How exciting it is for me to be able to deepen my understanding of prayers and take you with me on my travels! In the mussar portion of the Chok L’Yisrael in parshas Tzav, day five, it says ‘There is no better way to achieve the guarantee of rescue and redemption from Hashem than through the means of good prayer.’ It therefore behooves us to brush up on meaningful prayer as much as possible. (Please enjoy my shiurim on Chok L’Yisrael on TorahAnytime.com and Kol Halashon. You can text me at 718.916.3100 to be notified whenever I do a live Zoom Chok.)
During the winter months, we insert in the second blessing of the Shemoneh Esrei the praise, “Mashiv haruach u’morid hageshem,” that Hashem causes the winds to blow and brings down the rain. The subject of rain is situated in the blessing of the resurrection. This is because, just like a corpse, a seed is dry without any pulsation or animation whatsoever. Yet when the rains come down, it causes it to flourish and come alive. This is why the Gemara refers to rain as gevuras geshamim, the might of rain.
The Zohar teaches us that rain descends from the bechina, manifestation, of gevurah. This is also why it is situated in the second blessing. The first blessing refers to Avraham, who is the embodiment of chesed. The second blessing corresponds to Yitzchak, who represents gevurah. Thus we learn in Sefer Bereishis how Yitzchak dug wells, for he is connected to the gift of rain.
We first thank Hashem for the blessing of the wind. The winds are critical for they bring the clouds to where the rain is needed. This is so we don’t have to get soaked all the time and to ensure that the places which desperately need the rain get it timely.
The Gemara teaches us in Masechtas Taanis that the day of rain is great like the day of the creation of Heaven and Earth. Rav Avigdor Miller, zt”l, zy”a, waxes poetically about a rainy day. He says that before children join the bandwagon of associating a rainy day with gloom and melancholy, parents should train them to be excited about a rainy day. He explains how many myriads of creatures in the fields and the forest, in the yards and the streets, thirstily lift up their mouths and drink appreciatively when it rains. How many blades of grass, leaves, fruits and plants drink thirstily from the life-giving rain! This is besides its primary purpose, of filling the reservoirs so that mankind can continue to exist. It is therefore wise to view the gift of rain as an act of chesed, of magnificent and massive proportions, and thank Hashem accordingly.
We then say, “M’chalkeil chaim b’chesed – Hashem sustains life with kindness.” The Olas Tamid emphasizes that we merit sustenance only because of Hashem’s kindness. If He would maintain the world with din, strict justice, we wouldn’t be deserving to survive. As the Gemara says in Masechtas Brachos [17], “Kol ha-olam kulo nizonin b’tzedakah – The whole world is supported through Hashem’s charity.”
We then go on to say, “Mechaiyei meisim b’rachamim rabim – You bring the dead to life with great mercy.” The great Chavos Yair, zt”l, zy”a, says that when Hashem accepts teshuva, the repentance of a sinner, it is a manifestation of techias hameisim, resurrection, for in reality a sinner is supposed to die. At this juncture, we should also have in mind that Hashem should resurrect with great mercy and return to the fold all the children and adults who are off the derech and strayed from their roots. It is a true techias hameisim when they find their way back and return to the ways of their ancestors.
The Avudrahan, zt”l, zy”a, says that we mention the attribute of mechaiyei meisim three separate times in this blessing. One refers to Hashem returning our souls back to our unmoving bodies every morning after sleep, one alludes to the life bearing benefits of rain, and one thanks Hashem for the eventual resurrection in the future.
The Olas Tamid points out that we say rofei cholim, that Hashem cures the sick, following the phrase mechaiyei meisim b’rachamim rabim. He explains that this alludes to the fact that people who are ill at the time of their deaths, first they will be resurrected. Following this they will be completely cured from their amputations, deformities and illnesses.
Finally, we are taught that on Shabbos, when we don’t have the eighth blessing of refa’einu where we pray for healing, we can have this in mind when we say rofei cholim in second blessing of techias hameisim. This is also a hidden meaning in the Talmudic advice, Shabbos hi melizak u’refua krova lavah, which literally means that on Shabbos we are not supposed to cry out (even if we are in pain) and in that merit good health will quickly come. But this statement can also be rendered that since on Shabbos we can’t cry out, and we don’t say the regular blessing of refa’einu, we can have good health in mind much earlier. Therefore, it is quicker to come, krova lavoh, since during the week we say it in the eighth blessing, while on Shabbos we think of it in the second blessing when we say rofei cholim.
In the merit of our intense prayers, may Hashem bless us with long life, good health, and everything wonderful.
Transcribed and edited by Shelley Zeitlin.
