We begin this portion of the shiur by clarifying the halachos of mentioning rain in our tefillos, establishing that once a person starts to say "mashiv haruach u'morid hagashem," he does not stop. The Gemara then brings us to a new Mishnah that discusses the timeframe for requesting rain, presenting a machlokes between Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Meir regarding whether we ask for rain until Pesach has passed or until the end of Nisan.
רָבָא אָמַר: כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִתְחִיל, שׁוּב אֵינוֹ פּוֹסֵק.
Rava said an alternative suggestion: Once he has started to mention rain, he no longer stops, but continues to mention it consistently until the summer.
וְכֵן אָמַר רַב שֵׁשֶׁת: כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִתְחִיל, שׁוּב אֵינוֹ פּוֹסֵק.
And so too said Rav Sheshet: Once he has started, he no longer stops.
וְאַף רַב הֲדַר בֵּיהּ.
And even Rav retracted his previously stated opinion, and agreed with this rule.
דְּאָמַר רַב חֲנַנְאֵל אָמַר רַב: מוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרִים וְאֶחָד יוֹם כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁמּוֹנֶה עֲשָׂרָה יָמִים מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה עַד יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, וּמַתְחִיל, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהִתְחִיל — שׁוּב אֵינוֹ פּוֹסֵק.
As Rav Chananel said that Rav said: One counts twenty-one days from Rosh Hashanah, just as one counts ten days from Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur, and then starts to mention rain, and once he has started, he no longer stops.
וְהִלְכְתָא: כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִתְחִיל, שׁוּב אֵינוֹ פּוֹסֵק.
And the halacha is: Once he has started, he no longer stops.
מַתְנִי׳ עַד מָתַי שׁוֹאֲלִין אֶת הַגְּשָׁמִים?
MISHNAH: Until when do we request rain in the Shemoneh Esrei?
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: עַד שֶׁיַּעֲבוֹר הַפֶּסַח,
Rabbi Yehuda says: Until Pesach has passed.
רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: עַד שֶׁיֵּצֵא נִיסָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיּוֹרֶד לָכֶם גֶּשֶׁם מוֹרֶה וּמַלְקוֹשׁ בָּרִאשׁוֹן״.
Rabbi Meir says: Until Nisan has ended, as it is stated: "And He causes to come down for you the rain, the first rain and the last rain, in the first month" which is Nisan.
גְּמָ׳ אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב נַחְמָן לְרַבִּי יִצְחָק: יוֹרֶה בְּנִיסָן? יוֹרֶה בִּמְרַחְשְׁוָן הוּא!
GEMARA: Rav Nachman said to Rabbi Yitzchak: Is the first rain indeed in Nisan? The first rain is in Marcheshevan!
דִּתְנַן: יוֹרֶה בִּמְרַחְשְׁוָן וּמַלְקוֹשׁ בְּנִיסָן!
As we learned in a baraisa: The first rain is in Marcheshevan and the last rain is in Nisan!
אֲמַר לֵיהּ, הָכִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: בִּימֵי יוֹאֵל בֶּן פְּתוּאֵל נִתְקַיֵּים מִקְרָא זֶה דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ ״יֶתֶר הַגָּזָם אָכַל הָאַרְבֶּה וְגוֹ׳״.
He said to him, so said Rabbi Yochanan: In the days of Yoel son of Pesuel this verse was fulfilled, concerning which it is written: "That which the palmer-worm has left, the locust has eaten, etc."
אוֹתָהּ שָׁנָה יָצָא אֲדָר וְלֹא יָרְדוּ גְּשָׁמִים, יָרְדָה לָהֶם רְבִיעָה רִאשׁוֹנָה בְּאֶחָד בְּנִיסָן.
In that year, Adar ended and no rain had fallen; the first rain fell for them on the first of Nisan.
אָמַר לָהֶם נָבִיא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: צְאוּ וְזִרְעוּ!
The prophet said to Israel: Go out and sow!
אָמְרוּ לוֹ: מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ קַב חִטִּים אוֹ קַבַּיִּם שְׂעוֹרִין — יֹאכְלֶנּוּ וְיִחְיֶה, אוֹ יִזְרָעֶנּוּ וְיָמוּת?
They said to him: One who has a kav of wheat or two kavs of barley, should he eat it and live for a little while, or should he sow it and die of starvation if it does not grow?
אָמַר לָהֶם: אַף עַל פִּי כֵן צְאוּ וְזִרְעוּ.
He said to them: Even so, go out and sow.
נַעֲשָׂה לָהֶם נֵס, וְנִתְגַּלָּה לָהֶם מַה שֶּׁבַּכְּתָלִין וּמַה שֶּׁבְּחוֹרֵי נְמָלִים.
A miracle was performed for them, and there was revealed to them what was in the walls and what was in the holes of ants to use for seed.
יָצְאוּ וְזָרְעוּ שֵׁנִי וּשְׁלִישִׁי וּרְבִיעִי, וְיָרְדָה לָהֶם רְבִיעָה שְׁנִיָּה בַּחֲמִשָּׁה בְּנִיסָן.
They went out and sowed on the second, third, and fourth of Nisan, and the second rain fell for them on the fifth of Nisan.
הִקְרִיבוּ עוֹמֶר בְּשִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר בְּנִיסָן, נִמְצֵאת תְּבוּאָה הַגְּדֵילָה בְּשִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים, גְּדֵילָה בְּאַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם.
They offered the Omer on the sixteenth of Nisan; thus grain that normally grows in six months was found to have grown in eleven days.
נִמְצָא עוֹמֶר הַקָּרֵב מִתְּבוּאָה שֶׁל שִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים, קָרֵב מִתְּבוּאָה שֶׁל אַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם.
Thus the Omer, which is normally offered from grain of six months, was offered from grain of eleven days.
וְעַל אוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״הַזֹּרְעִים בְּדִמְעָה בְּרִנָּה יִקְצֹרוּ. הָלוֹךְ יֵלֵךְ וּבָכֹה נֹשֵׂא מֶשֶׁךְ הַזָּרַע וְגוֹ׳״.
And concerning that generation the verse says: "They who sow in tears shall reap with songs of joy. Though he goes on his way weeping, who bears the measure of seed, etc."
מַאי ״הָלוֹךְ יֵלֵךְ וּבָכֹה נֹשֵׂא מֶשֶׁךְ וְגוֹ׳״?
What is the meaning of: "Though he goes on his way weeping, who bears the measure of seed"?
אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: שׁוֹר, כְּשֶׁהוּא חוֹרֵשׁ — הוֹלֵךְ וּבוֹכֶה, וּבַחֲזִירָתוֹ — אוֹכֵל חָזִיז מִן הַתֶּלֶם.
Rabbi Yehuda said: The ox, when it plowed at that time, went on its way weeping because there was nothing to eat, but upon its return along the same furrow, it ate the young shoots from the furrow which had already sprouted.
וְזֶהוּ: ״בֹּא יָבֹא בְּרִנָּה״.
And this is the meaning of: "He shall come home with songs of joy."
מַאי ״נֹשֵׂא אֲלֻמֹּתָיו״?
What is the meaning of: "Bearing his sheaves"?
אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ בְּמַתְנִיתָא תָּנָא: קָנֶה זֶרֶת, שִׁיבּוֹלֶת זִרְתַּיִם.
Rav Chisda said, and some say it was taught in a baraisa: The stalk was one span, and the ear of grain was two spans.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב נַחְמָן לְרַבִּי יִצְחָק, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״כִּי קָרָא ה׳ לָרָעָב וְגַם בָּא אֶל הָאָרֶץ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים״, בְּהָנָךְ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים מַאי אֲכוּל?
Rav Nachman said to Rabbi Yitzchak: What is the meaning of that which is written: "For Hashem has called for a famine, and it shall also come upon the land for seven years"? In those seven years, what did they eat?
אֲמַר לֵיהּ, הָכִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: שָׁנָה רִאשׁוֹנָה אָכְלוּ מַה שֶּׁבַּבָּתִּים,
He said to him, so said Rabbi Yochanan: In the first year they ate what was in the houses;
שְׁנִיָּה אָכְלוּ מַה שֶּׁבַּשָּׂדוֹת,
in the second year they ate what was in the fields;
שְׁלִישִׁית בְּשַׂר בְּהֵמָה טְהוֹרָה,
in the third year, the meat of kosher animals;
רְבִיעִית בְּשַׂר בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה,
in the fourth year, the meat of non-kosher animals;
חֲמִישִׁית בְּשַׂר שְׁקָצִים וּרְמָשִׂים,
in the fifth year, the meat of detestable things and creeping things;
שִׁשִּׁית בְּשַׂר בְּנֵיהֶם וּבְנוֹתֵיהֶם,
in the sixth year, the flesh of their sons and daughters;
שְׁבִיעִית בְּשַׂר זְרוֹעוֹתֵיהֶם, לְקַיֵּים מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אִישׁ בְּשַׂר זְרֹעוֹ יֹאכֵלוּ״.
and in the seventh year, the flesh of their own arms, to fulfill what is stated: "Each man shall eat the flesh of his own arm."
וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב נַחְמָן לְרַבִּי יִצְחָק, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״בְּקִרְבְּךָ קָדוֹשׁ וְלֹא אָבוֹא בְּעִיר״, מִשּׁוּם דִּבְקִרְבְּךָ קָדוֹשׁ לֹא אָבוֹא בְּעִיר?
And Rav Nachman said to Rabbi Yitzchak: What is the meaning of that which is written: "The Holy One is in your midst, and I will not enter the city"? Because the Holy One is in your midst, He will not enter the city?
אָמַר לֵיהּ: הָכִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: לֹא אָבוֹא בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁל מַעְלָה עַד שֶׁאָבוֹא לִירוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁל מַטָּה!
He said to him: So said Rabbi Yochanan, the Holy One, Blessed be He, said: I will not enter Jerusalem of above until I enter Jerusalem of below at the time of the redemption.
וּמִי אִיכָּא יְרוּשָׁלַיִם לְמַעְלָה?
And is there a Jerusalem above?
אִין, דִּכְתִיב: ״יְרוּשָׁלִַים הַבְּנוּיָה כְּעִיר שֶׁחֻבְּרָה לָּהּ יַחְדָּו״.
Yes, as it is written: "Jerusalem built up, like a city that is joined together with it."
וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי נַחְמָן לְרַבִּי יִצְחָק, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״וּבְאַחַת יִבְעֲרוּ וְיִכְסָלוּ מוּסַר הֲבָלִים עֵץ הוּא״?
And Rav Nachman said to Rabbi Yitzchak: What is the meaning of that which is written: "But with one they are brutish and foolish, the teaching of vanities is a stock"?
אֲמַר לֵיהּ, הָכִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אַחַת הִיא שֶׁמְּבַעֶרֶת רְשָׁעִים בְּגֵיהִנָּם, מַאי הִיא — עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה.
He said to him, so said Rabbi Yochanan: There is one sin that burns the wicked in Gehenna. What is it? Idol worship.
כְּתִיב הָכָא: ״מוּסַר הֲבָלִים עֵץ הוּא״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: ״הֶבֶל הֵמָּה מַעֲשֵׂה תַּעְתֻּעִים״.
It is written here: "The teaching of vanities [hevelim] is a stock," and it is written there regarding idols: "They are vanity [hevel], a work of delusion."
וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב נַחְמָן לְרַבִּי יִצְחָק, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״כִּי שְׁתַּיִם רָעוֹת עָשָׂה עַמִּי״,
And Rav Nachman said to Rabbi Yitzchak: What is the meaning of that which is written: "For My people have committed two evils"?
תַּרְתֵּין הוּא דַּהֲווֹ? עֶשְׂרִין וְאַרְבַּע שְׁבִיקָא לְהוּ?
Were there only two sins that they committed? Did they leave aside the twenty-four sins listed in the book of Yechezkel?
אֲמַר לֵיהּ, הָכִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אַחַת שֶׁהִיא שְׁקוּלָה כִּשְׁתַּיִם, וּמַאי נִיהוּ — עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה,
He said to him, so said Rabbi Yochanan: It refers to one sin which is equal to two. And what is it? Idol worship,
דִּכְתִיב: ״כִּי שְׁתַּיִם רָעוֹת עָשָׂה עַמִּי אֹתִי עָזְבוּ מְקוֹר מַיִם חַיִּים לַחְצֹב לָהֶם בֹּארוֹת בֹּארוֹת נִשְׁבָּרִים״,
as it is written: "For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns."
וּכְתִיב בְּהוּ: ״כִּי עִבְרוּ אִיֵּי כִתִּיִּים וּרְאוּ וְקֵדָר שִׁלְחוּ וְהִתְבּוֹנְנוּ מְאֹד וְגוֹ׳ הַהֵימִיר גּוֹי אֱלֹהִים וְהֵמָּה לֹא אֱלֹהִים וְעַמִּי הֵמִיר כְּבוֹדוֹ בְּלוֹא יוֹעִיל״.
And it is written concerning them: "For pass over to the isles of Kittim and see, and send to Kedar and consider diligently, etc. Has a nation changed its gods, which are yet no gods? But My people have changed their glory for that which does not profit."
תָּנָא: כּוּתִיִּים עוֹבְדִים לָאֵשׁ, וְקֵדָרִיִּים עוֹבְדִין לַמַּיִם,
It was taught: The Kittites worship fire, and the Kedarenes worship water,
וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיּוֹדְעִים שֶׁהַמַּיִם מְכַבִּין אֶת הָאֵשׁ — לֹא הֵמִירוּ אֱלֹהֵיהֶם, ״וְעַמִּי הֵמִיר כְּבוֹדוֹ בְּלוֹא יוֹעִיל״.
and even though they know that water extinguishes fire, they did not change their gods; "but My people have changed their glory for that which does not profit."
וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ רב נַחְמָן לְרַבִּי יִצְחָק, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר זָקֵן שְׁמוּאֵל״, וּמִי סִיב שְׁמוּאֵל כּוּלֵּי הַאי?
And Rav Nachman said to Rabbi Yitzchak: What is the meaning of that which is written: "And it came to pass when Shmuel was old"? Did Shmuel really grow so old?
וְהָא בַּר חֲמִישִּׁים וּשְׁתַּיִם הֲוָה, דְּאָמַר מָר: מֵת בַּחֲמִישִּׁים וּשְׁתַּיִם שָׁנָה, זֶהוּ מִיתָתוֹ שֶׁל שְׁמוּאֵל הָרָמָתִי.
But he was only fifty-two years old, as the Master said: He died at fifty-two years of age, this was the death of Shmuel of Ramah!
אֲמַר לֵיהּ, הָכִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: זִקְנָה קָפְצָה עָלָיו, דִּכְתִיב: ״נִחַמְתִּי כִּי הִמְלַכְתִּי אֶת שָׁאוּל״.
He said to him, so said Rabbi Yochanan: Old age jumped upon him prematurely, as it is written that Hashem said: "I regret that I have made Saul king."
אָמַר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! שְׁקַלְתַּנִי כְּמֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, דִּכְתִיב: ״מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן בְּכֹהֲנָיו וּשְׁמוּאֵל בְּקֹרְאֵי שׁמוֹ״,
Shmuel said before Him: Master of the Universe! You have equated me to Moshe and Aaron, as it is written: "Moshe and Aaron among His priests, and Shmuel among those who call upon His name."
מָה מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן לֹא בָּטְלוּ מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶם בְּחַיֵּיהֶם, אַף אֲנִי לֹא יִתְבַּטֵּל מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי בְּחַיַּי.
Just as Moshe and Aaron did not see the work of their hands undone in their lifetimes, so too let the work of my hands not be undone in my lifetime by seeing Saul's kingdom destroyed.
אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: הֵיכִי אֶעֱבֵיד? לֵימוּת שָׁאוּל — לָא קָא שָׁבֵיק שְׁמוּאֵל,
The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: What shall I do? If Saul dies, Shmuel will not allow it because of his prayers;
לֵימוּת שְׁמוּאֵל אַדְּזוּטַר — מְרַנְּנִי אַבָּתְרֵיהּ.
if Shmuel dies while he is still young, people will complain about him saying he must have sinned.
לָא לֵימוּת שָׁאוּל וְלָא לֵימוּת שְׁמוּאֵל — כְּבָר הִגִּיעָה מַלְכוּת דָּוִד, וְאֵין מַלְכוּת נוֹגַעַת בַּחֲבֶרְתָּהּ אֲפִילּוּ כִּמְלֹא נִימָא.
If neither Saul dies nor Shmuel dies, the kingdom of David has already arrived, and one kingdom cannot touch another even by a hair's breadth.
אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: אַקְפִּיץ עָלָיו זִקְנָה.
The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: I will bring old age upon him prematurely so he can die of old age.
הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: ״וְשָׁאוּל יוֹשֵׁב בַּגִּבְעָה תַּחַת הָאֶשֶׁל בָּרָמָה״, וְכִי מָה עִנְיַן גִּבְעָה אֵצֶל רָמָה?
This is what is written: "And Saul was sitting in Givah under the tamarisk tree in Ramah." But what is the connection of Givah to Ramah?
אֶלָּא לוֹמַר לְךָ: מִי גָּרַם לְשָׁאוּל שֶׁיָּשַׁב בַּגִּבְעָה שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים וּמֶחֱצָה — תְּפִלָּתוֹ שֶׁל שְׁמוּאֵל הָרָמָתִי.
Rather, it is to tell you: Who caused Saul to sit in Givah as king for an extra two and a half years? The prayer of Shmuel of Ramah.
וּמִי מִידְּחֵי גַּבְרָא מִקַּמֵּי גַּבְרָא?
And can one man be pushed aside for another?
אִין, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״עַל כֵּן חָצַבְתִּי בַּנְּבִיאִים הֲרַגְתִּים בְּאִמְרֵי פִי״ — ״בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם״ לֹא נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא ״בְּאִמְרֵי פִי״, אַלְמָא: מִידְּחֵי גַּבְרָא מִקַּמֵּי גַּבְרָא.
Yes, as Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said that Rabbi Yochanan said: What is the meaning of that which is written: "Therefore I have hewed them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of My mouth"? "By their deeds" is not said, but rather "by the words of My mouth." This proves that one man is pushed aside for another.
רַב נַחְמָן וְרַבִּי יִצְחָק הֲווֹ יָתְבִי בִּסְעוּדְתָּא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב נַחְמָן לְרַבִּי יִצְחָק: לֵימָא מָר מִילְּתָא.
Rav Nachman and Rabbi Yitzchak were sitting at a meal. Rav Nachman said to Rabbi Yitzchak: Let the Master say a word of Torah.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ, הָכִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אֵין מְסִיחִין בִּסְעוּדָה, שֶׁמָּא יַקְדִּים קָנֶה לְוֶשֶׁט וְיָבֹא לִידֵי סַכָּנָה.
He said to him, so said Rabbi Yochanan: One must not speak during a meal, lest the windpipe precede the esophagus and he come to danger of choking.
בָּתַר דִּסְעוּד אֲמַר לֵיהּ, הָכִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ לֹא מֵת.
After they dined, he said to him, so said Rabbi Yochanan: Yaakov Avinu did not die.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: וְכִי בִּכְדִי סְפַדוּ סַפְדָּנַיָּא וַחֲנַטוּ חָנְטַיָּיא וּקְבַרוּ קַבָּרַיָּיא?
He said to him: Was it for nothing that the eulogizers eulogized, the embalmers embalmed, and the buriers buried him?
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מִקְרָא אֲנִי דּוֹרֵשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְאַתָּה אַל תִּירָא עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב נְאֻם ה׳ וְאַל תֵּחַת יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי הִנְנִי מוֹשִׁיעֲךָ מֵרָחוֹק וְאֶת זַרְעֲךָ מֵאֶרֶץ שִׁבְיָם״, מַקִּישׁ הוּא לְזַרְעוֹ: מָה זַרְעוֹ בַּחַיִּים — אַף הוּא בַּחַיִּים.
He said to him: I expound a verse, as it is stated: "And you, do not fear, My servant Yaakov, says Hashem, and do not be dismayed, Yisrael, for behold, I will save you from afar, and your seed from the land of their captivity." The verse compares him to his seed: Just as his seed is alive, so too he is alive.
אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: כׇּל הָאוֹמֵר ״רָחָב״ ״רָחָב״ מִיָּד נִקְרֵי.
Rabbi Yitzchak said: Anyone who says "Rachav, Rachav" immediately has a seminal emission because of her extreme beauty.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב נַחְמָן: אֲנָא אָמֵינָא וְלָא אִיכְפַּת לִי!
Rav Nachman said to him: I say it and I am not affected!
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: כִּי קָאָמֵינָא, בְּיוֹדְעָהּ וּבְמַכִּירָהּ.
He said to him: When I said this, it was only of one who knows her and is familiar with her beauty.
כִּי הֲווֹ מִיפַּטְרִי מֵהֲדָדֵי, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לִיבָרְכַן מָר!
When they were parting from each other, Rav Nachman said to him: Let the Master bless me!
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֶמְשׁוֹל לְךָ מָשָׁל, לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה? לְאָדָם שֶׁהָיָה הוֹלֵךְ בַּמִּדְבָּר וְהָיָה רָעֵב וְעָיֵף וְצָמֵא, וּמָצָא אִילָן שֶׁפֵּירוֹתָיו מְתוּקִין וְצִלּוֹ נָאֶה וְאַמַּת הַמַּיִם עוֹבֶרֶת תַּחְתָּיו.
He said to him: I will tell you a parable, to what is this matter comparable? To a man who was traveling in the desert, and he was hungry, tired, and thirsty, and he found a tree whose fruits were sweet, its shade pleasant, and a stream of water passed beneath it.
אָכַל מִפֵּירוֹתָיו, וְשָׁתָה מִמֵּימָיו, וְיָשַׁב בְּצִילּוֹ.
He ate of its fruits, drank of its waters, and sat in its shade.
וּכְשֶׁבִּיקֵּשׁ לֵילֵךְ, אָמַר: אִילָן אִילָן, בַּמָּה אֲבָרֶכְךָ?
And when he wished to leave, he said: Tree, tree, with what shall I bless you?
אִם אוֹמַר לְךָ שֶׁיְּהוּ פֵּירוֹתֶיךָ מְתוּקִין — הֲרֵי פֵּירוֹתֶיךָ מְתוּקִין,
If I say to you that your fruits should be sweet, behold, your fruits are sweet;
שֶׁיְּהֵא צִילְּךָ נָאֶה — הֲרֵי צִילְּךָ נָאֶה,
that your shade should be pleasant, behold, your shade is pleasant;
שֶׁתְּהֵא אַמַּת הַמַּיִם עוֹבֶרֶת תַּחְתֶּיךָ — הֲרֵי אַמַּת הַמַּיִם עוֹבֶרֶת תַּחְתֶּיךָ,
that a stream of water should pass beneath you, behold, a stream of water passes beneath you.
אֶלָּא: יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁכׇּל נְטִיעוֹת שֶׁנּוֹטְעִין מִמְּךָ
Rather, may it be His will that all plantings planted from you should be just like you.
The Gemara delves into the beautiful and miraculous events of the days of Joel the prophet, where Hashem showed His great love for Klal Yisrael by bringing the first and second rains in Nisan, causing crops that normally take six months to grow in a mere eleven days so they could bring the Omer on time. Following this, Rav Naḥman and Rabbi Yitzḥak discuss the hardships of the historical seven-year famine, the deep meaning of the passuk regarding the holiness of Yerushalayim, and the beautiful assurance from Hashem that He will not enter the Yerushalayim of above until He can enter the earthly Yerushalayim below at the time of the Geulah.
My dear friend, look at the incredible miracle of the prophet Joel's generation. The land was completely barren, and the people had only a tiny, desperate measure of grain left. The natural reaction was to hoard it just to survive another day. Yet, when the prophet told them to go out and sow, they obeyed. They sowed in tears, weeping over what seemed like a lost cause, but they did their avodah anyway. And what happened? Hashem turned those eleven days into a lifetime of blessing, making the crops grow at a supernatural speed.
This is the secret of "sowing in tears." In our own lives, we often face moments of spiritual or material drought where we feel we have nothing left to give. The yetzer hara whispers, "Why bother praying? Why bother trying to learn or do chesed when you are so drained? Save your energy." But the Torah teaches us that when you take that last bit of strength and sow it anyway—even with tears, even when it feels completely dry—Hashem can make your small effort sprout into something unimaginably great.
Today, do not wait for the perfect, comfortable conditions to do what is right. Even if you feel tired, distracted, or overwhelmed, take one small, positive action—a few minutes of learning, a heartfelt tefillah, or a kind word to another Yid—and sow that seed with emunah, trusting that Hashem will make it grow.