One of the most beautiful sights in the world...

Rain in Israel.

It has already rained a few times this year, but this morning we experienced one of the first rainstorms that was long and steady.

 

 

 What is left of the grass in our yard soaking in the rain.

 

A tiny iridescent-indigo bird hiding from the rain in a bush. 
(The picture is blurry, but the bird was gorgeous.)
Click on any picture to see a larger version.

Rain in Israel in the fall is like those first drinks of water after Yom Kippur. It doesn't go down easily, necessarily-- the ground is sometimes too parched to accept water-- but it's the start of renewal. Fall in Israel is a second spring. Flowers bloom. Plants return to life. The words we say in prayers gain extra meaning when we say them here:

You are eternally mighty, my Lord, the Resuscitator of the dead are You, abundantly able to save. You make the wind blow and the rain descend.