened to our forefathers on the Seventeenth of Tammuz and five on the Ninth of Av. On the Seventeenth of Tammuz were the tablets broken, the daily sacrifice ceased, the city was breached, Apostomos burned the Torah, and put up an idol in the Temple. On the Ninth of Av was decided that our forefathers would not enter the Land, the Temple was destroyed the first and second times, Betar was taken, and the city ploughed over.

MISHNAH: Five things happened to our forefathers on the Seventeenth of Tammuz and five on the Ninth of Av. On the Seventeenth of Tammuz were the tablets broken, the daily sacrifice ceased, the city was breached, Apostomos burned the Torah, and put up an idol in the Temple. On the Ninth of Av was decided that our forefathers would not enter the Land, the Temple was destroyed the first and second times, Betar was taken, and the city ploughed over.

Rebbi Simeon ben Yohai stated: So was my teacher Aqiba explaining. So says the Eternal of Hosts, the fast of the fourth, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth will be for the House of Israel enjoyment and joy. The fast of the fourth is the Seventeenth of Tammuz, the day when the tablets were broken, the daily sacrifice ceased, the city was breached, Apostomos burned the Torah, and put an idol in the Temple. The fast of the fifth is the Ninth of Av, when the Temple was destroyed the first and the second times. The fast of the seventh is the third of Tishre, when Gedalya ben Aḥiqam was murdered. The fast of the tenth is the Tenth of Tevet, the day when the King of Babylonia closed in on Jerusalem.

Rebbi Simeon ben Yoḥai stated: So was my teacher Aqiba explaining. So says the Eternal of Hosts, the fast of the fourth, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth will be for the House of Israel enjoyment and joy. The fast of the fourth is the Seventeenth of Tammuz, the day when the tablets were broken, the daily sacrifice ceased, the city was breached, Apostomos burned the Torah, and put an idol in the Temple. The fast of the fifth is the Ninth of Av, when the Temple was destroyed the first and the second times. The fast of the seventh is the third of Tishre, when Gedalya ben Aḥiqam was murdered. The fast of the tenth is the Tenth of Tevet, the day when the King of Babylonia closed in on Jerusalem. That is what is written, the Eternal’s word came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth of the month, saying: Son of man, write down the name of this day. On this very day the king of Babylonia closed in on Jerusalem. But I am saying that the fast of the tenth is the Fifth of Tevet, the day when the news came to the diaspora. That is what is written, it was in the eleventh year of our exile, in the fifth, on the fifth of the month, the fugitive came to me from Jerusalem, saying, the city was breached. Only that in Judea one fasts on the act, and in the exile on the news. Rebbi Aqiba explains the first last and the last first; but I am explaining the first first and the last last; and I hold my words more intelligible than Rebbi Aqiba’s words.

Naḥman the son of Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman: Joy and enjoyment, this implies that eulogies are forbidden. And festive dinner, this implies that fasting is forbidden. And holiday, this implies that work is forbidden. Rebbi Ḥelbo said, many times I sat before Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman but did not hear these things from him. He said to him, did you hear all the traditions which my father had? The action of Rebbi disagrees, for Rebbi acted demonstratively on two days in the year. He took a bath on the Seventeenth of Tammuz and planted saplings on Purim. Rebbi Ḥabiba in the names of the Rabbis of there: Any place where it is written holiday it is not written theyaccepted, and any place where it is written they accepted it is not written holiday. And here it is written holiday and it is written they accepted? Rebbi Simon in the name of Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman: Family and family, these are the hamlets. City and city, these are the fortified places. Town and town, these are the small towns.

Samuel stated: Why do they precede to the market day? So they may provide [water and] food to their brothers in the fortified places. Rebbi Philippos ben Protos said before Rebbi Jonah: Could this mean that it is forbidden for {agricultural} work? He said to him, if from this you can conclude nothing. Are there not the intermediate days of holidays which are forbidden for {agricultural} work but they provide food to their brothers in the fortified places. You only have this from Rebbi, for Rebbi acted demonstratively on two days in the year. He took a bath on the Seventeenth of Tammuz and planted saplings on Purim.

The inhabitants of Nawe sent the following question to Rabbi: Inasmuch as we are in need of rain at the time of the solstice of Tammuz, are we to be compared to individuals and hence to include our prayer for rain in the benediction "Who hearest Prayer," or are we regarded as a community and should insert it in the "Blessing of the Years"? Rabbi replied: You are regarded as individuals, and should insert your prayer in the benediction: "Who hearest Prayer." An objection was raised: R. Judah says, the given order of fasts applies only to times when the seasons of the year were divided on the basis of their normal recurrence and Israel was dwelling in its land, but in the present time all depends upon the nature of the seasons and upon the nature of the localities! What! You quote a Baraita to contradict Rabbi! Rabbi is an authority of the Mishnah and is entitled to differ.

A certain man was sentenced in the court of Raba to be lashed because he had sexual intercourse with a Gentile woman. Raba had the lashing administered to him, and the man died of the effects. The matter came to the hearing of king Shabur (Sapor), who wanted to punish Raba for the deed, but 'Ifra 'Ormuzd, mother of king Shabur, said to him: "Have no quarrels with the Jews, because anything they ask of their God, He does for them." Said he: "What, for instance?" "They pray for rain," she replied, "and rain comes." Said he: "That is because it is the season when rain is due, let them pray for it now, in the equinox of Tammuz, and bring down rain!" 'Ifra 'Ormuzd thereupon sent word to Raba that he should concentrate his mind and pray for rain. Raba did so, but no rain came. Said he: "Master of the world! 'O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what work Thou didst in their days, in the days of old' (Ps., 44.2), but we did not see it with our own eyes." Immediately a heavy rain fell, so that the gutters of Maḥuza carried the water into the Tigris. Thereupon Raba's father appeared to him in a dream, saying: "Is there another man who puts Heaven to so much trouble! Change thy place." (He did so and) the next morning he found that his bed was scratched with knives.

5. There were nine days on which the priests and the people used to bring their wood-offerings: on the first of Nisan wood was donated by the family of Arah of the tribe of Judah (Nehemiah, 7. 10); on the twentieth of Tammuz, by the family of David from the tribe of Judah; on the fifth of Ab, by the family of Parosh from the tribe of Judah (ib., 7. 8); on the seventh of Ab, by the family of Jonadab, son of Rechab (Jeremiah, 35. 6); on the tenth thereof, by the family of Senaah of the tribe of Benjamin (Nehemiah, 7. 38); on the fifteenth, by the family of Zattu of the tribe of Judah (ib., 7. 13). With the last mentioned family wood was offered also by priests, Levites and all Israelites who were not sure of their tribe, as also by those who deceived (the Roman officials) by a pestle and dry figs; on the twentieth, by the family of Pahath-Moab of the tribe of Judah (ib., 7. 11); on the twentieth of Elul, by the family of Adin of the tribe of Judah (ib., 7. 20); on the first of Ṭebet, by the family of Parosh for the second time.

6. Five calamities befell our ancestors on the seventeenth of Tammuz and five on the ninth of Ab. On the seventeenth of Tammuz

6. Five calamities befell our ancestors on the seventeenth of Tammuz and five on the ninth of Ab. On the seventeenth of Tammuz

Five calamities befell our ancestors on the seventeenth of Tammuz, etc. Whence is it known that on that day the tables of the Law were broken (by Moses)? It is stated in a Baraita: On the sixth of the month (of Siwan) the Ten Commandments were given to Israel; R. Jose said on the seventh thereof. He who says that it was on the sixth is of the opinion that the giving of the Commandments took place on the sixth, and the ascendance (of Moses to Mount Sinai) on the seventh; while he who says that it was on the seventh is of the opinion that both events took place on the seventh. Now, Scripture says (Exod., 24. 18): "And Moses was on the mount forty days and forty nights." Further it is written (ibid., 32. 19): "And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing; and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands and broke them beneath the mount."

A breach was made in the walls of the city. Was that on the seventeenth of Tammuz? Is it not written (Jerem., 52. 6-7): "In the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was sore in the city," and further on it is said (ibid., 52. 7): "Then a breach was made in the city"? Said Raba, this is no difficulty, for one statement refers to the time of the First Temple, and the other to the time of the Second, as is stated in a Baraita: On the ninth day of the month a breach was made in the city during the time of the First Temple, but during the time of the Second Temple the breach was made on the seventeenth thereof.

On the ninth of Ab it was decreed that our ancestors should not enter the Land. Whence is this known? It is written (Exod., 40. 17): "And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the Tabernacle was reared up;" and it is further written (Num., 10. 11): "And it came to pass in the second year in the second month on the twentieth day of the month, that the cloud was taken up from over the Tabernacle of the testimony." [It was also taught that in the first year Moses had prepared the Tabernacle, but reared it up in the second year and then sent spies.] It is further written (ibid., 10. 33): "And they set forward from the mount of the Lord three days' journey," which R. Ḥama b. Ḥanina interpreted to mean that on that day they turned aside from the Lord. Further it is written (ibid., 11. 4): "And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting, and the children of Israel also wept on their part," etc. Further it is written (ibid., 11. 20): "A whole month" (which brings it to the 22nd of Siwan). Further it is written (ibid., 12. 15): "And Miriam was shut up without the camp seven days" (which brings it to the 29th of Siwan). Further it is written (ibid., 13. 2): "Send thou men," and it is stated in a Baraita that Moses sent the spies on the 29th of Siwan. Further it is written (ibid., 13. 25): "And they returned from spying out the land at the end of forty days." ["Forty days?" It is only forty minus one! Said 'Abbayi, Tammuz of that year was made a full month, as it is written (Lament., 1. 15): "He hath called a solemn assembly against me to crush my young men."] Further it is written (Numb., 14. 1): "And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night," which verse was thus commented upon by Rabbah in the name of R. Johanan: That day was the ninth of Ab, the Holy One, blessed be He having said to the Israelites: You wept without cause, therefore I shall establish for you a weeping (on that day) that will last throughout generations.

and bathed in the [bathhouse of the] marketplace of Tzippori on the seventeenth of Tammuz and sought to abolish the fast of Tisha B’av, but his colleagues would not consent.