The Gamara tells us tale after tale of our righteous rabbis and their direct line to G-d. When the people need rain, certain rabbis have miracles performed when they cry out. Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa is one of the rabbis who more consistently has his prayers answered. We hear fantastic stories of rain falling, bread appearing in ovens from nothing, vinegar turning to oil for Shabbat light... one miracle is performed simply to save poor Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa's wife from embarrassment.
Some rabbis do not have their prayers answered, however. The rabbis explain this by detailing errors in how or why the prayers were uttered. More about this shortly.
Amud (b) teaches about Psalms (92:13) where the righteous are compared to both palm and cedar tress. The Gemara walks us through different varieties of palms and cedars, their root systems and their growth patterns, to help us understand the Jewish people through these metaphors.
Our daf ends with a conversation about when (and whether) the fast should cease after the rain has fallen. The rabbis suggest that we end our fast and celebrate G-d's gift if the rain comes before the ninth hour of the day.
Again, I find many of the rabbis' arguments to be both self-serving and self-congratulatory. How can the rabbis focus on their special connection with G-d? Do they truly believe that study and righteousness will lead to supernatural power? Perhaps they are thinking of their requests of G-d as a type of prophecy. In my mind, requesting something from G-d and expecting a direct response is not a Jewish concept. Clearly my ideas are based on modern ideals rather than those of antiquity - and of the tradition of our rabbis.
One other thought - are there orthodox Jews who, right now, are grappling with guilt because they did not get the desired answer to to their prayers? And do they believe that they didn't pray properly? Or that they weren't righteous enough to merit a direct answer from G-d?
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