Question: Now that we have begun again the new cycle of the Torah reading, I read in the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch that one is to say a blessing upon seeing a rainbow but it is forbidden to gaze upon it excessively. Is this not such a beautiful phenomenon? Why should there be any prohibition connected with it?
Zelig Aronson
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Synopsis: Last we cited the Mechaber (O.C. 229:1) that upon seeing a rainbow one is to recite the blessing; thereupon it is forbidden to gaze upon it further. Ba’er Heitev (ad loc) explains that gazing excessively causes one’s eyes to become dim and weak. Mishna Berurah (ad loc) adds that one who sees a rainbow best not tell his fellow. The Rambam in codifying this halacha makes no mention of the above prohibition. Rashi (to Berachot 59a) further codifies that upon encountering a rainbow one is to fall upon his face. The Torah in parshat Noach relates that Hashem set forth the rainbow as a reminder that whenever He is so angry that He wishes to destroy the world, that he had promised Noach never again to destroy the world. Now the question is, does Hashem need a reminder?
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Answer: The source of this unique sign is in parshat Noach as we stated earlier (Genesis 9:12): “And G-d said this is the sign of my covenant which I make between you and Me and every living creature that is with you for everlasting generations… I have set my rainbow in the cloud, and it shall serve as the sign between Me and the earth.”
Rashi (ad loc) notes that the Hebrew word “for generations,” l’dorot, is spelled in the deficient manner. Dorot in Hebrew is spelled maleh – full: Daled, Vav, Reish, Vav, Tav. However, in this verse, it is written chaser – deficient: Daled, Reish, Daled. Why? Because there were generations that never needed a sign because the people were tzaddikim gemurim – completely righteous, like (for example) the generation of King Chizkiyahu [Hezekiah] King of Judea, or the generation of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. The implication seems to be that those generations were whole and they would be referred to (in writing) as Daled, Vav, Reish, Vav, Tav; however, other generations that were lacking somewhat would not be whole, and they would be referred to (in writing) as Daled, Reish, Daled – and they needed the sign (the rainbow).
Siftei Chachamim repeats Rashi’s explanation and also cites Re’em (Rabbi Eliyahu Mizrahi), who says that since l’dorot is written deficient, it should be read l’dorat – an expression of dirah – an abode, which means it addresses each family that resides in this world, and “My rainbow I have set forth in the cloud,” to teach that some families or inhabitants require a sign while others do not.
He also cites Maharshal (Rabbi Shlomo Luria) who says that Dorot (maleh, full) would have alluded to all generations both in this world and in the World to Come, but now that it has been written chaser, deficient, the need and very purpose of the sign is only for those generations in this present world.
Ramban (ad loc) states that it would seem from the reference Zot ot habrit – “this is the sign of my covenant” – that this phenomenon was not present at creation but was created for Noach and his future generations. He notes that it is unusual that the legs or ends of the rainbow are downward, signifying that they are coming from below, as opposed to being inverted in an upward arc, signifying that they are from above. This is an allusion to the bow and arrow of an archer; just as he shoots his arrows upward and they turn downward in an arc to their target. That they don’t come from above is a sign that the “arrows,” or punishments, will not come from above.
He further reconciles and seemingly retracts his earlier assertion that upon further examination of the text (“I have set my rainbow in the cloud”), it would seem that the rainbow was indeed present from Creation but was now (when needed) to be placed in the cloud.
Concerning gazing unnecessarily at the rainbow, he cites sages who say that keshet is a reference to kasheh – something that is hard; that is the harsh judgment (when meted out by Hashem) from above, while there is judgment that is rafeh – soft, and that is judgment meted out by Hashem from below.
Rashi clarifies the verse (9:16) “And the rainbow shall be in the cloud and I shall see it to remember the enduring covenant between G-d and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth,” referring to the concept that there are two kinds of punishment, one that is harsh and one that soft as it recognizes the weakness of all flesh.
The above should give us a bit of understanding of our Sages varying approaches to this phenomenon. Yet, we are still left with a question: Does G-d need any reminders?
(To be continued)
