Genesis Rabbah 13

¹“All the shrubs of the field had yet to be in the earth, and no vegetation of the field had yet to sprout, because the Lord God did not cause it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man to till the ground” (Genesis 2:5). “All the shrubs of the field had yet to be in the earth” – here it says: “All the shrubs of the field […and no vegetation],” but later it says: “The Lord God grew from the ground [every tree]” (Genesis 2:9). Rabbi Ḥanina said: There it is referring to the Garden of Eden, and here it is referring to the development of [the rest of] the world. Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: Both these and those did not grow until rain fell on them. ²“All the shrubs [ siaḥ ] of the field” – all the trees converse [ mesiḥin ] with one another, as it were. All the trees converse with people, as it were. All the trees were created for the benefit of people. There was an incident involving an individual who harvested his vineyard, spent the night in it, and the wind came and harmed him. All of people’s conversation [ siaḥ ] is about the land. [They say:] ‘Did the land produce? Did it not produce?’ All of people’s prayers ( Bereshit Rabbah 60:14). are about the land: ‘Lord, may the land produce; Lord, may the land flourish.’ All of Israel’s prayers are only regarding the Temple: ‘Lord, may the Temple be built; Lord, when will the Temple be built?’ alludes to prayer, as above, and “field” alludes to the Temple ( Bereshit Rabbah 22:7). ³“Because the Lord God did not cause it to rain upon the earth” – it mentions a complete name in association with a completed world. Rabbi Ḥilfai said: Just as it mentions a complete name for a complete world [in that verse],so it mentions a complete name [here,] regarding rainfall. Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai said: Three matters are of equal importance to one another, and they are: Earth [ eretz ], man [ adam ], and rain [ matar ]. Rabbi Levi bar Ḥiyya said: The three of them are each of three letters, to teach you that if there is no earth there is no rain, and if there is no rain there is no earth, and without the two of them, there is no man. ⁴Rabbi Hoshaya said: Remarkable is the might of rain, as it is the equivalent of the entire act of Creation. What is the source? “Who performs great things, and there is no fathoming” (Job 5:9). Through what? “He gives rain over the face of the earth, and sends water over the surface of fields” (Job 5:10). Rabbi Aḥa cites it from here: “He makes the earth with His might, founds the world with His wisdom” (Jeremiah 10:12). What is written thereafter? “To the sound of His placement of the multitude of water in the heavens” (Jeremiah 10:13), and “sound” refers to none other than rain, as it is stated: “Depths call to depths in the sound of your waterways” (Psalms 42:8). ⁵Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It [rain] indicates [divine] favor [ meratze ] comparable to [that which is facilitated by] offerings, as it is stated [regarding rain]: “Lord, You showed favor to [ ratzita ] Your land” (Psalms 85:2), and elsewhere it is written: “They will be offered up with acceptance [ ratzon ] upon My altar” (Isaiah 56:7, 60:7). Rabbi Simon said: It is even [compared to] ingathering of the exiles, as it is stated [there]: “You returned Jacob from captivity” (Psalms 85:2). Rabbi Yoḥanan bar Marya says: It is a [sign of] quelling fury, as it is stated [there]: “You quelled all Your fury” (Psalms 85:4). Rabbi Tanḥum bar Ḥanilai said: It is even [a sign of] atonement for sins, as it is stated [there]: “You bore the iniquity of Your people” (Psalms 85:3). ⁶Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: It is of equal importance to the revival of the dead. Rabbi Abba and Rabbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rabbi Abba said: Indeed, the Sages placed it in [the prayers in the blessing of] the revival of the dead. prayer. In regard to this one [rain] a hand is mentioned, and in regard to that one [the revival of the dead] a hand is mentioned; in regard to this one [rain], opening up is mentioned, and in regard to that one [the revival of the dead], opening up is mentioned. In this one, a hand is mentioned, as it is stated [regarding Ezekiel’s resurrection of the dry bones]: “The hand of the Lord was upon me…” (Ezekiel 37:1). In that one, a hand is mentioned: “You open Your hand [and amply feed all living beings]” (Psalms 145:16). In this one, opening up is mentioned: “The Lord will open up for you [His good storehouse, the heavens, to provide the rain of your land]” (Deuteronomy 28:12). In that one, opening up is mentioned: “Behold, I am opening up your graves…” (Ezekiel 37:12). Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Elazar bar Avina: This one has song associated with it and that one has song associated with it. This one has song associated with it: “Those who dwell in the rocks will sing” (Isaiah 42:11). And that one has song associated with it [as it is stated regarding rainfall]: “They shout for joy and they sing [ yashiru ]” (Psalms 65:14). Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: It [rainfall] is in fact greater than the revival of the dead, as the revival of the dead benefits only people, whereas this [rainfall] benefits people and animals; the revival of the dead benefits only Israel, whereas this [rainfall] benefits Israel and idolaters. A certain idolater once asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa, saying to him: ‘You have holidays and we have holidays; when you are rejoicing we are not rejoicing, and when we are rejoicing you are not rejoicing. When do you and we both rejoice? When rain falls. What is the source for this? “The meadows are covered with flocks of sheep; the valleys are wrapped in grain. They shout for joy, and they sing” (Psalms 65:14). What is written thereafter? “Shout to God, priests, Levites, and Israelites” is not written, but rather, “shout to God, all the earth”’ (Psalms 66:1). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: When the rain falls, the animals seek to mate. What is the source? “The meadows are covered with flocks of sheep [ laveshu karim hatzon ]” (Psalms 65:14) – a euphemism for the rams mounting the sheep. ] cover over [ laveshu ] the ewes [ hatzon ].” ⁷“And there was no man to till [ laavod ] the ground” – there was no man to induce people to worship [ lehaavid ] the Holy One blessed be He, like Elijah the prophet and Ḥoni HaMe’agel. “And there was no man to till the ground” – man was created only for toil. If he merits, his toil is with Torah. If he does not merit, his toil is with the earth. Fortunate is the person whose toil is with Torah. ⁸“Because the Lord God did not cause it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man…” – were it not for man, there would be no covenant made with the earth to cause rain to fall on it, as it is stated: “Who would…bring rain on land with no man, or on a wilderness with no person in it?” (Job 38:26). ⁹“All the streams go to the sea, [yet the sea is not full; to the place that the streams go, there they go again]” (Ecclesiastes 1:7) – there was an incident involving Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua, who set sail in the Great Sea, and their ship entered a place in the sea where the water was not moving. Rabbi Eliezer said to Rabbi Yehoshua: ‘We came here only for some test.’ They filled a barrel of water from that place. When they arrived in Rome, Hadrian, may his bones be crushed, said to them: ‘What is the nature of seawater?’ They said to him: ‘It contains water that absorbs water.’ He said to them: ‘Give me some of it [to test].’ They gave him a bowlful. He put water into it, and it swallowed it up. According to the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer, ] again” (Ecclesiastes 1:7). it is from there [the sea] that they [the streams] draw [ sho’avim ] water. According to the opinion of Rabbi Yehoshua, “there they return [ shavim ] again.” “A mist would rise from the earth, and water all of the surface of the ground” (Genesis 2:6). How was the earth watered? Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis, Rabbi Yehuda says: Like the Nile, which [floods over and] waters, and then waters again. Rabbi Neḥemya said: Like the inside of the [bed of the] Kavriya Stream, which wells up [and waters it] and is absorbed back into the ground. The rabbis say: It is like the Tavai. There is a river in Babylon named Tavai. Why do they call it Tavai? It is because it irrigates [its surroundings] once in forty years. is related to tohu (emptiness), as, in between its rare inundations, the surrounding area is desolate. That is the way that the earth was irrigated at the beginning, as it is written: “A mist would rise from the earth,” but the Holy One blessed be He reconsidered, [ordaining] that the earth should [thenceforth] be watered only from above. Rabbi Ḥanan of Tzippori said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Rabbi Naḥman: The Holy One blessed be He reconsidered, [ordaining] that the earth should be watered only from above, for four reasons: Because of powerful people; in order to wash away harmful dew; so that the highlands could be watered just like the lowlands; and so that everyone would direct their eyes heavenward. That is what is written: “To raise the lowly on High” (Job 5:11). ¹⁰From where does the earth receive its [rain] water? Rabbi Eliezer says: From the water of the ocean, as it is written: “A mist would rise from the earth.” Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: But is the ocean water not salty? He said to him: It becomes sweetened in the clouds, as it is written: “Which the skies distill” (Job 36:28). Where is it distilled? In the skies. Rabbi Yehoshua says: [Rain comes] from the upper waters, as it is stated: “By the rains of the heavens it drinks water” (Deuteronomy 11:11). The clouds rise up from the earth to the firmament and there [from above] they receive it [rain] as from the mouth of a jug, as it is written: “Which cluster into rain from His mist” (Job 36:27). And they [the clouds] separate it [the water] like a type of sieve, so that no drop touches its counterpart, as it is written: “Dripping water, thick clouds of the skies [ sheḥakim ]” (II Samuel 22:12). Why does he call it [the sky] sheḥakim ? Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: It is because it crushes [ shoḥakim ] the water [into little pieces]. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Like an omasum. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Like an animal’s intestines. ¹¹Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Clouds come only from above, as it is stated: “And behold, among the clouds of the heavens” (Daniel 7:13). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: Clouds come only from below, as it is stated: “He makes clouds ascend from the ends of the earth” (Psalms 135:7). According to the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan, it is analogous to one who gifts someone a cask of wine along with its pitcher. Rabbi Shimon says: It is analogous to one who said to another: ‘Lend me a se’a of wheat.’ He says to him: ‘Bring your basket and come measure [the wheat] into it.’ So, the Holy One blessed be He says to the earth: ‘Bring your clouds and receive rain.’ ¹²It [a cloud] is called by five names: Av (Judges 5:4), ed (Genesis 2:6), anan (Genesis 9:13), nesiim (Jeremiah 10:13), ḥaziz (Zechariah 10:1). Av – because it darkens [ me’abev ] the face of the firmament. Ed – because it ruins the celebration [ eid ] of the price gougers. Anan – because it makes people tolerant [ anavim ] of one another. Nesiim – because it makes people regard each other as aristocrats [ nesiim ]. Ḥaziz – because it creates [colorful] spectacles [ ḥezyonot ] in the heavens, and because it causes the divine spirit to rest upon the people, as it says: “The vision [ ḥazon ] of Isaiah son of Amotz” (Isaiah 1:1). Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: Earth is called by four names, corresponding to its four seasons: Eretz (Genesis 1:1), tevel (I Samuel 2:8), adama (Genesis 1:25), arka (Jeremiah 10:11). Eretz – corresponding to the season of Nisan [spring], because it accelerates [ meritza ] production of its produce. Tevel – corresponding to the season of Tamuz [summer], because it brings flavor [ metabelet ] to its produce. Adama – corresponding to the season of Tishrei [autumn], as the ground becomes disparate clods of earth [ adama ]. Arka – corresponding to the season of Tevet [winter], because it causes its produce to wither [ moreket ]. ¹³How much rain needs to fall to constitute “permeation”? When [the rain reaches] the depth of a plow blade, which is three handbreadths, this is the statement of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yehuda says: In hard earth, one handbreadth; in moderate earth, two handbreadths; in moist earth, three handbreadths. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar said: There is no handbreadth of rain falling from above that does not have [the water inside] the earth rise a corresponding two handbreadths. What is the source? “Depths call to depths in the sound of your waterways…” (Psalms 42:8). Rabbi Levi said: The upper waters [rain] are like males and the lower [underground] waters are like females, and one [the upper] says to the other [the lower]: ‘Accept us; you are the creation of the Holy One blessed be He and we are His emissaries.’ They thereupon accept them. That is what is written: “Let the earth open” (Isaiah 45:8) – like the female that opens herself up for the male. “Salvation will flourish [ veyifru ]” (Isaiah 45:8) – because they [the two kinds of waters] are fruitful and multiply. “And righteousness will sprout together” (Isaiah 45:8) – this refers to the falling of rain. “I, the Lord, created it” (Isaiah 45:8) – this is why I created it, for the improvement of the world and its settlement. ¹⁴Rabbi Berekhya said: A calamity can also mean calamity, as in Deuteronomy 32:35. ascended from the earth, and thereupon “and watered all of the surface of the ground” (Genesis 2:6). This is like the opinion of Rabbi Berekhya, as Rabbi Berekhya said: “My lesson will fall [ yaarof ] as rain…” (Deuteronomy 32:2) – when the necks [ oref ] of the people are broken [through tragedy], at that point rain falls. ¹⁵How much rain must fall for one to be obligated to recite the blessing [over rainfall]? Rabbi Yosei in the name of Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yona in the name of Rabbi Shmuel said: For the first rain of the season, enough to permeate [the earth], and at the end of the season, any amount. Rabbi Ḥiyya said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: For the first rain of the season, enough to permeate [the earth], and at the end of the season, not until the surface of the roof tiles are rinsed off. Rabbi Yanai ben Rabbi Yishmael said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: For the first rain of the season, enough to permeate [the earth], and at the end of the season, enough that the sealant on top of the wine jug becomes soaked. But surely even a great deal of rain could fall and the sealant would not become soaked? It is, rather, until it appears that it is soaked. What blessing should one recite [over the rain]? It is as we learned: For rain and other good tidings, one recites: ‘Blessed [is God]…Who is good and beneficent.’ Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Levi derives this from here: “Cold water on a weary soul, so is good news from a distant land” (Proverbs 25:25) – just as for good news one recites: ‘[Blessed is God…] Who is good and beneficent,’ 54a. for cold water [i.e., rain], too, one recites: ‘[Blessed is God…] Who is good and beneficent.’ Rabbi Yehuda said: This is the blessing that my father Yeḥezkel would recite [over rain]: May Your name be blessed, exalted, and magnified for each and every drop that you cause to fall for us, which you keep separate from one another. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Shimon said: He rains them [the raindrops] down by measure, as it is stated: “For He deducts [ yegara ] drops of water” (Job 36:27), just as it says: “It shall be deducted [ venigra ] from the valuation” (Leviticus 27:18). Rabbi Yosei bar Yaakov once went up to visit Rabbi Yehuda of Migdal. He heard his voice reciting this blessing: ‘Thousands upon thousands and myriads upon myriads of blessings and thanks we would require to thank Your name for each and every drop that You cause to rain down for us, for You bestow good rewards [even] to sinners.’ He said to him: ‘That is the blessing that Rabbi Simon would recite.’ Rabbi Zeira said: ‘There [in Babylonia] they say: When low prices prevail in the world, when bounty comes to the world, and when a river inundates the countryside, one recites: Blessed [is God]…Who is good and beneficent.’ ¹⁶“And water all” – Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Yosei bar Zimra: Everything is blessed [when it rains]; commerce is blessed, and the merchants profit. Rabbi Yoḥanan bar Levi said: Even those afflicted with boils benefit [from the rain]. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: The ill also benefit, and their limbs become light for them. Avimai, one of the scholars, used to visit the ill when the “permeation” rain fell. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said to him: ‘How are they doing?’ He said to him: ‘They feel relief.’ Rabbi Abba says: Even a gemstone senses it [the rain]. The Rabbis say: Even the fish sense it. Rabbi Pinḥas said: There was an incident near Akko in which they caught a fish and, [based on its size], they estimated that it would weigh three hundred pounds, but they weighed it at two hundred pounds. There was an elderly fisherman there, who said to them: ‘It is because the “permeation” rain has not yet fallen.’ After it fell, they caught a fish and estimated that it would weigh two hundred pounds, but they weighed it at three hundred pounds. ¹⁷Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Shimon said: The land is watered only at its upper layer. If so, what should the roots of the carob tree and the roots of the sycamore do, as their roots reach into the depths [of the earth]? Rather, each and every [tree] is watered according to its needs. Rabbi Ḥanina ben Rabbi Izka and Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda: The roots of a wheat stalk breach the ground up to fifty cubits. The roots of the fig tree breach rocks. Rabbi Levi said: It is as you said: [The land is watered] only up to its upper layer; and as for the carob tree and the sycamore, once in thirty days the waters of the depths rise and water them. What is the source? “I, the Lord, guard it; at set times I water it” (Isaiah 27:3). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: When the rain falls, it gives the ground a new face [ panim ]. ] of the ground.”