The Seventh of Marcheshvan

Today is the day we that start to request rain in the silent prayer, at least here in the land of Israel. Although the rainy season officially begins on Shemini Atzeret, when we start to say "Mashiv HaRuach U'Morid HaGeshem", we waited until now so that all the American Jewish tourists Babylonian Jews could return safely to their dwellings in America Babylon without being rained upon.

Perhaps this is a good time to look back at the holiday season that was. Here are a few observations:

1) You get out of it what you put into it. If you made an effort to get up early in Elul to say Selichot, if you devoted time to really reflect on your deeds, if you made an effort to change, if you fulfilled the mitzvot of Sukkot properly, I have no doubt that you were spiritually uplifted.

2) I had the opportunity do daven in the rebuilt Churva synagogue in the Old City of Jerusalem. It was really special. They have an interesting custom of not saying "Baruch Hu U'Varuch Shmo" during the repetition of the silent prayer. This I was told, was in keeping with the custom of the Gaon of Vilna. There is a certain atmosphere of splendor and honor that gave me a slight idea of what it might be like to daven in the Temple, may it speedily be rebuilt!

3) The Old City was packed with tourists from all over the world. BDS is a real big failure!

4) The Western Wall was packed with worshipers. The facilities available here have greatly improved over the years.

5) I was also in the City of David. That place has changed so much since in the almost three decades that I have been here. The more they dig there the more they reveal the ancient city of Jerusalem, much to the chagrin of the Arabs and the leftists. The City of David, like the Old City, was packed with tourists.

7) We are progressing towards full redemption, little by little. So I say to you Jews living abroad what Moses said to his father in law, " 'We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said: I will give it you; come thou with us, and we will do thee good; for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel.' "

גדול יום הגשמים

אמר ר' אבהו גדול יום הגשמים מתחיית המתים דאילו תחיית המתים לצדיקים ואילו גשמים בין לצדיקים בין לרשעים ופליגא דרב יוסף דאמר רב יוסף מתוך שהיא שקולה כתחיית המתים קבעוה בתחיית המתים אמר רב יהודה גדול יום הגשמים כיום שניתנה בו תורה שנא' (דברים לב, ב) יערף כמטר לקחי ואין לקח אלא תורה שנא' (משלי ד, ב) כי לקח טוב נתתי לכם תורתי אל תעזובו רבא אמר יותר מיום שניתנה בו תורה שנאמר יערף כמטר לקחי מי נתלה במי הוי אומר קטן נתלה בגדול

אמר רב אושעיא גדול יום הגשמים שאפי' ישועה פרה ורבה בו שנאמר תפתח ארץ ויפרו ישע אמר רבי תנחום בר חנילאי אין הגשמים יורדים אלא א"כ נמחלו עונותיהן של ישראל שנאמר (תהלים פה, ב) רצית ה' ארצך שבת שבות יעקב נשאת עון עמך כסית כל חטאתם סלה

ואמר רבי יצחק גדול יום הגשמים שאפילו פרוטה שבכיס מתברכת בו שנאמר (דברים כח, יב) לתת מטר ארצך בעתו ולברך את כל מעשה ידיך

Fasting and Praying For Rain

Tomorrow, I will, (without making a vow), fast for the first time on a day that I am not absolutely required to fast on. The drought here in Israel is very serious, and the Chief Rabbis have called for prayer and repentance:

In light of the continuing drought in Israel, Chief Rabbis Shlomo Amar and Yonah Metzger have declared Monday as a second day of prayer and repentance, in which Israelis will be asked to fast and hold special prayers for rain. The Chief Rabbis called on everyone who is able to fast on Monday. Individuals who plan to fast should accept the fast upon themselves when praying Mincha on Sunday. The fast will begin at dawn Monday, and end at sunset.

The Chief Rabbis will participate in special prayers at the Kotel on Monday afternoon at 3:30 PM, and they called on those unable to get to the Kotel to hold prayers of repentance in their local synagogues. A similar day of fasting and prayer was held several weeks ago.

Secular Jews are also joining in:

The Head of the Regional Council Center, Shmulik Rifman, a member of secular-socialist kibbutz Revivim, called upon residents of all regional authorities to take part in the prayers and ask for rain.

May God answer our prayers with a lot of the wet stuff!

Another Reason to Pray for Rain

The Kinneret is low, the price of water is high and the land is thirsty. If that is not enough, here is another reason to pray for rain:

The main memorial observance for assassinated prime minister Yitzchak Rabin, which was scheduled for Saturday night at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv, has been postponed for a week.

Organizers said the event was pushed off "because of weather constraints and the constant rain that is expected to fall this weekend."

How Wet I Am

It rained all day long, thank God! It cold (by Israeli standards) and a lot of hail fell as well. We really needed that.

A Definite Blogging Slump

I haven't been blogging much lately. It's not that there isn't what to blog about - I just don't have time.

Some interesting links:

The Likud's Rebirth

Rabbi Fleischer on Al Jazeera (video)

Jpix 21

By the way, it's raining and I am happy!

How Dry I Am

Where's the rain? We really need rain in Israel this year. The past few years have not been good ones in terms of rainfall. So far this year has been pretty dry. "And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron (Deuteronomy 28:23)." I can't help but feel that we are under that curse. Of course this means that we have to do some real Teshuvah.

I Feel The Earth Move Under My Feet

We had a little earthquake here in Israel today. We also had some rain.

I had never experienced an earthquake until I came to Israel. We've had a few during the past couple of weeks. There is a lot of talk about the possibility of a large scale earthquake that will cause a lot of damage, God forbid. But perhaps one good thing could come out of a major earthquake: It will knock the politicians out of their seats!

Rain!

We got some major rain here today in Jerusalem. I love it!

It Rained Today!

Let's hope that this is the start of a nice rainy winter.

Is It Not Wheat Harvest Today?

Yesterday it rained on our parade. When I say our parade I mean the celebration of Jerusalem Day. Yesterday was the 40th anniversary of the reunification of the city.

It is not supposed to rain in Israel at this time of year. What happened yesterday is really quite out of the ordinary, and it reminded me of what happened many years ago here in this land:

12 And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me: Nay, but a king shall reign over us; when the LORD your God was your king. 13 Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have asked for; and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you. 14 If ye will fear the LORD, and serve Him, and hearken unto His voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and both ye and also the king that reigneth over you be followers of the LORD your God--; 15 but if ye will not hearken unto the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, and against your fathers. 16 Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes. 17 Is it not wheat harvest to-day? I will call unto the LORD, that He may send thunder and rain; and ye shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.' {S} 18 So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. 19 And all the people said unto Samuel: 'Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not; for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.' 20 And Samuel said unto the people: 'Fear not; ye have indeed done all this evil; yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; 21 and turn ye not aside; for then should ye go after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain. 22 For the LORD will not forsake His people for His great name's sake; because it hath pleased the LORD to make you a people unto Himself. 23 Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and the right way. 24 Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things He hath done for you. 25 But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be swept away, both ye and your king.'

We are just a week away from the holiday of Shavuot, which is also called chag haqatzir, the harvest festival.I don't claim to no why God brought rain yesterday. Perhaps it was to remind us that rockets are raining down on Sderot. We really cannot celebrate with a full heart when the people of Sderot are under a state of attack.

Storm Clouds Over Tel Aviv

I photographed this yesterday. These rains clouds were on their way to the Holy Land to bring the blessings of Above: