Commentary: On the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Berakhot

And over zeva’ot [one says the blessing, “Whose strength and power fill the world”] [m. Berakhot 9:2]. What is zeva’ot? R. Ketina said: An earthquake. R. Ketina was walking and came to the entrance of the house of a necromancer, [and an earthquake rumbled. He said, “Does this necromancer know what this earthquake is?” The necromancer raised his voice and said, “Ketina, Ketina, why would I not know? Certainly this earthquake happened because when the Holy One remembers His children who are suffering among the nations of the world, He sheds two tears into the great sea. The sound of their reverberation is heard from one end of the earth to the other. And that is an earthquake.”] [b. Berakhot 59a].

Now this is a legendary account [aggadeta], and regarding this and all similar stories the sages have stated that: “We do not rely on words of legends.” First, the style of such descriptions must be clarified. Both logically and by tradition, there is no doubt that the Holy One cannot be compared to any created being, and laughter, weeping, sighing, tears, and pushing [of the feet] are all inapplicable to Him. Instead, this matter must be explained in the following way: Know that everything the sages say is by way of comparison. They do not mean it literally, but rather as a metaphor. The best type of metaphor is when one uses things with which people are familiar and which they have seen. This is similar to the principle that “The Torah speaks in the language of men” [see, e.g., b. Berakhot 31b]. Indeed, the prophets speak in such terms: The eye of God [see, e.g., Psalms 33:18]; Behold, the hand of the Lord (Exodus 9:3); And the anger of the Lord was kindled (Exodus 4:14); Smoke arose in His nostrils, and fire out of His mouth (2 Samuel 22:9). Such phrases are meant metaphorically, in the manner that people speak, rather than literally.

Here too, through this legendary account, R. Katina is expressing the idea that Israel is especially cherished by the Holy One, and that they are particularly important to Him, and that anything brought into the world is there for the sake of Israel, as it is written: You alone have I known [of all the families of the earth] (Amos 3:2). The sages likewise say that goodness comes to the world only for the sake of Israel [see b. Yevamot 63a]. Thus, these wonders and signs that we see the Holy One perform in heaven and on earth are meant for the people of Israel, and they concern matters that are between Him and them. For example, the rainbow seen in a cloud, which He placed as a sign of the covenant after the flood [see Genesis 9:13]. [ . . . ]

Regarding earthquakes, R. Ketina likewise maintains in this passage that they are a sign that the Holy One is showing to Israel from up high, regarding the hardship of their plight among the nations of the world. For when water pours down from the skies to the Great Sea, it makes a sound like a person crying, and this noise carries a great distance. This does not mean, God forbid, that He sheds tears from an eye—for our Creator cannot be compared to anything—rather, any flowing water is called “tears,” as it is written regarding flowing wine: The fullness of your harvest, and the outflow of your presses [dim‘akha; also “your tear”] (Exodus 22:28). There are those who call rain “tears,” as clouds are similar to eyelids and rain is similar to tears. Since in many places rain is called tears, and the Holy One causes rain to fall with His might, as it is written: And I will cause the rain to come down in its season (Ezekiel 34:26), He can thus be said to bring down in His might water that is called tears. It is not, God forbid, that He sheds tears from a human eye. Rather, it is as we interpret the phrase: With him I speak mouth to mouth (Numbers 12:8). This does not mean that He actually speaks from a mouth, but that He creates the sound of speech as though it emerged from a mouth. The same thing applies to tears—it is as though they fall from an eye. [ . . . ]

Consequently, R. Ketina maintains that an earthquake is caused by the falling tears, as the necromancer said. And R. Ketina himself [later] explained that God claps His hands together, and that is the sound of an earthquake [b. Berakhot 59a]. Indeed, a verse explicitly states: I will also smite My hands together and I will satisfy My fury (Ezekiel 21:22). In the same manner that one interprets the verse, so too he can explain the statement of R. Ketina. He is saying that “a verse does not depart from its plain meaning” [see, e.g., b. Shabbat 63a], even though it can also be expounded in several ways, and that this verse means that the Holy One creates the form of two hands in the skies that are clapped together, thereby producing the sound of an earthquake. [ . . . ]

And R. Aha bar Jacob says the following: Those angels that are close to the earth, who in relation to the divine presence are like feet to the body, are pushed against one another, thereby producing a sound of an earthquake [see b. Berakhot 59a]. It is not only the scholars of Israel who say this, as many scholars from Greece and elsewhere likewise maintain that certain clouds are angels and ministers of God. Some of them emit the sound of thunder or the sound of an earthquake, while others produce lightning. A verse also states regarding angels: And there was brightness to the fire, and out of the fire came forth lightning (Ezekiel 1:13).

This is the opinion of these sages regarding earthquakes. There are different opinions on this matter, and other things to be said about it, but the interpretation of this passage is as we have stated, and not, God forbid, that it suggests any physical image of our Creator, may His name be blessed, praised, glorified, exalted, honored, uplifted, and extolled.