First attested in the Middle Ages, the phrase has become part of not only the Passover liturgy, but also the concluding service for Yom Kippur, and has long testified to the longing of the scattered Jewish people for a homeland where they could be free from persecution.
Historians are very interested in understanding environmental and climate conditions from the past. However, sources that can shed light on this information are hard to find, so being able to access over 20 years of records from a medieval writer is a gold mine of details.