Emuna and Umbrellas

by Rabbi Yechiel Weisz, Dean, A.C.E. Israel

In a small town there was a severe drought. The community synagogues each prayed separately for rain, but to no avail. The tears and prayers failed to unlock the sealed heavens, and for months, no rains came.

Finally, the town's eldest sage held a meeting with prominent community rabbis and lay leaders. "There are two items lacking in our approach, faith and unity. Each one of you must impress upon his congregation the need to believe. If we are united and sincere, our prayers will be answered!" He declared that all the synagogues in the city would join together for a day of tefilah. Everyone, men women and children would join together for this event. "I assure you," he exclaimed, "that if we meet both criteria - faith and unity - no one will leave that prayer service without getting drenched!"

There was no shul large enough to contain the entire community so the date was set to gather and daven in a field! For the next few weeks all the rabbis spoke about bitachon and achdus (faith and unity). On the designated day the entire town gathered in a large field whose crops had long withered from the severe drought. Men, women, and children all gathered and anxiously awaited the old sage to begin the service.

The elderly rabbi walked up to the podium. His eyes scanned the tremendous crowd that filled the large field and then they dimmed in dismay. The rabbi began shaking his head in dissatisfaction. "This will never work," he moaned dejectedly. "The rain will not come." Slowly he left the podium. The other rabbis on the dais were shocked. "But rebbe everyone is here and they are all united! Surely they must believe that the rains will fall! Otherwise no one would have bothered to come on a working day!"

The rabbi shook his head slowly and sadly.

"No. They don't really believe," he stated. "I scanned the entire crowd. Nobody even brought an umbrella."

We often change our plans because of what the weather man said on the news, or because of suspected traffic etc.. How often do we change out action and decisions based on predictions made out by the Torah?

נח מקטני אמונה היה, Noach was lacking in Emuna. And why? Because he only entered the Ark after heavy rain started falling. Strong Emuna, believing that the Torah is the guide line and user manual to our life, is essential in an עבד ה'.

Based on this understand we can understand why Noach was not successful in bringing the people of his Generation closer to God. Imagine: Here is man working on a boat which will save humanity for 120 years and nobody takes him seriously?

However, nobody is able to teach something and give it over to their students, peers or children if they themselves are lacking understanding and commitment in it. He himself wont be giving his best teaching in and more so his students will feel the lack of seriousness. If we are completely convinced in an idea, we can also sell it and convince others, כמים פנים אל פנים

If we want to to reach our children and teach them the ways of Hashem, we have to live it right ourselves. That way, they will all bring their umbrellas.