Geshem Prayer for Rain

(ב) בְּאַרְבָּעָה פְרָקִים הָעוֹלָם נִדּוֹן, בְּפֶסַח עַל הַתְּבוּאָה, בַּעֲצֶרֶת עַל פֵּרוֹת הָאִילָן, בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה כָּל בָּאֵי הָעוֹלָם עוֹבְרִין לְפָנָיו כִּבְנֵי מָרוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים לג) הַיּוֹצֵר יַחַד לִבָּם, הַמֵּבִין אֶל כָּל מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם. וּבֶחָג נִדּוֹנִין עַל הַמָּיִם:

Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 1:2

(2) At four times of the year the world is judged: On Passover judgment is passed concerning grain; on Shavuot concerning fruits that grow on a tree on Rosh HaShana, all creatures pass before Him like sheep [benei maron], as it is stated: “The One who fashions their hearts alike, Who considers all their deeds” (Psalms 33:15); and on the festival of Sukkot they are judged concerning water, i.e., the rainfall of the coming year.

תענית ב׳ א:א׳-ג׳

מתני׳ מאימתי מזכירין גבורות גשמים רבי אליעזר אומר מיום טוב הראשון של חג ר' יהושע אומר מיום טוב האחרון של חג אמר לו ר' יהושע הואיל ואין הגשמים אלא סימן קללה בחג למה הוא מזכיר אמר לו ר' אליעזר אף אני לא אמרתי לשאול אלא להזכיר משיב הרוח ומוריד הגשם בעונתו אמר לו א"כ לעולם יהא מזכיר אין שואלין את הגשמים אלא סמוך לגשמים ר' יהודה אומר העובר לפני התיבה ביו"ט האחרון של חג האחרון מזכיר הראשון אינו מזכיר ביו"ט הראשון של פסח הראשון מזכיר האחרון אינו מזכיר

Taanit 2a:1-3

MISHNA: From when, i.e., from which date, does one begin to mention the might of the rains by inserting the phrase: G-d makes the wind blow and rain fall, in the second blessing of the Amida prayer? Rabbi Eliezer says: The phrase is inserted from the first Festival day of the festival of Sukkot. Rabbi Yehoshua says: From the last Festival day of the festival of Sukkot. Rabbi Yehoshua said to Rabbi Eliezer: Since rain is nothing other than a sign of a curse during the festival of Sukkot, as rainfall forces Jews to leave their sukkot, why should one mention the might of rain during this period? ...The mishna states a general principle: One requests rain only immediately preceding the rainy season.

תענית ב׳ א:ז׳-י״א

אֶלָּא, תַּנָּא מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה סָלֵיק, דִּתְנַן: וּבֶחָג נִידּוֹנִין עַל הַמַּיִם. וְאַיְּידֵי דִּתְנָא וּבֶחָג נִידּוֹנִים עַל הַמַּיִם, תָּנָא מֵאֵימָתַי מַזְכִּירִין גְּבוּרוֹת גְּשָׁמִים. וְלִיתְנֵי ״מֵאֵימָתַי מַזְכִּירִים עַל הַגְּשָׁמִים״. מַאי ״גְּבוּרוֹת גְּשָׁמִים״? אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיּוֹרְדִין בִּגְבוּרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עֹשֶׂה גְדֹלוֹת עַד אֵין חֵקֶר וְנִפְלָאוֹת עַד אֵין מִסְפָּר״, וּכְתִיב: ״הַנֹּתֵן מָטָר עַל פְּנֵי הָאָרֶץ וְשֹׁלֵחַ מַיִם עַל פְּנֵי חוּצוֹת״. מַאי מַשְׁמַע? אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר שֵׁילָא: אָתְיָא ״חֵקֶר״ ״חֵקֶר״ מִבְּרִיָּיתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם. כְּתִיב הָכָא: ״עֹשֶׂה גְדֹלוֹת עַד אֵין חֵקֶר״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: ״הֲלוֹא יָדַעְתָּ אִם לֹא שָׁמַעְתָּ אֱלֹקֵי עוֹלָם ה׳ בּוֹרֵא קְצוֹת הָאָרֶץ לֹא יִיעַף וְלֹא יִיגָע אֵין חֵקֶר לִתְבוּנָתוֹ״, וּכְתִיב: ״מֵכִין הָרִים בְּכֹחוֹ נֶאְזָר בִּגְבוּרָה״. וּמְנָא לַן דְּבִתְפִלָּה — דְּתַנְיָא: ״לְאַהֲבָה אֶת ה׳ אֱלֹקֵיכֶם וּלְעׇבְדוֹ בְּכׇל לְבַבְכֶם״, אֵיזוֹ הִיא עֲבוֹדָה שֶׁהִיא בַּלֵּב — הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר: זוֹ תְּפִלָּה. וּכְתִיב בָּתְרֵיהּ: ״וְנָתַתִּי מְטַר אַרְצְכֶם בְּעִתּוֹ יוֹרֶה וּמַלְקוֹשׁ״.

Taanit 2a:7-11

The Gemara answers: Rather, the tanna interrupted a discussion from tractate Rosh HaShana. As we learned in a mishna there: And on the festival of Sukkot all creatures are judged for water. Since the tanna taught: And on the festival of Sukkot all creatures are judged for water, from which it can be inferred that one should request rain near the time of this judgment, he taught here: From when does one mention the might of the rains. § The Gemara asks a question with regard to the language of the mishna: And let the tanna simply teach: From when does one mention the rains. What is the meaning of the phrase: The might of the rains? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Because the rains fall with might. The might of the rain displays God’s power in the world, as it is stated: “Who does great things beyond comprehension, marvels without number” (Job 5:9). And it is also written: “Who gives rain upon the earth, and sends water upon the fields” (Job 5:10). The Gemara asks: From where may it be inferred that these verses indicate that rainfall is considered a mighty act of God? Rabba bar Sheila said: This is derived by means of a verbal analogy between the term “comprehension” here and the term “comprehension” from a passage that deals with the creation of the world. Rabba bar Sheila elaborates on this verbal analogy. It is written here: “Who does great things that are beyond comprehension,” and it is written there, with regard to the creation of the world: “Have you not known? Have you not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not grow faint or weary? His discernment is beyond comprehension” (Isaiah 40:28). This shows that both creation and rainfall are beyond comprehension. And concerning the creation of the world, it is written elsewhere: “Who sets firm the mountains with Your strength; Who is girded with might” (Psalms 65:7). From this verse it can be inferred that rainfall, like the creation of the world, reflects God’s might. The Gemara asks: And from where do we derive that rain must be mentioned specifically in the Amida prayer? The Gemara answers: As it was taught in a baraita with regard to the verse: “To love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your heart” (Deuteronomy 11:13). Which is the service of God that is performed in the heart? You must say that this is referring to prayer. And, afterward, it is written: “And I shall give the rain of your land in its due time, the first rain and the last rain” (Deuteronomy 11:14). This juxtaposition teaches that it is appropriate to request rain while engaged in the service of the heart, i.e., prayer.

דברים פרק יא פסוקים יא-יז

Deuteronomy chapter 11, verses 11-17

Discussion Questions:

1. How is rain an incentive in the land of Israel to inspire us to act righteously?

2. What would you do for rain today?

IV. Appreciating Rain and Water

Dr. Jeremy Benstein notes that Biblical Hebrew contains at least six different words to describe liquid precipitation (geshem, matar, yoreh, malkosh, revivim, se'irim), which denote different times and intensities of rainfall. Four of them are mentioned in the following verses:

תלמוד בבלי מסכת תענית דף י עמוד א

תנו רבנן...ארץ ישרא- ל משקה אותה הקדוש ברוך הוא בעצמו, וכל העולם כולו על ידי שליח, שנאמר +איוב ה'+ הנתן מטר על פני ארץ ושלח מים על פני חוצות .

Babylonian Talmud, Taanit 10a

The Rabbis taught: …G-d waters the land of Israel, and the rest of the world is watered through a messenger, as it says, "Who gives rain upon the face of the land and sends water upon the face of outside places” (Job 5:10).

Thus when rain is withheld in Israel, it is because of Divine intervention in response to Israel's actions, as the second paragraph of Shema makes clear.

תלמוד בבלי מסכת תענית דף ו עמוד ב

אמר רבי אבהו: מאימתי מברכין על הגשמים - משיצא חתן לקראת כלה. מאי מברך? אמר רב יהודה אמר רב: מודים אנחנו לך ה' א- להינו על כל טפה וטפה שהורדת לנו .

Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Ta'anit, p. 6b

Rabbi Abahu said, “From when do we bless on the rain? From when the groom goes out toward the bride [an idiom for a large amount of rain—see Rashi]. What does one bless? Rav Judah said in the name of Rav: 'We give thanks to You, Hashem, our G-d for every single drop which you have caused to fall upon us.'”

תלמוד בבלי מסכת תענית דף ז עמוד ב

אמר רבי חמא ברבי חנינא: גדול יום הגשמים כיום שנבראו שמים וארץ, שנאמר +ישעיהו מ"ה+ הרעיפו שמים ממעל ושחקים יזלו צדק תפתח ארץ ויפרו ישע וצדקה תצמיח יחד אני ה' בראתיו. בראתים לא נאמר, א- לא בראתיו

Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Ta'anit 7b,

Rabbi Chama the son of Rabbi Chanina said: The day when rain falls is as great as the day on which heaven and earth were created, as the verse says (Isaiah 45:8), “Cause the heavens above to drip, and let the skies pour down righteousness; let the earth open, and let salvation and righteousness be fruitful; let it cause them to sprout together; I, the Lord, have created it.” ‘I created them [the heavens and earth]’ is not stated, but ‘I created it [the rain].’

The prophet Jeremiah refers to G-d as the 'Source of Living Waters.’

S'fat Emet

The strength of rain is mentioned in the second blessing of the Amidah. Why the word "strength"? Because rain falls with strength. Everyone enjoys G-d's bounty but some get sustenance with strength (justice) not just kindness. But even the rock, the strictness of judgement, can be turned into flowing with kindness. On Shemini Atzeret it becomes clear who deserves sustenance and if it is strict or kind.

Rabbi Daniel Landes (My People's Prayerbook v 2 Amida)

The prayer for precipitation as prosperity is an express prayer for rain and goes beyond- Mashiv HaRuach- of Gevurot which is not a prayer of petition but only of praise for G-d's power in causing rain to fall.