Sounds funny to you, but rain in September is almost unheard of in Israel. A huge downpour like the one we had yesterday -- that's a miracle! Do you think it means we're going to have a good year? I hope so. After all, Rosh Hashanah is only a few days away and we don't start praying for rain until Shmini Atzeret/Simhat Torah.
Why do we pray for rain? Because Israel has a dry climate with a short rainy season that begins in October and ends in April.
October's rain is not really rain -- more like spitting. A few drops and poof, it's over. November is a little bit better. December-February are the 3 months we count on. If it doesn't rain we're in trouble. We have very few water resources and our population is growing, making us one thirsty country. Our main water source is Lake Kinneret. We constantly measure its water level to check if we're O.K. Unfortunately, very often it only reaches the red "Danger" line or under it, which means we're having a tough time.
So the fact that it rained soooo early and soooo much -- that's BIG TIME news for us.
The importance of rain is not anything new to the Land of Israel.
Hey, I have an assignment for you. Find out how many times rain is mentioned in the Bible....where, when and why. Once you have the results, write and tell me.
Shana Tova...a sweet, wet year
Zvuvi
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