The first drops of rain in Jerusalem marked the season’s change. As I walked through a schoolyard during recess, the sky opened up. My mind instinctively recalled two childhood rhymes as I sought shelter under a nearby awning:
"Rain, rain, go away, come again another day."
"It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old man is snoring."
Memories of summer camp "rainy days" – cabin confinement and grumpy moods – flashed through my mind. But looking out from under the awning as the rain intensified, I noticed something surprising. I was the only one seeking cover. The children were in the open, spinning and laughing, faces tilted upwards as if welcoming a shower of gold.
Don’t they realize it’s pouring? I wondered. Doesn’t the downpour bother them? It struck me as a stark contrast to my own childhood experiences, a world away from the typical reaction I expected.
Later that day, my three-year-old daughter provided the answer. She rushed to me at home, eager to share her school day. "Abba, listen to the song I learned today!" And then, to the familiar tune of "It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old man is snoring," she sang a new version:
"It’s pouring, it’s raining, but we are not complaining. Rain is a blessing from Hashem, and we love geshem (rain)."
My initial impulse was to correct her, to point out the "right" words. But I paused, struck by a sudden realization. My New York upbringing had instilled a perception of rain as an inconvenience, a nuisance. Yet here, in Jerusalem, these children were learning to embrace rain as a gift. (Indeed, the Torah highlights Israel’s dependence on rainfall as a blessing – Deuteronomy 11:11.)
The Hebrew word for education, chinuch, goes beyond simple instruction. It signifies setting someone on a firm, independent path, preparing them for their destined role. Perhaps a more profound translation of chinuch is "inauguration." Parents and educators hold immense power – and opportunity – to shape the fundamental feelings and perspectives their children will carry throughout life.
Children can be taught to categorize circumstances as either positive or negative. When parents cultivate a mindset that seeks the good in every aspect of life, they empower their children to appreciate the wonders of the world around them.
So, is the old man snoring, or is the rain a blessing? The answer, it seems, lies in how we, as parents and educators, choose to make the song rhyme. It’s about teaching the next generation to find the blessing even in the pouring rain, transforming a simple children’s rhyme into a powerful lesson in perspective.
