יְרָקוֺת שֶׁבַּשָּׂדֶה אוֺמְךִים - Vegetable of the Field Say:
Tehillim 65:11
תְּלָמֶיהָ רַוֵּה נַחֵת גְּדוּדֶהָ בִּרְבִיבִים תְּמֹגְגֶנָּה צִמְחָהּ תְּבָרֵךְ
telameiha raveh nachet gedudeiha birvivim temoggenah tzimchah tevarech
Watering her ridges abundantly, settling her furrows; You make her soft with showers; You bless her growth.
The plowed line of earth is a furrow, and the banks that flank each furrow are its ridges; "her" refers to the earth. King David says, "You satisfy 'the ridges abundantly, settling her furrows' with ample rain. 'You make her soft with showers' and thereby 'You bless her growth.'"
The Scripture speaks of the three stages of planting and growth that require rain. Water is needed at planting time in order for the seeds to sink into the softened earth; otherwise they would remain on the surface as food for the birds of heaven. Water is needed to break up the seeds and make them grow, and then, when the stalks form, water is needed for them to fill out. Accordingly, he says here: "Watering her ridges abundantly, settling her furrows" so the formations of dispersed seeds should sink down; "You maker soft with showers" for the seeds to sprout; and then "you bless her growth" to fill out the stalks.
Chazal teach: Why is the first rain called יורה (yoreh)? For it instructs מורה (moreh) human beings to plaster the roofs of their houses and make all necessary repairs. another thing is that this rain satisfies the earth and fills it down to the depths. As it says, "Watering her ridges abundantly, settling her furrows; You make her soft with showers; You bless her growth." Alternatively, yoreh means that it falls gently and it does not fall vehemently.
R. Yochanan said: So great is the day of the rains, that even armies cease their activity to celebrate. He adduced this from the present verse, "Watering her ridges abundantly, making her columns rest (נחת גדודיה). (Me'am Lo'ez)
