יואל, פרק ב׳, פסוק כ״ג

Following a devastating period of drought and locust swarms that completely wiped out the harvest, the residents of Jerusalem are called to leave their sadness behind and rejoice. This newfound happiness stems from more than just physical survival. It is primarily about the restored relationship and God's renewed favor toward His people following their sincere repentance [מלבי״ם, רד״ק].

The divine response to their return carries both spiritual and physical significance. On a spiritual level, it refers to the prophets who guide the people back to God [רש״י, אבן עזרא, רד״ק]. It can even represent the suffering itself, such as the locust plague, which served as a harsh but effective teacher, guiding the nation to act charitably and correct their behavior [מלבי״ם]. On a physical level, it represents the essential early rains that saturate the earth right after seeds are planted [מצודת ציון, רד״ק, אבן עזרא, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The primary approach among commentators is that this rain is given as a free gift of divine kindness. God brings the water out of pure mercy, forgiving the people for their past mistakes rather than simply calculating a dry reward for their actions [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Alternatively, the ultimate purpose of this kindness is to purify the people and lead them toward true righteousness [רש״י].

The promise includes both the early rains and the late rains that fall just as the crops ripen [מצודת ציון]. The timing of these showers presents a fascinating discussion. Some explain that the weather simply returned to its normal, original cycle, with each rain falling in its proper natural season before the drought began [מצודת דוד, רד״ק]. However, many others describe a profound miracle occurring in the first month of the year, the month of Nissan. Normally, many months separate the early and late rains, and sudden downpours in Nissan after a long dry spell can actually be a bad sign. Yet, during this specific year of famine, after the people fasted and prayed, both the early and late rains fell simultaneously in Nissan. These sudden, miraculous storms caused the new crops to grow to full maturity in just eleven days, instantly transforming a time of devastating hunger and loss into an era of extraordinary abundance [רש״י, רד״ק, אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].