וְנָתַתִּ֧י מְטַֽר־אַרְצְכֶ֛ם בְּעִתּ֖וֹ יוֹרֶ֣ה וּמַלְק֑וֹשׁ וְאָסַפְתָּ֣ דְגָנֶ֔ךָ וְתִֽירֹשְׁךָ֖ וְיִצְהָרֶֽךָ׃
maka Aku akan menurunkan hujan bagi negerimu pada waktunya, hujan awal dan hujan akhir, sehingga engkau dapat mengumpulkan gandummu, anggurmu, dan minyakmu.
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
(Ib. b) R. Chanina b. Papa pointed out the following contradiction: "It is written (Hos. 2, 11.) And I shall take away my corn in its time. It is also written (Deu. 11, 14.) That thou mayest gather in thy corn and thy wine and thy oil. It is not difficult to reconcile [these two verses]. The latter refers to the time when Israel is doing the will of God, and the former refers to the time when Israel is not doing the will of God." Our Rabbis taught: That thou mayest gather in thine corn. (Ib.) Why is this commandment necessary? [Would not the people do it as a matter of course?] Because, it is written (Joshua, 1, 8.) This book of Torah shall not depart out of thy mouth. One may perhaps say that those words are meant literally [that a man must never cease studying], therefore it is written Thou shalt gather in the season, thy corn, thy wine and thy oil, conduct yourselves in regard to them as is the custom of the world." This is according to R. Ishmael; but R. Simon b. Jochai says: "How is it possible, if a man plows in the plowing season, sows in the sowing season, reaps in the harvest season, threshes in the threshing season, and winnows when there is a wind? What will become of the Torah? [For there will not remain any time to study]. "But said R. Simon b. Jochai, "when Israel is doing the will of God then their work is done through others, as is said (Is. 61, 5.) And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks. But when Israel is not performing the will of God, then their work is to be done by themselves, as it is said (Deu. 11, 14.) And thou shalt gather in thy corn in season; moreover the work of other people is done by Israel, as is said (Deu. 28, 48.) Thou shall serve thine enemies." Abaye said: "Many who conducted themselves according to the opinion of R. Ishmael succeeded, but many who conducted themselves according to the opinion of R. Simon b. Jochai were not successful." Raba [being the head of an academy] was in the habit of saying to the disciples: "I beg of you, do not come before me [to the academy] during the days of Nisan (in Spring) nor during the days of Tishrei (in Fall), in order that you may not have any trouble in supporting yourselves during the entire year." Rabba b. b. Chana in the name of R. Jochanan quotes R. Juda b. Elai: "Come and see the great difference between the former generations and the later ones; the former generations made the study of the Torah their regular engagement and their vocation a temporary profession, and both endured with them. But the later generations made the study of the Torah their temporary engagement and their vocation a regular profession and neither endured with them."
Midrash Tehillim
And you give me the shield of your salvation. Three things were given as a gift to the world, and they are: the Torah, rain, and lights. The Torah, as it is said, "And He gave to Moses" (Exodus 31:18). Rain, as it is said, "I will give rain for your land" (Deuteronomy 11:14). Lights, as it is said, "And God set them in the firmament of the heaven" (Genesis 1:17). Rabbi Zeira said in the name of Resh Lakish: also peace, as it is said, "And I will give peace in the land" (Leviticus 26:6). And the Rabbis say: also vengeance, as it is said, "And I will execute vengeance upon Edom" (Ezekiel 25:14). Rabbi Yehoshua said: also salvation, as it is said, "And you give me the shield of your salvation." And in the merit of what? In the merit of the Torah. And your right hand supports me. This is the Torah, as it is said, "From His right hand went a fiery law for them" (Deuteronomy 33:2).
Vayikra Rabbah
How many rains must fall for the earth to produce fruits? Rabbi Meir says: At least two. Rabbi Yosei says: At least three. According to the opinion of Rabbi Meir, who said at least two, “the early rain and the late rain” (Deuteronomy 11:14); “the early rain” in Marḥeshvan and “the late rain” in Nisan. According to the opinion of Rabbi Yosei, who said at least three, “the early rain” in Kislev, “the late rain” in Nisan, and a rainfall in between, that is three.
Rabbi Dostai ben Rabbi Yanai said: That is what is written: “For He says to the snow: Be on the earth, and the rain He pours down [vegeshem matar vegeshem] (Job 37:6), these are three;18Vegeshem matar vegeshem literally means “and rain, downpour, and rain.” “the downpour of the rain [mitrot]” (Job 37:6), two, these are five. The Rabbis say: Seven; these five and “the early rain and the late rain,” – “the early rain” in Marḥeshvan, and “the late rain” in Nisan; these are seven.
Rabbi Abahu said: I was passing before the synagogue of the coppersmiths of Lod, and I heard the voice of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani, who was sitting and expounding: The Rabbis said in the name of Ḥizkiya: When Israel performs the will of the Holy One blessed be He, He remembers the earth once19He remembers the earth by providing rain. and immediately it produces. What is the source? “You remember the earth and fulfill its desire, enriching it [tasherena] with abundance” (Psalms 65:10); that it produces one-tenth for you.20A fuller version of this statement in found in Shir HaShirim Rabba 7:11: “If you merit it, [He] will enrich it [ta’ashirena], if you do not merit it, [He] will tithe [te’asrena] it, it will produce for you only one-tenth.” Tasherana is expounded as taasrena, produce one-tenth.
Rabbi Berekhya, Rabbi Ḥelbo, and Rav Pappi said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: Sometimes He does so [brings rain] for the sake of a single person, for the sake of a single blade of grass, or for the sake of a single field, and the three of them are in a single verse, as it is stated: “Ask rain of the Lord at the time of the late rain: the Lord makes lightning and He will give them a rain shower; for a man, there will be grass in the field” (Zechariah 10:1), “for a man,” but not for men, for grass, but not for grasses, for a field, but not for fields.
“Bring all the tithe to the storehouse, [and let it be food in My house. Test Me now with this…if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out] an endless blessing [ad beli dai] [for you]” (Malachi 3:10). What is ad beli dai? Rabbi Yona bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: A matter regarding which it is impossible to say enough [dai]; this is blessing. Rabbi Berekhya, Rabbi Ḥelbo, and Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said in the name of Rav: Until your lips will be worn out [yivlu] from saying, it is enough for us [dayenu].
For in this world, rains trouble the world, wayfarers are troubled by them, seafarers are troubled by them, as well as treaders in winepresses and roofers. But in the future, the Holy One blessed be He will transfer them into a blessing. What is the source? “I will render them and the surroundings of My hill a blessing, and I will cause the rain to fall in its season; rains of blessing will they be” (Ezekiel 34:26).
Rabbi Dostai ben Rabbi Yanai said: That is what is written: “For He says to the snow: Be on the earth, and the rain He pours down [vegeshem matar vegeshem] (Job 37:6), these are three;18Vegeshem matar vegeshem literally means “and rain, downpour, and rain.” “the downpour of the rain [mitrot]” (Job 37:6), two, these are five. The Rabbis say: Seven; these five and “the early rain and the late rain,” – “the early rain” in Marḥeshvan, and “the late rain” in Nisan; these are seven.
Rabbi Abahu said: I was passing before the synagogue of the coppersmiths of Lod, and I heard the voice of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani, who was sitting and expounding: The Rabbis said in the name of Ḥizkiya: When Israel performs the will of the Holy One blessed be He, He remembers the earth once19He remembers the earth by providing rain. and immediately it produces. What is the source? “You remember the earth and fulfill its desire, enriching it [tasherena] with abundance” (Psalms 65:10); that it produces one-tenth for you.20A fuller version of this statement in found in Shir HaShirim Rabba 7:11: “If you merit it, [He] will enrich it [ta’ashirena], if you do not merit it, [He] will tithe [te’asrena] it, it will produce for you only one-tenth.” Tasherana is expounded as taasrena, produce one-tenth.
Rabbi Berekhya, Rabbi Ḥelbo, and Rav Pappi said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: Sometimes He does so [brings rain] for the sake of a single person, for the sake of a single blade of grass, or for the sake of a single field, and the three of them are in a single verse, as it is stated: “Ask rain of the Lord at the time of the late rain: the Lord makes lightning and He will give them a rain shower; for a man, there will be grass in the field” (Zechariah 10:1), “for a man,” but not for men, for grass, but not for grasses, for a field, but not for fields.
“Bring all the tithe to the storehouse, [and let it be food in My house. Test Me now with this…if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out] an endless blessing [ad beli dai] [for you]” (Malachi 3:10). What is ad beli dai? Rabbi Yona bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: A matter regarding which it is impossible to say enough [dai]; this is blessing. Rabbi Berekhya, Rabbi Ḥelbo, and Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said in the name of Rav: Until your lips will be worn out [yivlu] from saying, it is enough for us [dayenu].
For in this world, rains trouble the world, wayfarers are troubled by them, seafarers are troubled by them, as well as treaders in winepresses and roofers. But in the future, the Holy One blessed be He will transfer them into a blessing. What is the source? “I will render them and the surroundings of My hill a blessing, and I will cause the rain to fall in its season; rains of blessing will they be” (Ezekiel 34:26).