HaRav Shmuel Eliyahu is Chief Rabbi of Tzfat.
The Rambam writes that whenever abundant rains fall, one must express thanks to God. If a person owns a field, he recites the blessing Shehecheyanu. And if he and others own a field jointly, he recites HaTov VeHaMeitiv.
Some say that according to the Rambam, whenever a person sees a great abundance of rain and rejoices in it, he must bless and give thanks for it. Others say that one blesses only when the rains are new, similar to the usual cases in which Shehecheyanu or HaTov VeHaMeitiv are recited.
The Rambam continues and writes:
“And if he does not have a field, he gives thanks and blesses: ‘We give thanks to You, Lord our God, for every single drop which You have brought down upon us; and even if our mouths were filled…’ until ‘they too would give thanks, praise, and bless Your Name, our King. Blessed are You, Lord, God of the multitude of thanksgivings and praises.’” (Rambam, Berachot 10:5).
The Beit Yosef cites the language of the Kol Bo, which states:
“Some say that the blessing over rain does not apply among us nowadays, since we are constantly accustomed to rain, and we do not yearn for it or rejoice in it as they do in those lands that have great dryness and severe drought, where they require mercy for rain. But we do not require this; therefore the blessing for rain does not apply among us.”
The Biur Halacha explains that the author of the Kol Bo lived in Europe where the countries receive frequent rain, and people do not desire or rejoice in rain the way people do in places that experience dryness and prolonged drought. Therefore, the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 221:1) rules: “If they were in distress due to lack of rain, and then rain fell, they recite a blessing upon it.”
This applies in the Diaspora, where rains are plentiful and drought rarely brings distress.
However, in the Land of Israel, one recites the blessing, for “in the Land of Israel and similar countries, where there is great dryness and prolonged drought, and where they depend upon compassion for rain, and the rain comes only occasionally, certainly there is great joy when rain falls, and one must give thanks for it.”
“And in the Land of Israel, even generally speaking, this applies-for in the Land of Israel everyone waits and longs for the rainy season, is distressed at its absence, and rejoices greatly at its arrival.”
Although it seems obvious to the Mishnah Berurah that one should bless in the Land of Israel for rain, he remains uncertain whether the blessing should include God’s Name and Kingship (shem u’malchut), “since no halakhic authority explicitly records this.” Therefore he rules: “One should bless without God’s Name and Kingship.”
From the Mishnah Berurah’s continuation it appears that his uncertainty applies only to the second and third rains, when people are not as joyful. But for the first rain, or for rain that comes after a drought that caused distress, one should recite a full blessing with God’s Name and Kingship.
Proof: the Mishnah Berurah cites the Radbaz (Vol. 1, §318), who writes that one who sees the Nile at the time of its rising recites Shehecheyanu: “One who sees the Nile when it is low, and later sees it when it is high, and rejoices at the sight, he recites Shehecheyanu, even though he does not own land. Since the rain comes from time to time, and he derives joy from seeing it, it is no less than one who sees a beloved friend and rejoices in seeing him, for which one recites Shehecheyanu.”
And this applies only to the first sighting; one who sees it every day does not bless.
According to the Radbaz’s reasoning, someone who has seen the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) when its waters were low, and sees it now full, must recite Shehecheyanu. The same applies to someone who sees floodwaters in rivers or streams that had been dry or meager, and now sees them flowing abundantly, he should recite Shehecheyanu, no less than for the Nile.
The general rule regarding blessings is to bless over something when it is complete, beautiful, or beloved - like a whole fruit. Thus the Gemara understands that one should bless for rain when it is like a complete and beautiful fruit.
“Rabbi Abbahu said: From when does one bless over the rains?
The answer: From when the bridegroom goes out to greet the bride.”
Some explain this to mean when the waters on the ground rise to greet the rain coming down. Others say it means when the streams of water on the ground meet one another.
According to the Shulchan Aruch (221:1): “When the rains fall enough that there are puddles on the ground that bubble up from the raindrops and move toward one another.”
Our Sages teach in the Gemara that even one who has no field must give thanks to God, for ultimately the livelihood and survival of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel depend upon rain. And when one recites Shema with intention, he sees that God’s love for Israel is expressed through the giving of rain. The Torah further teaches that the superiority of the Land of Israel over Egypt lies in the fact that the Land of Israel depends on rain from Heaven.
May we merit this winter to feel God’s great love for Israel and to praise Him wholeheartedly for an abundance of rain.