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Abba Hilkiah — the grandson of Honi the Circle-Drawer — inherited his grandfather's extraordinary ability to bring rain through prayer. But his methods were so peculiar that the sa...
In a time of devastating drought, the people of Israel came to Honi ha-Meagel — "Honi the Circle-Drawer" — and begged him to pray for rain. Honi drew a circle in the dirt, stepped ...
It's more than just a question for farmers and meteorologists. Our sages explored this very idea, diving deep into the practical and even the mystical implications of rainfall. The...
The ancient rabbis certainly did. They saw a deep connection between what happens on Earth and what happens within us. Take, for example, the verse in (Genesis 2:6): "…and watered ...
It's more than just relief from the heat; it's a deep, almost primal renewal. And according to our sages, that renewal touches everything. We find this idea beautifully illustrated...
Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Shimon grappled with this very question. He observed that the land is watered primarily at its upper layer. But what then, he wondered, about the carob tree ...
The book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it's known in Hebrew, wrestles with these very questions. And one particular verse, (Ecclesiastes 3:5), has sparked some fascinating interpr...
It seems that even the ancient Israelites weren't immune to this! to a fascinating passage from Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Song of Songs....
We all know rain is a blessing, a sign of divine favor. But what if it rained at the wrong time? What if the heavens opened up right when you were trying to do your weekly shopping...
“To their mothers they say: Where is grain and wine? While fainting like corpses in the city squares, while their souls are poured into their mothers' bosoms” (Lamentations 2:12).“...
It’s more than just pretty light refracting through raindrops. In Jewish tradition, it's a profound promise. A covenant. A cosmic reassurance. But what exactly is it reassuring us ...
And the Lord said: “Shall I hide from Abraham?” (Gen. 18:17). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: It shall be for the filling of his belly; He shall cast the fie...
And the two angels came to Sodom (Gen. 19:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore, He was turned to be th...
And the Lord remembered Sarah, as he had said (Gen. 21:1). May it please our master to teach us: What is considered ona’ah (wrong doing)? Our masters teach us: A man is forbidden t...
And it came to pass after these words that God did prove Abraham (Gen. 22:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: Forasmuch as the king’s word hath power; and wh...
And it came to pass at the end of two full years (Gen. 41:1). May it please our master to teach us the blessing one should offer on experiencing rainfall when mankind is in dire ne...
Then the Lord said unto Moses: “Behold, I will cause to rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may prove them whet...
21:1). Scripture says elsewhere: The king by justice establisheth the land, but the man who sets himself apart (terumah)1The word terumah means “something set aside,” as with the p...
The two different items that were pledged—habol tahbol.22Though Exod. 22:25 speaks only of night garments, the repetition of the word haval (havol tahbol) indicates that two differ...
(Numb. 29:35:) “On the eighth day [you shall have] a solemn assembly.” Let our master instruct us: Is it permitted to eat outside the sukkah on the Feast (of Tabernacles)?39BB 75a;...
It is written (in Prov. 3:9), “Honor the Lord with your wealth.” Thus if you are handsome, do not be uncontrolled in sexual matters, lest people say, “So and so is handsome but not...
(Deut. 14:22:) “You shall surely tithe.” Tithe ('sr) so that you may become rich ('shr),35In Hebrew letters the roots translated “tithe” and “become rich” are identical. before you...
And it shall be if you listen to listen (Deuteronomy 28:1): If you listened a little, your end will be to listen much. Another interpretation: You will make your studies heard in f...
