Perek Shirah - Rain Says

Saturday, February 13, 2016 · Posted in ,

גְּשָׁמִים אוֹמְרִים - Rain Says:
Tehillim 68:10
גֶּשֶׁם נְדָבוֹת תָּנִיף אלוקים נַחֲלָתְךָ וְנִלְאָה אַתָּה כוֹנַנְתָּהּ
geshem nedavot tanif Elokim nachalatcha venila atah chonanta
A generous rain did You pour down, O G-d; when Your inheritance was weary, You did establish it strongly.
Some explain that the entire verse pertains to Matan Torah. At Sinai, when the Benei Yisra'el grew faint in the Presence of G-d, "a generous rain did You pour down, O G-d." Like one spraying water on a person who has fainted, it was if You had poured down a generous rain upon them to revive them.

"When Your inheritance" - Your people Yisra'el - "was weary" to exhaustion from the bondage of the Egyptian exile; when they were fainting in terror at the trembling and shaking of the earth and the thunderous sounds at Sinai; "You did establish it strongly" and revived their souls.

Rashi explains: This, too, You did for us. Whenever we needed rain, You would always send us rains of generosity and blessing. When the Land of Your inheritance was weary with thirsting for water, You established it firmly.



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Perek Shirah - Dew Says

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טַל אוֹמֵר - Dew Says:
Hoshe'a 14:6
אֶהְיֶה כַטַּל לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, יִפְרַח כַּשּׁוֹשַׁנָּה; וְיַךְ שָׁרָשָׁיו, כַּלְּבָנוֹן
ehyeh chatal leYisra'el yifrach kashoshana veyach sharashav kaLvanon
I will be to Yisra'el like the dew; he will flower (blossom) like the lily, 
and strike his roots like the (as) Levanon.

Because the Jewish people, collectively and individually, will have repented, their source will not become dry and their spring will not be dried up. On the contrary, "I will be to Yisrael as dew."

Even as the dew does not cease coming down every morning, so My benevolence towards the Jewish people will not cease. As a result, "he will blossom like the lily." The lily blossoms, not during a fierce rain, but when moistened by the dew at night. Yisrael is likened to a lilly, and it will merit the "dew" of G-d's blessing.

Yisra'el is likened to the lily, as it says, "a lily among thorns" (Shir HaShirim 2:2). The comparison is not fully adequate. The lily has no roots, but Yisra'el's roots are "like the Levanon." The cedars of Levanon have extensive roots below ground. Rain tends to destroy the lily, but the dew causes it to blossom. Nor does it harm its fragrance.  The lily opens upward, and even so the little moisture provided by dew is helpful. Regarding the Jewish people, similarly, the Sages teach that whoever gazes upward will in the end come to the path of life. As it says, "They looked to Him, and are radiant" (Tehillim 34:6).

The Jewish people have no roots in exile. Eventually, however, they who are now rootless will strike roots, and "his roots" will be "as Levanon." Future generations of the Jewish people - "his branches" - will be living in the Land of Yisra'el, and these branches "will spread out far." Then "his beauty will be as the olive tree, and his gragrance as Levanon" (v14:7).

This will take place in the End of Days. Even as the olive tree gives rise to olive oil, which then provides light, their fruit will also give light. At that time, the Holy Spirit and the spirit of purity will rest upon Yisra'el in the Land of Yisra'el - place of purity and holiness.


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Perek Shirah - Lightning Says

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בְּרָקִים אוֹמְרִים - Lightning Says:
Tehillim 135:7
בְּרָקִים לַמָּטָר עָשָׂה מוֹצֵא-רוּחַ מֵאוֹצְרוֹתָיו
berakim lamatar asa motze-uach me'otzrotav
He makes lightnings for the rain; He brings forth wind from His treasuries.

King David depicts the wonders of rain. "He raises the vapor-clouds" from the sea at "the ends of the earth; He makes lightnings for the rain." After G-d has caused the clouds to ascend on high, "He brings forth wind from His Treasuries." He draws the winds from their place of confinement, and they move the clouds over the surface of the earth.

King David also depicts here the redemption of Yisrael, which he likens to rainfall. At first the clouds obscure the light, and at times there is wind and storm. But after the rain has fallen, the skies clear and everyone benefits from the rain. The redemption comes in a similar fashion. At first there is the darkness of bondage, but then there is a great light. That is what King David says: "He raises the vapor-clouds from the ends of the earth; He makes lightnings for the rain:; He also "brings forth wind from His treasuries." But in the end everything brightens.

G-d's might is evident when He does two opposite things at once. Fire and water are opposites, and yet "He makes lightning for the rain." The water does not extinguish the fire.

"He brings forth wind from His treasuries" to scatter the clouds, or else to drive them to the designated location, everything in accordance with His will. To scatter and to bring to a designated location, are also opposites.

Rains are a sign of Divine supervision. This it says "For I know that Hashem is great, and that our G-d is above al gods. Whatsoever Hashem wants, He has done, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and in all depths. He raises the vapor-clouds from the ends of the earth; He makes lightnings for the rain; He brings forth wind from His treasuries."

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