Who Ascended to Heaven and Brought Down the Rain

(Proverbs 30:4): "Who has ascended to heaven and come down?" — this is Moses; "who has gathered the wind in his fists?" — this is Aaron; "who has bound the waters in a garment?" — this is Elijah; "who has established all the ends of the earth?" — this is Abraham our father; "what is his name?" — the LORD is His name, as it is said (Exodus 15:3): "The LORD is a man of war, the LORD is His name." "And what is His son's name, if you know it?" — these are Israel, as it is said (Exodus 4:22): "Israel is My firstborn son." Another interpretation: "Who has ascended to heaven?" — who is it whose prayer ascends to heaven and brings down the rains? This is the one who distributes his tithes properly. "And come down?" — for he brings down dew and rain to the world, and by his merit good winds blow to grow the grasses. "Who has gathered the wind in his fists?" — this is the one who distributes his tithes by the handful, and so it says (Malachi 3:10): "Bring all the tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this, says the LORD of hosts, whether I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until there is more than enough." And from where do we know that the winds are a need for the grain? As it is written (Deuteronomy 32:2): "May my teaching drop like the rain." "Who has bound the waters in a garment?" — one who does not distribute his tithes by the handful, his prayer does not ascend to heaven and does not bring down water, but rather binds the waters so they do not descend to the earth. "Who has established all the ends of the earth?" — as it is said (Deuteronomy 28:24): "The LORD will make the rain of your land powder and dust." "What is his name?" — this is Abraham, who set aside the tithe first, as it is said (Genesis 14:20): "And he gave him a tithe of everything," and the Holy One, blessed be He, granted him possession of heaven and earth, heaven for rains and winds, and earth for fruits, as it is written (Genesis 14:19): "And he blessed him and said, Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth" — He blessed him that God would grant him possession of heaven, and earth for his offspring. "And what is his son's name?" — this is Isaac, who gave a tithe and was blessed, as it is said (Genesis 26:12): "And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in that year a hundredfold, and the LORD blessed him" — this teaches that he measured it in order to tithe it. "If you know it" — and so the Holy One, blessed be He, warned Israel that if they tithe their grain He will bless them, as it is said (Deuteronomy 14:22): "You shall surely tithe" [aser te'aser] — tithe [aser] so that you may become rich [titasher]. Another interpretation: "Who has ascended to heaven?" — this is Moses, as it is written (Exodus 19:3): "And Moses went up to God." "And come down?" — as it is said (Exodus 19:14): "And Moses went down from the mountain to the people." "Who has gathered the wind in his fists?" — as it is said (Exodus 9:29): "As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands to the LORD." "Who has bound the waters in a garment?" — as it is said (Exodus 15:8): "The floods stood upright like a heap." "Who has established all the ends of the earth?" — this is the Tent of Meeting, which is weighed equal to the making of heaven and earth, as it is said (Exodus 38:21): "These are the accounts of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of the Testimony." It says here "the Tabernacle of the Testimony," and it says elsewhere, regarding heaven and earth (Deuteronomy 4:26): "I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day." Another interpretation: "Who has gathered the wind in his fists?" — this is Aaron, as it is said (Numbers 17:11): "And Moses said to Aaron, Take the fire-pan and put fire on it," and it is written (Numbers 17:13): "And he stood between the dead and the living." "Who has established?" — this is Abraham our father; "what is his name?" — this is what is said (Exodus 15:3): "the LORD is His name." "And what is his son's name?" — these are Israel, as it is said (Exodus 4:22): "Israel is My firstborn son." Another interpretation: "Who has established all the ends of the earth?" — this is Moses, who set up the Tent of Meeting, with which the world was established. Scripture does not say "to set up a tabernacle" but "to set up the tabernacle" — the world was established with it, for until the Tabernacle was set up the world was trembling, and once it was set up the world became firm, therefore it is said (Numbers 7:1): "And it came to pass on the day that Moses finished setting up the tabernacle." Another interpretation: "Who has ascended to heaven?" — this is Elijah, as it is said (2 Kings 2:11): "And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven." "Who has gathered the wind in his fists?" — this is Elijah, as it is said (1 Kings 17:1): "As the LORD lives, there shall not be dew or rain these years except by my word." "Who has bound the waters in a garment?" — as it is written (2 Kings 2:8): "And Elijah took his mantle." "Who has established all the ends of the earth?" — (1 Kings 17:23): "See, your son lives."