Judaism takes rain very seriously. One could go so far as to say that rain is the determining factor in Jews' relationship both with the Land of Israel and with the Lord Himself.
As Moses himself informs the Israelites, unlike the decadent fleshpots of Egypt, its fertile flatlands lushly irrigated by the Nile, the land given by God is hilly and without great rivers to provide it with water. Once there, says Moses, “by the rains of the heavens you'll drink water” (Deuteronomy 11: 10-13). A land like this provides ample space for growing crops and grazing livestock, and unlike Egypt it doesn't require the extensive labor of building an irrigation system. But there is a catch. The water doesn't come free. You have to pray for it.
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