This past Shabbat as we were reading psrashat Lech Lecha, learning of the journey of Abraham towards the land of Canan – Israel, we also mentioned the day before – the 7th of the Hebrew month of Cheshvan – ז בחשוון.
“On the third day of the month of Mar-Cheshvan, prayers for the rain are to be said. According to Rabban Gamliel: The prayers begin on the seventh day of the month; namely, fifteen days after the Festival of Sukkot, so that the last Israelites may have reached the river Euphrates.”
Mishna, Ta’anit 1:3
The Sages of the Mishna set two different days for beginning to recite prayers for rain in the drought-prone Land of Israel. The “mentioning of rain” begins on Shemini Atseret (the Eighth Day of Assembly at the end of Sukkot), while the “plea for rain” is said from the 7th day of Mar-Cheshvan. From that day, the “blessing of the years” in the Amidah prayer is changed to read “and grant dew and rain for a blessing.”
“וְתֵן טַל וּמָטָר לִבְרָכָה”.
The purpose of this two-stage process was to ensure that Jewish pilgrims from Babylon who had been visiting the Land of Israel would be able to return home without having rain catch them during their journey.
So while our nation’s heritage story begins outside the Land of Israel, our formative history is one of an ongoing series of migrations to and from the Land.
At each point in time we can find both struggles for survival and rich and even prosperous life, both in Israel and throughout the Jewish world.
That is why we at the Israel Reform Movement named the 7th of Cheshvan Diaspora-Israel Day.
With the understanding and awareness that the war, which broke out following the Hamas attack on October 7th affects the Jewish world, you in North America, no less than it affects us, the residents of the State of Israel, we need to do all we can to strengthen the connection between Israel and World Jewry.
“All of Israel are responsible for one another” and in these moments of mutual responsibility between Jews in Israel and Jews around the world, there is great strength and blessing.
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