The Rabbis taught:

<<One who sees

<<the sun

<<at its season [tekufah],

<<the moon

<<in its might,

<<and the planets [lit. stars]

<<in their paths,

<<and the constellations

<<in their order,

<<says:

<<“Blessed is He

<<who makes

<<[the work of] Creation.”

<<And when

<<is it?

<<Abaye said:

<<Every

<<twenty

<<and eight

<<years,

<<and returns

<<the cycle,

<<and falls

<<the season of

<<Nisan

<<in Shabsai [Saturn],

<<on the evening

<<of [day] three

<<dawning into

<<[day] four.

“Rabbi Yehuda

<<says:

<<One who sees

<<the Sea,

<<etc.,

<<at intervals.”

<<Until

<<how much?

<<Rami bar Abba said in the name of Rav Yitzchak:

<<Up to

<<thirty

<<days.

And Rami bar Abba said in the name of Rav Yitzchak:

<<One who sees

<<the Euphrates [Peras]

<<at the bridge

<<of Bavel

<<says:

<<“Blessed is He

<<who makes

<<[the work of] Creation.”

<<And now,

<<that changed it [its course]

<<the Persians —

<<from Bei Shabur

<<and upward.

<<Rav Yosef

<<said:

<<from Ihi Dekira

<<and upward.

<<And Rami bar Abba said:

<<One who sees

<<the Tigris [Diglas]

<<at the bridge

<<of Shevistena

<<says:

<<“Blessed is He

<<who makes

<<[the work of] Creation.”

What is

<<“Chidekel”?

<<Rav Ashi said:

<<That its waters

<<are sharp [chadin]

<<and light [kalin].

<<What is

<<“Peras”?

<<That its waters

<<are fruitful [parin]

<<and multiply [ravin].

And Rava said:

<<This

<<that are sharp

<<the people of Mechoza

<<is because

<<they drink

<<the water

<<of the Tigris.

<<This

<<that they are ruddy

<<is because

<<they have relations

<<by day.

<<And this

<<that move about

<<their eyes

<<is because

<<they dwell

<<in a house

<<that is dark.

“Over

<<the rains,

<<etc.”

<<And over

<<the rains

<<“the One who is good

<<and who does good”

<<does one bless?

<<But didn't Rabbi Abbahu say,

<<and some say it:

<<in a baraisa

<<it was taught:

<<From when

<<does one bless

<<over

<<the rains?

<<From when goes out

<<the groom

<<to greet

<<the bride.

What

<<does one bless?

<<Rav Yehuda said:

<<“Thankful

<<are we

<<to You

<<for

<<each

<<drop

<<and drop

<<that You brought down

<<for us.”

<<And Rabbi Yochanan

<<concludes

<<with it

<<thus:

<<“If

<<our mouth

<<were full of

<<song

<<like the sea,

<<etc.,

<<not

<<would we

<<suffice

<<to thank

<<You,

<<Hashem

<<our God,”

<<until

<<“shall bow down.”

<<“Blessed

<<are You,

<<Hashem,

<<abundant in

<<thanksgivings.”

“Abundant in [lit. the majority of]

<<thanksgivings,”

<<and not

<<all

<<the thanksgivings?

<<Rava said:

<<Say:

<<“the God of

<<thanksgivings.”

<<Rav Pappa said:

<<Therefore

<<let us say

<<both of them:

<<“abundant in

<<thanksgivings”

<<and “the God of

<<thanksgivings.”

Then still

<<it is difficult!

<<It is not difficult:

<<this

<<is where he heard

<<[only] hearing,

<<this

<<is where he saw

<<[actual] seeing.

Where he heard

<<hearing —

<<this is

<<tidings

<<that are good,

<<and we learned:

<<Over

<<tidings

<<that are good

<<he says:

<<“Blessed is

<<the One who is good

<<and who does good”!

Rather:

<<both this and that

<<are where he saw

<<seeing,

<<and it is not

<<difficult:

<<this

<<is where came

<<a little,

<<this

<<is where came

<<much.

<<If you wish, say:

<<this

<<and that

<<are where came

<<much,

<<and it is not

<<difficult:

<<this

<<is where there is

<<to him

<<land,

<<this

<<is where there is not

<<to him

<<land.

There is

<<to him

<<land —

<<“the One who is good

<<and who does good”

<<he blesses?!

<<But surely

<<we learned:

<<[If] he built

<<a house

<<that is new

<<and bought

<<vessels

<<that are new,

<<he says:

<<“Blessed is He

<<who has kept us alive

<<and brought us

<<to this time.”

<<[Only for what is] his

<<and of

<<others

<<does he say

<<“the One who is good

<<and who does good”?

It is not difficult:

<<this

<<is where there is

<<to him

<<a partnership,

<<this

<<is where there is not

<<to him

<<a partnership.

<<And so it is taught:

<<The short

<<of

<<the matter:

<<over

<<what is his

<<he

<<says:

<<“Blessed is He

<<who has kept us alive

<<and sustained us”;

<<over

<<what is his

<<and over

<<that

<<of his fellow

<<he says:

<<“Blessed is

<<the One who is good

<<and who does good.”

And every

<<place

<<that there is no

<<other

<<with him,

<<not

<<does he bless

<<“the One who is good

<<and who does good”?

<<But isn't it taught:

<<[If] they said to him:

<<Gave birth

<<his wife

<<to a male,

<<he says:

<<“Blessed is

<<the One who is good

<<and who does good”!

<<There

<<too,

<<for there is

<<his wife

<<with him,

<<for it is pleasing

<<to her

<<with a male.

Come and hear:

<<[If] died

<<his father

<<and he

<<is his heir,

<<at the beginning

<<he says:

<<“Blessed is

<<the Judge of

<<truth,”

<<and at the end

<<he

<<says:

<<“Blessed is

<<the One who is good

<<and who does good.”

<<There

<<too,

<<for there are

<<brothers

<<who

<<inherit

<<with him.

Come and hear:

<<A change of

<<wine

<<does not

<<need

<<to bless [again];

<<a change of

<<place

<<needs

<<to bless.

<<And Rabbi Yosef bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan:

<<Even though

<<they said

<<a change of

<<wine

<<does not

<<need

<<to bless,

<<but

<<he says:

<<“Blessed is

<<the One who is good

<<and who does good”!

<<There

<<too,

<<for there are

<<members of

<<the party

<<who drink

<<with him.

“[If] he built

<<a house

<<that is new

<<and bought

<<vessels

<<that are new,

<<etc.”

<<Rav Huna said:

<<Not

<<did they teach [this]

<<except

<<where there is not

<<to him

<<the like

<<of them,

<<but

<<[if] there is

<<to him

<<the like

<<of them,

<<he does not

<<need

<<to bless.

<<And Rabbi Yochanan

<<said:

<<Even

<<[if] there is

<<to him

<<the like

<<of them,

<<he needs

<<to bless.