Monday, November 16, 2009

Rain, Rain Don't go Away

I heard a new "folk belief" today. I mentioned that I was thankful that it had finally stopped raining, although the weather forecast showed rain as a possibility for Friday. The person I mentioned this to smiled and said: "Oh good, rain on Friday night is always mazeldik for the Jews." Huh? Is there any possible real grounding for this belief, or is this another one of those "Everyone knows" but nobody knows how this came to be sayings? Inquiring minds want to know.

7 comments:

G6 said...

It is my understanding that this comes from the posuk in Shema that talks about rain "B'ito" - in the right time.
It is explained that this "right time" is Friday night, when everybody is home from shul and hopefully enjoying their Shabbos meal, therefore not being disturbed or inconvenienced by the rain.

NonymousG said...

G6 beat me to it. Although I'm not convinced it's from Shema.

Anonymous said...

i remember that it's a rashi. i learned it in high school: the rashi says that rain at night & on friday night is a bracha. I'll have to look up what pasuk it's from though...

Archie Bunker said...

It's a Rashi on the first Posuk in Bechukosay.

E. Fink said...

Yes. It is a Rashi - but it doesnt say "Mazeldik" - whatever that means!

It says gishmei bracha. That is because no one was traveling on business or out in the fields on Friday night. They were home for Shabbos.

It is very important to be precise.

Mikeinmidwood said...

First, it says that only for Israel and Israel doesnt seem to have that rain. Second, its says that also on wednsday nights it is a blessing for it to rain, which I dont know why because people had wedding wednsday night.

Anonymous said...

I heard that rain wednesday nights is bad, because sheidim come with the rain