Can Israelis be happy that heavy rains are falling on most of the country on Sunday and helping to replenish a relatively empty Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) even though Jews have stopped praying for rain?
The snow, hail and rain that began in the north Friday night has closed part of the main highway in the Jordan Valley and has brought more than in inch of rain to some areas. This April is headed to be one of the wettest on record.
However, on the first day of Passover, Jews all over the world changed the declaration in the prayer “[He causes] the wind to blow and the rain to fall “to “[He causes] the dew to fall.”
In the silent prayer recited three times a day, Jews say in the winter:
Bless for us, Lord our God, this year and all the varieties of its produce for good, and bestow dew and rain for blessing) upon the face of the earth.
In the additional prayers in the morning, Jews says from approximately a month after Yom Kippur say “…and bestow dew and rain for blessing” until the additional prayers in the morning on the first day of Passover, when it is changed to “”and bestow blessing,” without any reference to rain.
Rabbis explain that the prayer is meant for farmers and therefore no one should praise God for today’s rain.
However, the Kabalistic rabbi of Sanz on Sunday noted a different aspect of the timing of this year’s “late” rain.
Jews on Friday, before Shabbat, make a blessing on separating the dough made for challah, a blessing that is considered a sign for prosperity and good health.
The separation of the dough could not be done this year because Friday also was the Seventh Day of Passover, when no bread is made.
The Sanz rabbi was quoted on the Hareidi Kikar Shabbat website as saying,
God gave us a direct sign for prosperity through the key of rain that in His hands. There was no need for us to bake and use the key of separating the dough. Ha Shem already gave us a clue for this by turning the key for rain.
Jews continue to pray for dew and not for rain, but the weather forecast suggests Israel will continue to have a wet week.
The official weather site calls for rain from the north to the northern Negev throughout Sunday, with isolated thunderstorms snow on the Hermon and flash floods in the Jordan Valley and southern Israel.
“Local light rain is expected over the north and center.
Monday: Isolated light showers are expected in the north and center. Temperatures will rise but will remain lower than the seasonal average.
Tuesday: Partly Cloudy. Chance of light rain mainly in northern and central regions. Temperatures will still remain lower than the seasonal average.
Wednesday: Partly cloudy and slightly warmer. Chance of isolated showers over the eastern regions throughout the day.