The story of Noah concludes by God giving humanity the rainbow in the clouds as a sign of God’s covenant never to destroy the world again through a flood (Genesis 9:12-17).
Rainbows stop everyone in their tracks. They are one of the most beautiful of all heavenly phenomena. They make us gasp, smile, and whip out our cameras to try to take as many photos as possible.
But halacha (Jewish law) is ambiguous about our love of rainbows. Talmud Brachot (59a) says,’One who sees a rainbow in a cloud must fall upon their face.” Why? Because the rainbow is seen not just as a sign of God’s covenant, but also a ‘likeness of God.’ (Ezekiel 1:28). Therefore, one should prostrate oneself before such an awesome, God-filled sight. But others in the Talmud disagree, saying that bowing or bending before a rainbow might seem like one is mistaking a physical phenomenon for God. A rainbow is not a god, or the One God.
At the same time, though, we are meant to say a blessing when we see a rainbow.
The blessing is:
‘בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֶלוֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם זוֹכֵר הַבְּרִית וְנֶאֱמָן בִּבְרִיתוֹ וְקַיָם בְּמַאֲמָרוֹ
Baruch ata Ado-nai Elo-heinu melech ha'olam zocher ha'brit v'ne'eman bivrito v'kayam b'ma'amaro.
Blessed are You, Eternal our G‑d, Source of the universe, who remembers the covenant, is faithful to the covenant, and keeps promises.
We say a blessing to express appreciation for what the rainbow represents – God’s abiding love for us, and our faith in God. Dr. Joshua Kulp points out, ‘We want to have faith in the rainbow as a sign of God’s everlasting covenant not to destroy the world. This is especially true in our world, for we who live with the fear that destructive floods will return to our precious planet’. Some commentators suggest that we say a blessing to remind God to keep the promise never to bring another flood. But If the world is destroyed by flood again, this time it is on us.
Perhaps we, more than God, are the ones who need to hear the blessing. When we see a rainbow, we should say the blessing to remind ourselves to keep our promise: to protect the gift of Creation.
This Shabbat, may our homes be filled with the awe of Creation. May the rain nourish not destroy; may we nurture, not destroy, the earth and our fellow creatures. May we finally learn to merit the promise of the rainbow.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Marcia Plumb
