On Shemini Atzeret, we add in the Amida the prayer “mashib ha-ruach umorid ha-geshem”, praising HaShem for creating and directing the mechanism of precipitation (=rain). But we still refrain from asking HaShem to grant us the blessing of rain. Why?

ISRAEL

Once Shemini Atzeret ends, the rain season begins, and we should be asking God immediately for rain; our Chakhamim, however, postponed this request in remembrance of the days of the Bet haMiqdash. In those days, once the holidays were over, the people had to go back home, and for these Jews walking back home, rain would not have been a blessing. Some of them lived very far away, within the borders of ancient Babylonia, and it would take them up to 14 days to get home. And this is why in Israel, Jews start praying for rain two weeks after Shemini Atzeret, on the evening of the seventh of Cheshvan. We kept this tradition to remember the glorious days when our beautiful Temple was standing.

JEWISH DIASPORA

At the time this ruling was established, the Jews who lived outside of the Land of Israel did not need rain so early, so the Rabbis ruled that in Babylonia, the Jews would begin praying for rain on the 60th day of the season (tequfat) Tishri, or the “Hebrew calendar autumn”. The Rabbis gave a round number for determining the beginning of each Hebrew calendar season. A season consists of 91 days, 7 hours, and 30 minutes. This makes each year precisely 365 days and 6 hours long, about 11 minutes longer than the actual astronomical calculation of a solar year.

All Jews living outside of Israel, therefore, follow the practice of the Jews of Babylonia. Consequently, it has become a tradition for all Jews living in the Diaspora to ask for rain in their prayers, as the Babylonian Jews did. Based on this calculation, we start saying Barekh Alenu from December 5th at night. 

 

Besides Hanukka, today we also celebrate Rosh Hodesh Tebet. Our prayers are longer than usual for a weekday.  Today, same as yesterday, we say ya’ale veyabo and ‘al haNisim in the ‘amida and in Birkat haMazon.  In the morning we read the full Hallel and we took out two Sifre Tora. On the first one we read the Rosh Hodesh portion and in the second Sefer Tora we read the text corresponding to the 7th day of Hanukka. We also said Musaf for Rosh Hodesh, including ‘al haNisim.

Additionally, tonight in Tefilat ‘arbit we will switch frombarekhenu to barekh ‘alenu. In other words, we will begin asking God for rain.

In Israel Jews start praying for rain two weeks after Shemini Atseret, on the evening of the seventh day of Heshvan.

The Jews who lived in the Babylonian diaspora did not need the rain so early in the year. The Rabbis established then that Babylonian Jews should begin praying for rain on the 60th day of the season of Tishri, or the Hebrew autumn.

The Hebrew calendar also has four seasons called tequfot(in singular: tequfa). The Rabbis gave an easy round number for determining the beginning of each Hebrew calendar season.  A season consists of  91 days 7 hours and 30 minutes. This makes each year exactly 365 days and 6 hours long, about 11 minutes longer than the actual astronomical calculation of a solar year.

Today, Jews who live outside of Israel, follow the ancient practice of the Jews of Babylonia. Therefore, it has become tradition for Jews who live in the Diaspora to start asking for rain in their prayers as the Babylonian Jews did.

Based on this calculation, this year 2013, we will switch to Barekh ‘alenu –the prayer for rain– tonight, December 4th, in our ‘arbit prayer.

Today is the 5th day of Chanuka
29th day of Kislev, 5771

On Shemini Atzeret, we started reciting “Mashib HaRuach U’Morid HaGeshem” instead of “Morid HaTal” during the Amida prayers, praising HaShem for giving us rain, but we did not start asking Him to bring the rains yet.

In Israel, Jews start praying for rain in the Amida two weeks after Shemini Atzeret, on the evening of the seventh of Cheshvan (Sepharadic Jews do this by switching to ‘Barekh Alenu’ on the weekdays Amida, while Ashkenazi Jews add ‘veTen Tal uMatar’).

This was because they wanted to give time to the travelers who had made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem to get back home before praying for rain.

Diaspora Jews of the time, who mainly lived in Babylonia, did not need the rains to start so early, so the Rabbis ruled that in Babylonia the Jews would start praying for rain on the 60th day of Tekufat Tishrei (season of Tishrei) or approximately sixty days after the beginning of Autumn.

The Rabbis gave an easy to calculate round number for determining the beginning of each cycle (season). Each cycle is to be calculated at exactly 91 days 7 hours and 30 minutes. This makes each seasonal year exactly 365 days and 6 hours long, about 11 minutes longer than the actual astronomical calculation of a Solar year.

When it comes to calendar matters, Jews who live outside of Israel follow the practice of the Jews of Babylonia. Therefore, it has become tradition for all Jews who live in the Diaspora to start asking for rain in their prayers as the Babylonian Jews did.

Based on this calculation, this year, 2010, we switched to ‘Barekh Alenu’ in our prayers on the evening of December 4th.

(Thanks to Mr. Mehran Etessami, expert in Hebrew calendar calculations, for his help with this HOTD)