Jerusalem – Prayers for rain have been answered – and then some.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The Times of Israel (http://bit.ly/1bYUzte) reports that the Chief Rabbinate of Israel has asked Jews around the world to stop reciting the special prayer for rain they requested last week, when the early winter was the driest ever recorded. Israel’s chief rabbis had asked Jews to insert the traditional prayer for rain into their day supplications.
Before the week was over, weather reports showed that rain was coming to Israel, and the request to pray for rain ceased. Instead, chief rabbis asked that a prayer for thanks be recited instead when the rain came.
Last Thursday a prayer rally at the Western Wall was canceled when it was clear rain was pending. The first rain of the winter hit the country that day.
One week later, Israel was in the midst of a severe a rain, wind, and snowstorm expected to last through the weekend.
Mir ken nisht davenen?
It rains in the winter and snows in Jerusalem? Climates shouldn’t do that! sarcasm off
I hear you #1 .
Reminds me of the story about the lawyer on his way to a meeting to close a multi-million $$ deal for a client. He stood to lose a fortune in legal fees if he missed it. The meeting was on 13th Av, no parking, no parking lots. Stuck behind a schoolbus, a fuel truck and a garbage truck, the good lawyer began to pray.
“Please Eibishter, if you get me a parking spot, I”ll never miss minyan again.”
The minutes ticked by.
“Please Eibishter, get me a spot and I”ll stay for the Rav’s Daf shiur.”
Still no spot.
“Please Eibishter, help me, and I”ll stay after the shiur and say 10 perakim of Tehillim afterwards.”
Traffic started moving slowly but not an empty spot to be seen, not even by a hydrant.
“Gevald! Eibishter! Help me find a place to park & I”ll never yell at my wife or my kids again.”
All of a sudden the attorney sees a car right in front of him begin pulling out of a space.
“Eibishter… umm… forget it. I just found a spot.”
this proves just THINKING of doing a mitzva…..
My husband emailed me after I showed him this article:
There is a story in Gemara Ta’anis that parallels this. There is a man called Choni Ha-Magul (Choni the circle drawer). There was a drought in Israel. Like his name suggests, he drew a small circle and stood within in it. He told G-d that he would not leave the circle until it rained. It suddenly began to pour. Choni then told G-d that it was too much rain, and he would not leave the circle until it was moderated. G-d then moderated the rain.