ספור על גשם : על פי ספור תלמודי

by Ruth Calderon, רות קלדרון (Author's Hebrew name), Noa Kelner (Illustrator)

לְכֻלָּנוּ קָרָה פַּעַם שֶׁהָלַכְנוּ בַּחוּץ וּפִתְאוֹם הִתְחִיל לָרֶדֶת גֶּשֶׁם.נִרְטַבְנוּ מִכַּף רֶגֶל וְעַד רֹאשׁ, וְכָל מָה שֶׁרָצִינוּ הָיָה שֶׁהַגֶּשֶׁם יִפָּסֵק. אֲבָל הוּא הִמְשִׁיךְ לָרֶדֶת.גַּם לְרַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן דּוֹסָא זֶה קָרָה, גַּם בְּגָדָיו נָטְפוּ. הוּא הֵרִים מַבָּטוֹ אֶל הַשָּׁמַיִם וּבִקֵּשׁ שֶׁהַגֶּשֶׁם יִפָּסֵק. לְמַרְבֵּה הַהַפְתָּעָה: הַגֶּשֶׁם בֶּאֱמֶת נִפְסַק!אֲבָל מַשֶּׁהוּ בְּכָל זֹאת הִפְרִיעַ לְרַבִּי חֲנִינָא

Genres: Picture Books, Jewish, Cultural, Childrens

24 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2016

About the author

Ruth Calderon (Hebrew: רות קלדרון, born 25 September 1961) is an Israeli academic and politician. She served as a member of Knesset for Yesh Atid between 2013 and 2015.

Ruth Calderon was born in Tel Aviv to a Sephardic father who emigrated to British controlled Mandatory Palestine from Bulgaria and an Ashkenazi mother originally from Germany. She grew up in what she describes as "a very Jewish, very Zionist, secular-traditional-religious home that combined Ashkenaz and Sepharad, Betar and Hashomer Hatzair," and attended public schools.[1]

She earned a BA at Oranim Academic College and the University of Haifa, and went on to earn her MA and Ph.D. degrees in Talmud from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In 1989, she established the first Israeli secular, pluralistic and egalitarian Beth Midrash for women and men.[2] In 1996 she founded ALMA, which seeks to acquaint secular Israelis with Hebrew culture. She hosted a TV show on Channel 2 that invited guests to discuss classic and modern Jewish texts.

Calderon has three children.

Reviews

[Margo Tanenbaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on a story from the Talmud, this lovely picture book has a great moral--not everything is about you. In this story, the rabbi is miserable when it's raining, but the other creatures and plants are happy. He asks God to make it stop raining, and then he is happy but the others are miserable. He learns that the whole world is not about him, and that he is just part of the natural world. I enjoyed the illustrations as well by Israeli illustrator Noa Kelner.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is meant for parents, teachers, and other people that work with children to read.

Rabbi Hanina Ben Dosa was spending some time outdoors when it started raining. As it was raining, he noticed some beautiful things happening like the soil was soaking up the rain and frogs were jumping in puddles. He was suffering though because he was very soaked and cold among other things so he called to the Master of the Universe. The rain eventually stopped and something shocking happened soon after it did. He started seeing that even though his suffering stopped that the suffering had started for what was around him because it needed rain again. He seemed glad to find a balance point of when both he and the world were not having to suffer, and I guess you can maybe say they were both at peace.

I liked that this book has a variety of different animals, some that were out more before the rain and some after. I like that it teaches about suffering because there are times we are in situations that cause suffering. I liked it that Hanina was led out of his suffering though and that the world around him was too.

In my opinion, a great book to read to children on any day but particularly on rainy days to help children to see some of the beautiful things that come from it raining.

I received a digital copy of this book free from the publisher for the purpose of reviewing it.

[Aolund · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short story drawn from the Talmud about how sometimes what is inconvenient for us is nonetheless important for the natural world in which we live. Loved the illustrations! Rabbi Hanina, the story's main character, is depicted with pinkish tan skin and gray hair.

Themes: Respect, Rain
Age range: Preschool-Early Elementary

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice retelling of a fable to remind us all to be less self-centered.

[Launna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, not great.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A baby and up board book about 10 objects represented by cut out circles and the color each is. simple.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short picture book with a good message. A retelling of a Talmud tale with colorful illustrations. My child liked the book, but thought it was predictable.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Rabbi stories. What's even more fun in this one, from the Talmud, is that the rabbi is not yet as wise as most.

[J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt like this was a good story and a reiteration that not everything is about you. Be aware of what’s happening around you.

[Steph]

Turn/Level: B/2.5

Jewish Heritage, Talmud

A traditional Talmudic story. A bit long for the secondary read, but it could work for lack of better options.