Rain, Wine and Why it’s all Our Fault: The History of the Rain Libel

By: Orat@Muqata

Published: October 11th, 2012

Photo Credit: Miriam Alster/FLASH90

We're now entering the period when we begin to pray for rain.  Lack of rain was often an excuse to persecute the Jews, specifically those living in Jerusalem.  There are quite a few examples from our history of this rain libel, which was very often linked to the 'sin' of drinking wine.

Martin Kabátník, a Czech-Bohemian pilgrim who visited Jerusalem in 1491, reported that when there's a drought, the Arabs go to the Jews and Christians and break their wine vessels.  Then they break all other vessels they find.  And they blame them, saying that because of them G-d is preventing the rain from coming, because they're infidels and drink wine.  Kabátník said he heard from the Muslims that it's OK to wrong the Jews, since G-d doesn't see it as a sin.
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