When is "b'Od Sheloshah Chadashim la'Katzir"?
Rashi: La'Katzir is like Ad ha'Katzir ? it is three months before the Katzir. Radak ? the land needs rain. Malbim ? this is harsher than the previous affliction. The seed will not sprout ? they lost the seeds that they planted!
Why will Hashem send rain on some cities, and not on others?
Radak: This is a sign that it is from Me. One city will receive rain in its time, and another city, even near it, I will not send rain on it. If I would not do so, they would say that it is chance; this year rain is withheld due to the Ma'arachah of the stars. Now that I do so, they must admit that it is from Me ? a punishment for their evil deeds.
Malbim: A city that its sins are not so great, rain will fall there.
What is "Chelkah"?
Rashi: It is a field.
What is the meaning of "Tamtir"?
Rashi: It will be a place of rain. Also this is for a curse ? where it rains, [Peros] will rot (Ta'anis 20a). Radak ? this is Nif'al conjugation.
What is the meaning of "v'Chelkah Asher Lo Tamtir Aleha"?
Rashi: It will not appear that it waters itself 1 .
Radak: This is a bigger wonder ? one field will get rain, and a field next to it will not get rain, and it is dry. Tamtir is Hif'il, Po'el Yotzei Sheni; the cloud acts (rains) on a second party (the field). V'Himtarti is Po'el Yotzei Shelishi (one causes a second to act on a third party) ? I cause the cloud to rain on it.
Malbim: If the owner of a field has few sins, or he repented, his field will receive rain.
Why does it add "Tivash"? Is it not obvious that without rain, it will be dry?
Malbim: If it rains in an adjacent field, and water gathers in pits, they can take the water to irrigate the field without rain! It will not be so; the rain will fall minimally, only enough for that field. There will not remain water to irrigate the adjacent field; the latter will be dry.
