(6) ... Everyone who says a thing in the name of the one who said it, brings deliverance into the world, as it is said: “And Esther told the king [about the assassination plot] in Mordecai’s name” (Esther 2:22) [which led to Mordechai being honored later - Ed. note].

(8) And God said to Noah and to his sons with him, (9) “I now establish My covenant with you and your offspring to come, (10) and with every living thing that is with you—birds, cattle, and every wild beast as well—all that have come out of the ark, every living thing on earth. (11) I will maintain My covenant with you: never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” (12) God further said, “This is the sign that I set for the covenant between Me and you, and every living creature with you, for all ages to come. (13) I have set My bow in the clouds, and it shall serve as a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. (14) When I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow appears in the clouds, (15) I will remember My covenant between Me and you and every living creature among all flesh, so that the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. (16) When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures, all flesh that is on earth. (17) That,” God said to Noah, “shall be the sign of the covenant that I have established between Me and all flesh that is on earth.”

(6) Ten things were created on the eve of the Sabbath at twilight, and these are they: [1] the mouth of the earth, [2] the mouth of the well, [3] the mouth of the donkey, [4] the rainbow, [5] the manna, [6] the staff [of Moses], [7] the shamir, [8] the letters, [9] the writing, [10] and the tablets. And some say: also the demons, the grave of Moses, and the ram of Abraham, our father. And some say: and also tongs, made with tongs.

(1)THE CREATION ON THE EVE OF THE SABBATH
TEN things were created (on the eve of the Sabbath) in the twilight (namely): the mouth of the earth; the mouth of the well; the mouth of the ass; the rainbow; the Manna; the Shamir; the shape of the alphabet; the writing and the tables (of the law); and the ram of Abraham. (Some sages say: the destroying spirits also, and the sepulchre of Moses, and the ram of Isaac; and other sages say: the tongs also.)

(1) THIS IS THE SIGN OF THE COVENANT WHICH I MAKE. It would appear from this sign that the rainbow in the cloud was not part of creation and that now G-d created a new thing by making a rainbow in the heavens on a cloudy day. Now commentators have said concerning the meaning of this sign that G-d has not made the rainbow with its feet bent upward because it might have appeared that arrows were being shot from heaven, as in the verse, And G-d sent out arrows and scattered them (Psalms 18:15) on the earth. Instead G-d made it the opposite of this — [with the feet bent downward] — in order to show that they are not shooting at the earth from the heavens. It is indeed the way of warriors to invert the instruments of war which they hold in their hands when calling for peace from their opponents. Moreover, [with the feet of the bow being turned downward towards the earth, it can be seen] that the bow has no rope upon which to bend the arrows.
We must perforce believe the words of the Greek [philosophers who maintain] that the rainbow is a natural result of the heat of the sun falling upon damp air for even in a vessel containing water which stands in the sun there is the appearance of the rainbow. When contemplating the language of Scripture we will understand that it is so, for G-d said, I have set My bow in the cloud, [the use of the past tense indicating that G-d had already set it so from the beginning and it is not a new creation]. G-d did not say, “I set in the cloud,” even as G-d said, This is the sign of the covenant which I make. Moreover, the word kashti (My bow) — [in the possessive form] — indicates that G-d possessed the bow previously. Therefore, we shall explain the verse thus: “The rainbow which I have set in the clouds from the day of creation will be from this day on a sign of covenant between Me and you; whenever I will see it I will remember that there is a covenant of peace between Me and you.”

ונראתה הקשת, “when the [rain]bow becomes visible;” the fact that the bow appears without arrows appearing at the same time, is to serve as reassurance to the beholder.

(1) את קשתי נתתי בענן, I have arranged that the rainbow become a natural phenomenon.

(28) Like the appearance of the bow that shines in the clouds on a day of rain, such was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. That was the appearance of the semblance of the Presence of GOD. When I beheld it, I flung myself down on my face. And I heard the voice of someone speaking.

(3)“My rainbow I have set in the cloud, and it shall be as a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth” (Genesis 9:13).
“My rainbow [kashti] I have set” – My likeness [kishuti]; something that is likened to Me. Is that possible? It is, rather, like the straw [kashin] of the grain.

It is taught in the mishna: Whoever has no concern for the honor of his Maker deserves to have never come to the world. The Gemara asks: What is lack of concern for the honor of one’s Maker? Rabbi Abba said: This is one who looks at a rainbow. Rav Yosef said: This is one who commits a transgression in private. They proceed to clarify their opinions: Looking at a rainbow constitutes an act of disrespect toward the Divine Presence, as it is written: “As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord” (Ezekiel 1:28), and it is a dishonor to God to stare at the Divine likeness.

Rabbi Yehuda, son of Rabbi Naḥmani, the disseminator of Reish Lakish, interpreted a verse homiletically: Whoever looks at the following three things, his eyes will grow dim: One who looks at a rainbow, at a Nasi, and at the priests. He explains: At a rainbow, as it is written: “As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about, this was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord” (Ezekiel 1:28). At a Nasi, as it is written: “And you shall put of your splendor upon him” (Numbers 27:20), which indicates that the splendor of the Divine Presence rested upon Moses, who was the Nasi of Israel. The third item, looking at priests, is referring to one who looks at the priests when the Temple is standing, as they would stand on their platform and bless Israel with the ineffable name, at which point the Divine Presence would rest above the joints of their fingers.

Rebbi Chizkiah in the name of Rebbi Jeremiah: No rainbow was seen all the days of Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai. Rebbi Chizkiah in the name of Rebbi Jeremiah: Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai used to say, “Valley, valley, get filled with gold denars,” and it got filled. Rebbi Chizkiah in the name of Rebbi Jeremiah: Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai used to say, I saw the people of the Future World and they are few. If they are three, I and my son are of them. If they are two, they are me and my son. Rebbi Chizkiah in the name of Rebbi Jeremiah: Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai used to say, Abraham should bring near from his back to my back; I shall bring near from my back to the end of all generations. Otherwise, Achiya from Shiloh should join me and I shall bring everybody near.

One particular custom practiced on the day of Lag B'Omer is unique: Children go to parks and fields to play with bows and arrows. What is the reason for this peculiar custom? One well-known explanation has to do with the fact that during Rabbi Shimon's lifetime, no rainbow ever appeared in the sky. This is profoundly significant, because Genesis relates that the rainbow represented God's covenant never to destroy the world again even if the human race would degenerate to its status prior to the Flood. But as long as Rabbi Shimon was alive, his merit and piety alone were enough to ensure that God would not regret the Divine creation, with no need for the rainbow. On the day of Rabbi Shimon's passing, however, the world was in need of the rainbow. Thus, each year on that day we recall this man's greatness by playing with the bow.

לדרת עולם FOR GENERATIONS FOR EVER — The word לדרת “for generations” is written defective (without Vav) (implying that the sign will be necessary only for such generations as are “defective’’ in faith) because there will be some generations which will require no sign since they were completely righteous, such as the generation of Hezekiah, king of Judah, and the generation of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Genesis Rabbah 35:2).

“God said: This is the sign of the covenant that I place between Me and you, and every living soul that is with you, for eternal generations” (Genesis 9:12).
“God said: This is the sign of the covenant that I place between Me and you…for eternal generations [ledorot]” – ledorot is written [missing two vavs], to exclude two generations; the generation of Hezekiah, and the generation of the members of the Great Assembly. Rabbi Chizkiya omits the generation of the members of the Great Assembly and substitutes the generation of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.

והיתה לאות ברית, there is a dual function to the rainbow; it is true that the scientists have already tired of trying to explain the phenomenon of the various colours of the second rainbow, something which appears in the opposite order of the colours in the original rainbow, [according to the encyclopedia Britannica, there are primary and secondary rainbows, the secondary rainbow having a colour pattern in a reverse order of that known as the primary rainbow. Our author may understand that which has baffled scientists in his time, as a hint of the dual nature of the rainbow, i.e. as a warning, or a promise respectively. Ed.] According to the view of the sages the very appearance of the rainbow is a reminder that the generation in which it appears is a guilty generation. It is reported there that two generations were fortunate enough that in their time no rainbow was ever observed. This was interpreted as a sign that the people of that generation did not need the phenomenon of the rainbow to alert them to become penitents. Their religious leaders did an outstanding job in prevailing on the people to be Torah-observant. [according to the של'ה, it is not reasonable to assume that there were periods when the laws of nature were suspended and there was no rainbow; rather if the Jewish people during certain periods were very deserving, had lots of merits, so that they did not need to be reminded of the deluge, the rain descended at night when no rainbow would become visible even if they had not been a deserving generation. Ed.]

And Rabbi Alexandri said that Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said: One who sees a rainbow in a cloud must fall upon his face, as it is stated: “As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face” (Ezekiel 1:28). The colors of the rainbow symbolize the glory of God and one may not stare at them. Yet, in the West, Eretz Yisrael, they would curse one who fell upon his face when seeing a rainbow because it appears as one who is bowing to the rainbow. As far as blessing is concerned, however, all agree that one certainly recites a blessing. What blessing does one recite? Blessed…Who remembers the covenant with Noah. It was taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yishmael, son of Rabbi Yochanan ben Beroka, says that the blessing is: Blessed…Who is faithful to the Divine covenant and fulfills the Divine word. Rav Pappa said: Therefore we will say them both combined: Blessed…Who remembers the covenant and is faithful to the Divine covenant and fulfills the Divine word.

One who sees the rainbow in the clouds says: Praised are You, Eternal, Who remembers the Covenant. Rebbi Chiyya in the name of Rebbi Yochanan: Who is faithful to the Divine Covenant and remembers the Covenant.

(1) One who sees the rainbow says, "Praised are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who remembers the covenant, who is faithful to the Divine covenant, and who fulfills the Divine word." But it is forbidden to stare at it.

(1) 1) One who sees a rainbow, etc.- And it isn’t appropriate to tell one’s friend that there is a rainbow because of spreading bad rumors (that the world deserves to be destroyed but for God’s mercy).

Praised are You, Lord, our G-d Sovereign of the Universe, who remembers the covenant, is faithful to the Divine covenant, and keeps the Divine promise.

(3) Praised are You, Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, who remembers the covenant, is faithful with [God's] covenant, and is steady with [God's] word.

And it will be— if you vigilantly obey My commandments which I command you this day, to love HaShem your God, and serve [God] with your entire hearts and with your entire souls— that I will give rain for your land in its proper time, the early (autumn) rain and the late (spring) rain; and you will harvest your grain and your wine and your oil. And I will put grass in your fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. Beware lest your hearts be swayed and you turn astray, and you worship other gods and bow to them.