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4 [1] On each and every day of the final seven fasts for lack of rain, we pray in the [following] manner. The ark is taken out to the street of the city, and all the people gather together, while dressed in sackcloth.
Ashes are placed on the ark and on the Torah scroll to heighten the grief and humble [the people's] hearts. One of the people should take some ashes and place them on the head of the *Nasi* and on the head of the chief justice, so that they will be ashamed and repent. [The ashes] are placed on the place where one puts on *tefillin*. Everyone else should take ashes and place them on his [own] head. [2] Afterwards, one of the wise elders [of the community] stands before them while they are sitting. If there is no wise elder, a man of wisdom should be chosen. If there is no man of wisdom, a man of stature should be chosen.
He should speak words of rebuke to them, telling them: "Brethren, it is not sackcloth and fasting that will have an effect, but rather repentance and good deeds. This is evident from [the story of] Nineveh. It is not stated with regard to the people of Nineveh, 'And God saw their sackcloth and their fasting,' but rather, 'And God saw their deeds' [Jonah 3:10]. Similarly, in the words of the prophetic tradition, it is written, 'Rend your hearts and not your garments' [Joel 2:13]." He should continue in this vein according to his ability until they are humbled and turn [to God] in complete repentance. [3] After this person has completed his words of rebuke, the community stands up to pray. They should choose a person suitable to serve as a leader of prayer on such fast days. If the person who spoke the words of rebuke is suitable to [lead the congregation in] prayer, he should. If not, another person should be chosen. [4] Who is fit to [lead the congregation in] prayer on these fasts? A person who leads the prayers frequently and who frequently reads the Torah, the Prophets, and the Sacred Writings. He should have children, but lack means and have work in the field.
None of his children, nor any member of his household, nor any of his relatives who are dependent upon him, should be transgressors; rather, his house should be empty of sin; nor should any unfavorable report have been made concerning him during his childhood.
He should be humble, appreciated by the community, and have a voice that is appealing and sweet. If he possesses all these virtues and is also an elder, this is most desirable. [Nevertheless, even when he] is not an elder, since he does possess these virtues, he is fit to [lead the congregation in] prayer. [5] The *chazan* should begin and recite the *Shemoneh Esreh* [in the usual fashion] until the blessing *Go'el Yisrael*. He then recites *Zichronot* and *Shofarot* that relate to the difficulty [facing the people]. He should also recite the psalms, "I called to God in my distress and He answered me" (Psalm 120), "I lift up my eyes to the mountains" (Psalm 121), "Out of the depths, I called to You, O God" (Psalm 130), "A prayer of the afflicted, when he becomes faint" (Psalm 102). [6] [In this blessing,] he recites supplicatory prayers according to his ability. He says, "Please, behold our affliction and wage our battle; speed our redemption." He then recites supplications and states at the conclusion of these supplications, "He who answered Abraham our patriarch at Mount Moriah, will answer you and will hear the sound of your outcry on this day. Blessed are You, God, Redeemer of Israel." [7] He then begins to add six blessings; these are added one after the other. In each of them, he recites supplicatory prayers which include pleas [for mercy] and verses from the Prophets and the Holy Writings with which he is familiar. He concludes each of these blessings with the concluding phrases mentioned below. [8] For the first of these blessings, he concludes: "He who answered Moses and our ancestors at the Red Sea will answer you and will hear the sound of your outcry on this day. Blessed are You God, who remembers the forgotten." [9] For the second of these blessings, he concludes: "He who answered Joshua at Gilgal will answer you and will hear the sound of your outcry on this day. Blessed are You, God, who hears the sounding [of the trumpets]." [10] For the third of these blessings, he concludes: "He who answered Samuel at Mitzpeh will answer you and will hear the sound of your outcry on this day. Blessed are You, God, who hears an outcry." [11] For the fourth of these blessings, he concludes: "He who answered Elijah at Mount Carmel will answer you and will hear the sound of your outcry on this day. Blessed are You, God, who hears prayer." [12] For the fifth of these blessings, he concludes: "He who answered Jonah in the belly of the fish will answer you and will hear the sound of your outcry on this day. Blessed are You, God, who answers in a time of distress." [13] For the sixth of these blessings, he concludes: "He who answered David and Solomon, his son, in Jerusalem will answer you and will hear the sound of your outcry on this day. Blessed are You God, who has mercy on the land."
The people all answer *Amen* after each of these blessings in the same manner as *Amen* is recited after all blessings. [14] For the seventh of these blessings, he begins, "Heal us, O God, and we will be healed," and concludes the *Shemoneh Esreh* in its usual order. The trumpets are sounded. This is the order of prayer [on these fasts] in all places. [15] When [the people] would pray according to this order in Jerusalem, they would gather on the Temple Mount, before the eastern gate, and pray in this manner. When the *chazan* reached the passage, "He who answered Abraham,..." he would say, "Blessed are You God, our Lord, the Lord of Israel, for all eternity. Blessed are You God, Redeemer of Israel." They would respond to him, "Blessed be His name and the glory of His kingdom for ever and ever."
The attendant to the synagogue would tell those who blow [the trumpets]: "Sound a *teki'ah*, priests. Sound a *teki'ah*." The person reciting the prayers then repeats, "He who answered Abraham our patriarch at Mount Moriah, will answer you and will hear the sound of your outcry on this day." Afterwards, the priests [blow the trumpets,] sounding a *teki'ah*, a series of *teru'ot*, and a *teki'ah*. [16] Similarly, in the second of these blessings, which is the first of the six [blessings] that are added, the *chazan* concludes the blessing, "Blessed are You, God, our Lord, the Lord of Israel, for all eternity. Blessed are You, God, who remembers the forgotten." [The people] would respond to him, "Blessed be His name and the glory of His kingdom for ever and ever."
The attendant to the synagogue would tell those who blow [the trumpets]: "Sound a *teru'ah*, sons of Aaron. Sound a *teru'ah*." The person reciting the prayers then repeats, "He who answered Moses and our ancestors at the Red Sea, will answer you and will hear the sound of your outcry on this day." Afterwards, the priests [blow the trumpets,] sounding a series of *teru'ot*, a *teki'ah*, and a series of *teru'ot*. [17] Similarly for each [of these] blessings: for one, he announces "Sound a *teki'ah*," and for the other, he announces "Sound a *teru'ah*," until all seven blessings are concluded. Thus, at times, the priests blow a series, *teki'ah, teru'ah, teki'ah*, and at times, they blow a series, *teru'ah, teki'ah, teru'ah*. Seven series are blown.
This order is followed only on the Temple Mount. When they blow *teki'ot* and *teru'ot* there, they sound the trumpets and the shofar together, as explained. [18] In all places where these seven fasts are decreed, all the people go out to the cemetery after praying and weep and offer supplications, as if to say, "Unless you return from your [sinful] ways, you are like these deceased people."
In each of the communal fast days that are decreed because of distressing circumstances, the *Ne'ilah* service is recited in all places. [19] When the rains descend [in response to] their [prayers] - to what extent is it necessary for them to descend in order for the community to cease fasting? When they descend a handbreadth into parched earth, two handbreadths into ordinary earth, and three handbreadths into cultivated earth.
Version: Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007
Source: https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH001020101/NLI
License: CC-BY-NC