James, you are missing your answers at the bottom. Please revise and answer those questions to receive full credit. 4.5/6
REVISED 10/5/18 6/6
(א) מֵאֵימָתַי מַזְכִּירִין גְּבוּרוֹת גְּשָׁמִים. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, מִיּוֹם טוֹב הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל חָג. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר, מִיּוֹם טוֹב הָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁל חָג. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. הוֹאִיל וְאֵין הַגְּשָׁמִים אֶלָּא סִימַן קְלָלָה בֶּחָג, לָמָּה מַזְכִּיר. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, אַף אֲנִי לֹא אָמַרְתִּי לִשְׁאוֹל, אֶלָּא לְהַזְכִּיר מַשִּׁיב הָרוּחַ וּמוֹרִיד הַגֶּשֶׁם בְּעוֹנָתוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ, אִם כֵּן, לְעוֹלָם יְהֵא מַזְכִּיר:
(1) From when do we begin to mention the power of [bringing] rain [in the Shemoneh Esrai], Rabbi Eliezer says, from the first day of the festival [Sukkot]. Rabbi Yehoshua says, from the last day of the festival [Sukkot]. Rabbi Yehoshua said to him [Rabbi Eliezer], since rain on the festival is nothing but a sign of a curse why should he mention it? Rabbi Eliezer said to him: I also did not say to request [rain] but to make mention, He causes the wind to blow and the rain to fall in its due season. He replied to him: if so one should at all times make mention of it.
מאימתי מזכירין גבורות גשמים- From when do we mention G-d's power through rain?
הואיל ואין הגשמים אלא סימן קללה בחג- since rain is nothing but an unfavorable sign on a festival
Rough Translation:
When do we mention G-d's power through rain? Rabbi Eleizer says from the first day of the holiday. Rabbi Yehoshua says from the last day of the holiday. Rabbi Yehoshua said to him. Rain is not a preferable sign on a holiday, why do we remember? Rabbi Eleizer said to him. I didn't say we need to ask for rain, we need to remember the thing that causes the powerful wind and the down pour of rain in its season. He said to him if yes the world is remembered.
Summary of the mishna:
- When do we mention G-d's power through rain?
- Rabbi Eliezer says we mention G-d's power on the first day of the holiday
- Rabbi Yehoshua says we mention G-d's power on the last day of the holiday
- Rabbi Eliezer said to him people need to remember the thing that causes the powerful wind and the down pour of rain
(ד) הִגִּיעַ שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר בְּמַרְחֶשְׁוָן וְלֹא יָרְדוּ גְשָׁמִים, הִתְחִילוּ הַיְחִידִים מִתְעַנִּין שָׁלשׁ תַּעֲנִיּוֹת. אוֹכְלִין וְשׁוֹתִין מִשֶּׁחֲשֵׁכָה, וּמֻתָּרִין בִּמְלָאכָה וּבִרְחִיצָה וּבְסִיכָה וּבִנְעִילַת הַסַּנְדָּל וּבְתַשְׁמִישׁ הַמִּטָּה:
(4) If the seventeenth of Mar-Cheshvan has come without the rain having yet descended, private individuals commence to keep three fast-days. On the night beforehand, they are allowed to eat and drink, and it is allowed [on the fast day itself] to work, to bathe, to anoint the body, to wear [leather] shoes, and to perform the marriage duty.
Rough Translation:
If the seventeenth of Cheshvan comes and there hasn't been rain yet, begin working to fast for 3 days. You are permitted to eat and drink at night and to work, bathe, to wear shoes, and to do marital relations.
1. What do we do if rain has not fallen by the seventeenth of Mar-Cheshvan?
We have to fast for 3 days.
2. What are we allowed to do, and what aren't we allowed to do?
We are aloud to bathe, work, wear shoes, and do marital relations. We are not aloud eat and drink until the night.
3. What holiday(s) is this similar to? Why?
This holiday is similar to Yom Kippur because we are not aloud to eat.
If we only ask for rain at certain times of the year, why do you think we mention it twice every day as part of the Shema?