The Five Names of the Cloud and the Four Names of the Earth

Another interpretation: [the clouds release the rain] like the fine [openings] of an animal's [udder]. Rabbi Yochanan says: there are no clouds except from above, as it is said, "and behold, with the clouds of heaven" (Daniel 7:13). Resh Lakish says: there are no clouds except from below, as it is said, "who raises vapors from the ends of the earth" (Psalms 135:7). According to Rabbi Yochanan, it is like one who honored his fellow with a barrel of wine, the jug included. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says: it is like one who said to his fellow, give me a se'ah of wheat; he replied, bring your basket and measure. So said the Holy One, blessed be He, to the earth: bring your cloud and receive the rain. Five names were given to it: ed (mist), anan (cloud), nasi (vapor), av (thick cloud), chaziz (storm-cloud). Av, because it darkens [me'abev] the face of the firmament; ed, because it breaks the hair-splitters [those who deny rain]; anan, because it makes creatures humble [anavim] to one another; nasi, because it makes creatures princes [nesi'im] over one another; chaziz, because it makes visions [chezyonot] in the firmament and rests the holy spirit on creatures, in the manner of "the vision [chazon] of Isaiah" (Isaiah 1:1). Four names were given to the earth, corresponding to the four seasons. Eretz, corresponding to the season of Nisan, because it makes [meritza] its fruits run forth; tevel, corresponding to Tammuz, because it spices [metabelet] its fruits; adamah, corresponding to the season of Tishrei, when the earth is made into clods [bulin] of soil; arka, corresponding to the season of Tevet, when it empties out [moreket] its fruits. "And a mist went up from the earth": breaking goes up from the earth at once, "and watered the whole face of the ground." And so it says, "may my teaching drop as the rain" (Deuteronomy 32:2) - creatures broke their necks [in longing], at once the rain comes down. "And watered the whole face of the ground": all is blessed - commerce is blessed, the merchants profit, and those struck with boils and the sick gain relief and their limbs are eased. Avimi, one of the colleagues, used to visit the sick. When the rain was about to fall, he would say to them, what are they doing? They would say to him, they will be relieved. Even a precious stone senses [the rain], even the fish sense it. There was an incident in Acre: they caught a fish, estimated it at three hundred litra, weighed it, and found it two hundred litra. An old man there said: the rain has not yet fallen. As soon as the rain fell, they caught a fish, estimated it at two hundred litra, weighed it, and found it three hundred litra. "And watered the whole face of the ground": the earth drinks only according to its surface. If so, what shall the roots of the carob do, the roots of the sycamore, whose roots reach to the deep? The roots of wheat split the earth fifty cubits; the roots of vines and figs split through rock. Therefore once every thirty days the deep rises and waters it. What is the reason? "I the LORD do keep it, I water it every moment" (Isaiah 27:3). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: when the rain comes down, it gives a face to the ground.