Musar for Taanit 14:4
א"ל זעירי מדיהבת לרבינא אתון מהכא מתניתו לה אנן מהכא מתנינן לה (מלכים א ח, לד) ואתה תשמע השמים וסלחת לחטאת וגו'
R'Tanhum B'Hanilai said, No rain falls unless the sins of Israel have been forgiven, as it is said, Lord, Thou hast been favourable unto Thy land, Thou hast turned the Captivity of Jacob. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of Thy people, Thou hast pardoned all their sins.
Mesilat Yesharim
The Sages also stated: "if one steals from his fellow even the worth of a peruta (small coin), it is as if he takes his life from him" (Bava Kama 119a). This teaching reveals to us, the graveness of this sin even for a small amount. They further said: "the rains are withheld only because of the sin of theft" (Taanit 7b). And "for a basketful of sins, which sin prosecutes at the head of all of them? - theft" (Vayikra Raba 33:3). And "the generation of the flood had their fate sealed only because of the sin of theft" (Sanhedrin 108a).
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