Question: The gemora on the second misnha gives many examples of how great rain is... better that Torah and techias hamasim. But however on 8b by the end, omar amiera: that if it weren't for the the benifits of rain we would pray to get rid of. The yalkut yeshiahu asks how does this saying that we would get rid of it fit with the gemoras later of how great rain is. He answers by bringing a gemora in baba batra 25b omar rav hannial (first fat line) saying that rain only came from the oztros hatov (good storehouses) before the destruction of the temple, but not anymore, and concludes that the gemoras on the greatness of rain are going according to before the destruction of the temple. (this needs to be understood, what is the connection between rain and the beis hamikdash, and even then what made the rain so great) but my question is, is how does gemore in b'b 25b fit in with the gimmel maphtachos (3 keys). Our proof for rain is that it comes from the ozter hatov, but the!
re in b'b we say that this in only befroe the destruction of the temple. Does this mean that now there are only two keys? and when we say that parnasa is the same as rain, was that only before the chorban beis hamidash?
If you have any ideas, please foward, or tell me if this beyond the scope of your Kollel. I have been stumped. Thank you.
The Gemara in Bava Basra (25b) teaches that the verse, "Yiftach Hash-m Es Otzaro ha'Tov" (from which we learn that there is a key for rain), is referring to when the Jewish people are dwelling in their land, for the end of the verse says, "... the rain of your land ," and it is not referring to when the Jewish people are in Galus. When the Gemara there says, "From the day that the Beis ha'Mikdash was destroyed," it means from the time that the Jews went into Galus, as is evidenced from the continuation of the Gemara there. Accordingly, only the rains of Eretz Yisrael, when the Jewish people are settled there, have the ability to inspire the people to Emunah in Hash-m, but not the rains of Chutz la'Aretz (as is mentioned in the verses in Parshas Ekev; see Insights to Ta'anis 2a). Only in Eretz Yisrael are the rains not random and natural, but they fall at intervals, and according to the deeds of the Jewish people.
According to this, it must be that the commentary which you saw means to say that Ameimar wanted to get rid of the rains of Chutz la'Aretz. Indeed, this implies that the rains of Chutz la'Aretz (at least when the Jewish people are not in Eretz Yisrael) do not fall by way of the key for rain. This is also evident from the Gemara in Ta'anis (10a) which says clearly that only the rains of Eretz Yisrael come as a result of Hash-m's direct involvement, and not the rains of Chutz la'Aretz.
(It would stand to reason that even when only a part of the Jewish people are in their land, such as now, the rains that come there come by way of the key for rain.)
M. Kornfeld