[Avodah] "...And The Skies Are Not Cloudy All Day"

[Cantor Wolberg]

It has been taught: R. Eliezer said: The whole world draws its water  
supply from the waters of the ocean, as it is said, But there went up  
a mist from the earth and watered the whole of the ground."A mist  
ascended from the earth and watered the whole surface of the soil."  
Gen: 2:6  Thereupon R. Joshua said to him: But are not the waters of  
the ocean salty? He replied: They are sweetened by the clouds.   
Talmud: Taanis 9b
There's a profound lesson in this. Water which is essential for life  
is not drinkable from the sea. The talmud teaches that it takes clouds  
to sweeten the water. In other words, clouds are symbolic of  
depression and negativity. But we see from this that it's the very  
"clouds" which make the salty water drinkable. We can see the "clouds"  
of our lives in a different way now. In a very mystical way, it's the  
cloudy days that ultimately make life bearable. We can only appreciate  
light by the contrasting darkness.
And so immediately following verse 6 in Genesis "A mist ascended from  
the earth and watered the whole surface of the soil", we read: "And  
the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground, and He blew into  
his nostrils the soul of life; and man became a living being." Thus,  
it took the salty waters and sweet clouds to allow the creation of man.
rw
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