Question: Does the appearance of a rainbow always mean that G-d actually wants to destroy the world and only refrains from doing so because of the bris (covenant) with Noach?
Answer: In Bereishis (9:15), G-d promises Noach and his descendants never to bring another flood to destroy the world. The rainbow serves as a symbol of this covenant, reminding humanity that G-d would refrain from destruction, even when His patience is tested. At first glance, this could imply that every rainbow is a sign of G-d’s displeasure and that He would otherwise wish to destroy the world.
However, it’s important to remember that a rainbow is also a natural phenomenon. It occurs whenever water droplets in the atmosphere (such as in clouds or waterfalls) refract sunlight at a certain angle. Thus, it would be incorrect to view every rainbow as a direct sign of G-d’s anger.
Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin (1816–1893), known as the Netziv, in his Torah commentary HaEmek Davar, suggests that the significance of the rainbow depends on its duration. When a rainbow appears momentarily and then vanishes, it may indeed be seen as a message from heaven, signifying divine displeasure. However, if a rainbow lingers in the sky for an extended period, as is typically the case, it is considered a “natural” rainbow. Far from indicating G-d’s anger, this kind of rainbow can even be understood as a sign of blessing.
