We could all notice that the weather is going crazy. I’m lighting Hanukkah candles in Israel and feel the same weather that I should feel lighting candles in Chile. Besides our hands being drier than ever, in Israel we are suffering a serious issue: the lack of rain. In the last weeks, rabbis have decreed two fasting days and a day of collective prayer at the Kotel, in order to ask Hashem for rain.

Jewish people have a special relationship with the rain. Unlike other countries where G-d created vast rivers and freshwater lakes, in Israel we depend on rain water. The blessing of our production depends on rainfall, which fills the streams and groundwater sources. Our production — therefore our livelihood, economy, and life itself — depends on G-d’s goodness. Since our water supply comes from above, and it’s not out there for whenever we want it but for whenever He does, it’s all about Emunah (faith), about creating a relationship with our Creator and realizing that everything relies on him.We pray for rain three times a day,all year long.Hashem wants us to ask for it! In the second paragraph of the Kyriat Shmah we read: “And it will be that if you continually hearken to my commandments that I command You today, to love Hashem,your G-d, and to serve Him, with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will provide rain for your land in its proper time…” (Deuteronomy 11:13). Therefore, It´s also related to the way we behave, if we love Hashem and follow His ways, He will bless us with rain.

Yesterday we started living a tragedy. Up north in Israel there is an unstoppable fire: 20,000 dunams consumed; 13,000 evacuated; 41 dead… The fact that it expands so fast is for sure associated with the drought. I feel that G-d is telling us “you thought you were praying enough for rain,now pray for real!”. I ask you all to pray for a Hanukkah miracle, to beg Hashem to send us a massive rainfall to put out the fire! Also think what could we do better in order to make this world a better place, how could I bring rain with my actions. Water is life,water is Torah.

May Hashem help us overcome this tragedy, to have a rainy year, and to be enlightened with the Hanukkah light!

Shabbat Shalom