5773 Learning in the Sukkah
Such is the story of heaven and earth when they were created. When the Lord God made earth and heaven - when no shrub of the field was yet on earth and no grasses of the field had yet sprouted, because the Lord God had not sent rain upon the earth and there was no human to till the soil...[JPS translation]
Suggested Discussion Questions
1) What does this source teach about the interdependence of people, rain and land?
2) Whose responsibility is it to ensure that areas that aren't receiving rain still have access to water?
(ב) כי לא המטיר וּמַ"טַ לֹא הִמְטִיר? לְפִי שֶׁאָדָם אִין לַעֲבוֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה, וְאֵין מַכִּיר בְּטוֹבָתָם שֶׁל גְּשָׁמִים, וּכְשֶׁבָּא אָדָם וְיָדַע שֶׁהֵם צוֹרֶךְ לָעוֹלָם, הִתְפַּלֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם וְיָרָדוּ וְצָמְחוּ הָאִילָנוֹת וְהַדְּשָׁאִים.
Because it didn’t rain- what is the reason it did not rain? Because “there is no man to work the soil” and there is no one to realize the benefit of the rains. Therefore when Adam came and recognized that rain was needed for the world he prayed for it, and it rained, and trees and plants began to grow. [translation by Gideon Aronovich]
Suggested Discussion Questions
1) How do we explain a lack of rain?
2) What does this source teach about the relationship between people, land and the rain?
3) According to this text, who sends rain to the earth? Whose job is it to ensure that the rain is used properly by the land?
אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי, שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים שְׁקוּלִין זֶה כָּזֶה, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: אֶרֶץ, וְאָדָם, וּמָטָר. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי בַּר חִיָּא וּשְׁלָשְׁתָּן מִשָּׁלשׁ אוֹתִיּוֹת, לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁאִם אֵין אֶרֶץ אֵין מָטָר, וְאִם אֵין מָטָר אֵין אֶרֶץ, וְאִם אֵין שְׁנֵיהֶם אֵין אָדָם.
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai said, three things are of equal importance, earth, humans, and rain. Rabbi Levi ben Hiyyata said: ... to teach that without earth, there is no rain, and without rain, the earth cannot endure, and without either, humans cannot exist.
Suggested Discussion Questions
1) How do you understand Shimon Bar Yochai's statement?
2) What does this source teach about the relationship between people, land and the rain?
3) What is our responsibility towards the earth if it is of equal importance to humans? What does that entail?
בָּרֵךְ עָלֵינוּ ה' אֱלהֵינוּ אֶת הַשָּׁנָה הַזּאת וְאֶת כָּל מִינֵי תְבוּאָתָהּ לְטובָה. וְתֵן (בקיץ - בְּרָכָה) (בחורף - טַל וּמָטָר לִבְרָכָה) עַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה וְשבְּעֵנוּ מִטּוּבָהּ. וּבָרֵךְ שְׁנָתֵנוּ כַּשָּׁנִים הַטּובות. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', מְבָרֵךְ הַשָּׁנִים.
Amidah, 9th Blessing
Bless us, Lord our God, this year and all its various produce for good, and give (in the summer) blessing / (in the winter) dew and rain for blessing on the face of the earth, and let us be sated from your goodness. Bless us as in the good years. Blessed are you Lord, Who blesses the years.
Suggested Discussion Questions
1) Why might we be thankful for the dew and the rain on the face of the Earth?
2) What is good about the years that we are thankful for?
3) Does this imply that God rewards with rain and therefore that drought is a punishment?
4) How do we reconcile traditional interpretations with modern understanding of the weather and our climate?
א"ר אליעזר הואיל וארבעת מינין הללו אינן באין אלא לרצות על המים וכשם שארבע מינין הללו אי אפשר בהם בלא מים כך אי אפשר לעולם בלא מים.
Said R. Eliezer: "Because the four articles of the Succot lulav are used only for the purpose of favorably inclining the judgment concerning rain; and as those four articles cannot grow without water, neither can the world exist without water. [Soncino translation. Edited for clarity]
Suggested Discussion Questions
1) According to R. Eliezer, what is the purpose of the lulav? How does this affect our experience of the holiday?
2) How is access to fresh water determined today? How can we incorporate R. Eliezer’s teaching into social justice work?
אמר ר' אבהו גדול יום הגשמים מתחיית המתים דאילו תחיית המתים לצדיקים ואילו גשמים בין לצדיקים בין לרשעים ופליגא דרב יוסף דאמר רב יוסף מתוך שהיא שקולה כתחיית המתים קבעוה בתחיית המתים אמר רב יהודה גדול יום הגשמים כיום שניתנה בו תורה.
Said Rabbi Abahu: The day of rain is greater than the resurrection of the dead, for the resurrection of the dead concerns only the righteous, while the rain concerns both the righteous and the unjust. Rav Yosef disagreed, as Rav Yosef said: since it is equal with the resurrection of the dead -- they fixed it (in the liturgy) with resurrection of the dead. Rav Yehuda said: The day of rain is greater than the day on which the Torah was given.
Suggested Discussion Questions
1) Why do you think the rabbis mentioned here put so much emphasis on the importance of rain?
2) What does this text say about "unjust" people? What do they deserve despite their unjust ways?
3) What might this text teach us about the importance of food? Is there ever a time when we can deny someone access to food?
אמר רבי חמא בר' חנינא גדול יום הגשמים כיום שנבראו שמים וארץ שנאמר (ישעיהו מה, ח) הרעיפו שמים ממעל ושחקים יזלו צדק תפתח ארץ ויפרו ישע וצדקה תצמיח יחד אני ה' בראתיו בראתים לא נאמר אלא בראתיו.
Rabbi Chama the son of Rabbi Chanina said: The day when rain falls is as great as the day on which heaven and earth were created, as the verse says (Isaiah 45:8), “Cause the heavens above to drip, and let the skies pour down righteousness; let the earth open, and let salvation and righteousness be fruitful; let it cause them to sprout together; I, the Lord, have created it.” ‘I created them [the heavens and earth]’ is not stated, but ‘I created it [the rain].’ [Artscroll and Judaica Press translation]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1) Why is rain so important to Rabbi Chama the son of Rabbi Chanina?
2) What might this text teach us about the importance of food?
3) How can we relate this text to our own lives?
אמר רבי יוחנן גדול יום הגשמים כיום קבוץ גליות.
Rabbi Yochanan said "The day when rain falls is as great as the day on which the exiles are gathered in" [Translation by Steinsaltz]
Suggested Discussion Questions
1) Why is rain compared to the ingathering of the exiles?
2) What does rain reflect about the Jewish people’s behavior?
3) How do our actions affect the weather today? How could our behavior help the environment?
Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, The Nineteen Letters
(New York: Feldheim Publishers, 1995)
Thus water, after having penetrated the soil, is collected in the clouds and seas; light, after having permeated the earth and brought forth the plants -these children of light- is yet concentrated in the sun, the moon and the stars; the seed, after germination in the ground, is taken from the earth to become the ripened fruit, so that the earth will have to receive in order to give again. Thus one immense bond of love, of giving and receiving, unites all beings. None exists by itself or for itself; there is a constant striving of each creature with, through and for the others, on the behalf of the whole, and on the whole on behalf of every creature. Everything receives strength and resources not for itself as such but merely in order to give, to give and thereby attain fulfillment of the purpose of its existence. "Y-H-V-H (the tetragrammaton) stands for love," say our Sages; "love sustained and sustaining, characterizes the creation of the Earth." Everything in it whispers to you: "Love."
Suggested Discussion Questions
1) How does Hirsch characterize the processes of nature?
2) What does the "example" of nature teach us about the human place in the world, about human responsibility?
3) How does love express itself in creation?