Parshat Ha’azinu: Rain Plan
Deuteronomy 32:2

יַעֲרֹ֤ף כַּמָּטָר֙ לִקְחִ֔י תִּזַּ֥ל כַּטַּ֖ל אִמְרָתִ֑י כִּשְׂעִירִ֣ם עֲלֵי־דֶ֔שֶׁא וְכִרְבִיבִ֖ים עֲלֵי־עֵֽשֶׂב׃

“May my teaching come down as the rain, My speech distill as the dew, like showers on young growth, like droplets on the grass.”

This year, our High Holy Days services took place in a tent, which meant we were at the mercy of the elements. While considering all kinds of rain plans, I had a lot of time to think about ways that Torah is like rain. Here are seven of them. Shabbat Shalom!
 

• Just as rain falls on everything from high to low, so too we can find Torah in everything around us.
• Just as rain soaks dry ground, so too Torah renews a tired spirit.
• Just as rain-soaked earth creates dangerous floods, so too the study of Torah should be balanced with a profession, or other hobbies. (see Pirkei Avot 2:2)
• Just as rain brings on a range of emotions from joy to frustration, so too Torah affects each of us differently.
• Just as we find joy in rain in its proper time, we find joy in mitzvot and holidays celebrated at their proper times.
• Just as rain falls in droplets, so too every drop of Torah wisdom is just as significant as all the others.
• Just as rain makes you rethink your plans, so too Torah should cause us to think critically about our actions.

In this coming year may we create not only rain plans, but Torah plans, letting the teachings of our ancestors guide our actions and the decisions we make.