{"id":6361,"date":"2010-01-18T07:00:34","date_gmt":"2010-01-18T05:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?p=6361"},"modified":"2018-05-24T12:03:54","modified_gmt":"2018-05-24T09:03:54","slug":"02-18-07","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/02-18-07\/","title":{"rendered":"07 – The Law Outside of Israel"},"content":{"rendered":"
The Chachamim<\/i> postponed the commencement of the request for rain in Babylonia (Bavel<\/i>) until the sixtieth day of the winter season (which comes out to be the 4th<\/sup> or 5th<\/sup> of December). This is because there is an abundance of water from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, and therefore it is unnecessary to request rain in that area at the very beginning of winter. All people living outside of Israel follow the custom of Babylonia, and start asking for rain starting from the sixtieth day of the season (Shulchan Aruch<\/i> 117:1).[5]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n Regarding a person residing in Israel who leaves the country for a few months, there is disagreement. Some say that he should request rain as they do in Israel, for that is his home (Pri Chadash<\/i>). Others say that he should request rain according to the custom of the place where he is (Birkei Yosef<\/i>). In any situation of uncertainty, one should request rain in the berachah<\/i> of Shome\u2019a Tefillah<\/i> and not in Birkat HaShanim<\/i>, thereby fulfilling his obligation according to all opinions. See the note for details of the halachah.[6]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n In places that require rain in the spring, the request for rain in Birkat HaShanim<\/i> should not be continued after Pesach. Instead, the law concerning those places resembles the law of individuals; the people in those areas pray for rain in Birkat<\/i> Shome\u2019a Tefillah<\/i> in which every person may add his own personal requests (Shulchan Aruch<\/i> 117:2).[7]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n People living in countries south of the equator, such as Argentina, Brazil, and Australia, also request rain when it is winter in Israel. Despite the fact that it is summer in those countries at that time, since Israel is the center of the Jewish world, Jews everywhere follow its custom and make the request for rain according to winter in Israel.<\/p>\n However, in places where the rain causes damage in the summer, the people do not practice the minhag<\/i> of Israel, so as not to request something that is harmful for them. Instead, all year round they recite the wording of the summer in Birkat HaShanim<\/i>, and request rain in Shome\u2019a Tefillah<\/i>. During their winter they should have in mind the place in which they live, and during Israel\u2019s winter they should think of Israel.[8]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n One traveling from Israel, or the northern countries to visit those areas should continue requesting rain according to the winter of Israel, even if the rain causes damage there (She\u2019arim Metzuyanim BaHalachah<\/i> 19:3).<\/p>\n
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