In this daf, we are zocheh to delve deeper into the beautiful and vital topic of rain, which is the very lifeblood of Eretz Yisrael and a direct sign of Hashem's hashgacha over His children. We begin with a warm and moving berachah that one tzaddik gives to another, wishing that his offspring should be just like him, before returning to the sugya of the rains. The Gemara explores the deep meanings behind the Torah's terms for the early and late rains, showing how every drop is sent with divine purpose and love.
We will learn the profound lessons of the yoreh (the first rain) and the malkosh (the last rain), understanding how they are designed to bring berachah to the world rather than destruction. The Gemara also guides us through the specific times of the year when these rains must fall to be considered a blessing, showing how the timing of the rain directly affects the growth of the crops and stirs the hearts of Klal Yisrael to teshuvah.
יִהְיוּ כְּמוֹתְךָ. אַף אַתָּה, בַּמָּה אֲבָרֶכְךָ? אִם בְּתוֹרָה — הֲרֵי תּוֹרָה, אִם בְּעוֹשֶׁר — הֲרֵי עוֹשֶׁר, אִם בְּבָנִים — הֲרֵי בָּנִים, אֶלָּא: יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁיִּהְיוּ צֶאֱצָאֵי מֵעֶיךָ כְּמוֹתְךָ.
May they be like you. So too with you, my friend, with what shall I bless you? If I bless you with Torah, behold, you already have Torah; if with wealth, behold, you already have wealth; if with children, behold, you already have children. Rather, may it be Hashem's will that the offspring of your innards shall be like you.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״יוֹרֶה״ — שֶׁמּוֹרֶה אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת לְהָטִיחַ גַּגּוֹתֵיהֶן, וּלְהַכְנִיס אֶת פֵּירוֹתֵיהֶן, וְלַעֲשׂוֹת כׇּל צׇרְכֵיהֶן.
The Rabbis taught in a Braisa: Why is the first rain called yoreh? Because it instructs the people to plaster their roofs, and to bring in their fruits, and to do all their other needs in the field before the heavy rains come.
דָּבָר אַחֵר: שֶׁמַּרְוֶה אֶת הָאָרֶץ וּמַשְׁקָהּ עַד תְּהוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״תְּלָמֶיהָ רַוֵּה נַחֵת גְּדוּדֶיהָ בִּרְבִיבִים תְּמֹגְגֶנָּה צִמְחָהּ תְּבָרֵךְ״.
Another explanation: It is called yoreh because it saturates the earth and waters it down to the depths, as it is stated in the pasuk: "Saturate its furrows, settle its ridges, with showers You melt it, its growth You bless."
דָּבָר אַחֵר: ״יוֹרֶה״ — שֶׁיּוֹרֵד בְּנַחַת וְאֵינוֹ יוֹרֵד בְּזַעַף.
Another explanation: Yoreh means that it comes down gently and does not come down with fury.
אוֹ אֵינוֹ ״יוֹרֶה״, אֶלָּא שֶׁמַּשִּׁיר אֶת הַפֵּירוֹת, וּמַשְׁטִיף אֶת הַזְּרָעִים, וּמַשְׁטִיף אֶת הָאִילָנוֹת — תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״מַלְקוֹשׁ״, מָה מַלְקוֹשׁ לִבְרָכָה — אַף יוֹרֶה לִבְרָכָה.
Or perhaps the word yoreh does not mean this, but rather it is related to shooting, meaning that it knocks off the fruits, and washes away the seeds, and washes away the trees? Therefore, the verse states: "And the malkosh"; just as malkosh is for a blessing, so too yoreh is for a blessing.
אוֹ אֵינוֹ ״מַלְקוֹשׁ״, אֶלָּא שֶׁמַּפִּיל אֶת הַבָּתִּים, וּמְשַׁבֵּר אֶת הָאִילָנוֹת, וּמַעֲלֶה אֶת הַסַּקָּאִין — תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״יוֹרֶה״, מָה יוֹרֶה לִבְרָכָה — אַף מַלְקוֹשׁ לִבְרָכָה.
Or perhaps the word malkosh does not mean this, but rather it is a harsh rain that knocks down the houses, and breaks the trees, and brings up the locusts? Therefore, the verse states: "Yoreh"; just as yoreh is for a blessing, so too malkosh is for a blessing.
וְיוֹרֶה גּוּפֵיהּ מְנָלַן — דִּכְתִיב: ״וּבְנֵי צִיּוֹן גִּילוּ וְשִׂמְחוּ בַּה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם כִּי נָתַן לָכֶם אֶת הַמּוֹרֶה לִצְדָקָה וַיּוֹרֶד לָכֶם גֶּשֶׁם מוֹרֶה וּמַלְקוֹשׁ בָּרִאשׁוֹן״.
And as for yoreh itself, from where do we know that it is for a blessing? As it is written: "And children of Zion, rejoice and be glad in Hashem your G-d, for He has given you the moreh (first rain) in righteousness, and He has brought down for you rain, moreh and malkosh, in the first month."
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: יוֹרֶה בִּמְרַחְשְׁוָן, וּמַלְקוֹשׁ בְּנִיסָן.
The Rabbis taught in a Braisa: The yoreh falls in Marcheshvan, and the malkosh falls in Nissan.
אַתָּה אוֹמֵר: יוֹרֶה בִּמְרַחְשְׁוָן וּמַלְקוֹשׁ בְּנִיסָן, אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא יוֹרֶה בְּתִשְׁרִי וּמַלְקוֹשׁ בְּאִיָּיר? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״בְּעִתּוֹ״.
Do you say that the yoreh is in Marcheshvan and malkosh is in Nissan, or is it rather that yoreh is in Tishrei and malkosh is in Iyar? Therefore, the verse states: "In its season."
״מַלְקוֹשׁ״ — אָמַר רַב נְהִילַאי בַּר אִידֵּי אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: דָּבָר שֶׁמָּל קַשְׁיוּתֵיהֶן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל.
Regarding the word malkosh, Rav Nehilai bar Idi said that Shmuel said: It means a thing that circumcises and softens the stubbornness of Israel, bringing them to teshuvah.
דְּבֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל תָּנָא: דָּבָר שֶׁמְּמַלֵּא תְּבוּאָה בְּקַשֶּׁיהָ.
The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: It is a thing that fills out the grain in its stalks.
בְּמַתְנִיתָא תָּנָא: דָּבָר שֶׁיּוֹרֵד עַל הַמְּלִילוֹת וְעַל הַקַּשִּׁין.
In a Braisa it was taught: It is a thing that comes down upon the ears of corn and upon the stalks.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: יוֹרֶה בִּמְרַחְשְׁוָן, וּמַלְקוֹשׁ בְּנִיסָן. אַתָּה אוֹמֵר יוֹרֶה בִּמְרַחְשְׁוָן, אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בְּחֹדֶשׁ כִּסְלֵיו? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״בְּעִתּוֹ יוֹרֶה וּמַלְקוֹשׁ״, מָה מַלְקוֹשׁ בְּעִתּוֹ — אַף יוֹרֶה בְּעִתּוֹ,
The Rabbis taught in a Braisa: The yoreh is in Marcheshvan, and the malkosh is in Nissan. Do you say that the yoreh is in Marcheshvan, or is it rather in the month of Kislev? Therefore, the verse states: "In its season, yoreh and malkosh"; just as malkosh is in its proper season, so too yoreh must be in its proper season.
כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּצָא נִיסָן וְיָרְדוּ גְּשָׁמִים אֵינוֹ סִימַן בְּרָכָה.
And once Nissan has passed and rains fall, it is not a sign of blessing but a curse; so too, if Marcheshvan passes without rain, it is not the ideal time.
תַּנְיָא אִידַּךְ: יוֹרֶה בִּמְרַחְשְׁוָן וּמַלְקוֹשׁ בְּנִיסָן, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: יוֹרֶה בְּכִסְלֵיו.
It was taught in another Braisa: The yoreh is in Marcheshvan and the malkosh is in Nissan; these are the words of Rabbi Meir. But the Sages say: The yoreh is in Kislev.
מַאן חֲכָמִים? אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הִיא, דְּתַנְיָא:
Who are "the Sages" of this Braisa? Rav Chisda said: It is Rabbi Yose, as it was taught in a Braisa:
אֵיזוֹ הִיא רְבִיעָה רִאשׁוֹנָה? הַבְּכִירָה — בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה בִּמְרַחְשְׁוָן, בֵּינוֹנִית — בְּשִׁבְעָה בּוֹ, אֲפִילָה — בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר בּוֹ, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר.
When is the first rainfall? The earliest is on the third of Marcheshvan; the intermediate is on the seventh of it; the latest is on the seventeenth of it; these are the words of Rabbi Meir.
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: בְּשִׁבְעָה, וּבְשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר, וּבְעֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה.
Rabbi Yehudah says: On the seventh, and on the seventeenth, and on the twenty-third of Marcheshvan.
רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר, וּבְעֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה, וּבְרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ כִּסְלֵיו.
Rabbi Yose says: On the seventeenth, and on the twenty-third of Marcheshvan, and on Rosh Chodesh Kislev.
וְכֵן הָיָה רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: אֵין הַיְּחִידִים מִתְעַנִּין עַד שֶׁיַּגִּיעַ רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ כִּסְלֵיו.
And so Rabbi Yose would say: The individuals do not begin to fast for rain until Rosh Chodesh Kislev arrives.
אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי.
Rav Chisda said: The halachah is like Rabbi Yose.
אַמֵּימָר מַתְנֵי לְהָא דְּרַב חִסְדָּא בְּהָא לִישָּׁנָא: בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה בִּמְרַחְשְׁוָן שׁוֹאֲלִין אֶת הַגְּשָׁמִים, רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: בְּשִׁבְעָה בּוֹ, אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: הֲלָכָה כְּרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל.
Ameimar would teach this statement of Rav Chisda in this version: On the third of Marcheshvan we begin to ask for rain; Rabban Gamliel says: On the seventh of it. Rav Chisda said: The halachah is like Rabban Gamliel.
כְּמַאן אָזְלָא הָא דְּתַנְיָא, רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: גְּשָׁמִים שֶׁיָּרְדוּ שִׁבְעָה יָמִים זֶה אַחַר זֶה אַתָּה מוֹנֶה בָּהֶן רְבִיעָה רִאשׁוֹנָה וּשְׁנִיָּה וּשְׁלִישִׁית, כְּמַאן — כְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי.
According to whom goes that which is taught in a Braisa: Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Rains that fell for seven consecutive days, you count them as the first, second, and third rainfalls? According to whom is this? It is according to Rabbi Yose, who has a seven-day interval between each period.
אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי.
Rav Chisda said: The halachah is like Rabbi Yose.
בִּשְׁלָמָא רְבִיעָה רִאשׁוֹנָה — לִשְׁאוֹל. שְׁלִישִׁית — לְהִתְעַנּוֹת. שְׁנִיָּה, לְמַאי?
Granted, the first rainfall is needed to know when to ask for rain. And the third is needed to know when to fast. But the second rainfall, for what halachic purpose is it mentioned?
אָמַר רַבִּי זֵירָא: לִנְדָרִים, דִּתְנַן: הַנּוֹדֵר עַד הַגְּשָׁמִים — מִשֶּׁיֵּרְדוּ גְּשָׁמִים עַד שֶׁתֵּרֵד רְבִיעָה שְׁנִיָּה.
Rabbi Zeira said: For vows, as we learned in a Mishnah: One who vows not to benefit from his friend "until the rains," the vow is in effect from when the rains begin to fall until the second rainfall descends.
רַב זְבִיד אָמַר: לְזֵיתִים. דִּתְנַן: מֵאֵימָתַי כׇּל אָדָם מוּתָּרִין בְּלֶקֶט בְּשִׁכְחָה וּבְפֵאָה — מִשֶּׁיֵּלְכוּ הַנָּמוֹשׁוֹת. בְּפֶרֶט וּבְעוֹלֵלוֹת — מִשֶּׁיֵּלְכוּ עֲנִיִּים בַּכֶּרֶם וְיָבוֹאוּ. בְּזֵיתִים — מִשֶּׁתֵּרֵד רְבִיעָה שְׁנִיָּה.
Rav Zevid said: For olives, as we learned in a Mishnah: From when is any person permitted to take the ownerless leket, shichchah, and peah from a field? From when the namoshos have gone through. And for peret and olelos in a vineyard? From when the poor go through the vineyard and return. And for olives? From when the second rainfall descends.
מַאי ״נָמוֹשׁוֹת״? אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: סָבֵי דְּאָזְלִי אַתִּיגְרָא. רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר: לָקוֹטֵי בָּתַר לָקוֹטֵי.
What are namoshos? Rabbi Yochanan said: The elderly who walk with a staff and gather slowly. Resh Lakish said: The gatherers after the gatherers.
רַב פָּפָּא אָמַר: כְּדֵי לְהַלֵּךְ בִּשְׁבִילֵי הָרְשׁוּת. דְּאָמַר מָר: מְהַלְּכִין כׇּל אָדָם בִּשְׁבִילֵי הָרְשׁוּת — עַד שֶׁתֵּרֵד רְבִיעָה שְׁנִיָּה.
Rav Papa said: The second rainfall is significant to allow walking on private paths through fields. As the Master said: Any person may walk on private paths until the second rainfall descends, because after that it ruins the soil.
רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק אָמַר: לְבַעֵר פֵּירוֹת שְׁבִיעִית. דִּתְנַן: עַד מָתַי נֶהֱנִין וְשׂוֹרְפִין בְּתֶבֶן וּבְקַשׁ שֶׁל שְׁבִיעִית — עַד שֶׁתֵּרֵד רְבִיעָה שְׁנִיָּה.
Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak said: To biur (remove) the fruits of Sheviis, as we learned in a Mishnah: Until when may one benefit from and burn straw and stubble of Sheviis? Until the second rainfall descends.
מַאי טַעְמָא? דִּכְתִיב: ״וְלִבְהֶמְתְּךָ וְלַחַיָּה אֲשֶׁר בְּאַרְצֶךָ״, כׇּל זְמַן שֶׁחַיָּה אוֹכֶלֶת בַּשָּׂדֶה — הַאֲכֵל לִבְהֶמְתֶּךָ בַּבַּיִת. כָּלָה לַחַיָּה מִן הַשָּׂדֶה — כַּלֵּה לִבְהֶמְתְּךָ מִן הַבַּיִת.
What is the reason? As it is written: "And for your domestic animal and for the wild beast that is in your land"; as long as the wild beast can eat in the field, you may feed your domestic animal in the house. Once it is gone for the wild beast from the field, you must remove it for your domestic animal from the house.
אָמַר רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ: מַאי לְשׁוֹן ״רְבִיעָה״ — דָּבָר שֶׁרוֹבֵעַ אֶת הַקַּרְקַע. כִּדְרַב יְהוּדָה, דְּאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה: מִיטְרָא בַּעְלַהּ דְּאַרְעָא הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר יֵרֵד הַגֶּשֶׁם וְהַשֶּׁלֶג מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וְשָׁמָּה לֹא יָשׁוּב כִּי אִם הִרְוָה אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְהוֹלִידָהּ וְהִצְמִיחָהּ״.
Rabbi Abbahu said: What is the meaning of the term revi'ah? A thing that mates with the ground. Like that of Rav Yehudah, for Rav Yehudah said: Rain is the husband of the earth, as it is stated: "For as the rain and snow descend from heaven and do not return there, unless it has watered the earth and made it bring forth and bud."
וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ: רְבִיעָה רִאשׁוֹנָה — כְּדֵי שֶׁתֵּרֵד בַּקַּרְקַע טֶפַח. שְׁנִיָּה — כְּדֵי לָגוּף בָּהּ פִּי חָבִית.
And Rabbi Abbahu said: The first rainfall must be enough to penetrate into the ground one tefach. The second must be enough to seal the mouth of a barrel with it.
אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: גְּשָׁמִים שֶׁיָּרְדוּ כְּדֵי לָגוּף בָּהֶן פִּי חָבִית אֵאין בָּהֶן מִשּׁוּם ״וְעָצַר״.
Rav Chisda said: Rains that fell enough to seal the mouth of a barrel with them, they do not have the status of "And He will withhold" the heavens.
וְאָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: גְּשָׁמִים שֶׁיָּרְדוּ קוֹדֶם ״וְעָצַר״, אֵין בָּהֶן מִשּׁוּם ״וְעָצַר״.
And Rav Chisda said: Rains that fell before the curse of "And He will withhold" is read in Shema, they do not have the status of "And He will withhold."
אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: לָא אֲמַרַן אֶלָּא קוֹדֶם ״וְעָצַר״ דְּאוּרְתָּא, אֲבָל קוֹדֶם ״וְעָצַר״ דְּצַפְרָא — יֵשׁ בָּהֶן מִשּׁוּם ״וְעָצַר״. דְּאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה בַּר יִצְחָק: הָנֵי עֲנָנֵי דְּצַפְרָא לֵית בּהוּ מְשָׁשָׁא, דִּכְתִיב: ״מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לְּךָ אֶפְרַיִם מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לְּךָ יְהוּדָה וְחַסְדְּכֶם כַּעֲנַן בֹּקֶר וְגוֹ׳״.
Abaye said: We only said this regarding rain before the "And He will withhold" of the evening, but rain before the "And He will withhold" of the morning has the status of "And He will withhold." For Rav Yehudah bar Yitzchak said: These morning clouds have no substance, as it is written: "What shall I do for you, Ephraim? What shall I do for you, Yehudah? For your goodness is like a morning cloud..."
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב פָּפָּא לְאַבָּיֵי, וְהָא אָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: בְּמִפְתַּח בָּבֵי מִיטְרָא — בַּר חַמָּרָא מוּךְ שַׂקָּךְ וּגְנִי!
Rav Papa said to Abaye: But don't people say: When it rains at the opening of the gates in the morning, donkey driver, fold your sack and sleep because it will rain all day?
לָא קַשְׁיָא: הָא דִּקְטִיר בְּעֵיבָא, הָא דִּקְטִיר בַּעֲנָנֵי.
This is not difficult: This case of substantial rain is when the sky is bound with thick clouds, and that case of unsubstantial rain is when it is bound with light clouds.
אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה: טָבָא לְשַׁתָּא דְּטֵבֵת אַרְמַלְתָּא. אִיכָּא דְאָמְרִי: דְּלָא בַּיְירִי תַּרְבִּיצֵי, וְאִיכָּא דְאָמְרִי: דְּלָא שְׁקִיל שׁוּדְפָנָא.
Rav Yehudah said: It is good for the year when Teves is a widow (dry). Some say this is because the gardens do not lie fallow, and some say it is because the blast does not take the crops.
אִינִי? וְהָאָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: טָבָא לְשַׁתָּא דְּטֵבֵת מְנַוַּולְתָּא!
Is that so? But didn't Rav Chisda say: It is good for the year when Teves is muddy and ugly with rain?
לָא קַשְׁיָא: הָא דַּאֲתָא מִיטְרָא מֵעִיקָּרָא, הָא דְּלָא אֲתָא מִיטְרָא מֵעִיקָּרָא.
This is not difficult: This statement of Rav Yehudah is where rain came beforehand in Marcheshvan and Kislev, and that statement of Rav Chisda is where rain did not come beforehand.
וְאָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: גְּשָׁמִים שֶׁיָּרְדוּ עַל מִקְצָת מְדִינָה וְעַל מִקְצָת מְדִינָה לֹא יָרְדוּ — אֵין בָּהֶן מִשּׁוּם ״וְעָצַר״.
And Rav Chisda said: Rains that fell on part of a province, and on part of the province did not fall, they do not have the status of "And He will withhold."
אִינִי? וְהָכְתִיב: ״וְגַם אָנֹכִי מָנַעְתִּי מִכֶּם אֶת הַגֶּשֶׁם בְּעוֹד שְׁלֹשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים לַקָּצִיר וְהִמְטַרְתִּי עַל עִיר אֶחָת וְעַל עִיר אַחַת לֹא אַמְטִיר חֶלְקָה אַחַת תִּמָּטֵר וְגוֹ׳״, וְאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: שְׁתֵּיהֶן לִקְלָלָה!
Is that so? But isn't it written: "And I also withheld the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest, and I caused it to rain upon one city and upon another city I did not cause it to rain; one field was rained upon..." and Rav Yehudah said that Rav said: Both of them are for a curse!
לָא קַשְׁיָא: הָא דַּאֲתָא טוּבָא, הָא דַּאֲתָא כִּדְמִבְּעֵי לֵיהּ.
This is not difficult: This curse is where it came in excess and ruined the crops, and that blessing is where it came as much as was needed.
אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: דַּיְקָא נָמֵי, דִּכְתִיב: ״תִּמָּטֵר״ — תְּהֵא מְקוֹם מָטָר. שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ.
Rav Ashi said: It is also precise in the pasuk, as it is written: "It shall be rained upon" — meaning it will be a place of too much rain. Learn from this.
אָמַר רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ: מֵאֵימָתַי מְבָרְכִין עַל הַגְּשָׁמִים — מִשֶּׁיֵּצֵא חָתָן לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה.
Rabbi Abbahu said: From when do we bless over the rains? From when the groom goes out to meet the bride, meaning when the puddles on the ground splash up to meet the falling drops.
מַאי מְבָרֵךְ? אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: ״מוֹדִים אֲנַחְנוּ לָךְ ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ עַל כׇּל טִפָּה וְטִפָּה שֶׁהוֹרַדְתָּ לָנוּ״.
What does he bless? Rav Yehudah said that Rav said: "We thank You, Hashem our G-d, for every single drop that You have brought down for us."
וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מְסַיֵּים בַּהּ הָכִי: ״אִילּוּ פִינוּ מָלֵא שִׁירָה כַּיָּם וּלְשׁוֹנֵנוּ רִנָּה כַּהֲמוֹן גַּלָּיו כּוּ׳״, עַד ״אַל יַעְזְבוּנוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְלֹא עֲזָבוּנוּ, בָּרוּךְ רוֹב הַהוֹדָאוֹת״.
And Rabbi Yochanan concludes it like this: "Were our mouth full of song like the sea, and our tongue joy like the abundance of its waves..." until "may Your mercies not forsake us, Hashem our G-d, and not abandon us. Blessed is the One of abundant thanksgivings."
״רוֹב הַהוֹדָאוֹת״ וְלֹא ״כׇּל הַהוֹדָאוֹת״? אָמַר רָבָא, אֵימָא: ״אֵל הַהוֹדָאוֹת״. אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: הִלְכָּךְ
The Gemara asks: "Abundant thanksgivings" and not "all thanksgivings"? Rava said: Say instead: "G-d of thanksgivings." Rav Papa said: Therefore,
The Gemara begins by analyzing the terms yoreh and malkosh, explaining that the yoreh instructs people to prepare their homes and fields, moistens the earth, and falls gently, while the malkosh fills out the grain in its stalks and softens the stubbornness of Klal Yisrael by inspiring teshuvah. We then learn a tannaitic dispute regarding the exact dates of the first rainfall, with Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yehuda, and Rabbi Yosei offering different ranges of dates spanning from the third of Marheshvan until the New Moon of Kislev. Finally, the Gemara establishes the halachah in accordance with Rabbi Yosei regarding the fasting schedule for a drought, and in accordance with Rabban Gamliel that we begin asking for rain on the seventh of Marheshvan.
The Gemara teaches us that the first rain is called "yoreh" because it "instructs" (moreh) people to plaster their roofs, bring in their produce, and prepare for the coming season. Think about this, my dear friend: rain is a direct, miraculous gift from Hashem, yet its very name tells us to get up and do our part. Hashem sends the blessing, but He expects us to prepare the vessel. If we leave our roofs unplastered and our fields untended, the very same rain that should have brought life and warmth will instead cause damage and loss.
This is a profound rule in all of our avodah. We often pray for parnassah, for shalom bayis, or for hatzlahah in our learning, and we wait for a miracle to fall from Heaven. But the Torah is teaching us that when the blessing is about to come, we must first "plaster our roofs." We have to make a vessel. If you want your children to grow up with yiras Shamayim, you cannot just pray; you must show them a home filled with warmth for mitzvos. If you want success in your learning, you must set a fixed time and clear away the distractions.
Even the "malkosh," the late rain, is described by Shmuel as that which "circumcises the stubbornness (kashyuteihen) of Israel." When things do not go exactly as we planned, or when the blessings are delayed, it is not to break us, chas v'shalom. It is Hashem gently softening our hearts, breaking through our stubbornness, and bringing us closer to Him. Every drop of rain, and every event in our lives, is sent with precise timing and immense love to help us grow.
Today, when you pray for Hashem's blessing in any area of your life, take one practical step to prepare your "vessel" for that blessing—whether it is setting a distraction-free zone for your learning or making a concrete plan to avoid a conflict at home.