The Israeli and Eastern Mediterranean climate is one of hot, rainless summers and â?? barring drought â?? cool, rainy winters, with spring and autumn as transitional seasons. This is why, though it has nothing to do with their own local weather (unless theyâ??re living in Southern California), Jews all over the world pray briefly for dew every day from Passover to Sukkot and for rain from Sukkot to Passover, and why on Shemini Atzeret, the last day of Sukkot, there is a longer prayer inaugurating the start of the rainy season.
In reality, of course, since Sukkot can come anywhere from mid-September to mid-October, and the first rains in Israel can fall as early as September and as late as November, praying for rain and getting it are not that well coordinated, but whose prayers are always answered, anyway?
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