ta'anit 17

long hair & wine

neither suitable for the temple

ta'anit 16

the prayer leader must have children to feed and no money or food to give them - so he will pray for rain sincerely for all the vulnerable in the community.

ta'anit 15

the lesser is punished and cursed before the greater

so did Eve, the woman, see her man being disgraced publicly. Or was she in too much of her own pain?

ta'anit 14

if the air is already thick with swarming flying pests, don't need to full it with sound.

just cry to God

for droughts - the shofar was sounded as an alarm along with praying and crying to God.
but for plagues of locusts, flies, mosquitoes, hornets, snakes and scorpians - just crying to God - no shofar.

ta'anit 13

for some mourners, it is a time when the bathhouse is locked.
but for the older single woman, even when mourning, she must always look attractive for a potential husband.

always

for the older single woman there is no pleasure or joy in grooming and beauty.

ta'anit 12

dreaming and fasting

fast to get rid of a bad dream
but stay awake during the fast, or else the fast doesn't count

only doze

ta'anit 11

who and what will testify if a person has fasted in private?

one's private space, soul, body,

or their two angels.