There are many kinds of weather each day. One day may bring cold and heat, rain and snow, wind and calm, and countless other variations. Who can predict and know all this?Therefore, it is written, “How great are Your deeds, O God, exceedingly deep are Your thoughts. A brutish man does not know; a fool does not understand this” (Psalms 92:6-7). Only a fool would claim to know with outside wisdom the changes that take place each day.
Scientific works also state that these almanacs are totally confused. See in particular what is brought at the end of the work, Nechmad VeNa'im.327"Pleasant and Beautiful,” by Rabbi Baruch Kasover (d. 1782). He was a major disciple of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, and is best known by his major work, Amud HaAvodah ("The Pillar of Devotion").
הָיָה מִתְלוֹצֵץ מְאֹד מֵהַלּוּחוֹת שֶׁלָּנוּ אוֹ שֶׁלָּהֶם לְהַבְדִּיל, שֶׁכּוֹתְבִים הַמְּאֹרָעוֹת וְהַשִּׁנּוּיִים כְּגוֹן קַר וְחַם וְכוּ'. וְעַל פִּי הָרֹב אֵינָם מְכַוְּנִים דִּבְרֵיהֶם כְּלָל.
Many almanacs, both Jewish and otherwise, claim to predict the weather. The Rebbe ridiculed them as having no relation to reality.
עָנָה וְאָמַר: אִם כֵּן שֶׁיּוֹדְעִין, יֹאמְרוּ נָא הַשִּׁנּוּיִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּעוֹלָם בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם בְּעַצְמוֹ. כִּי כִּמְעַט בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם מִשְׁתַּנִּים בָּעוֹלָם שִׁנּוּיִים הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד בְּיוֹם אֶחָד.
The Rebbe said, “If they really know, let them predict the different types of weather that occur on a single day.”
כִּי יֵשׁ קֹר וָחֹם וְגֶשֶׁם וָשֶׁלֶג וְרוּחַ וַאֲוִיר צַח, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה שִׁנּוּיִים רַבִּים אֵין מִסְפָּר שֶׁנַּעֲשִׂין בְּיוֹם אֶחָד עַל פִּי הָרֹב. וּמִי יוּכַל לְכַוֵּן וְלֵידַע זֹאת? "מָה רַבּוּ מַעֲשֵׂי ה' מְאֹד עָמְקוּ מַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו. אִישׁ בַּעַר לֹא יֵדָע וּכְסִיל לֹא יָבִין אֶת זֹאת" (תְּהִלִּים צב) עַל פִּי חָכְמוֹת חִיצוֹנִיּוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶם כָּל הַשִּׁנּוּיִים הַנַּעֲשִׂים בְּיוֹם אֶחָד.
There are many kinds of weather each day. One day may bring cold and heat, rain and snow, wind and calm, and countless other variations. Who can predict and know all this?Therefore, it is written, “How great are Your deeds, O God, exceedingly deep are Your thoughts. A brutish man does not know; a fool does not understand this” (Psalms 92:6-7). Only a fool would claim to know with outside wisdom the changes that take place each day.
(וְגַם בְּסִפְרֵי הַתְּכוּנָה בְּעַצְמָם מְבֹאָר שֶׁעִנְיָן זֶה שֶׁל הַלּוּחוֹת הַנַּ"ל אֵינוֹ בָּרוּר כְּלָל. כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּסוֹף סֵפֶר "נֶחְמָד וְנָעִים" עַיֵּן שָׁם).
Scientific works also state that these almanacs are totally confused. See in particular what is brought at the end of the work, Nechmad VeNa'im.327"Pleasant and Beautiful,” by Rabbi Baruch Kasover (d. 1782). He was a major disciple of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, and is best known by his major work, Amud HaAvodah ("The Pillar of Devotion").