Switching to Barekh Alenu

On Shemini Atzeret, we begin reciting in the Amida "mashib ha-ruach umorid ha-geshem" praising HaShem for creating and directing the mechanism of precipitation (=rain). But we still refrain from asking haShem to give us rain for our plants. 

Why?  

In Israel, because although, after Shemini Atzeret it is a time for rain, we postpone the prayer for rain until the travelers who had made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret, are finally back home. For them rain is not going to be a blessing. 

In Israel, therefore, even in our days, Jews start praying for rain two weeks after Shemini Atzeret, on the evening of the seventh of Cheshvan. 

In Babylonia, at the time this disposition was established, the Jews who lived there did not need the rain so early, so the Rabbis ruled that in Babylonia the Jews would begin praying for rain on the 60th day of the season of (tequfat) Tishri,  or the "Hebrew calendar autumn".

The Rabbis gave an easy round number for determining the beginning of each Hebrew calendar season. A season consists of exactly 91 days 7 hours and 30 minutes. This makes each year exactly 365 days and 6 hours long, about 11 minutes longer than the actual astronomical calculation of a solar year.

Jews who live outside of Israel, follow the practice of the Jews of Babylonia. Therefore, it has become tradition for all Jews who live in the Diaspora to start asking for rain in their prayers as the Babylonian Jews did.

Based on this calculation, this year, 2011, we will switch to 'Barekh Alenu' tonight, December 5th, in our Arbit prayer.

(Thanks to Mr. Mehran Etessami --our community expert in Hebrew calendar calculations-- for his help with this HOTD)

  

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BAREKH ALENU, praying for rain

Today is the 5th day of Chanuka
29th day of Kislev, 5771

On Shemini Atzeret, we started reciting "Mashib HaRuach U'Morid HaGeshem" instead of "Morid HaTal" during the Amida prayers, praising HaShem for giving us rain, but we did not start asking Him to bring the rains yet.

In Israel, Jews start praying for rain in the Amida two weeks after Shemini Atzeret, on the evening of the seventh of Cheshvan (Sepharadic Jews do this by switching to 'Barekh Alenu' on the weekdays Amida, while Ashkenazi Jews add 'veTen Tal uMatar').

This was because they wanted to give time to the travelers who had made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem to get back home before praying for rain.

Diaspora Jews of the time, who mainly lived in Babylonia, did not need the rains to start so early, so the Rabbis ruled that in Babylonia the Jews would start praying for rain on the 60th day of Tekufat Tishrei (season of Tishrei) or approximately sixty days after the beginning of Autumn.

The Rabbis gave an easy to calculate round number for determining the beginning of each cycle (season). Each cycle is to be calculated at exactly 91 days 7 hours and 30 minutes. This makes each seasonal year exactly 365 days and 6 hours long, about 11 minutes longer than the actual astronomical calculation of a Solar year.

When it comes to calendar matters, Jews who live outside of Israel follow the practice of the Jews of Babylonia. Therefore, it has become tradition for all Jews who live in the Diaspora to start asking for rain in their prayers as the Babylonian Jews did.

Based on this calculation, this year, 2010, we switched to 'Barekh Alenu' in our prayers on the evening of December 4th.

(Thanks to Mr. Mehran Etessami, expert in Hebrew calendar calculations, for his help with this HOTD)

CLICK HERE for a very cool Chanuka song, more than 2 millions hits in Youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSJCSR4MuhU

Rabbi Yosef Bitton. YMJC 130 Steamboat Rd. Great Neck NY 11024

MASHIB HARUACH, asking God for rain

29th of Tishri, 5771

As we explained yesterday, after Sukkot we begin to recite mashib haruach umorid hageshem,praising God Almighty and acknowledging Him as the source of our material resources. Although we mention 'rain', we mean that God is the ultimate source of all our natural resources and of the entire economy of our planet.

The prayer in which we request rain is called 'barekh alenu..or .veten tal umatar librakha'- "And
grant dew and rain as a blessing". And it's the 9th berakha of the Amida.

In Israel we say this blessing from the 7th of Cheshvan, two weeks after Sukkot ends.

Why don't we ask for rain immediately afterSukkot ends, when the rain season actually begins?

In Biblical and Bet Hamikdash (Temple) times, it would take up to two weeks for the ole regalim-the Jews who came from every corner of Israel to Yerushalaim to celebrate Sukkot in the Bet haMikdash- to return home. Rain will obviously make it very difficult for them to travel in those days. Jews believed in their own prayers, and therefore they delayed the request
for rain until everyone got home safely.

In the Diaspora, however, specifically in Babylonia, rain was not required that early. So the Rabbis differentiated between Israel and the diaspora and established that, though they should begin the praise haShem concerning rain after Sukkot, the prayer requesting rain in the diaspora should begin sixty days after the autumn equinox(Tekufa).

This date is calculated according to the solar calendar. That is why we have to refer to 'December' rather than to a Hebrew date when it comes to the recitation of this berakha.
On a regular year, with a 28 days February, the sixtieth day after the autumn equinox is December 4th.

Rabbi Yosef Bitton. YMJC 130 Steamboat Rd. Great Neck NY 11024

MASHIB HARUACH, praising God for rain

28th of Tishri, 5771

The Mishna explains that in Rosh haShana God Almighty examines our deeds and determines, based on our merits, if we deserve another year of life. We have a window of opportunity from Rosh haShana to Yom Kippur to admit our mistakes and appeal an eventual negative decree, confessing, asking for forgiveness, etc. At the time of the Neila, the decree is sealed and our fate in that specific area, determined.

In Sukkot, our rabbis explain, nidonim al hamaim, our livelihood is determined. In other words, assuming we were granted good health to make it to the next year (notice that we ask God to live: 'one year at a time') the question remains:will we be granted the means to maintain a life of dignity?

The KEY word used to request a dignified livelihood is 'rain'.

Man can work the land, saw the seeds and watch his field, but ultimately ,it is the rain what will determine the successof the harvest. Rain is the most elemental requirement for nutrition and Parnasa livelihood.

At the end of Sukkot, from the Musaf prayer of Shemini Atzeret we change the words Morid haTal ((You) make the dew descend) for "Mashib haRuach uMorid haGeshem,"

" You make the wind blow, and the rain descend."

It is important to notice that at this specific point we are not actually askingfor rain yet. As we explained yesterday, during the first three blessing of the Amida we don't ask God for our needs, we praise Him for His power and kindness. When saying Mashib haRuach we are acknowledging (not asking to!) God as the source of rain, and by extension, the ultimate source of our Parnasa.

Rabbi Yosef Bitton. YMJC 130 Steamboat Rd. Great Neck NY 11024