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The Blessing of Dew
TANAKH
The blessing of 'the dew of heaven' symbolizes divine abundance and continuous provision. In the book of Genesis, Isaac bestows this blessing upon his son Jacob, signifying prosperity and sustenance.
Dew and Resurrection
TALMUD
Dew is believed to play a crucial role in the resurrection of the dead. The Jerusalem Talmud, an ancient corpus of law, ethics, and stories from the land of Israel, discusses the theological significance of dew through the narrative of Elijah and the son of the woman from Sarepta.
Dew and Ritual Purity
HALAKHAH
Dew, along with other liquids, makes foods susceptible to ritual impurity, a concept deeply rooted in Jewish law. In the Mishneh Torah, Rambam, in his famed 12th-century code of Jewish law, meticulously outlines the conditions under which foods become susceptible to impurity through contact with liquids, emphasizing the permanence of this status once established.
Dew and Rain: Torah's Dual Essence
COMMENTARY
The oral Torah enhances and completes the written Torah, much like dew complements rain. Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar, an 18th-century Moroccan Kabbalist and Talmudist, offers a comparison between the written and oral Torah in his commentary on Deuteronomy.
The Dual Blessing of Dew and Earth
SECOND TEMPLE
Isaac's blessing to Jacob included the 'dew of heaven' and the 'fatness of the earth.' Philo of Alexandria, a 1st-century Hellenistic Jewish philosopher, interprets this dual blessing as symbolizing both spiritual and material prosperity.
The Torah as Dew
TARGUM
The Torah is likened to dew, rain, and wind, emphasizing its nurturing and life-giving qualities. The Targum Jerusalem, an Aramaic translation and interpretation of the Hebrew Bible, offers a poetic comparison in Deuteronomy 32:2, highlighting the sweetness and importance of divine teachings.
Proper Mention of Seasonal Changes in Prayers
TALMUD
The Amidah prayer has variations for the rainy season and for the dry season. The Jerusalem Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism and one of the two Talmuds, how to proceed if the prayer leader prays the wrong variant for the time of the year.
Youth as Dew
COMMENTARY
In a somewhat cryptic verse, Psalm 110 associates dew with youth. Rashi, the renowned medieval French rabbi, explains what this verse might mean by the connection.
"The Prayer for Dew" from The Golden Haggadah. London, British Library, Add MS 27210. PD-old-assumed
"The Prayer for Dew" from The Golden Haggadah. London, British Library, Add MS 27210. PD-old-assumed
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