Basya Tsybukmakher
During the time of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, there lived a sage named Honi. He was a righteous and humble man who loved people very much and treated everyone with deep respect, and the people treated him the same way. It does not happen often, but Honi was loved and respected by all the inhabitants of the city. He was beloved by the Almighty as well.
In those days, there was no artificial irrigation and no irrigation systems, and all the fields, gardens, and crops depended on rain. There was no running water in the homes either. People dug water-collection pits and drew water from them for cooking, washing clothes, and other needs. The Land of Israel, unlike other countries, depends greatly on rain. Look at a map, and everything will immediately become clear. If it rains, there will be a harvest, but if it does not, drought and famine await the land and its people.
As we know, the key to rain is in the hands of the Creator Himself. Every day in their prayers, beginning on the seventh day of the month of Cheshvan, the people of the Holy Land ask the Almighty, hoping for His mercy, to send us dew and rain for a blessing, so that there will be a good harvest.
Have you ever seen how happy the earth is to receive every drop of rain? How happy nature becomes? How happy people are? It does not matter that it is cold and wet—as long as it is raining! The world fills with joy and celebration on a day when rain falls.
That year was a year of drought. Winter was coming to an end, but there had been no rain—not even a single drop. The gates of Heaven were closed. Everyone prayed and begged for rain. The people of Jerusalem decided to send the city’s wise men to Honi, because he had a special relationship with the Almighty.
“Honi, the Almighty treats you like His own beloved son. Please pray that the rain will begin.”
Honi answered, “First, bring the Passover ovens inside the houses, so that they do not get wet and ruined.”
Everyone did as he instructed. Then Honi prayed, but the rain still did not begin.
All the people of the city looked at Honi hopefully. “Honi, the time has come to offer a special prayer to God.”
Honi felt sorry for the people of the city. He very much wanted to help them. What did he do? He took a stick, drew a circle on the ground—a ma'agal—and stood inside it. This was his special way of turning to the Creator. Honi stood in the center of the circle, his eyes lifted toward Heaven.
“Creator of the world, Your children have turned to me because they know that I am like a beloved son before You. I promise that I will not leave this circle until You have mercy on Your children, the Jewish people!”
Immediately, gray clouds covered the sky, and tiny drops of rain began to fall rapidly onto the dry earth.
His students said to him, “Rabbi, this rain is not enough. Such a weak rain cannot give the fields and gardens enough water, and it cannot fill the water-collection pits. It seems to us that the rain has begun to fall only to release you from your promise.”
Honi lifted his eyes toward Heaven and said, “This is not the kind of rain I asked for. I asked for rain that would water the earth and the gardens, rain that would fill the water-collection pits.”
Honi had not yet finished his prayer when a storm arose and a downpour began. Huge drops fell upon the earth. Water flooded the streets, and it seemed that the water would flood all of Jerusalem.
The people ran to Honi. In a panic, they cried, “Honi, this rain could destroy the entire world! Do something!”
Honi pleaded, “This is not the kind of rain I asked for. I asked for rain of blessing and mercy.”
From that moment on, a rain of blessing began to fall. The rain fell and fell and did not stop. It filled the entire land, all the rivers, and all the water-collection pits. The people who lived in the low-lying areas could no longer remain in their homes. Water was flooding their houses, and they were forced to climb up to the Temple Mount.
Once again, the people ran to Honi. “Enough! The blessing you brought down has turned into a curse!”
Again, Honi turned to the Creator. “Almighty! Israel, Your people, whom You brought out of Egypt, are never satisfied. They cannot endure either great good or great suffering. When You are angry with them, they cannot bear it, and when You generously shower them with great goodness, they cannot bear that either. May it be Your will that the rain stop and the clouds disperse from over the world.”
And Honi became known as Honi HaMe'agel, Honi the Circle Maker, in memory of that very circle he had drawn on the ground. And our Sages said that if Honi had not been as close to the Creator as a beloved son, he would have deserved punishment for his boldness.
In those days, there was no artificial irrigation and no irrigation systems, and all the fields, gardens, and crops depended on rain. There was no running water in the homes either. People dug water-collection pits and drew water from them for cooking, washing clothes, and other needs. The Land of Israel, unlike other countries, depends greatly on rain. Look at a map, and everything will immediately become clear. If it rains, there will be a harvest, but if it does not, drought and famine await the land and its people.
As we know, the key to rain is in the hands of the Creator Himself. Every day in their prayers, beginning on the seventh day of the month of Cheshvan, the people of the Holy Land ask the Almighty, hoping for His mercy, to send us dew and rain for a blessing, so that there will be a good harvest.
Have you ever seen how happy the earth is to receive every drop of rain? How happy nature becomes? How happy people are? It does not matter that it is cold and wet—as long as it is raining! The world fills with joy and celebration on a day when rain falls.
That year was a year of drought. Winter was coming to an end, but there had been no rain—not even a single drop. The gates of Heaven were closed. Everyone prayed and begged for rain. The people of Jerusalem decided to send the city’s wise men to Honi, because he had a special relationship with the Almighty.
“Honi, the Almighty treats you like His own beloved son. Please pray that the rain will begin.”
Honi answered, “First, bring the Passover ovens inside the houses, so that they do not get wet and ruined.”
Everyone did as he instructed. Then Honi prayed, but the rain still did not begin.
All the people of the city looked at Honi hopefully. “Honi, the time has come to offer a special prayer to God.”
Honi felt sorry for the people of the city. He very much wanted to help them. What did he do? He took a stick, drew a circle on the ground—a ma'agal—and stood inside it. This was his special way of turning to the Creator. Honi stood in the center of the circle, his eyes lifted toward Heaven.
“Creator of the world, Your children have turned to me because they know that I am like a beloved son before You. I promise that I will not leave this circle until You have mercy on Your children, the Jewish people!”
Immediately, gray clouds covered the sky, and tiny drops of rain began to fall rapidly onto the dry earth.
His students said to him, “Rabbi, this rain is not enough. Such a weak rain cannot give the fields and gardens enough water, and it cannot fill the water-collection pits. It seems to us that the rain has begun to fall only to release you from your promise.”
Honi lifted his eyes toward Heaven and said, “This is not the kind of rain I asked for. I asked for rain that would water the earth and the gardens, rain that would fill the water-collection pits.”
Honi had not yet finished his prayer when a storm arose and a downpour began. Huge drops fell upon the earth. Water flooded the streets, and it seemed that the water would flood all of Jerusalem.
The people ran to Honi. In a panic, they cried, “Honi, this rain could destroy the entire world! Do something!”
Honi pleaded, “This is not the kind of rain I asked for. I asked for rain of blessing and mercy.”
From that moment on, a rain of blessing began to fall. The rain fell and fell and did not stop. It filled the entire land, all the rivers, and all the water-collection pits. The people who lived in the low-lying areas could no longer remain in their homes. Water was flooding their houses, and they were forced to climb up to the Temple Mount.
Once again, the people ran to Honi. “Enough! The blessing you brought down has turned into a curse!”
Again, Honi turned to the Creator. “Almighty! Israel, Your people, whom You brought out of Egypt, are never satisfied. They cannot endure either great good or great suffering. When You are angry with them, they cannot bear it, and when You generously shower them with great goodness, they cannot bear that either. May it be Your will that the rain stop and the clouds disperse from over the world.”
And Honi became known as Honi HaMe'agel, Honi the Circle Maker, in memory of that very circle he had drawn on the ground. And our Sages said that if Honi had not been as close to the Creator as a beloved son, he would have deserved punishment for his boldness.