The connection between righteous living and God’s blessing of rain TB Taanit 9

The rabbis connected righteous living with God’s blessings of rain. On yesterday’s  daf TB Taanit 8 we learned the importance of being faithful and about the nature of gossip. “Rabbi Ami further said: Rain falls only due to faithful people, as it is stated: ‘Truth springs out of the earth, and righteousness has looked down from heaven’ (Psalms 85:12). When ‘truth springs out of the earth,” i.e., if people are faithful, they will find that ‘righteousness,’ in the form of rain “has looked down from heaven.’”

We were also reminded of the destructive nature of gossip “Reish Lakish said: What is the meaning of that which is written: ‘If the snake bites before it is charmed, then the charmer has no advantage’ (Ecclesiastes 10:11)? In the future, all the animals will gather together and come to the snake and say to him: A lion mauls its prey and eats it; a wolf tears apart its prey and eats it; but you, what pleasure do you have when you bite a person, as you are incapable of eating him? The snake will say to them: ‘The charmer has no advantage.’ The Hebrew phrase for snake charmer literally means the master of the tongue, and therefore the snake is saying that he has a more difficult question: What pleasure does a gossiper receive, as he inflicts more harm for which he obtains no physical enjoyment.” (Sefaria.org translation)

 On today’s daf TB Taanit 9 we learn the importance of tzeddakah. “And Rabbi Yoḥanan further said: Rain is withheld only due to those who pledge charity in public but do not give it, as it is stated: “As vapors and wind without rain, so is he who boasts of a false gift” (Proverbs 25:14). (In other words, don’t be a person full of hot air who pledges a gift, but has no intention of fulfilling his pledge.-gg)

“And Rabbi Yoḥanan said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “A tithe shall you tithe [te’aser]” (Deuteronomy 14:22)? This phrase can be interpreted homiletically: Take a tithe [asser] so that you will become wealthy [titasher], in the merit of the mitzva. (The difference between the word tithe and rich is where you place the dot over the in the letter shin. A tithe is תְּעַשֵּׂר and becoming rich is   תִּתְעַשֵּׁר.” (Sefaria.org translation) The more you’re able to give to tzedakkah is a sign that God has blessed you with riches. I once asked one of my Hebrew school students what he wants to be when he grows up. He answered me by saying he wants to be rich. I told him I hope so because that means he’s able to give more tzedakkah.