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"Tefilat Geshem" - The Prayer
for Rain
(scanned material from ArtScroll
Sukkot Machzor)
What is "Tefilat Geshem?"
There are three items in the
Jewish Liturgy which have been called "Prayers for
Rain." Two of these are really more accurately described
as:
1.the annual introduction and
perhaps, request of permission, to praise G-d
as The Deliverer of life-giving moisture to all of Humanity,
and to all of
Nature. This is "Tefilat Geshem," translated, again,
somewhat erroneously
as "The Prayer for Rain" and
2.the daily, for half a year, praise of Hashem as the Deliverer
and Provider of
wind and rain
The above two are included and
linked (with no Internet connotation) in the
Prayers of Shmini Atzeret.
The third item, the actual "Prayer
for Rain," is not incorporated into the
Shemoneh Esrei (1) until early in December, keyed to the rainy
season in Israel,
but allowing sufficient time for Pilgrim visitors to Jerusalem
to get home before
the rain.
"Geshem" is recited
by the Prayer-Leader, "Chazzan," responsively with
the
congregation, during the repetition of the Shemoneh Esray.
In the prayer, we are informed
that the "angel" (2) in charge of the distribution
of
rain is named "Af-Bri." This name alludes to the two
ways in which rain can be
delivered to the earth. "Af" means "Anger"
and represents torrential,
flood-provoking rainfall. "Bri" denotes "Health"
and corresponds to the gentle rain
which is beneficial to humanity and to the environment in general.
"Af-Bri is designated as
the name of the angel of rain; to thicken and to form
clouds, to empty them and to cause rain.
Water with which to crown the
valley's vegetation may it not be withheld because
of our unredeemed debt.
In the merit of the faithful
Patriarchs protect the ones who pray for rain.
Chazzan bends his knees at Blessed';
bows at 'You; straightens up at 'HASHEM
Blessed are You, HASHEM, Shield
of Abraham. (Cong. - Amen.)
You are eternally mighty, my
Lord, the Resuscitator of the dead are You;
abundantly able to save.
May He obligate [the Angel Af-Bri]
to give us portions of the segregated rain (3),
to soften the wasteland's face when it is dry as rock.
With water You symbolized Your
might in Scripture, to soothe with its drops those
in whom was blown a soul, to keep alive the ones who recall the
strengths of the
rain."
G-d is implored to provide healthful
rain to us in the merit of our forefathers and
other great leaders of Israel, in connection with whom water-related
verses are
cited:
"Our God and the God of
our forefathers:
Remember the Patriarch [Abraham],
who was drawn behind You like water. You
blessed him like a tree replanted alongside streams of water.
You shielded him,
You rescued him from fire and from water. You tested him when
he sowed upon
all waters.
Cong.- For his sake, do not hold
water back!
Remember the one [Isaac] born
with the tidings of, 'Let some water be brought. '
You told his father to slaughter him - to spill his blood like,
water. He too was
scrupulous to pour his heart like water. He dug and discovered
wells of water.
Cong.- For the sake of his righteousness,
grant abundant water!
Remember the one [Jacob] who
carried his staff
and crossed the Jordan's water.
He dedicated his heart and rolled a stone
off the mouth of a well of water,
as when he was wrestled by an angel composed of fire and water.
Therefore You pledged to remain with him through fire and water.
Cong. - For his sake, do not
hold water back!
Remember the one [Moses] drawn
forth in a bulrush basket from the water.
They said, 'He drew water and provided the sheep with water.'
At the time Your
treasured people thirsted for water, he struck the rock and out
came water.
Cong.- For the sake of his righteousness,
grant abundant water!
Remember the appointee [Aaron]
over the Temple, who made five immersions
in the water. He went to cleanse his hands through sanctification
with water. He
called out and sprinkled [blood bringing] purity as with water.
He remained apart
from a people of waterlike impetuosity.
Cong. - For his sake, do not
hold water back!
Remember the twelve tribes You
caused
to cross through the split waters,
for whom You sweetened the water's bitter taste.
Their offspring whose blood was spilt for You like water.
Turn to us - for woes engulf our souls like water.
Cong. - For the sake of their
righteousness, grant abundant water!
Chazzan:
For You are HASHEM, our God,
Who makes the wind blow and makes
the rain descend.
Cong. then chazzan - For blessing
and not for curse. (Cong. - Amen.)
Cong. then chazzan- For life and not for death.
(Cong. - Amen.)
Cong. then chazzan - For plenty and not for scarcity. (Cong.
- Amen.)
1. Shemoneh Esray - This is the
fundamental 18-Blessing (during weekdays; fewer on
Shabbat and Holidays) Prayer composed by the Anshei K'Nesset
HaGedolah (itself
requiring explanation); these items will be dealt with at length
when the Jewish Prayer
Section comes online. The "Prayer for Rain" is inserted
into the "Blessing," or "Request
for Divine Assistance" Section, where we ask G-d to give
us a successful year, which,
certainly for a primarily agricultural society, meant gentle
and timely rain, but which from a
broader perspective is a universal requirement. Back to Text
2. Angel - A heavenly being created
by G-d. Angels are used by G-d as messengers
(except on certain occasions, when G-d acts Himself; for example,
during the Plague of
the Firstborn in Egypt, when, according to Jewish Tradition,
G-d acted alone) to
accomplish His purposes on earth. In general, a certain "angel"
can accomplish only one
purpose. For example, Gavriel is used for punishment; Refael
for healing. Back to Text
3. "Segregated" Rain
- G-d separated the waters upon their creation into "heavenly"
waters and "earthly" waters; here the request is for
"heavenly" waters. Back to Text
How do Jews pray for wind and
rain?
Actually, we are not ready at
this point in the season to request rain; it is a bit
early, and the "olai regel," "the people who have
gone up by foot," to come to
Yerushalayim for the Holiday in fulfillment of the Biblical command,
need to get
home without getting drenched. Here, rather, we praise G-d as
the source of the
blessing of rain; in early December, we will actually make the
official request.
The formula for this praise is the phrase, "Mashiv HaRuach
U'Morid HaGeshem,"
"the One Who makes the wind blow, and makes the rain descend."
When is this prayer (or phrase
of praise) recited?
It is always done on Shmini Atzeret,
but the exact time is a matter of custom.
Some congregations begin saying it in the Silent Shemoneh Esrei
(1) of Mussaf;
others don't begin reciting it until the Silent Shemoneh Esrei
of Minchah, the
Afternoon Prayer.
Where is the prayer inserted?
The Shemoneh Esrei begins always
with a Section of Praises of G-d, consisting
of three blessings, which will be described here in extremely
brief terms. The
first, called "Avot," "forefathers," praises
G-d as the G-d of our forefathers, as a
great and awesome G-d, Who remembers their merit in our behalf.
The next
blessing extols G-d's Might as the Healer, the One Who gives
life and takes it,
and Who does not forget those who have died, and Who ultimately
will bring
about the resurrection of the dead. The third blessing in this
Section describes
G-d's Holiness, and describes Him as One Who is holy and Whose
Name (i.e.
His actions) are holy.
"Mashiv HaRuach U'Morid
HaGeshem" is inserted into the blessing "describing"
His indescribable Might, as the Source of life-giving rain.
You are eternally mighty, my
Lord, the Resuscitator of the dead are You;
abundantly able to save.
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