Sanhendrin 113a, Taanis 2a
HaShem: I have three keys that I never entrusted to a Shaliach (Rashi “except for you (Eliyahu)”; Tosfos “permanently”): birth, rain and Techiyas haMeisim (resurrection of the dead).
Where is an allusion to these three keys in Torah?
שמות פרק לט, ל וַיַעֲשׂוּ אֶת-צִיץ נֶזֶר-הַקֹּדֶשׁ זָהָב טָהוֹר וַיִכְתְבוּ עָלָיו מִכְתַב פִּתּוּחֵי חוֹתָם קֹדֶשׁ לַה ' :
The Gra explains: פתוחי is same language as מפתחים (keys). חתם stands for the three keys: טרמ חיית המתים ת יה ח (Birth, resurrection of the dead and rain) קדש לה' these items are holy to HaShem and He does not let anyone else touch these keys
WHAT IS THE CONCEPT OF KEYS?
Rashi
The keys are to HaShem’s storehouses. Normally, the keys are provided to the appointed agent in charge of different functions. However, the keys for these three functions remain in HaShem’s hands.
Ben Yehoyada
The keys refer to the power given by HaShem to “nature” to provide activities in the world. However, these three keys refer to acts that defy nature. (According to the laws of physics, it is impossible for the dead to be resurrected. Similarly, rainfall (and weather in general) follows no natural physical, predictable laws. It is not like sunrise and sunset or the motions of the planets and celestial bodies which can be predicted thousands of years in advance. In this sense, rainfall is "supernatural" and demonstrates the presence of the Creator more than any other event. Similarly, the process of conception and birth are not set functions.) These three “keys”, the ability to cause the activities, remains in HaShem’s hands.
Ohel Yaakov
We do not understand the concept of “keys” to open HaShem’s treasures. They are like items locked away from thieves with the keys only in the hands of the owner. We have a limited understanding of the science of activities in this world. However, we can not obtain an understanding of causation. Nothing functions in this world except by the direction of HaShem. But we can see the outcome is for good, since these three specific keys are the sources for goodness in the world (life, children and sustenance).
These three specific keys provide a basic concept in the world, “there is nothing besides HaShem.”
דברים פרק ד, לט וְיָדַעְתָ הַיוֹם וַהֲשֵׁׁבֹּתָ אֶל -לְבָבֶךָ כִי ה ' הוּא הָאֱלֹקִ ים בַשָמַיִם מִמַעַל וְעַל-הָאָרֶץ מִתָחַת אֵׁין עוֹד :
From the verse that the key to rain is with HaShem provides an understanding that HaShem rules the Heavens:
דברים פרק כח, יב יִפְתַח ה' לְךָ אֶת -אוֹצָרוֹ הַטּוֹב אֶת-הַשָמַיִם לָתֵׁת מְטַר-אַרְ צְךָ בְעִתו
From the verse that the key to resurrection of the dead is with HaShem we see the HaShem rules below:
יחזקאל פרק לז יג וִידַעְתֶם כִי-אֲנִי ה' בְפִתְחִי אֶת-קִבְרוֹתֵׁיכֶם וּבְהַעֲלוֹתִי אֶתְכֶם מִקִבְרוֹתֵׁיכֶם עַמִי:
And from the verse that the key to birth is with HaShem we see that HaShem rules our active world:
בראשית פרק ל, כב וַיִזְכֹּר אֱלֹקִ ים אֶת -רָחֵׁל וַיִשְׁמַע אֵׁלֶיהָ אֱלֹקִ ים וַיִפְתַח אֶת-רַחְמָהּ:
