Derasha 2 on Bereishis 2:6

TT #74 · Parashas Bereishis · Second Aliyah · Passuk 6

Complete Passuk

וְאֵ֖ד יַֽעֲלֶ֣ה מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהִשְׁקָ֖ה אֶֽת־כָּל־פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT points to Taanis 9b (verified).

E-Daf image (Taanis 9b)

Core Text

Core Textתַּנְיָא, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: כָּל הָעוֹלָם מִמֵּימֵי אוֹקְיָנוֹס שׁוֹתֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְאֵד יַעֲלֶה מִן הָאָרֶץ וְהִשְׁקָה. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: וַהֲלֹא מֵימֵי אוֹקְיָנוֹס מְלוּחִין הֵן? אָמַר לוֹ: מִתְמַתְּקִין הֵם בֶּעָבִים.
English of Core Text: It was taught: Rabbi Eliezer says: The whole world drinks from the waters of the Ocean, as it is said “And a mist went up from the earth and watered.” Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: But the waters of the Ocean are salty! He replied: They are sweetened in the clouds.
On the daf / in context: Debate on the source of rainwater. Rabbi Eliezer derives from our verse that rain originates from the ocean; the sweetness is restored in the clouds.
Type of Learning: Custom (source of rainwater)
What Is Learned: Rainwater originates from the ocean and is sweetened in the clouds before falling.