A certain person used to give his tithes properly. [On a fast for rain,] R. Mana told him 'stand and say "Bi'arti ha'Kodesh Min ha'Bayis''' [for he was worthy to be answered. SEFER MASHBI'ACH - the verse continues with a request that Hash-m bless the land, i.e. through rain.]

A certain person came to one of the relatives of R. Yanai; he said to him "merit through [giving Tzedakah to] me.'' [The relative] said "didn't your father have much money?!'' He said "no.''

[The relative] said "the money is deposited with me!'' He said "I heard that it was stolen'' (I will not take it). He said, you are worthy to pray and be answered.

[At a time when Yisrael needed rain,] it was shown to Rabanan in a dream that Ploni the donkey-driver should pray, and rain will descend. Rabanan sent and brought him. They said to him, what is your profession? He said, I am a donkey-driver. They said to him, what good deeds did you do?

He said, once I rented my donkey to a woman, and she was crying on the road. I said to her, what is bothering you? She said, my husband is incarcerated, and I need to see what I can do to free him [get money through harlotry to redeem him].

I sold my donkey and I gave to her its money and told her "go free your husband, and don't sin.''

[Rabanan] said to him, you are worthy to pray and be answered.

It was shown to R. Avahu in a dream that Pantakekah should pray, and rain will come. [He prayed, and rain descended. R. Avahu sent, and they brought him. They said to him, what is your profession?

He said, that man (a euphemism for himself) transgresses five Aveiros every day - he hires harlots, fixes theaters, brings the harlot's garments to the launderer, dances in front of them and plays the flute in front of them.

[R. Avahu asked] what good deeds did you do? He said, once, that man was fixing theaters, and a woman came and stood in back of the beam and cried. I said to her, what is bothering you? She said, my husband is incarcerated, and I need to see what I can do (i.e. harlotry) to free him;

And I sold my bed and sheet and I gave to her its money and told her "go free your husband, and don't sin.'' [R. Avahu] said to him, you are worthy to pray and be answered.

It was shown to Rabanan in a dream that [if] a Chasid in Kefar Imi will pray, rain will come. They went to him. His household told them, he is in the mountain. They went to him. They blessed him with strength, and he did not answer. He sat to eat, and did not tell them to come eat with him.

When he entered, he made one pile of wood [and carried it on is shoulder], and put [his] garment on it. He entered [his house] and said to his wife "these Rabanan want that I should pray and rain will come, and if I will pray and rain will come, it is a disgrace for them (for they are greater than me, and their prayer did not bring rain). And if not (I pray and rain does not come), is it not a Chilul Shem Shamayim?!''

Rather, I and you will go and pray. If rain descends, we will tell them that Shamayim already did miracles. If not, we will tell them that we are not worthy to pray and be answered.

They went and prayed, and rain descended. He went down to [Chachamim], and said "why did you toil to come to here today?'' They said to him, we want you to pray and rain will come. He said to them, do you need my Tefilah?! Shamayim already did miracles!

They said to him, when you were in the mountain, and we blessed you with strength, why didn't you answer us? He told them, I was engaged in my work (for my employer). Was I allowed to divert my mind from my work [to answer you]?!

They said to him, when you sat to eat, why didn't you tell us to eat with you? He told them, I had only one slice. Could I tell you [to eat with me] like a deceiver (I did not have what to give to you)!

They said to him, when you came to enter, why did you put [your] garment on the pile? (Most people put the garment on the shoulder, and the pile on it!) He said, the garment was not mine. It was borrowed, for me to pray in. Was it permitted for me [to put the pile on it, and] tear it?

They said to him, when you were in the mountain, why was your wife dressed in dirty garments, and when you entered (came home) from the mountain, she wore clean garments? He said, when I was in the mountain, she wore dirty garments, lest a man put his eyes on her. When I entered from the mountain, she wore clean garments, lest I put my eyes on another woman.

They said to him, you are worthy to pray and be answered.

(Beraisa): One may eat [the night before the fast] until the eastern sky lights up. Rebbi says so. R. Shimon ben Gamliel says, until Kri'as ha'Gever. What is Kri'as ha'Gever? It is when the rooster cries out.

If one slept, he may not eat if he did not stipulate [before going to sleep that he will eat when he wakes, before the eastern sky lights up], but if he stipulated, it is permitted.