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(continued)
The “Geshem” prayer takes on three forms:
Rain signifies the downpour of material blessings from the spiritual realm to this physical world
T’fillat Geshem is one of the solemn prayers of the year recited during the repetition of the Musaf Amidah on Shmini Atzeret. In some congregations, the Chazzan wears a white cloak and hat (as on Yom Kippur), and recites the prayer in a solemn High Holiday style melody.
T’fillat Geshem consists of a collection of liturgy said to accompany the commencement of the insertion “Mashiv Haruach Umorid Hageshem” in the 2nd blessing of the Amidah prayer. T’fillat Geshem commences with the mention of the angel of rain “Af-Bri is designated as the name of the angel of rain”; this angel’s name connotes the two styles of rainfall:
Although this custom is of German-Polish origin and is only practiced amongst Ashkenazic Jewry, Sephardic communities have liturgy of their own which they call “Tikkun Geshem”.
"Mashiv HaRuach Umorid HaGeshem""He causes the wind to blow and the rain to fall"
Before the start of the silent Musaf Amidah on Shmini Atzeret, the beadle bangs on a table and announces to the congregation that they will begin reciting "Mashiv Haruach Umorid Hageshem". This mention of rain in the 2nd blessing of the Amidah prayer is not meant as a formal request for rain, only as recognition that the source of rain is from G-d. This insertion is made during the rain season in Israel, between Shmini Atzeret (when T'fillat Geshem is recited) and Pesach (when T'fillat Tal is recited).
We implore G-d's compassion to provide us with rain in the memory of our forefathers and great Jewish leaders
This formal request for rain is inserted in the 9th blessing of the daily Amidah during the months that Israel is most in need of rain. In Israel this request is inserted commencing Cheshvan 7, following the opinion of Rabban Gamliel in the Mishnah1 "fifteen days after the festival [of Sukkot] so that the last Jew [returning home from the festival] could reach the River Euphrates". In the Diaspora, this request is not added until December 4th2 , following the opinion of Chananiah in the Talmud3 "In the Diaspora [we do not begin to pray] until the sixtieth day after the [Tishrei] cycle". We do not insert this request at the beginning of the rain season (Shmini Atzeret), because the need for rain is not yet urgent enough to officially request it.
Footnotes
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