Juden, ch. viii. The only thing which we shall here attempt is a translation of the so-called
Megillath Taanith, or 'Roll of Fast;' rather, a Calendar of the days on which fasting and
mourning was prohibited. The oldest part of the document (referred to in the Mishnah,
Taan. ii. 8) dates from the beginning of the second century of our era, and contains
elements of even much greater antiquity. That which has come down of it is here given in
translation:4 -
4. All the glosses on and in the text have been omitted. The edition of the Tractate in its
present form used by us is that of Warshau, 1874, and consists (with comments) of 20
octavo (double) pages. For the criticism of the work see specially Grätz, Gesch. d. Juden,
vol. iii. pp. 415-428, and Derenbourg , Hist. de la Palest. pp. 439 -446. A special tractate
on the subject is Schmilg's inaugural dissertation, Leipzig, 187 4. It need scarcely be said
that these writers entertain different views as to the historical dates specially
commemorated in the Megillath Taanith, and the events to which they refer. Comp. also
Wolfius, Biblioth. Rabb. vol. i. p.385, vol. ii. p. 1325, vol. iii. p. 11963. My edition of
Wolfius has the great advantage of the marginal notes and corrections by the great Jewish
historian, the late Dr. Jost, who, many years ago, gave me his copy.
MEGILLATH TAANITH, OR ROLL OF FASTS.
These are the days on whic h it is not lawful to fast, and during some of them mourning
must also be intermitted.
I. Nisan.
1. From the 1st day of the month Nisan, and to the 8th of it, it was settled about the daily
sacrifice (that it should be paid out of the Temple -treasury) - mourning is prohibited.
2. And from the 8th to the end of the Feast (the 27th) the Feast of Weeks was re-
established - mourning is interdicted.
II. Iyar.
1. On the 7th Iyar the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem - mourning is prohibited.
2. On the 14th is the day of the little (the second) Passover - mourning is prohibited.
3. On the 23rd the sons of Acra5 issued from Jerusalem.
5. We abstain from giving historical notes. For the different explanations of the
commemorative dates the reader is referred to the books already mentioned.
4. On the 27th the imposts were removed from Judæa and Jerusalem.
III. Sivan.