The topic around our lunch table was the coming of the rains. Everyone could smell the dampness of the air. It's 25 degrees right now and if the temperature lowers a couple more degrees, precipitation will take place. It's unusually cloudy and the winds are blowing from the east (Mediterranean Sea) hence it's loaded with water. The weather forecast for today is 20% chance of rain here in Jerusalem. This is from the Israel Forecast website:
| Updated: 3:00 AM IDT on September 02, 2010 | |
 | Thursday Chance of Rain. Scattered Clouds. High: 32 °C . Wind WNW 18 km/h . 20% chance of precipitation (water equivalent of 0.50 mm). Heat Index: 32 °C ." |
And this is from BBC
- Sunrise 06:15
- Sunset 19:02
| Weather | Temp. (°C) | Wind (mph) | HumidityPressureVisibility | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Thursday Day |  Light Rain Shower | 26Max. Day | 10 | 43%1011mbVery good |
And for the disbelieving/ignorant person who's living in our land (Emmaus to be precise) but still know nothing about it, here's a lesson on rain and the Jewish feasts of autumn.
On Wednesday evening 8th September we will celebrate Rosh HaShanah or the Jewish New Year. It lasts two days and the Jewish people take stock of their lives last year and pray for a provident year ahead.
On Friday evening 17th September they celebrate Yom Kippur, the day of Atonement, where they pray for God's forgiveness for sins of the past year and hope for a better year ahead.
On Wednesday evening 22nd September, they celebrate Sukkot, the feast of Tents, which ends on wednesday 29th. As the rains should fall during this period, farmers who harvest the autumn fruit need to build tents in the fields to stock their harvest otherwise it will spoil. Inside the tents, Jewish families today hang fruit on the walls to remind themselves of the agricultural origin of this feast.
whoooooa ... it's raining now in Jerusalem just as I'm writing. Coincidence? The dark clouds have gathered and from my window I can see raindrops ... it doesn't look much but it sure augurs well for this winter. Get an umbrella, Ting, if you're coming to Jerusalem.
Continuing with the Sukkot feast - on the last day, the greatest day of the feast (this year on wed. 29th) back in the time of Christ, the High Priest would offer water drawn from the Siloam Pool and poured out on the altar. He then prays that God will send rain for winter. The rains are God's providence for the Holyland that begins the New Year. It was during this feast that Jesus announced "Let anyone who thirsts, come to me and drink" (Jn 7:37-38), proclaiming as it were the true live-giving water that comes from him.
And so .... the autumn feasts are linked with the coming rains - the symbol of God's providence and life for the new year. End of lesson.
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