Parshas Ki Savo - The Three Lively Hallows: Reign in the Rain Versus Formation Skydiving

Parshas Ki Savo

The Three Lively Hallows:

Reign in the Rain Versus Formation Skydiving

By: Daniel Listhaus

יִפְתַּח הֹ' לְךָ אֶת אוֹצָרוֹ הַטּוֹב אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם לָתֵת מְטַר אַרְצְךָ בְּעִתּוֹ וּלְבָרֵךְ אֵת כָּל מַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶךָ וְהִלְוִיתָ גּוֹיִם רַבִּים וְאַתָּה לֹא תִלְוֶה

“Hashem shall open for you His storehouse of goodness, the heavens, to provide rain for your land in its time, and to bless all your handiwork; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.”

-Ki Savo 28:12

Immediately after the Torah lists the curses of those who violate various mitzvos, the Torah writes about the goodness that comes when we in fact listen to the word of Hashem and follow His commandments.¹ The passuk describes that one of the rewards we receive from listening to Hashem is that Hashem will open His storehouse and allow it to rain. The Torah here is clearly communicating the connection between the world of ruchniyus (spirituality) and gashmiyus (material). The fact that there are physical ramifications based on whether we listen to Hashem or not, is no doubt a promise that only Hashem Himself could guarantee.

The Gemara² quotes Rabbi Yochanan as saying that there are three keys which Hashem has kept in His own hands and has not entrusted to any messenger:³ the Key of Rain, the Key of Childbirth, and the Key of techiyas ha'meisim (the Revival of the Dead). The mishna⁴ says that we mention the power of rain in the second beracha of shemoneh esreh – the beracha known as 'gevuros' (G-d's might). It is no coincidence that the other two main topics we mention in this beracha are the facts that Hashem is the One Who sustains life and Who is able to revive the dead. We refer to Hashem as gibbur (strong) because of His power to sustain life, control rain, and revive the dead.

What is the connection between these three powers of Hashem? And why is rain different than other areas of nature in that it comes only during times when we are following the word of Hashem?

The Gemara vaguely explains that the reason the power of rain is mentioned specifically in this beracha is because it is equivalent to resurrecting the dead. The meforshim (commentaries) explain that the common denominator between the three keys of reviving the dead, childbirth, and rain is that they all provide life. However, even with this commonality, if one were asked to design a logo representing the power of Hashem, certainly of these three things one would choose to depict an image representing techiyas ha'meisim. After all, revival of the dead is something completely out of this world! It is something beyond comprehension and any scientific explanation. Childbirth may be a close second-place but leaving aside the miraculous aspects of childbirth, starting with where the neshama (soul) comes into the picture if it is external to DNA, most of the process is understandable and predictable. Rain seems by far the “easiest” feat for Hashem to do. Rain is just so normal and happens so often that it almost seems ridiculous to associate this with Hashem being a “gibbur”. So is there perhaps a deeper understanding in the connection of these three keys which we use to define Hashem as the ultimate gibbur?

Additionally, the mishna⁵ states, “Who is strong (gibbur)? One who conquers his personal inclination”. Is there a connection between why we refer to Hashem as the ultimate gibbur and what the mishna states defines a person as a gibbur?

There is no question that skydiving is quite a thrilling sport. However, those who just do not get excited enough while free falling through the air and remain clear-headed and bored, often enjoy to go skydiving in groups and do what is called formation skydiving. A group of people jumping out of a plane right after another will be falling pretty close to each other and could easily collide. The game is to instead turn in different ways in the air to direct yourself and catch up to the rest of the group and then hold hands or grips on the skydiving suits to form various mid-air formations. Although the risks of this sport are obvious to all, when it comes to “sky diving” raindrops, it is a completely different story. The medrash⁶ relates that Hashem appoints a malach over each and every drop of rain. Despite the fact that the drops fall a great distance from very high up, the drops never attach to each other. Rather each and every droplet of rain is controlled by a specific ratzon (will) of Hashem to serve a unique purpose in the exact location it falls in. There is not even one drop of rain that falls without a specific instruction and intention from Hashem.

This is precisely the common denominator between the three keys. All three represent the fact that all of life is dependent on nothing other than Hashem Himself. In order for anything to exist at any given point it has to be connected to Hashem's ratzon to exist – for Hashem is the only source of life, as He is Life itself. These three keys demonstrate this point that Hashem is the ultimate gibbur on Whom everything else is dependent. He intentionally sustains us by willing us to be in this world, and could bring a person back even after death, as well as is the source of life for every aspect of all His creations. Everything is here for a purpose and everything is here only because of Hashem's ratzon.

With this understanding, we could perhaps better appreciate the connection in this week's parsha between the spiritual realm and the physical world. If we listen to Hashem and keep His mitzvos, we become attached to Hashem Himself and He in turn showers us back with life. Indeed the Torah and mitzvos are our life as we say every night during ma'ariv,⁷ “...For they [the Torah and mitzvos] are our life and the length of our days and about them we will contemplate day and night....” Our task is to keep the Torah and mitzvos, conquer our yetzer harrah (evil inclination) and become a gibbur. In turn, Hashem deals with us as a gibbur and allows us to attach ourselves to Him.

As we head into the second half of the month of Ellul and get closer to Rosh Hashanah we must start thinking about the fact that Hashem is the Melech (King) over the entire world. Not merely a Ruler Who has subjects that must listen because they live within His land, but a King whose people must obey because they exist only through His will. We must utilize our bechira (free choice) to want to become gibborim and choose life as the passuk⁸ says, “u'v'charta b'chayim” - and you should choose life.

With this in mind may we merit to achieve what we ask Hashem for in Shemoneh Esreh during the eseres y'mei teshuvah (10 days of repentance from Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur) – “zachreinu l'chayim melech chafetz ba'chayim, v'chas'veinu b'sefer ha'chayim, l'mancha Elokim chaim” - Remember us for life, O King Who desires life, and inscribes us in the Book of Life – for your sake, O Living G-d.

1This is then followed by the main part of the tochacha, which describes the horrors that will come if we do not listen to the mitzvos.

2Ta'anis 2a

3The rishonim ask that we see in tanach that there were indeed people who who seem to have had control over one or more of these 'keys'. See Rashi there who learns that Hashem never gave over all three keys at the same time to one person. Tosfos maintain that the Gemara means that although Hashem has granted some people control over these keys, He never gave a key indefinitely. Others learn that Hashem never gave more than one key to the same person at the same time.

4Berachos 33a (Mishnayos Berachos 5:2)

5Avos 4:1

6Devarim Rabbah 7:6

7Evening Prayer

8Devarim 30:19