her's House'
fasted, but not completely."

7. The men of the Watch are allowed to drink wine by night, but not by
day, and the men who inherit the patrimony of their fathers(333) may not
drink it neither by day nor night. The men of the Watch and the
Delegates(334) are not allowed to shave, nor wash, except on Thursdays for
the honor of the approaching Sabbath.

8. That which is written in "The Roll of Fasting,"(335) "not to mourn" on
certain days--the day before them it is not allowed--the day after them it
is allowed to mourn. Rabbi Jose said, "both before and after the day it is
not allowed." But when it is written, "not to fast," both the day before
and the day after the fast, it is allowed to fast. Rabbi Jose said,
"before the fast it is not allowed--after the fast it is allowed."

9. The rulers must not proclaim fasts for the congregation to begin on
Thursday, so as not to raise the market. But the three first fasts are
Monday, Thursday, and Monday. And the three second, Thursday, Monday, and
Thursday. Rabbi Jose said, "as the first fasts are not to begin on
Thursday, so likewise the second and the last are not to begin on that
day."

10. "The rulers must not proclaim fasting for the congregation on the
feast of New Moon, and on the feasts of Dedication, and Purim; but if they
have already begun, they need not cease." The words of Rabbi Gamaliel.
Said R. Meier, "even though Rabbi Gamaliel said they need not cease, he
admits that the congregation do not fast the whole day; and so also on the
ninth of Ab, the fast for the burning of the Temple, if it happen on the
eve of the Sabbath."

Chapter III

1. The order of these fasts is said only for the first rains. But if the
sprouts wither, men blow an alarm off-hand. And if the rains cease between
rain and rain forty days, men blow an alarm off-hand. Because it is a sign
of famine.

2. If the rains came down for the sprouts, but did not come down for the
trees, for the trees, but not for the sprouts, for both these, but not for
the wells, pits, and caves, men must blow an alarm for them off-hand.

3. And so also for the city, on which the rain did not come down, as is
written,(336) "And I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to
rain upon another city; one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon
it rained not withered."

This city fasts and blows an alarm, and all its neighboring cities fast,
but do not blow alarms. R. Akiba said, "t