Of God’s Gifts and of Prayers: From Judaism – The Talmud, Part 2 of 2

“What is the ritual of the days of fasting? They take out the Ark into the public place in the town, they put wood ashes on the Ark, on the head of the Prince and on the head of the Chief Justice of the Court, and everyone puts ashes on his own head. The eldest among them recites before them words of admonition: ‘My brethren, it was not said of the people of Nineveh that the Lord saw their sackcloth and their fasting, but (Jonah 3:10) “And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil ways” and it is further said: (Joel 2:13) “Tear your heart and not your garments.”’”

“[…] It happened once that they said to Honi the circle-maker: ‘Pray for rain to fall.’ He replied, go and fetch the Passover-ovens from the open so they won't dissolve. He prayed but the rains did not come. What did he do? He made a circle and stood within, and said: Lord of the Universe, thy children have turned to me for I am as one of Thy household. I swear by Thy great name that I shall not move from my place till Thou has compassion upon Thy children. Then rain began to fall in small drops. Then he said: Not for that sort of rain did I pray, but for rain to fill cisterns, pits and caves. Then rain began to fall in great violence. Whereupon he said: Not for this sort of rain did I pray, but for a rain of good will, of benevolence and bounty. Then rain began to fall in the usual way, and it rained till the people of Israel had to leave Jerusalem and go up to the Mount of the Temple. Then they came to Honi and said to him: As thou has prayed for the rain to come, go now and pray for the rain to leave us. He said to them: Go and see if the stone of the Strayers has been washed away. Simeon ben Shetah sent word to him: ‘Had thou not been Honi, I would have declared a ban against thee. But what shall I do to thee? Thou petition the Lord and He does as thou ask Him, as if thou were a son who petitions a father, and the father fulfills his will. It is of thy kind that it was written: (Proverbs 23:25) “Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.”’”