איוב, פרק ל״ו, פסוק ל״א

Natural forces, particularly elements of the sky like clouds, rain, and lightning, serve as God's dual instruments of divine providence. The primary approach among commentators is that God guides the world through these natural elements in two entirely opposite directions. On one hand, He uses these forces to judge and punish humanity. This discipline can occur by withholding rain, which creates drought and famine [מלבי״ם]. It can also take the form of active destruction, as seen during the Flood, the raining of sulfur upon Sodom, or the heavenly battle against Sisera [רש״י].

Conversely, these exact same forces are the source of life and prosperity, providing food for the earth. Commentators highlight the wonder of two extremes stemming from the very same origin. The same waters that possess the power to destroy the world transform into blessed rains that cause crops to grow [מצודת דוד]. This reality is compared to a baker standing before an oven. When an enemy enters, the baker throws hot coals at him, but when a friend arrives, he hands him a fresh, warm loaf of bread [רש״י]. Some suggest there is a specific sequence to this process, where God first judges and disciplines nations to guide them back to the proper path, and only afterward grants them prosperity [אלשיך].

When considering the nature of this great abundance, the general consensus is that it refers to a massive and plentiful supply of food. Yet, there are other ways to understand this bounty. It may refer to the specific needs of the individual receiving the food, such as a person with a large family who requires extensive support to survive [רש״י]. Another approach proposes that the abundance refers to the vast multitude of living creatures and animals that multiply across the earth, as their very existence depends entirely on the rain that falls from the sky [תקות אנוש].