Raining Bracha

By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld
Posted on 05/04/21

In Vayikra 26:4 the Torah tells us about a bracha of having rain come down in its proper time. The Mishna in Berachos 54a says that when it rains one should say the bracha of HaTov VeHaMeitiv. The Mishna Berura 221:1 explains that in Eretz Yisrael, where the land is extremely dry, when the rainy season arrives everyone is very excited, and they therefore make the bracha. In the event it continues to rain, we don’t repeat the bracha, it is said just the first time. It stands to reason that in a place where the rains come naturally, and it is not such a great simcha, one would not make the bracha

The Sefer Kol Bo 87 and the Bais Yosef 221 say that in our times there is no need to say the bracha on rain as we are used to having rain all the time and we don’t have the same simcha as a city or country that is very dry. We therefore don’t make the bracha for rain. This is also true, due to the fact that we don’t have shortages of rain. The Smak 151 says that in today’s day and age there is no need to make a bracha for rain. The Rema 221 agrees that since we have rain all the time, there is no need to make the bracha on rain. The Aruch Hashulchan asks the following question. There are many years where there is a shortage of rain, so why don’t we make the bracha during those years when the rain finally comes? We don’t really find an answer to this question.  

The Mishna in Taanis 10a says that Rabban Gamliel says that on Zayin Cheshvan we start saying Vesen Tal Umatar in Eretz Yisrael, fifteen days after the Yom Tov of Sukkos, so that the last person travelling home to the city of Peras would not get stuck in the rain. Just like we don’t ask for rain until fifteen days after Sukkos, why don’t we stop asking for rain fifteen days before Pesach, so that the Yiddin who are Oleh Regel should not get wet as they travel? 

There are a few reasons. The first answer given by Reb Chaim Kanievsky, is that a when a Yid is doing the mitzvah of aliya l’regel, he will not be stopped by neither rain, snow nor hail. The problem may occur on the way home. Then it will be difficult! 

The second tirutz is also given by Reb Chaim Kanievsky. He says that a person wears a coat and boots during the winter to protect himself from the elements. Conversely, right after Sukkos, which is the end of the summer season, finds that people have yet to protect themselves from the elements. 

A third tirutz is that when it comes to start to ask for rain, we don’t do so since we are sensitive to the people going home. However, we don’t stop asking for rain once it’s the rainy season, since it is necessary and is already in middle of the season.   

The fourth and final tirutz is from Reb Gamliel Rabinovitch who says that when it comes to be Oleh Regel we are not worried for rain, as we say shlichei mitzvah einan nizakin. However, upon returning home, there is a shitta that holds that shlichei mitzvah are protected only on the way to the mitzvah, but not on the way back. We therefore don’t start asking for rain until all the people reached their homes after Sukkos 

May we be zocheh to be Oleh Regel and appreciate the rains that Hashem gives us! 

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