The sages in Kohelet Rabbah 7 delve into this very question, offering some fascinating possibilities.
Rabbi Yehuda paints a picture of something like the Nile River. You see, the Nile doesn't just water the land once; it overflows, watering it again and again. That's how Rabbi Yehuda imagines the pre-rain world – a constant, cyclical watering.
Then Rabbi Simon offers another analogy. He compares it to a box, or the Kavriel River. This isn’t your typical river; instead, its water level rises and then…disappears, absorbed into the ground. Think of it like a natural irrigation system, water present in the winter, soaking into the earth, allowing crops to be planted and harvested before the river reappears the following winter (as explained in Midrash HaMevoar).
But the Rabbis? They have the most intriguing idea of all: the Tevaha. Why the odd name? Because, incredibly, it waters only once every forty years! Toheh – one would naturally be astounded that this was enough to water the land. They suggest that this is how the earth was originally watered, by this mysterious Tevaha, before the Holy One, blessed be He, decreed that the earth would drink from above – from rain.
Now, why the change? Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman, in the name of Rabbi Ḥanin of Tzippori (or, according to some, Rabbi Ḥanin of Tzippori in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman!), gives us four powerful reasons.
First, due to violent people. Imagine if water only came from the ground; the strong would simply take it all, leaving nothing for anyone else.
Second, rain washes away harmful dews. A cleansing from above, a purification.
Third, so the highlands will drink like the lowlands. Rain is egalitarian; it falls on everyone, high and low, ensuring a fairer distribution of this vital resource.
And finally, and perhaps most beautifully, so everyone will lift their eyes heavenward. As we find in Job 5:10-11, God "gives rain upon the earth… to set the lowly on high…" Rain connects us to something bigger than ourselves. It reminds us of our dependence on the Divine.
So, the next time you feel the rain on your face, remember these ancient discussions. Remember the Tevaha, the Nile, the Kavriel River. And remember that rain isn't just about watering the earth; it's about justice, purification, and a connection to something far greater than ourselves. It's a reminder to look up.