(Mishnah): We request rain only close to [the time for] rain.

R. Yehudah says, the [Shali'ach Tzibur] who goes in front of the Aron on the last Yom Tov of Chag, the latter (the Shali'ach Tzibur for Musaf) mentions [rain], and the first (Shacharis) does not mention.

On the first Yom Tov of Pesach, the first mentions, and the last does not mention.

Question: Until when do we request [rain]?

Answer #1 (R. Yehudah): It is until Pesach passes.

Answer #2 (R. Meir): It is until Nisan ends - "Yored Lachem Geshem Moreh u'Malkosh ba'Rishon.''

(Gemara - R. Yochanan): The Halachah follows R. Yehudah, who said in the name of R. Yehudah ben Beseira. (There was a tradition that he said the Reisha in his name. Or, in the Reisha, the text should say that he cites R. Yehudah ben Beseira.)

(R. Avun citing R. Yochanan): R. Yehudah's reason is [so that we will not mention rain, rather,] dew throughout the festivals (as much as possible, i.e. except for the very end of Sukos and the very start of Pesach), for dew is always a good Siman.

Question: R. Yehudah contradicts himself! There (in the Reisha) he says that the one who goes in front of the Aron on the last Yom Tov of Sukos, the latter mentions, and the first does not mention (in order to mention dew throughout the festivals. (If so, surely he agrees with the next clause, that on the first Yom Tov of Pesach, the first mentions, and the last does not.) Here (the Seifa) he says so (we request until Pesach ends)!

Answer: One of these he taught himself, and one was in the name of R. Yehudah ben Beseira;

Since R. Yochanan said that the Halachah follows R. Yehudah, who said in the name of R. Yehudah ben Beseira, and R. Avun cited R. Yochanan to say that R. Yehudah's reason is [in order to mention] dew throughout the festivals, for dew is always a good Siman, this shows that the first was in the name of R. Yehudah ben Beseir, and the latter was in his own name (SHA'AREI TORAS ERETZ YISRAEL).

Question (to R. Yochanan): (Why must we answer like this?) We can say that here is to mention, and here is to request (they are different)!

Answer (R. Yochanan): The Halachah is, where we mention, we request (but once we cease to mention, we cease to request).

R. Yosah (to R. Chananyah, the nephew of R. Hoshayah): Do you remember when we were in front of the store of R. Hoshayah your uncle, R. Ze'irah passed by, and we asked him, and he said "I still need [to resolve this, whether we can distinguish mention from request].'' R. Yosa passed by and we asked him, and he said "I still need [to resolve this]'';

In the end, he remembered, and he said "the Halachah is, where we mention, we request!''

R. Chiya bar Ba came from Tzur, and said in the name of R. Yochanan, the Halachah is, where we mention, we request.

R. Acha expounded in the Beis Midrash, and R. Yirmeyah expounded in the Beis ha'Keneses of Buli, the Halachah is, where we mention, we request.

Question (Mishnah): [Starting] on the third of Cheshvan we request rain (we already mention from the end of Sukos)!

Answer (R. Tanchum bar R. Chiyah): It is different at the time of the Mikdash (we delay requesting to enable Olei Regalim to return home before it rains).