January: Record-Low Water Levels in Israel - The Spiritual Roots Behind this

[edu]

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/177030#.UxbGwj-Sw1I
January: Record-Low Water Levels
Meteorological services determine extremely arid month, Kinneret and other water bodies at lowest measures since recording started.

By Ari Yashar
First Publish: 2/3/2014, 9:28 AM


Figures detailing Israel's water levels show that January was an extremely arid month, with water readings in certain areas at the lowest ever since the meteorological services began keeping records 88 years ago.

The Kinneret Lake's level was at 25% less than average for the month of January. Meanwhile the western Galilee was 20% below average, the coastal basin 10% below, and the Yarkon-Taninim basin received nearly no precipitation at all.

In the national scale, the amount of precipitation from last September through January was only 64% the annual average for the same period.

Israel has been suffering from drought for several years.

While a strong winter storm brought with it large quantities of rain last December, even leading to concerns that the Kinneret might have too much water, the temporary downpour evidently was not enough to turn back the general dry trend. Indeed, a similar temporary increase in water-levels occurred in December 2011 as well.

This January the Kinneret rose merely 11 centimeters (4.3 inches), bringing the total to 211 meters (693 feet) by the end of the month. The Lake was found to contain 18 cubic meters (18,000 liters) in January, making it the second lowest amount for that month since records began. The lowest record was in 2009.

The Dead Sea dropped 8 centimeters (3 inches) in January, whereas last year in the same month it rose 3 centimeters (1.2 inches).

Last December a water-sharing initiative was signed between Israel, the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Jordan. The project proposes a new desalination plant at Aqaba to link the Red and Dead Seas and the Kinneret.

[edu]

It's true that you could say the spiritual cause is that G-d often punishes measure for measure.
If Israel wastes its water by giving away its water to the enemy in water sharing agreements, so that brings Divine Accusation against, Israel's water supply.
However, I speculate there might be an even better answer based on a precedent in the Tanakh and in the Talmud.

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Soncino Translation to Yevamot {Yevamoth} 78b
R. Hana b. Adda stated: David issued the decree of prohibition42 against the nethinim,43 for it is said, And the king called the Gibeonites,44 and said unto them-now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel etc.45 Why did he issue the decree against them? — Because it is written. And there was a famine in the days of David three years. year after year.46 In the first year he said to them, ‘It is possible that there are idolaters among you, for it is written, And serve other gods, and worship them . . . and he will
shut up the heaven, so that there shall be no rain etc.’47 They instituted enquiries but could not discover any idolaters. In the second year he said to them, ‘There may be transgressors among you, for it is written, Therefore the showers have been withheld and there hath been no latter rain; yet thou hadst a harlot's forehead etc.’48 Enquiries were made but none was found. In the third year he said to them, ‘There might be among you men who announce specified sums for charity in public but do not give them, as it is written, As vapours and wind without rain, so is he that boasteth himself of a false gift’.49 Enquiries were made and none was found. ‘The matter’, he concluded, ‘depends entirely upon me; Immediately, he sought the face of the Lord.46 What does this mean? — Resh Lakish explained: He enquired of the Urim and Tummim.50 How is this inferred? R. Eleazar replied: It is arrived at by an analogy between two occurrences of the expression of ‘countenance of’; for here it is written, And David sought the countenance of the L-rd,46 and elsewhere it is written, Who shall enquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the countenance of the Lord.51 And the Lord said: ‘It is for Saul and his bloody house, because he put to death the Gibeonites’.52 ‘For Saul’, because he was not mourned for in a proper manner; ‘and his bloody house, because he put to death the Gibeonites’. Where, however, do we find that Saul ‘put to death the Gibeonites’! The truth is that, as he killed the inhabitants of Nob, the city of the priests who were supplying them53 with water and food, Scripture regards it as if he himself had killed them.
Justice is demanded for Saul because he was not properly mourned for, and justice is demanded because he put to death the Gibeonites?54 — Yes; for Resh Lakish stated: What is meant by the Scriptural text, Seek ye the Lord, all ye humble of the earth, that have executed His ordinance?55
Where there is his ordinance,56 there are also his executions.57

David said: As to Saul, there have already elapsed

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Footnotes
(36) As regards entry into the congregation.
(37) A third generation would never come into existence.
(38) As bastards.
(39) There being no danger of intermarriage with them or their descendants.
(40) Lit., ‘and wept’.
(41) Cf. supra. text and p. 533, nn. 9 and 10.
(42) To enter the assembly.
(43) Pl. of nathin. V. Glos.
(44) I.e., nethinim. Cf. supra n. 4.
(45) II Sam. XXI, 2, the last six words implying that they were excluded from the congregation.
(46) Ibid. 1.
(47) Deut. XI. 16f.
(48) Jer. III, 3.
(49) Prov. XXV, 14.
(50) V. Glos.
(51) Num. XXVII. 21.
(52) II Sam. XXI, 1.
(53) The Gibeonites who, as hewers of wood and drawers of water for the altar (v. Josh. IX, 23, 27), were maintained by
the priests.
(54) A simultaneous claim in his favour and against him!
(55) Zeph. II, 3. משפטו בעלו
(56) משפטו lit., ‘his judgment’, for Saul's guilt.
(57) Read פעלו his work, sc. Saul's good deeds.

Talmud - Mas. Yevamoth 79a

the twelve months of the [first] year1 and it would be unusual to arrange for his mourning now. As to the nethinim,2 however, let them be summoned and we shall pacify them. Immediately3 the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them . . . ‘What shall I do for you? and wherewith should I make atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the Lord’? And the Gibeonites said to him: ‘It is no
matter of silver or gold between us and Saul, or his house,’ neither is it for us [to put] any man etc. . .
Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us and we will hang them up unto the L-rd etc.’4 . He tried to pacify them but they would not be pacified. Thereupon he said to them: This nation5 is distinguished by three characteristics: They are merciful, bashful and benevolent. ‘Merciful’, for it is written, And shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee.6 ‘Bashful’, for it is written, That His fear may be before you.7 ‘Benevolent’, for it is written, That he may command his children and his household etc.8 Only he who cultivates these three characteristics is fit to join
this nation.9

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Footnotes
(1) Of mourning. A year is regarded as the maximum period for mourning after the dead. Cf. M.K. 21b.
(2) Pl. of nathin. V. Glos.
(3) V. Bah.
(4) II Sam. XXI, 2-4, 6.
(5) Israel.
(6) Deut. XIII, 18.
(7) Ex. XX, 17.
(8} To be benevolent, לעשות, צדקה lit. ‘to practise charity’ (E.V. righteousness) Gen. XVIII. 19.
(9) Israel. As the Gibeonites displayed a spirit of revenge and vindictiveness they were excluded from, and forbidden
even to enter, the assembly of Israel.

[edu]

I am working under the assumption that if there was Divine wrath because the damage done to the Gibeonites was not properly avenged, what then can we expect when the government of Israel has done a mass release of terrorist murderers this year from jail, just to convince super-killer Abbas to agree "to come to the table to talk" for a worthless "peace" deal.

[edu]

Commentaries have raised the question, if Saul (Shaul) was the guilty party why did it take so long, late into the rule of King David for the punishment to take effect? I will try to deal with that question, bli neder, at another time.

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Midrash Breishit Rabba parsha 25 says the punishment was fitting to come in the days of shaul (Saul) but because he and his generation were too weak like the branch of a shikma tree גרופית של שקמה
G-d delayed the punishment until the nation was in a stronger state in David's time.

[Israel Chai]

And it will be, if you diligently obey My commandments which I enjoin upon you this day, to love the L-rd your G-d and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul: I will give rain for your land at the PROPER time (also very important in Israel, I learned from one of Muman's posted dvarei Torah) the early rain and the late rain, and you will gather in your grain, your wine and your oil.