Commentary for Jeremiah 14:22
הֲיֵ֨שׁ בְּהַבְלֵ֤י הַגּוֹיִם֙ מַגְשִׁמִ֔ים וְאִם־הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם יִתְּנ֣וּ רְבִבִ֑ים הֲלֹ֨א אַתָּה־ה֜וּא יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ וּ֨נְקַוֶּה־לָּ֔ךְ כִּֽי־אַתָּ֥ה עָשִׂ֖יתָ אֶת־כָּל־אֵֽלֶּה׃ (פ)
Are there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Art not Thou He, O LORD our God, and do we not wait for Thee? For Thou hast made all these things.
Rashi on Jeremiah
Does the heaven give raindrops? by itself, except by Your command? This is the interrogative form. In every double question, the first question is preceded by a ‘heh’ and the second one with אִם, like (Num. 13:19) “Are they in open cities (הַבְּמַחֲנִים) or in fortresses (אִם בְּמִבְצָרִים)?”(Ibid. 13:19) “It is good (הֲטוֹבָה) or bad (אִם רָעָה)?” (verse 19) “Have You indeed rejected (הֲמָאֹס) Judah, or has Your soul despised (אִם...גָּעֲלָה) Zion?” Here, too, “are there among the vanities of the nations those who give rain? Does the heaven...?”
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