In this daf, we are zocheh to learn about the immense power of the mitzvos of tzedakah and ma'aser, and how Hashem opens the windows of Shamayim to pour down shefa upon those who are nosei b'ol with their fellow Yidden. The Gemara brings us a beautiful, warm story of Rabbi Yoḥanan meeting the young son of Reish Lakish, showing us the sweet, sharp Torah of a young child who reminds us of the deep emunah we must have in Hashem's promises.
We then move back to the sugya of rain and parnassah, where the Gemara discusses how Hashem provides for the world. We learn about the differences between the falling of rain, which can come down even for the sake of a single yachid, and the blessing of sustenance, which is brought down for the sake of the rabbim.
״עַשֵּׂר תְּעַשֵּׂר״ — עַשֵּׂר בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁתִּתְעַשֵּׁר.
The Torah says, “A tithe shall you tithe”; this can be expounded homiletically: Tithe your produce so that you will become wealthy.
אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לְיָנוֹקָא דְּרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִימָּא לִי פְּסוּקָיךְ!
Rabbi Yochanan found the young son of Reish Lakish and said to him: Recite to me your verse that you learned today in school!
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״עַשֵּׂר תְּעַשֵּׂר״.
The boy said to him: My verse is, “A tithe shall you tithe”.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: וּמַאי ״עַשֵּׂר תְּעַשֵּׂר״?
The boy then said to him: And what is the meaning of “A tithe shall you tithe”?
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: עַשֵּׂר בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁתִּתְעַשֵּׁר,
Rabbi Yochanan said to him: Tithe your produce so that you will become wealthy.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מְנָא לָךְ?
The boy said to him: From where do you know this?
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: זִיל נַסִּי.
Rabbi Yochanan said to him: Go and test it out yourself by tithing.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: וּמִי שְׁרֵי לְנַסּוֹיֵיהּ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא? וְהָכְתִיב: ״לֹא תְנַסּוּ אֶת ה׳״!
The boy said to him: And is it permitted to test the Holy One, Blessed be He? But isn't it written: “You shall not test Hashem”?
אֲמַר לֵיהּ, הָכִי אָמַר רַבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָא: חוּץ מִזּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הָבִיאוּ אֶת כׇּל הַמַּעֲשֵׂר אֶל בֵּית הָאוֹצָר וִיהִי טֶרֶף בְּבֵיתִי וּבְחָנוּנִי נָא בָּזֹאת אָמַר ה׳ צְבָאוֹת אִם לֹא אֶפְתַּח לָכֶם אֵת אֲרֻבּוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וַהֲרִיקֹתִי לָכֶם בְּרָכָה עַד בְּלִי דָי״.
Rabbi Yochanan said to him: So said Rabbi Hoshaya: It is forbidden to test Hashem, except in this matter of tithing, as it is stated: “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and test Me now by this, says Hashem of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until there is more than sufficiency”.
מַאי ״עַד בְּלִי דָי״?
The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of “until there is more than sufficiency [ad beli dai]”?
אָמַר רָמֵי בַּר חָמָא אָמַר רַב: עַד שֶׁיִּבְלוּ שִׂפְתוֹתֵיכֶם מִלּוֹמַר ״דַּי״.
Rami bar Chama said that Rav said: It means until your lips wear out [yivlu] from saying “Enough [dai]”.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִי הֲוָת מָטֵי הָתָם לְהַאי פְּסוּקָא, לָא הֲוֵית צְרִיכְנָא לָךְ וּלְהוֹשַׁעְיָא רַבָּךְ.
The boy said to him: If I had reached there, to this verse in my studies, I would not have needed you or Hoshaya your teacher to tell me this, as the verse itself explicitly permits testing Hashem with tithes.
וְתוּ אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לְיָנוֹקֵיהּ דְּרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ דְּיָתֵיב וְאָמַר: ״אִוֶּלֶת אָדָם תְּסַלֵּף דַּרְכּוֹ וְעַל ה׳ יִזְעַף לִבּוֹ״.
And furthermore, Rabbi Yochanan found the young son of Reish Lakish sitting and reciting the verse: “The foolishness of man perverts his way, and his heart frets against Hashem”.
יְתֵיב רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְקָא מַתְמַהּ. אָמַר: מִי אִיכָּא מִידֵּי דִּכְתִיבִי בִּכְתוּבֵי דְּלָא רְמִיזִי בְּאוֹרָיְיתָא?
Rabbi Yochanan sat and wondered. He said: Is there anything written in the Writings [Kesuvim] that is not alluded to in the Torah itself?
אָמַר לֵיהּ: אַטּוּ הָא מִי לָא רְמִיזִי, וְהָכְתִיב: ״וַיֵּצֵא לִבָּם וַיֶּחֶרְדוּ אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו לֵאמֹר מַה זֹּאת עָשָׂה אֱלֹהִים לָנוּ״.
The boy said to him: Is that to say that this idea is not alluded to in the Torah? But isn't it written regarding Yosef's brothers: “And their heart failed them, and they turned trembling one to another, saying: What is this that G-d has done to us?”, even though their own actions brought it upon them.
דַּל עֵינֵיהּ וַחֲזָא בֵּיהּ, אָתְיָא אִימֵּיהּ אַפֵּיקְתֵּיהּ, אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ: תָּא מִקַּמֵּיהּ, דְּלָא לֶיעְבַּד לָךְ כְּדַעֲבַד לַאֲבוּךְ.
Rabbi Yochanan raised his eyes and stared at him in astonishment. His mother came and took him away; she said to him: Come away from before him, so that he does not do to you as he did to your father, Reish Lakish, who died following Rabbi Yochanan's gaze.
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: מָטָר בִּשְׁבִיל יָחִיד, פַּרְנָסָה בִּשְׁבִיל רַבִּים.
Rabbi Yochanan said: Rain can fall for the sake of an individual, but sustenance comes only for the sake of many.
מָטָר בִּשְׁבִיל יָחִיד, דִּכְתִיב: ״יִפְתַּח ה׳ לְךָ אֶת אוֹצָרוֹ הַטּוֹב לָתֵת מְטַר אַרְצְךָ״.
We know that rain can fall for the sake of an individual, as it is written in the singular: “Hashem will open for you His good treasure, the heaven, to give the rain of your land”.
פַּרְנָסָה בִּשְׁבִיל רַבִּים, דִּכְתִיב: ״הִנְנִי מַמְטִיר לָכֶם לֶחֶם״.
And we know that sustenance comes only for the sake of many, as it is written in the plural: “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you”.
מֵיתִיבִי, רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: שְׁלֹשָׁה פַּרְנָסִים טוֹבִים עָמְדוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אֵלּוּ הֵן: מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן וּמִרְיָם.
The Gemara raises an objection from a Braisa: Rabbi Yosei son of Rabbi Yehuda says: Three good sustainers arose for Israel; these are they: Moshe, Aaron, and Miriam.
וְשָׁלֹשׁ מַתָּנוֹת טוֹבוֹת נִיתְּנוּ עַל יָדָם, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: בְּאֵר, וְעָנָן, וּמָן.
And three good gifts were given through their agency; these are they: the well, the cloud, and the manna.
בְּאֵר — בִּזְכוּת מִרְיָם, עַמּוּד עָנָן — בִּזְכוּת אַהֲרֹן, מָן — בִּזְכוּת מֹשֶׁה.
The well was in the merit of Miriam; the pillar of cloud was in the merit of Aaron; and the manna was in the merit of Moshe.
מֵתָה מִרְיָם — נִסְתַּלֵּק הַבְּאֵר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַתָּמׇת שָׁם מִרְיָם״, וּכְתִיב בָּתְרֵיהּ: ״וְלֹא הָיָה מַיִם לָעֵדָה״, וְחָזְרָה בִּזְכוּת שְׁנֵיהֶן.
When Miriam died, the well disappeared, as it is stated: “And Miriam died there,” and it is written immediately after it: “And there was no water for the congregation”; and it returned in the merit of both of them, Moshe and Aaron.
מֵת אַהֲרֹן — נִסְתַּלְּקוּ עַנְנֵי כָּבוֹד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיִּשְׁמַע הַכְּנַעֲנִי מֶלֶךְ עֲרָד״, מָה שְׁמוּעָה שָׁמַע? שָׁמַע שֶׁמֵּת אַהֲרֹן וְנִסְתַּלְּקוּ עַנְנֵי כָּבוֹד, וּכְסָבוּר נִיתְּנָה לוֹ רְשׁוּת לְהִלָּחֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל.
When Aaron died, the clouds of glory disappeared, as it is stated: “And the Canaanite, the king of Arad, heard.” What report did he hear? He heard that Aaron had died and the clouds of glory had disappeared, and he thought that permission was given to him to wage war against Israel.
וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיִּרְאוּ כׇּל הָעֵדָה כִּי גָוַע אַהֲרֹן״.
And this is as it is written: “And all the congregation saw that Aaron had died.”
אָמַר רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ: אַל תִּקְרֵי ״וַיִּרְאוּ״, אֶלָּא ״וַיִּירָאוּ״.
Rabbi Abbahu said: Do not read the word as “and they saw [vayiru],” but rather read it as “and they were seen [vayyera'u]” because the protective clouds departed.
כִּדְדָרֵישׁ רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ, דְּאָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: ״כִּי״ מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בְּאַרְבַּע לְשׁוֹנוֹת: אִי, דִּלְמָא, אֶלָּא, דְּהָא.
This is as Reish Lakish expounded, for Reish Lakish said: The word ki serves in four meanings: if, perhaps, but, because. Here it means 'because'—they were seen because Aaron died.
חָזְרוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם בִּזְכוּת מֹשֶׁה, מֵת מֹשֶׁה נִסְתַּלְּקוּ כּוּלָּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וָאַכְחִד אֶת שְׁלֹשֶׁת הָרֹעִים בְּיֶרַח אֶחָד״, וְכִי בְּיֶרַח אֶחָד מֵתוּ? וַהֲלֹא מִרְיָם מֵתָה בְּנִיסָן, וְאַהֲרֹן בְּאָב, וּמֹשֶׁה בַּאֲדָר!
Both of them, the well and the clouds, returned in the merit of Moshe. When Moshe died, they all disappeared, as it is stated: “And I cut off the three shepherds in one month.” But did they die in one month? Surely Miriam died in Nissan, Aaron in Av, and Moshe in Adar!
אֶלָּא, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנִּתְבַּטְּלוּ שָׁלֹשׁ מַתָּנוֹת טוֹבוֹת שֶׁנִּתְּנוּ על יָדָם, וְנִסְתַּלְּקוּ כּוּלָּן בְּיֶרַח אֶחָד.
Rather, this teaches that the three good gifts that were given through them were annulled, and they all disappeared in one month when Moshe died.
אַלְמָא אַשְׁכְּחַן פַּרְנָסָה בִּשְׁבִיל יָחִיד!
Consequently, we find that sustenance, namely the manna, came for the sake of an individual, Moshe! This contradicts Rabbi Yochanan's statement.
שָׁאנֵי מֹשֶׁה, כֵּיוָן דִּלְרַבִּים הוּא בָּעֵי — כְּרַבִּים דָּמֵי.
The Gemara answers: Moshe is different; since he requested sustenance for the public, he is considered like the public himself.
רַב הוּנָא בַּר מָנוֹחַ וְרַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר אִידִי וְרַב חִיָּיא מִוּוֹסְתַּנְיָא הֲווֹ שְׁכִיחִי קַמֵּיהּ דְּרָבָא.
The Gemara relates: Rav Huna bar Manoch, Rav Shmuel bar Idi, and Rav Chiyya of Vostanya were regularly found before Rava as his disciples.
כִּי נָח נַפְשֵׁיהּ דְּרָבָא, אֲתוֹ לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב פָּפָּא, כׇּל אֵימַת דַּהֲוָה אָמַר לְהוּ שְׁמַעְתָּא וְלָא הֲוָה מִסְתַּבְּרָא לְהוּ, הֲווֹ מְרַמְּזִי אַהֲדָדֵי. חֲלַשׁ דַּעְתֵּיהּ.
When Rava's soul came to rest, they came before Rav Papa. Whenever he would say a halachic teaching to them and it did not seem reasonable to them, they would wink at one another. Rav Papa felt weak in his mind from this.
אַקְרְיוּהּ בְּחֶלְמֵיהּ: ״וָאַכְחִד אֶת שְׁלֹשֶׁת הָרֹעִים״.
They read to him in his dream the verse: “And I cut off the three shepherds.”
לִמְחַר, כִּי הֲווֹ מִיפַּטְרִי מִינֵּיהּ, אֲמַר לְהוּ: לֵיזְלוּ רַבָּנַן בִּשְׁלָמָא.
The next day, when they were taking leave of him, he said to them: Let the Rabbis go in peace, wishing to part from them before any harm befell them.
רַב שִׁימִי בַּר אָשֵׁי הֲוָה שְׁכִיחַ קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב פָּפָּא, הֲוָה מַקְשֵׁי לֵיהּ טוּבָא.
Similarly, Rav Shimi bar Ashi was regularly found before Rav Papa, and he would ask him many difficult questions.
יוֹמָא חַד חַזְיֵיהּ דִּנְפַל עַל אַפֵּיהּ, שַׁמְעֵיהּ דְּאָמַר: רַחֲמָנָא לִיצְּלַן מִכִּיסּוּפָא דְשִׁימִי.
One day, he saw him fall on his face in Tachanun, and he heard him say: May the Merciful One save me from the embarrassment of Shimi!
קַבֵּיל עֲלֵיהּ שְׁתִיקוּתָא, וְתוּ לָא אַקְשִׁי לֵיהּ.
Shimi accepted upon himself silence, and he did not ask him any more difficult questions.
וְאַף רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ סָבַר מָטָר בִּשְׁבִיל יָחִיד, דְּאָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: מִנַּיִן לַמָּטָר בִּשְׁבִיל יָחִיד,
And even Reish Lakish holds that rain falls for the sake of an individual, as Reish Lakish said: From where is it derived that rain falls for the sake of an individual?
דִּכְתִיב: ״שַׁאֲלוּ מֵה׳ מָטָר בְּעֵת מַלְקוֹשׁ ה׳ עֹשֶׂה חֲזִיזִים וּמְטַר גֶּשֶׁם יִתֵּן לָהֶם לְאִישׁ עֵשֶׂב בַּשָּׂדֶה״.
As it is written: “Ask of Hashem rain in the time of the latter rain, Hashem who makes lightnings, and He will give them showers of rain, to every man grass in the field.”
יָכוֹל לַכֹּל — תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״לְאִישׁ״.
One might have thought it falls only for everyone; therefore the verse states: “to every man”, meaning even for one individual.
וְתַנְיָא: אִי לְאִישׁ, יָכוֹל לְכׇל שְׂדוֹתָיו — תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״שָׂדֶה״.
And it was taught in a Braisa: If it says “to every man,” I might have thought it means for all of his fields; therefore the verse states: “field” in the singular.
אִי שָׂדֶה, יָכוֹל לְכׇל הַשָּׂדֶה — תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״עֵשֶׂב״.
If it says “field,” I might have thought it means for the entire field; therefore the verse states: “grass”, meaning even for a single patch of grass.
כִּי הָא דְּרַב דָּנִיאֵל בַּר קַטִּינָא הֲוָה לֵיהּ הָהִיא גִּינְּתָא. כׇּל יוֹמָא הֲוָה אָזֵיל וְסָיַיר לַהּ. אָמַר: הָא מֵישְׁרָא בָּעֲיָא מַיָּא, וְהָא מֵישְׁרָא לָא בָּעֲיָא מַיָּא. וַאֲתָא מִיטְרָא וְקָמַשְׁקֵי כׇּל הֵיכָא דְּמִיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ מַיָּא.
This is like that of Rav Daniel bar Katrina, who had a certain garden. Every day he would go and inspect it. He would say: This garden bed needs water, and this garden bed does not need water. And rain would come and water only wherever water was needed.
מַאי ״ה׳ עֹשֶׂה חֲזִיזִים״?
The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of “Hashem who makes lightnings [chazizim]”?
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא: מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכׇּל צַדִּיק הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה לוֹ חֲזִיז בִּפְנֵי עצְמוֹ.
Rabbi Yosei son of Rabbi Chanina said: This teaches that for every righteous person, the Holy One, Blessed be He, makes a lightning cloud for him individually.
מַאי ״חֲזִיזִים״?
The Gemara asks: What are chazizim?
אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה: פּוֹרְחוֹת.
Rav Yehuda said: Thin clouds [porchos].
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: סִימָן לַמָּטָר — פּוֹרְחוֹת.
Rabbi Yochanan said: A sign of rain is the appearance of porchos.
מַאי פּוֹרְחוֹת?
The Gemara asks: What are porchos?
אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: עֵיבָא קְלִישָׁא תּוּתֵי עֵיבָא סְמִיכְתָּא.
Rav Papa said: A thin cloud beneath a thick cloud.
אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה: נְהִילָא מִקַּמֵּי מִיטְרָא — אָתֵי מִיטְרָא. בָּתַר מִיטְרָא — פָּסֵיק מִיטְרָא.
Rav Yehuda said: A light drizzle before the rain indicates that rain is coming; but a drizzle after the rain indicates that the rain is stopping.
מִקַּמֵּי מִיטְרָא — אָתֵי מִיטְרָא. וְסִימָנָיךְ: מַהוֹלְתָּא. דְּבָתַר מִיטְרָא — פָּסֵיק מִיטְרָא. וְסִימָנָיךְ: חַרְיָא דְעִיזֵּי.
A drizzle before the rain means rain is coming, and your mnemonic is a sieve which lets fine dust through first. A drizzle after the rain means the rain is stopping, and your mnemonic is goat dung which becomes thin at the end.
עוּלָּא אִיקְּלַע לְבָבֶל, חֲזָא פּוֹרְחוֹת, אֲמַר לְהוּ: פַּנּוּ מָאנֵי, דְּהַשְׁתָּא אָתֵי מִיטְרָא. לְסוֹף לָא אָתֵי מִיטְרָא.
Ulla happened to visit Babylonia; he saw thin clouds [porchos] and said to them: Clear your vessels inside, for now rain is coming. In the end, no rain came.
אָמַר: כִּי הֵיכִי דִּמְשַׁקְּרִי בַּבְלָאֵי, הָכִי מְשַׁקְּרִי מִיטְרַיְיהוּ.
He said: Just as the Babylonians are deceptive, so is their rain deceptive.
עוּלָּא אִיקְּלַע לְבָבֶל, חָזֵי מְלָא צַנָּא דְתַמְרֵי בְּזוּזָא.
On another occasion, Ulla happened to visit Babylonia; he saw a full basket of dates sold for a zuz.
אֲמַר: מְלָא צַנָּא דְּדוּבְשָׁא בְּזוּזָא, וּבַבְלָאֵי לָא עָסְקִי בְּאוֹרָיְיתָא?
He said: A full basket of honey for a zuz, and yet the Babylonians do not engage in Torah study when sustenance is so cheap?
בְּלֵילְיָא צַעֲרוּהוּ, אָמַר: מְלָא צַנָּא דְסַכִּינֵי בְּזוּזָא, וּבַבְלָאֵי עָסְקִי בְּאוֹרָיְיתָא!
At night, the dates pained him in his stomach. He then said: A full basket of knives for a zuz! No wonder the Babylonians do engage in Torah study despite such pain!
תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: כׇּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ מִמֵּימֵי אוֹקְיָינוֹס הוּא שׁוֹתֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְאֵד יַעֲלֶה מִן הָאָרֶץ וְהִשְׁקָה אֶת כׇּל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה״.
It was taught in a Braisa: Rabbi Eliezer says: The entire world drinks from the waters of the ocean, as it is stated: “And a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.”
אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: וַהֲלֹא מֵימֵי אוֹקְיָינוֹס מְלוּחִין הֵן!
Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: But are not the waters of the ocean salty?
אָמַר לוֹ: מִתְמַתְּקִין בֶּעָבִים.
Rabbi Eliezer said to him: They are sweetened in the clouds.
רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר: כׇּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ מִמַּיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים הוּא שׁוֹתֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לִמְטַר הַשָּׁמַיִם תִּשְׁתֶּה מָּיִם״,
Rabbi Yehoshua says: The entire world drinks from the upper waters of heaven, as it is stated: “From the rain of heaven it drinks water.”
אֶלָּא מָה אֲנִי מְקַיֵּים ״וְאֵד יַעֲלֶה מִן הָאָרֶץ״?
But how do I establish the verse: “And a mist went up from the earth”?
מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָעֲנָנִים מִתְגַּבְּרִים וְעוֹלִים לָרָקִיעַ, וּפוֹתְחִין פִּיהֶן כְּנוֹד, וּמְקַבְּלִין מֵי מָטָר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״יָזֹקּוּ מָטָר לְאֵדוֹ״.
This teaches that the clouds gather strength and rise to the sky, and open their mouths like a flask, and receive the rain water, as it is stated: “They distill rain from its mist.”
וּמְנוּקָּבוֹת הֵן כִּכְבָרָה, וּבָאוֹת וּמְחַשְּׁרוֹת מַיִם עַל גַּבֵּי קַרְקַע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״חַשְׁרַת מַיִם עָבֵי שְׁחָקִים״.
And they are perforated like a sieve, and they come and drip water onto the ground, as it is stated: “A gathering of water, thick clouds of the skies.”
וְאֵין בֵּין טִיפָּה לְטִיפָּה אֶלָּא כִּמְלֹא נִימָא, לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁגָּדוֹל יוֹם הַגְּשָׁמִים כְּיוֹם שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ בּוֹ שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ.
And there is no more than a hair's breadth between one drop and another, to teach you that the day of rains is as great as the day on which heaven and earth were created.
שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עֹשֶׂה גְדֹלוֹת וְאֵין חֵקֶר״, וּכְתִיב: ״הַנֹּתֵן מָטָר עַל פְּנֵי אָרֶץ״,
As it is stated regarding creation: “Who does great things past finding out,” and it is written regarding rain: “Who gives rain upon the face of the earth,” linking them with the word 'finding out'.
וּכְתִיב לְהַלָּן: ״הֲלוֹא יָדַעְתָּ אִם לֹא שָׁמַעְתָּ אֱלֹהֵי עוֹלָם ה׳ אֵין חֵקֶר לִתְבוּנָתוֹ״, וּכְתִיב: ״מֵכִין הָרִים בְּכֹחוֹ וְגוֹ׳״.
And it is written elsewhere: “Have you not known? Have you not heard? Hashem is the everlasting G-d... there is no finding out of His understanding,” and it is written: “Who by His strength sets fast the mountains.”
כְּמַאן אָזְלָא הָא דִּכְתִיב: ״מַשְׁקֶה הָרִים מֵעֲלִיּוֹתָיו״, וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: מֵעֲלִיּוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כְּמַאן — כְּרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ.
The Gemara asks: Like whom goes that which is written: “He waters the mountains from His upper chambers,” and Rabbi Yochanan said: This means from the upper chambers of the Holy One, Blessed be He? Like whom is this? It is like Rabbi Yehoshua, who says rain comes from the upper waters.
וְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, כֵּיוָן דְּסָלְקִי לְהָתָם — ״מַשְׁקֶה מֵעֲלִיּוֹתָיו״ קָרֵי לְהוּ.
And how does Rabbi Eliezer explain this? He would say: Since the ocean waters rise up there to the clouds, the verse calls them “watering from His upper chambers.”
דְּאִי לָא תֵּימָא הָכִי, ״אָבָק וְעָפָר מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם״ הֵיכִי מַשְׁכַּחַתְּ לַהּ?
For if you do not say so, how do you find the fulfillment of the verse: “The dust and dirt from heaven”? Does dust actually originate in heaven?
אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן דְּמִדְּלֵי לְהָתָם — ״מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם״ קָרֵי לֵיהּ. הָכִי נָמֵי: דְּסָלְקִי לְהָתָם — ״מֵעֲלִיּוֹתָיו״ קָרֵי לֵיהּ.
Rather, since it is raised up there by the wind, the verse calls it “from heaven.” So too here: since the waters rise up there, the verse calls them “from His upper chambers.”
כְּמַאן אָזְלָא הָא דְּאָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: ״כֹּנֵס כַּנֵּד מֵי הַיָּם נֹתֵן בְּאוֹצָרוֹת תְּהוֹמוֹת״. מִי גָּרַם לָאוֹצָרוֹת שֶׁיִּתְמַלְּאוּ בָּר — תְּהוֹמוֹת, כְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר.
The Gemara asks: Like whom goes that which Rabbi Chanina said: “He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deeps in storehouses.” What causes the storehouses of heaven to be filled with grain? The deeps of the ocean. This is like Rabbi Eliezer.
וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: הָהוּא
And Rabbi Yehoshua explains that verse as referring to...
The Gemara begins with the famous drashah of 'Aser te'aser'—tithe so that you will become wealthy—explaining that ma'aser is the one unique mitzvah where a Yid is permitted to test Hashem. After a touching exchange between Rabbi Yoḥanan and the young son of Reish Lakish regarding the source for this and how a person's own foolishness brings him trouble, the Gemara transitions to the halachos of rain. Rabbi Yoḥanan teaches that while rain can fall for an individual, sustenance (parnassah) requires the merit of the community, which the Gemara analyzes by looking at the three great sustainers of Klal Yisrael in the midbar—Moshe, Aharon, and Miriam—and the three gifts of the manna, the clouds of glory, and the well that were given in their merit.
The Gemara on today's daf teaches us a profound lesson about how we view the challenges and blessings in our lives. We see the young son of Reish Lakish quoting the pasuk, "The foolishness of man perverts his way, and his heart frets against the Lord." How often do we make poor choices, neglect our spiritual growth, or act with impulsivity, only to turn around and cry out, "Why is Hashem doing this to me?" This is the ultimate trick of the yetzer hara—to blind us to our own actions and make us feel like victims of Heaven. True avodah begins with taking responsibility for our choices instead of blaming Hashem for the natural consequences of our mistakes.
On the other hand, the Gemara shows us the path of absolute trust through the mitzvah of tzedakah: "Tithe so that you will become wealthy." Hashem actually invites us to test Him in this one area. When we open our hands to give, even when we feel we cannot afford it, we are not losing; we are opening the channels of shefa. The key to receiving the ultimate blessing—where our lips are worn out from saying "enough"—is to step out of our self-centered calculations and trust in His promise.
Today, when you face a frustration or setback, do not let your heart fret against Hashem. Instead, take a moment to look inward with honesty. Then, find one small way to give tzedakah or help another Yid, trusting fully that Hashem will return the blessing to you in abundance.