And bestow dew and rain

A reminder for those in Israel to begin saying "V’ten Tal Umatar Livracha"
(And bestow dew and rain for blessing) this evening in the Maariv service.

This formal request for rain is inserted in the 9th blessing of the daily Amidah during the months that Israel is most in need of rain. In Israel this request is inserted commencing Cheshvan 7, following the opinion of Rabban Gamliel in the Mishnah1 "fifteen days after the festival [of Sukkot] so that the last Jew [returning home from the festival] could reach the River Euphrates". In the Diaspora, this request is not added until December 4th,(December 5th in Greogorian leap years) following the opinion of Chananiah in the Talmud. "In the Diaspora [we do not begin to pray] until the sixtieth day after the [Tishrei] cycle". We do not insert this request at the beginning of the rain season (Shmini Atzeret), because the need for rain is not yet urgent enough to officially request it.
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