[If] they had been fasting, and rain began to fall before sunrise, they need not complete [the fast]. [If the rain began to fall] after sunrise, they must complete [the fast]. R' Eliezer says: [If it began to rain] before midday, they need not complete [the fast, but if the rain began] after midday, they must complete [the fast]. It once happened that a fast was decreed in Lod and rain fell before midday. R' Tarfon said to them, “Go out, eat and drink, and proclaim a holiday.” They then went out, ate, drank, and proclaimed a holiday. In the afternoon, they returned [to the synagogue] and recited the Great Hallel.

On three junctures of the year the Kohanim raise their hands [to bless the people] four times during the day —- at Shacharis, Musaf, Minchah, and Ne'ilah —- on fast days, on maamados, and on Yom Kippur.

These are the maamados: Since the Torah states: Command the Children of Israel and say to them, “My sacrifice, my bread ...” Now, how can a person's sacrifice be offered when he is not present? The early prophets instituted twenty-four mishmaros. Corresponding to every single mishmar, there was a maamad in Jerusalem of Kohanim, Leviim, and Yisraelim. When the time approached for the mishmar to ascend, the Kohanim and the Leviim would ascend to Jerusalem, and the Yisraelim assigned to that mishmar would assemble in their cities, and read from the Story of Creation.

The men of the maamad would fast four days of the week, from Monday through Thursday. They would not fast on Friday, because of the honor due the Sabbath; nor on Sunday lest they go from rest and pleasure to toil and fast, and become faint.  On Sunday [they would read]: In the beginning, and Let there be a firmament. On Monday: Let there be a firmament, and Let the waters gather. On Tuesday: Let the waters gather, and Let there be luminaries. On Wednesday: Let there be luminaries, and Let the waters swarm. On Thursday: Let the waters swarm, and Let the earth bring forth. On Friday: Let the earth bring forth, [and] the heaven was completed.  A long portion would be read by two [people] and a short one by one [person] —- at Shacharis and at Musaf. At Minchah, they would enter [the synagogue] and recite [the verses] by heart, like those who read the Shema. On Friday at Minchah they would not enter [the synagogue], because of the honor due the Sabbath.