Rain and Dew

Why do we pray for Dew? How is it different than Rain?

The Beis Yaakov of Izhbitz in Sefer HaZmanim explains some of the differences between dew and rain. The following is based on his Maamar on Tal.

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After we put in the effort to plant our crops, we need to pray to Hashem to complement with rain which would allow the plants to grow. Rain comes as a result of clearly recognizable actions and prayers. While rain waters the plants, it does not necessarily reach every nook and cranny. It also only comes in its season.

Dew, on the other hand, comes all the time, even without us consciously asking for it. In fact, explains the Beis Yaakov, dew comes from the tefilla of the heart, which is a constant, even if we do not realize we are praying. The dew is therefore able to reach the most closed up spaces and comes down even if we do not realize it is coming.

This is akin to the Ketores of the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur which was brought from the Kodesh Hakedoshim. That Ketores was very thin, and due to its smallness, the energy was so powerful and was able to breakthrough the tiniest little cracks in Shamayim. All year round, the Kohen Gadol was unable to go into the Kodesh Kedoshim, and the Ketores that was brought was a bit thicker, so it didn’t necessarily get through every crack.

Dew, as well, is able to reach into the hearts of everyone, even those who are removed from Torah, and due to its subtleness it is not even felt by the heart, it is just there.

Similarly, sometimes one may hear a Dvar Torah and it does not necessarily make an impact, that is on the level of Rain. There are other divrei Torah that are so sublime that they can get into the most closed heart, even without the person realizing it. This is like dew. This means that even if a person does horrible things against Hashem, there are still within him the Divrei Torah of Tal.

The Sfas Emes teaches us that the Torah that applies to all of Klal Yisrael on a general level is like the Geshem, and the Torah for each person individually is like the Tal.

This is the meaning that Hashem will use Tal for Techiyas HaMeisim. Meaning even if one is dead and seemingly has nothing left, he still has his Tal which at the right time can bring him back alive to continue to serve Hashem.

Based on the above, my question remains; why do we pray for Dew? And why on Pesach?

The Tur (OC 490) teaches us that on Pesach we will have Techiyas HaMeisim. The Beis Yaakov explains that after a long winter where everything is dead, comes a spring and its fresh blooms. So too with the souls of the Jewish people - they will come back to life on Pesach. We see that when there is no hope, thats where there is the most to look forward to.  Nissan is a time for Geula, therefore there is no better time to ask for Tal which will kick off the Geula process.

He explains further that with the fresh bloom of Pesach working off the energy of the Tal we can then have all the brachos and yehsuos that come forth from Tal.

Perhaps Tal is not as much a Tefilla but a deep introspective look inside our individual hearts to find new ways to connect spiritually and with that be able to nourish our neshamos for the future.