Rain Dance of Israel

We captured the aroma of rain in Israel with inspiration from the prayer for rain which comes from the (Heb. תְּפִלַּת גֶּשֶׁם, Tefillat Geshem (Ashkenazi); תִּקּוּן הַגֶּשֶׁם, Tikkun ha-Geshem (Sephardi)), prayers offered on various occasions, in which G-d is acknowledged as the only power causing rain and the change of seasons, and which contain petitions for the abundant harvest of the fields and for preservation from famine and abundance for G-d’s people in every aspect of life from finances to good health.

Sukkot and Praying for Rain:

The 7th of Cheshvan is the day we begin saying the winter prayer for rain. Why the 7th?
Answer is because two weeks was how long it took for the travelers to return home from their pilgrimage to Jerusalem after the holiday of Sukkot. And the whole nation held off praying for their own needs so as not to inconvenience their fellow with prayers for rains which would make their travel more difficult!

In Jewish and Biblical thinking, Sukkot is a rain holiday. This also is a prayer for the rain of the Jewish people to turn back to G-d. Jewish Sages also tell s that Rain also means gift of prophecy a pouring out of Spirit upon the Nation and speaking of G-d’s Holy Word before the arrival of Moshiach.

Joel 3, says  It will come about after this. That I will pour out My Spirit {Ruach} on all mankind;
And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions.  Even on the male and female servants, I will pour out My Spirit (Ruach) in those days. I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, Blood, fire, and columns of smoke. 31 The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood Before the great and awesome, great, and terrible day of the LORD. And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of G-d  Will be delivered; For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem There will be those who escape, As G-d has said, Even among the survivors whom  G-d calls.

NOTE: The prayer is delayed until Shemini Atzeret the final day of sukkot because it should not be invoked when fine weather is needed to enable us to dwell in the sukkah (Talmud, Sukkah28b).

Rabbi Akiva states this most clearly (t. Sukkah3:18):

אמ’ ר’ עקיבא… “הביא ניסוך המים בחג כדי שיתברכו עליך מי גשמים…”

Rabbi Akiva said… “Bring the water libation on the holiday of Booths so that you be blessed with rain…”

The Tosefta quotes a prooftext to Rabbi Akiva’s statement from the post-exilic book of Zechariah, in which the prophet describes what will happen with the nations of the world after their defeat by Israel in the end of days:

^יד:טז וְהָיָ֗ה כָּל־הַנּוֹתָר֙ מִכָּל הַגּוֹיִ֔ם הַבָּאִ֖ים עַל יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְעָל֞וּ מִדֵּ֧י שָׁנָ֣ה בְשָׁנָ֗ה לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֹת֙ לְמֶ֙לֶךְ֙ יְ-הֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת וְלָחֹ֖ג אֶת חַ֥ג הַסֻּכּֽוֹת: ^יד:יז וְ֠הָיָה אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא יַעֲלֶ֜ה מֵאֵ֨ת מִשְׁפְּח֤וֹת הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֶל יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֹ֔ת לְמֶ֖לֶךְ יְ-הֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת וְלֹ֥א עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם יִהְיֶ֥ה הַגָּֽשֶׁם:

^14:16 All who survive of all those nations that came up against Jerusalem shall make a pilgrimage year by year to bow low to the King of Hosts and to observe the Feastival of Sukkot.  ¹14:17 Any of the communities of the Earth that does not make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem to bow low to the King of Hosts shall receive no rain.

Zechariah implies that G-d decides alone on the world’s rainfall on Sukkot, and the Tosefta uses it as textual support for the water libation ritual. Thus, the association between the last day of Sukkot and rain has roots in the Second Temple period.

Another text that might possibly point to Sukkot being understood as a water festival in the Second Temple Period comes from midrash that is even surprisingly also mentioned in the Christian Bible texts of the book of John too “On the last day of the festival, the great day (Hoshana Rabbah / Shemini Atzeret)….. As the  Scriptures (Hebrew Bible) has said, ”Out of the faithful people’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.”

Early halacha expresses great anxiety when it comes to rain. The tractate of Ta’anitis devoted almost entirely to describing a series of fasts aimed at convincing G-d to make the rainfall. Sukkot marks the time of Israel’s rainy season and the official daily request for rain found in the second blessing of the Amidah prayer in our siddur (prayer books), משיב הרוח ומוריד הגשם (“who makes the wind blow and the rainfall”) is said for the first time on Shemini Atzeret—the day after Sukkot—accompanied by an elaborate rain prayer recited in Mussaf of that day.

Thus, the popularity of the water libation ritual—as expressed by the story of Etrog pelting described by the rabbis—would stem from its being of great practical importance. This tells us the season that the prayer for Rain began and why the water libation ceremony was done in the Temple. It had the power to bring rain. 

If doing this ritual had the power to bring rain, then it makes sense to take note of it. It is said in midrash commentary that a special dance was even done by the women following the example of Miriam’s leadership at the sea who led the women into a dance and praise with Tambourine for bringing victory and freedom to G-d’s people. Rain was looked upon as a sort of victory dance and redemption of the Holy Land.

Take note the Cherokee Native Americans also know that prayer for Rain is vital to their community. They have a special dance of prayer to G-d for Rain. It is interesting to note that the drum is also involved in this prayer dance too. They do tell a beautiful story of how they were taught these prayers from the time of King Solomon. Makes sense since their DNA origins can be traced to the Middle East and quite possibly from Israel.

Native Americans also say the healing tears from our eyes follow the curve of your face to land in the corner of your mouth to taste the healing properties you need to bring healing from deep emotional pain, grief and uplift us with energy and vitality, and the same goes when those tears are from Joy these tears give even more Joy almost blissful. Rain is Smelling the healing tears from heaven. 

To read our traditional prayer from Siddur (prayer book) go here