[Avodah] rain on succot

[Saul Mashbaum]

RTK
>>

It is only a curse if it rains on the first night of Sukkos at the
time of the seudah and rains hard enough to prevent you from eating in
the sukka that night.   After midnight or any other time during the
chag rain is a bracha.

>>
This is completely incorrect, as is clear from the first mishna in
Taanit, and the last mishana in the second chapter of Succa; rain is a
curse throught the entire holiday of Succot. See  SA OH 639;7 in the
Rama. The MB OH 114 seif katan 2 says explicitly that rain is a siman
klala on Succot, in keeping with the above sources.

RTK
>>
Rashi says the best time for rain is leilei Shabasos after midnight,
when everybody is snug at home
>>

This is close to being correct. Rashi on the well-known phrase  in the
second chapter of Kriat Sh'ma "v'natati m'tar artzchem b'ito ..."
says b'ito is at night, when rain is not inconvenient, davar acher,
leilei Shabbatot, when people are home. There is nothing there about
after midnight.

Saul Mashbaum