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Rain Rain Don't Go Away
by Reb Akiva at Mystical Paths
It's raining, it's pouring...this is a big deal in Israel. I was searching for February rainfall totals - as we've been seeing some significant rainfall all month. Being we basically had no more than a few brief showers all winter, and Israel is almost totally dependent on seasonal rains for her water supply, things were looking pretty grim. Amazingly, even in the religious community no one was paying much attention until about a month ago - when everyone noticed winter was coming to an end and the rains had not fallen.
This led to two responses. On the secular news, all the water experts were trotted out to predict exactly how horrible the situation was and how desperate Israel was going to be for water. In the religious community, traditional communal prayers (and fasts) for rain began to be organized. To get a feel for the general outlook, here's an article I found while searching for rainfall totals...
(Nicky at Israelity) From 1980 to 2007, the available volume of water in Lake Kinneret was 328 million cubic meters a year. This year it will be just 45 million cubic meters. Prof. Uri Shani, head of the Water Authority said the probability of Israel having such a dry winter, after a series of four dry years, was practically zero – but when did probability enter into global warming.
There are all sorts of plans afoot on how to deal with this water crisis – plans which quite frankly should have been put in place a year or two ago, but possibly the most kooky of the lot comes from Agriculture Minister Shalom Simhon, who has come up with the idea of changing all the mezuzot in the Israel Water Authority offices.
Under Jewish tradition, a mezuzah is a piece of parchment inscribed with specific Hebrew verses from the Torah, which is put inside a special case and attached to doorframes as a kind of blessing. Some people like to kiss their hand and touch the case as they go in and out of the building, for good luck.
Simhon’s big plan, then, is to change the blessings inside these mezuzot in an effort to change Israel’s luck with rainfall patterns. The minister explained his logic by telling other ministers that when Labor was at an all-time low in the polls, he changed the mezuzot at the Labor House, and the party doubled its strength.
Good to know the water crisis is in capable hands, eh? Perhaps we should also consider bringing a tribe of native Indians across to do a rainfall dance. Of course water rationing, and a desalination plant or two might also help. But hell, what would I know, I’m not a government minister.
I honestly don't know if several weeks of multiple heavy multi-day rainstorms is enough to make a major difference in the national water situation. I do know that a nearby reservoir (that was empty) is now filled to overflowing.
I also know that in Eretz HaKodesh, in the Holy Land, one should NEVER discount prayer and mitzvot. Yasher Koach to the Agriculture Minister for changing mezuzot at the Israeli National Water Authority.
And most importantly, TODA L'KEIL, thanks to G-d!
(Photo from the NJ Jewish Standard.)
13 comments:
B"H. Our Shabbat Prayers were answered.
Please, HaShem, bring All of us home.
Uriel
still praying for more rain.
The Kinneret lake rose over 21cm this weekend, but it is still 5m below the top level.
An excerpt from an INN report:
"The heavy rains immediately added an inch to the level of the Kinneret, and runoff from mountain streams during the week is expected to raise the level by at least a foot and possibly more.
The Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) has risen by 21 centimeters (nine inches) since the precipitation began falling on Friday. Meteorologists said the lake could rise by another 20 inches in the next week due to runoff and continued rain storms.
The lake had previously risen only 28 centimeters (11 inches) since its low point this winter. Before the storm hit, the Kinneret was 85 centimeters (34 inches) over the black line, where ground contamination may force a halt to pumping of water into water lines.
The red line, which is the minimum desirable level, is 1.15 meters (46 inches) above the current water level. Meteorologists said there is a slight chance of more rain next Sabbath, and one or two more late winter storms could bring the Kinneret above the red line and possibly leave Israelis with enough water for daily use throughout the summer."
Reb Akiva, the last time you asked people to pray for rain. It rained and then in a tonge and cheek fashion you said that the prayer for rain was cancelled due to rain? Why. The kinerret is still 18 feet below normal.
It wasn't tongue and cheek, that was the actual email list message.
What was wrong with the older mezuzot? Were they non-Kosher? Or is it beneficial to simply change mezuzot every so often?
To me, this says:
Thank the Al-mighty, He like a staunch RIGHT WING Government!
Reb Akiva,
That's too bad that your lack of emuna asked people to stop praying for rain, because it was raining. I hope you don't encourage people to stop praying for rain again. Doing so causes great damage. People actually follow your leadership, whether you believe you exert it or not. Please reconsider your actions and don't discourage people from praying for rain.
Anon 11:53 - First, if you'd read the comments above you'd see it was taken directly off an email list, not my words.
Further, many people might consider it difficult to have an outdoor pray-for-rain event in a downpour. Just something you might want to think about.
Finally, before insulting someone in public you might want to make sure you actually heard and understood what they said (or wrote in this case).
Reb Akiva,
Before you start denying your own writing, first, please search your own blog, which I've qoted below from 10.2.09
"Should it rain on Tuesday - the prayer for rain will be canceled.
(It's raining! Either the prayers were very successful, or canceled due to the rain.)"
Not once does it say the gathering will be cancelled, but the Prayers.
Make sure the message you send is the one you intend to send.
Reb Akiva,
Where's the reference to what you wrote as being taken from an e-mail list?
This is a blog, not a holy sefer where every word is carefully considered from every possible perspective, nuance and interpretation.
Be careful how you judge... I recommend kav schut.
Here's the original post, I wouldn't think it would be that confusing or subject to interpretation. The italics were in the original, the bold is to point out what you missed and is added here..
Israel relies on winter seasonal rains for 90% of it's water. The rainy season this year basically hasn't been...rainy. With about 1 month left, people are starting to wake up to what may be a severe drought in Israel. In that vain, this notice came out on our community mailing list...
B"H - We will have a prayer for Rain on Tuesday - the Day of (Israeli) Elections,
at 3:30 PM at the Kotel (Western Wall).
Let's join together in prayer to Hashem so that rain will fall in Israel. Please bring siddurim and tehillim (prayer books and psalm books).
Should it rain on Tuesday - the prayer for rain will be canceled.
(It's raining! Either the prayers were very successful, or canceled due to the rain.)
---
In essence, you're giving me a hard time for taking the time on my blog to share out a notice of a community tefilah. The "it's raining" comment was added later in the same day when it started raining prior to the time of the event.
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