Editing Earthquake (section)

==== In Judaism ====
Earthquakes appear in several places in the Bible. For example, King David says in Psalms: "He looks at the earth and it trembles" [Tehillim], and also in the book of Isaiah: "The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken. The earth staggers like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again" [Yeshayahu], and in the book of Ezekiel the prophet describes an earthquake that will occur in the future during the war of Gog and Magog before the redemption: "On that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel...and the fish of the sea...shall quake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the cliffs shall fall, and every wall shall tumble to the ground" [Yechezkel], and similarly in the book of Zechariah regarding the Mount of Olives.

In the days of King Uzziah, an earthquake occurred in the land of Israel as punishment for his sin of entering the Temple and offering incense there despite not being a kohen.

In Chazal it is explained that the causes of earthquakes are sins such as failure to separate terumot and maasrot (tithes), avoiding mourning for the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash, immodest conduct between a person and his fellow at the most severe level, dispute and quarrels.

The midrash connects earthquakes with changes in leadership.

According to halacha, after an earthquake one should recite the blessing 'Oseh maaseh bereishit' or 'Shekocho ugevurato maleh olam'.