Taanis 1:1 - 1:2

מאימתי מזכירין גבורות גשמים – Since the Mishnah teaches in the Tractate Rosh Hashanah that it happens from there that we are judged by the water on the holiday [of Sukkot], the Mishnah teaches here “from when do we mention God’s power to cause rain?” And because the rains are one of the powers of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written (Job 5:9-10): “Who performs great deeds which cannot be fathomed…Who gives rain to the earth,” because of this they call them “the power to cause rain [to fall].

מיום טוב אחרון של חג – But not [during] all seven days of the holiday [of Sukkot], for rain during the days of Sukkot is a sign of a curse. There is a parable telling of a servant who came to pour a cup for his master and the master spilled the pitcher on his face, that is to say, I don’t need your service (see Mishnah Sukkah 2:9).

אם כן – You state that we mention [God’s ability to cause the rain to fall], even though we don’t request [rain] since it implies [that we pray for rain] at its appropriate season; [for] even during the summer they mention God’s ability [to cause rain] and that you give a sign [for rain] from the first day of the holiday [of Sukkot]. And the Halakha is according to Rabbi Yehoshua.

אין שואלין את הגשמים – that is we don’t mention the rains.

אלא סמוך לגשמים – that is the eighth day of the holiday [of Sukkot], for from the holiday and onwards is the time for rain, and the anonymous Mishnah is like the teaching of Rabbi Yehoshua. Another explanation: Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua argued above about the mentioning [of God’s power to cause] rain, but they admit that regarding the request/prayer, that is to say, “provide dew and rain” – we don’t make the request for rain until near the rainy season, that is on the third day of [the month of] Mar Cheshvan or on the seventh of it [Mar Cheshvan], as the Tannaim interpret further on in our Mishnah.

האחרון – He who recites the Musaf prayer mentions, “who causes the rain to fall.”

והראשון – He who recites the Morning Amidah prayer does not mention rain, but [only the prayer for] dew. And the Halakha is according to Rabbi Yehuda, and since it is taught nearby in the Mishnah that Rabbi Yehuda says that [one makes the request for rain] until Passover passes, and here Rabbi Yehuda is speaking about the first day of the holiday of Passover; [in] the last prayer [i.e. Musaf], one does not mention [the request for rain]. These are two different Tannaim according to Rabbi Yehuda.