Rainfall and the Power of Collective Kindness

The people fasted for a number of days, however no rain fell. Then Rabbi Tanchuma went and spoke to them. He said, “My children, fill yourselves with compassion for one another, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will be filled with compassion for you.”

The Qualities Needed to Bring Rain

Abba Chilkiya exemplified the sort of qualities needed to petition God for rain. He displayed an impeccable work ethic, caution with the property of others, and modesty regarding his ability to bring rain. Through him, Israel was blessed with rain.

Heavenly Bounty, Earthly Justice

The number nine represents detail, the finest level of detail possible. It represents an understanding of the most personal of human worries. In her prayer, Hannah mentions God's name nine times, an expression of God's concern for all human requests.

Profiting from Basic Necessities

Wherever labor and effort are involved, demanding payment is justified. The sages sought to prevent effortless retailing. However, when marketing grew and store owners developed sales expenses, Jewish law recognized their right to receive payment.

A Blessing in the Marketplace

All blessings necessitate protection. Therefore, our sages took steps to protect produce. One of these is the prohibition against "agirat perot." That is, it is forbidden to buy fruits when they are cheap in order to sell them when the prices rise.

Rain...and the Coin in One's Pocket

When rain falls we should sense that our livelihood is falling from heaven, as if we are being blessed with an improved salary. In the words of our sages (Taanit 8b): "A rainy day is so great that even the coin in one's pocket is blessed through it."

The Might of Rain

"The day of rainfall is as great as the day on which heaven and earth were created." The sages liken rain to the creation of the world: Just as the expression "gevura," might, is used in relation to Creation, so is it used in relation to rainfall.

The "Malkosh" - Last Rains

Man's existence hinges upon land and rain. At the same time, these two elements, without man, lack benefit and direction. The sages of the Midrash therefore teach, "Were it not for man, there would be no covenant with earth to bring rain upon it."

The First Rain

The word "yoreh" means to teach. According to the Talmud, the "yoreh" (first rain) teaches us to prepare for the winter, to plaster our roofs, to seal up any holes through which rain might possibly leak. This is our first warning of winter's arrival.

"You shall not lack any thing"

"You shall not lack any thing in it" - This means that land of Israel contains everything needed to facilitate health and foster vitality. The absence of luxuries like gold and precious stones, on the other hand, is not considered a deficiency.

The Condensed Blessing

We know that a tiny cell contains man’s entire hereditary baggage, so it is possible to understand how a small strip of land can serve as the source of the entire world. All the different forms in the world are concentrated in the land of Israel

The Blessing of Rain for All

The Midrash relates a story about a non-Jew who asks R' Yehoshua ben Korcha a question: "You have your holidays, and we have our holidays. When you rejoice we do not rejoice; when we rejoice you do not rejoice. When do we ever rejoice together?"

A Shared Blessing

In God’s world, wisdom and science, practical resourcefulness and technological knowledge do not necessarily thrive in regions rich in natural resources. This forces human beings and the various countries to be dependent and bound to one another.

The Blessing from Above

In describing creation, Scripture first tells us that rivers flowed and irrigated the Garden of Eden, and then it mentions rain. The Midrash brings four explanations for God's decision to change the manner of Earth's irrigation from rivers to rain.

Balance

The Three Keys

"R' Yochanan said: Three keys the Holy One blessed be He has retained in His own hands and not entrusted to the hand of any messenger, namely, the Key of Rain, the Key of Childbirth, and the Key of the Revival of the Dead"

Earth's Eyes to Heaven

In the land of Israel, one must constantly be aware of God's providence, for it is a land dependent on rainfall. This is what makes the land of Israel so special: Here, we must ascend spiritually and pray to God in order to merit the blessing of rain.