Feature Tidbit The Silver Lining For several weeks, (some, many, most - maybe many to most) Jews in Eretz Yisra'el have been saying the special addition to SH'MA KOLEINU, asking G-d for much-needed rainfall. Some have been saying it in their private Amida - once, twice, or three times a day; some only in the repetition of the Amida, some in both. ThisRabbinate, that Badatz, the other rabbi have been adding their voices to the cause. Torah Tidbits contained a special rain pull-out in issue 394. The point is that people are praying for rain. And this past Monday, it rained. It was the first really good soaking that we received this season. Mid-December is late for the first heavy rains. I got the distinct impression that many people forgot to thank G-d for Monday's rain with the special MODIM ANCHNU LACH bracha. "I didn't know there is such a bracha." "Butwe still need more rain." "I didn't know when to say it." "I didn't think about it." Let's take a look at the Shulchan Aruch on this topic. Section 221 of Orech Chaim states, "If they were pained by lack of rainfall, and then it rained, we say the bracha even if it has not rained a satisfactory amount. The rain (upon which trhe bracha is said) is that which causes bubbling on the ground." The RAMA explainsthat in Europe (the same would be so of many places in the States) the bracha was not said because there (usually) wasn't joy felt when it rained (after a period without rain) - this due to the year-round rain of the locale. In Eretz Yisra'el there is definitely a great joy experienced when it rains after a period without rain. The Mishna B'rura adds that the bracha should be saidin Chutz LaAretz also, when the situation warrants it. The Shulchan Aruch then tells us what bracha to say. People with fields should say She'he'che'yanu or HaTov V'ha'Meitiv, as the case may be, and those without fields say MODIM ANACHNU LACH... We thank You G-d for every single drop... Whereas the prayer for lack of rain is an insertion into the Sh'ma Koleinu bracha of the weekday Amida, the bracha of Thanks for the Rain is a stand-alone bracha, not part of davening, that can be said anytime the situation calls for it. (Actually, MODIM is probably not purely a stand-alone bracha, because it does not havethe "full" format of a bracha. This can be remedied by saying it back-to-back with another bracha such as BOREI NEFASHOT. This is another issue.) There is a point to bringing up this topic beyond the reminder-value for the bracha. Life is filled with good moments and bad moments. Clouds with silver linings. Some people can only see clouds. They do not get excited about the silver linings of life, about the lights at the ends of the proverbial tunnels. I've spoken to many people these last few days, people who say VA'ANEINU withfervor, but who seemed to be unaware of the MODIM bracha. "Did you say the bracha on Monday?", I asked. "I thought it in my head." Why? Why can't we say thank you to G-d when we should (and even err, if necessary, in favor of overthanking Him, rather than underdoing it). Rain, the State of Israel, everyday small miracles, more. [The Vayigash Homepage]
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