'I will Grant You Rains in their Seasons' – Past, Present or Future?
Keywords:
Midrash, RainfallAbstract
From ancient times, the covenants in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy were understood as having a dual function: one, a principled promise of reward for fulfilling the words of the covenant, and a warning about the calamity of its transgression. The second is a "plan" for the history and eschatology of the Jewish people: sin, punishment, and redemption.
The subject of this paper is the commentaries of the sages on the blessings in the Sifra and Sifrei Deuteronomy. In general, the commentary corresponds to the basic view of the Sages as a promise for the future. However, a more careful study reveals a variety of voices that are not necessarily compatible with this view and have been pushed aside, and dispute with outside criticism. In addition, the paper discusses some fundamental issues in the reduction of the Halachic Midrashim and the concepts and beliefs of the Sages.