Who makes the rain, daddy?

By Rabbi Baruch Lederman

Rabbi Baruch Lederman
Rabbi Baruch Lederman

SAN DIEGO –It started as a joke. I was on the way out the door to work one day when my wife told me to take my hat and raincoat. “It’s going to rain today” I said, “But it’s nice out now. I’ll take my chances.” I came home soaked.

A few days later, on the way out the door my wife said, “You better take your hat and raincoat, it’s supposed to rain”. This time I listened. No rain. Just bright, clear skies, high heat and plenty of humidity. So I came home all clammy from the heat of the raincoat and hat.

But it wasn’t until this happened a few more time that we began to notice a trend. Invariably, whenever the forecast called for rain, all I had to do was wear my hat and the day weather would hold out. But if I dared leave the hat at home I’d come home drenched!

It was uncanny. It got to the point where my wife could predict the weather based on whether or not I took my hat. And if she knew she was going to be out, she would ask me to wear my hat so it wouldn’t rain. And it worked! Always!

One day, as we were all about to leave the house, me on my way to work and my wife with the kids to school, she asked me to take my hat. “The forecast says rain.”

My three-year-old boy spoke up just then. “Abba, I like rain. I want it to rain today”.

“That’s wonderful. It look’s like there may be a big storm and you can watch the rain all you want”.  I gave him a little pinch on the cheek and then grabbed my hat and started to go. My little boy started to get upset.

“What’s wrong?”

“No Abba, don’t take your hat”.

“Why not?”

“I want it to rain today and if you take your hat, it won’t rain”.

Uh Oh. Lesson number one: The kids are always listening. Watch what you say. I knelt down and gave my son a hug. “My boy, let this be a lesson. It doesn’t really matter whether Abba wears his hat or not. Abba can’t control the rain. It’s like everything else in life. It only looks like people are running things. But Hashem is really in control the whole time”.

Dedicated by Frank & Merril Felber on the occasion of the yahrtzeit of his mother Sarah bas Shmuel.

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Rabbi Lederman is spiritual leader of Congregation Kehillas Torah in San Diego.  He may be contacted at baruch.lederman@sdjewishworld.com