Shulchan Aruch: Chapter 117 - Laws Relating to Blessing concerning Material Prosperity

SECTION 117 Laws Relating to the Blessing concerning Material Prosperity. (1-5)

1 In the blessing concerning material prosperity,1 one must ask for rain in the rainy season.2 Why was this request instituted in this blessing? Since our livelihood [depends on rain, the request for rain] was instituted [there].

In Eretz Yisrael, we begin asking for rain on the eve3 of the seventh of MarCheshvan,4 because it is a hilly land and it requires rain directly after Sukkos.5 Indeed, it would have been appropriate there to [begin] asking [for rain] immediately after the festival, but [the Sages] delayed the request for 15 days so that the last of the Jews who made their way up [to Jerusalem] for the pilgrimage could return to their homes on the Euphrates River4 — [then] the most distant settlement from Jerusalem6 — without being impeded by rain. (Even after the destruction [of the Second Beis HaMikdash,7 the people] from all the surrounding area would gather together in Jerusalem for the pilgrim festivals, as is the practice at present as well.8 This is why the ordinance of the Sages, who had instituted the petition for rain in Eretz Yisrael on the seventh of MarCheshvan, was not abrogated [after the Destruction].)

In Babylonia and similar places that are not hilly as is Eretz Yisrael, and [hence] do not need rain immediately after Sukkos,9 we begin [to ask for rain] from the eve of the sixtieth day after the fall equinox.10 The day of the equinox and the day on which we [begin to] ask for rain are included in the sum of 60 days. Thus there are always two days between the day of the week on which the equinox falls and the day of the week on which the request is [first] made. [For example,] if the equinox was on Sunday, the request will [first] be made on the night [preceding] Wednesday. These sixty days are not counted from hour to hour. Rather, even if the equinox fell during daytime, we begin asking for rain on the eve of the sixtieth day thereafter.

The universal custom [in the Diaspora] follows that of the inhabitants of Babylonia. Nevertheless, some authorities have questioned — and differed with — [adherence to the practice of Babylonia in this instance]. [Their rationale is that] we follow the [rulings of] the Babylonian Sages and conduct ourselves as they do in instances in which there is a difference of opinion between [them] and the Sages of Eretz Yisrael, because the Talmud Bavli is accorded primacy.11 [The above-mentioned authorities argue that this applies] with regard to questions regarding whether something is forbidden or permitted, rulings regarding liability or exemption, and those defining ritual purity and impurity. When, by contrast, the subject at hand is a [local and] current need and there is no deviation that involves a violation of the Torah’s laws, it would be appropriate to act according to [the conditions of] the year, the place, and the time. For Babylonia has ample resources of water12 and does not require rain until 60 days after the equinox, or possibly the sowing season began later in Babylonia. In our lands,13 by contrast, when the sowing season begins in mid-Tishrei, it is known that if it does not rain directly after the crops have been sown, the seed will spoil, for the birds and the rodents will eat it entirely. Why, then, should we not follow the practice of the inhabitants of Eretz Yisrael who ask for rain on the seventh of MarCheshvan? For with regard to this matter, there is no difference of opinion [in principle] between the inhabitants of Babylonia and the inhabitants of Eretz Yisrael, with each party propounding reasons to justify its local practice. Rather, people in Babylonia acted according to their [local] needs and people in Eretz Yisrael acted according to their [local] needs.14 Similarly, in every extensive region, it is appropriate to act according to what is needed by all of its [inhabitants], even to ask for rain in the summer if these are their overall needs.

Nevertheless, [according to this thinking, the inhabitants of isolated] places that need rain in the summer, but are not considered as distinct regions, are considered as individuals.15 [Hence] they should ask for rain in the blessing that concludes Shomeia Tefillah,16 for at this point one may make a petition for any individual needs, as will be explained in sec. 119[:1]. In the blessing for material prosperity, by contrast, [those individuals] are not licensed to deviate from the established wording17 of the local community because of their own needs and request rain at a time when it will be harmful to most people. If they erred and asked for rain in the blessing for material prosperity, they are required to repeat the blessing, like an individual who errs.18 Moreover, even in the blessing Shomeia Tefillah, the request is made only by every individual in his own recitation of the whispered Shemoneh Esreh. They should not say vesein tal umatar19 in the communal prayer, i.e., in the repetition of Shemoneh Esreh by the sheliach tzibbur. Instead, appeasement is offered to G‑d through fasts, Selichos prayers,20 and psalms and verses that [request] rain. The sheliach tzibbur does not change the text of the congregational prayer to explicitly request vesein tal umatar in the blessing Shomeia Tefillah.

With regard to the halachah:21 The latter view is not accepted, and it has always been the custom in all of the dispersed Jewish communities to follow the practice of the inhabitants of Babylonia in this context. According to this [logic], when the inhabitants of one land require rain in the summer, even if it is an extensive land like Greater Germany or Greater Spain, and even if many extensive lands [share this need], they are considered as individuals and should make their requests in the blessing Shomeia Tefillah.22

Nevertheless, if an entire country requires rain during the summer and an individual erred and requested rain in the blessing for material prosperity, he may rely on the latter opinion after the fact. He is not required to repeat Shemoneh Esreh unless he desires to repeat it as a freewill offering. ([In such an instance,] one is not required to introduce a new element in the additional Shemoneh Esreh, since it is being recited because of the doubt, as explained in sec. 107[:1] and 108[:17-18].) Similarly, if, in these lands, a person should err and ask for rain from the seventh of MarCheshvan onward,23 he is not required to repeat [Shemoneh Esreh].

2 Until when is rain requested? Until the Afternoon Service on the day preceding the First Day of Pesach.5 From then onward,24 we cease asking [for rain in the ninth blessing], just as we cease mentioning [rain in the second blessing].25 [Indeed, we cease asking for rain] even before we cease mentioning it. [This can happen] if, for example, on the eve of the First Day of Pesach one mistakenly began a weekday Shemoneh Esreh, and did not become aware of his error until after he had begun the blessing for material prosperity. In such an instance he is obligated to complete that blessing, as explained in sec. 268[:2], but should not include the words vesein tal umatar. [The rationale] is that according to law, even the mention of rain should have ceased on the eve of the festival. It was delayed until the Mussaf Service only because not everyone is present in the synagogue at night and there would be division within the community, as explained in sec. 114[:1-2]. Thus the request for rain which is not made by the community should likewise not be made by an individual.

Similarly, if the day when the request for rain would be made26 falls on the eve of Shabbos and an individual mistakenly recited a weekday Shemoneh Esreh, he should not request rain [in the blessing for material prosperity. The rationale is] that the congregation has not yet begun [to make this request], and an individual is drawn after the community in all instances.

3 If one requests rain after the First Day of Pesach, whether one recalls [that this is out of place] before the end of the blessing [for material prosperity] or one remembers afterwards,27 one must return to the beginning of the blessing, for the reason explained in sec. 114[:4].28 If one did not remember until after concluding other blessings, he must return to the beginning of the blessing for material prosperity and recite [it and] all the blessings [following it] in sequence, as will be explained in sec. 119[:4].

4 If, during the rainy season, one did not request rain [in the blessing for material prosperity], he is required to repeat [Shemoneh Esreh], even if he requested dew.29 Requesting [rain] is not comparable to mentioning [rain in the second blessing]. For if, [in that instance,] one mentioned dew instead of rain, he is not required to repeat [the blessing], because the mention [of rain or dew] is [part of] the series of G‑d’s praises,30 and praising G‑d for providing dew is also praise for Him, like praising Him for providing rain, as explained in sec. 114[:6]. With regard to making a request, by contrast, every entity that leads to blessing must be requested specifically, be it dew or rain — and [requesting] dew cannot compensate for [failing to request] rain.

Nevertheless, if one did not request dew, one is not required to repeat [the blessing], because the request for dew is merely a custom. With regard to dew, the Sages instituted no obligation at all — neither to mention it [in the second blessing] nor to request it [in the blessing for material prosperity], for the reason given in [sec. 114:3].31

5 If one did not request rain32 and remembered before beginning the blessing Teka BeShofar,33 he should ask for rain at that point. This is considered as if he had asked for rain in the midst of the blessing for material prosperity, as explained in sec. 114[:7]. If he remembered after beginning Teka BeShofar, before the blessing Shomeia Tefillah, he is not required to repeat [the blessings] and should make the request in Shomeia Tefillah.34 This does not apply with regard to the mention [of rain in the second blessing]. Since this is an expression of praise, it is unrelated to the theme of the blessing Shomeia Tefillah.35

If one is fasting and must include Aneinu in the blessing Shomeia Tefillah,36 he should say vesein tal umatar before Aneinu, because the [obligation to] request rain is stronger than the obligation to recite Aneinu. [This is evidenced by the ruling that] if one did not [request rain], he is required to repeat [Shemoneh Esreh]. This does not apply with regard to Aneinu. Hence it is proper that [the request for rain] precede [Aneinu].

If one recalled [that he had forgotten to make the request for rain] after concluding Shomeia Tefillah, but before beginning Retzeh, he should say vesein tal umatar and then begin Retzeh. This is considered as if he had said it in the midst of the blessing Shomeia Tefillah.

If one did not recall [his omission] until after he began Retzeh, as long as he did not leave his place [after Shemoneh Esreh]37 he should return to the blessing for material prosperity.38 If he left his place, he must return to the beginning of Shemoneh Esreh.39 If one who is not accustomed to reciting prayers of supplication after Shemoneh Esreh40 completed his prayers, it is considered as if he left his place even if he did not actually do so. This also applies if he is accustomed to adding prayers of supplication, he completed his supplications, and then41 said Yih’yu leratzon.42 For reciting this verse signifies that one has diverted his attention from saying further prayers of supplication, [indicating] the conclusion of his Shemoneh Esreh, as explained in sec. 422.43