בברייתו של עולם.
verse deals with the creation of the world, when all the water was contained in the deep.
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בברייתו של עולם.
verse deals with the creation of the world, when all the water was contained in the deep.
תנו רבנן: ארץ ישראל נבראת תחילה וכל העולם כולו נברא לבסוף, שנאמר: ״עד לא עשה ארץ וחוצות״. ארץ ישראל משקה אותה הקדוש ברוך הוא בעצמו, וכל העולם כולו על ידי שליח, שנאמר: ״הנתן מטר על פני ארץ ושלח מים על פני חוצות״.
A baraita states: Eretz Yisrael was created first and the rest of the entire world was created afterward, as it is stated: “While as yet He had not made the land, nor the fields” (Proverbs 8:26). Here, and in the following statements, the term “land” is understood as a reference to the Land of Israel, while “the fields” means all the fields in other lands. Furthermore, Eretz Yisrael is watered by God Himself, and the rest of the entire world is watered through an intermediary, as it is stated: “Who gives rain upon the land, and sends water upon the fields” (Job 5:10).
ארץ ישראל שותה מי גשמים, וכל העולם כולו מתמצית, שנאמר: ״הנתן מטר על פני ארץ וגו׳״. ארץ ישראל שותה תחילה, וכל העולם כולו לבסוף, שנאמר: ״הנתן מטר על פני ארץ וגו׳״ — משל לאדם שמגבל את הגבינה, נוטל את האוכל ומניח את הפסולת.
Additionally, Eretz Yisrael drinks rainwater and the rest of the entire world drinks from the remaining residue of rainwater left in the clouds, as it is stated that God is He “who gives rain upon the land” and only afterward takes what is left “and sends water upon the fields.” Eretz Yisrael drinks first, and the rest of the entire world afterward, as it is stated: “Who gives rain upon the land and sends water upon the fields.” There is a parable that illustrates this: A person who kneads his cheese after it has curdled takes the food and leaves the refuse.
אמר מר: ממתקין הן בעבים. מנליה? דאמר רב יצחק בר יוסף אמר רבי יוחנן, כתיב: ״חשכת מים עבי שחקים״, וכתיב: ״חשרת מים עבי שחקים״.
The Master said above: The ocean waters are sweetened in the clouds. The Talmud asks: From where does R' Eliezer derive this? The Talmud answers that Rav Yitzḥak bar Yosef said that R' Yoḥanan said that it is written: “Darkness [ḥeshkhat] of waters, thick clouds of the skies” (Psalms 18:12). And it is written, in a similar verse: “Gathering of [ḥashrat] waters, thick clouds of the skies” (II Samuel 22:12).
Text data via Sefaria: William Davidson Edition - English and William Davidson Edition - Vocalized Aramaic, CC-BY-NC; edition provenance: Koren. Display terminology has been modernized for readability.