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Nisan: The Lesson of Judah

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Photo by Anne Marie Angelo, used by Creative Commons Permission.

~Excerpt from Nisan Guide – Subscribe for Free and Receive the Complete Guide Each Month
(Cross Posted from  PeelAPom.com) ~

Nisan – נִיסָן – begins at sundown on April 4th, 2011 and ends at sundown on May 4th, 2011.

Judah (יְהוּדָה), associated with the month of Nisan (נִיסָן), is the fourth son of Leah and Jacob.  In Judaism the number four, the letter Dalet (ד), represents doorways. There are also four new years in Judaism, and the Nisan is the first — the doorway (הדלת) to the year.  Considering the number of fours found in the Passover Seder, is it any wonder that Judah is the fourth son?

Judah takes a very human journey of learning what it means to be a decent man, in the Torah.  He starts out as a very unlikeable character, as he is the one who suggests selling Joseph to the Ishmaelites (Gen 37:26).  As others were calling for Joseph’s death, I suppose this could be seen as a moderate position — if you really wanted to try. Just after this, there is an odd interlude in the story of Joseph that focuses on Judah (Gen 38). In this story we still see him acting less than an honorable man, until his daughter-in-law, Tamar, teaches him a valuable lesson. It’s probably not just coincidence that Tamar means “date palm” and dates are considered to be psychically cleansing.  The next time we see Judah, he promises his life for Benjamin and then gives a moving speech (Gen 44:18-34) to save Benjamin that show us, and Joseph, that Judah is truly a changed man.  It is this change that seems to merit his incredible blessing from Jacob in Genesis 49:8-12, and his preeminence among the tribes.

Nisan is also the new year of kings, which is appropriate with Judah because it is the tribe of Kings. Judah is the forebear of David, the first king of Israel.  It’s important to note, though, that David is descended from Judah and Tamar, whose story we read in Genesis 38.  The children born of this union do not seem to have an auspicious start, but this may be a clue to the lesson of Judah.

Judah’s name, according to the Jewish Encyclopedia, is interpreted as YHVH with a dalet in the middle.  I think here may be another clue to the lesson of Judah.  If the letter dalet is a doorway, then does Judah become our doorway to G!d(dess)?  Does his journey of growth and change show us what we must do?  I think it does.  Judah is not born a perfect human, as few of us are.  We make mistakes and we have to learn.  All through the Torah we see the struggle that is being human.  It’s not about starting perfect, but rather perfecting yourself throughout your life.

In this month of beginnings, let us follow the example of Judah and learn from our past mistakes and grow into the best examples of humanity we can be.

Want more insights into Nisan?

 

 

~Excerpt from Nisan Guide – Subscribe for Free and Receive the Complete Guide Each Month
(Cross Posted from PeelAPom.com) ~

Adar II – The Lesson of Naphtali

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Photo by Don DeBold. Used by Creative Commons Attribution Copyright.

Adar II  (אֲדָר א) begins at sundown on March 6th, 2011 and ends sundown on April 4th, 2011

~Excerpt from Adar II Guide – Subscribe for Free and Receive the Complete Guide Each Month ~

(Originally posted at PeelAPom.com~Thanks Ketzirah!)

Naphtali is the second son of Jacob and Bilah, a handmaiden of Rachel. His name, as relayed in  Genesis 30:8 means, “ And Rachel said: ‘With mighty wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed.’ And she called his name Naphtali.”  When I read this, I immediately went to check and see if this was the same word used in Genesis 32:25 to describe Jacob wrestling with the angel, and it is not.  That word seems to be translated “struggled” (יֵּאָבֵק) where as the root of Naphtali’s name (נַפְתּוּלֵי) seems to translate more truly as wrestling, or “twists.”  I find the translation of “twists” to be fascinating.  It seems lighter and less ominous than struggling.

Naphtali is traditionally symbolized by a leaping dear.  This is from Jacob’s blessing in Genesis 49:21, “Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.”  According to some commentaries, this refers to how quickly the fruit in the tribal district of Naphtali ripened, which gave cause for blessings.  In Moses’ blessing,  Deuteronomy 33:23, Naphtali is describe as, “O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the LORD: possess thou the sea and the south.”  If nothing else we can see from these blessings that Naphtali was favored, and I think good with words.

Let us imagine that the message of Naphtali is that of the poet or minstrel.  If this were not a leap year, the Netivah, face of Shekhinah, associated with the month would be the Fool.  I can easily see Naphtali as the poet-jester,  entertaining us by leaping, dancing and reciting poetry and songs.  So what does that mean in a  leap year?  What happens to Naphtali when the Weaver (אורגת) is our Netivah of the month?  In this case, Naphtali uses his poetic gifts to weave a beautiful tapestry to help us find all the meaning hidden away in the Book of Esther.

The lesson of Naphtali is to use all the powers of dance and verse to uncover the mysteries of the  Book of Esther, to weave our world into a better place.  If G!d(dess) created the world with words, then maybe we affect Tikkun Olam, repairing of the world, or at least Tikkun haNefesh, repairing of the soul, through the power of art, verse, music, and dance.

~Excerpt from Adar II Guide – Subscribe for Free and Receive the Complete Guide Each Month ~

Adar I: The Lesson of Dinah

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Liminal Space - Photo by MSimonLevin, used by Creative Commons Attribution Permissions

~Excerpt from Adar 1 Guide – Subscribe for Free and Receive the Complete Guide Each Month ~

(From Ketzirah at PeelAPom.com)

Adar I (אֲדָר א) is Dinah’s (דִּינָה) month, at least as far as I’m concerned.  Rabbinical tradition equates Naphtali with both Adar I & Adar II in a leap year, but many modern feminists have argued well that the extra month should belong to Jacob’s daughter, the 13th tribe.  Next month, we’ll talk about Naphtali.  This month, we talk about Dinah.  To be honest, I’ve really struggled with whether or not Dinah should be Adar I or Adar II. I’ve gone back and forth dozens of times.  Even while writing this, I struggled. Right or wrong, I needed to choose.

Dinah is the seventh child of Leah and Jacob, and the only named daughter, although Genesis 37:35 indicates there were others.  Dinah’s name means judgement, but I’ve also seen it as “vindicated.”  Her story is one that few women like to read, at least as it is traditionally interpreted.  In Genesis 34, we read of the “rape” of Dinah. It’s an ugly story with very little redeeming value anywhere.

But what if we look at this through another lens?  The ancient rabbis were famous for finding ways to turn stories to meet their needs.  The interpretations of the stories never seem to let the women be seen in a good light.  Sorry, but it’s true for the most part.  Deborah and Hulda are called “conceited and overbearing” and we’re told they are cursed with ugly names.  Really?  Bee and Cat are ugly names?  What about the tradition of giving children “ugly” names to protect them from the evil eye?  But, I digress a touch…

Adar (both I & II) are months of the moon and lunacy.  Adar I is the month of the Kesilah (כְּסִילה), the clown or trickster, who in leap years steals all our holidays away and hides them in Adar II. The letter of the month is  Kuf (ק), which can be a symbol of and literally means monkey (קוף) — the foolishness we generally associate with Purim.  But in this month, the monkey has hidden our holidays and left us standing in a void.  What if the monkey, the trickster, is asking us stand in the center and take a second look at the story of Dinah?

An amazing article in the Jewish Women Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia points out that the language of rape does not fit the original Hebrew in the story.   As we stand in the void of Adar I in this leap year, I believe the lesson of Dinah is to teach us to read the words anew and look at how those who came before us — and ourselves are influenced by others to interpret situations.  Dinah challenges us to vindicate the women of the Torah by reading their stories with fresh eyes and not layering ancient ideas of women on them.  Dinah challenges to allow the people of Shechem to be the wronged victims here. Is Dinah a victim by just about any reading?  Probably.  But was she a victim of rape or over-zealous violent brothers who did not like the man she chose to marry?

Dinah reminds us that there are at least two sides to every story, and two-thousand interpretations.   She challenges us to stand in the void and center ourselves, and not just take the trickster at her word.

What do you think?

~Excerpt from Adar 1 Guide – Subscribe for Free and Receive the Complete Guide Each Month ~

Shevat: The Lesson of Asher

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~Excerpt from Shevat Guide – Subscribe for Free and Receive the Complete Guide Each Month ~

(Cross Posted From PeelAPom.com)

Original design I created for my nephew Asher's bris kippah. My nephew Asher was supposed to be born in Shevat, but came a few days early last year!

“And Leah said: ‘Happy am I! for the daughters will call me happy.’ And she called his name Asher.”  (Gen 30:13)

Asher was the eighth son of Jacob through Leah’s handmaid, Zilpah.  According to the Torah, midrash and rabbinical tradition Asher is a symbol of happiness.  There seems to be fairly strong consensus on this.   From his naming (Gen 30:13) to his final blessing from Yisrael (Gen 49:20) – Asher was blessed with happiness.

Asher’s emblem is the olive tree, which makes sense since the tribe of Asher was situated in an area that had them responsible for the production of olives and olive oil in ancient Israel.  The tribe of Asher was known for having an abundance of male children and daughters so beautiful they were sought out by “princes and priests.” (Jewish Encyclopedia)   Asher is also known for his daughter,  Serach whose goodness was rewarded with eternal life and is said to walk among us this day like Elijah.

Shevat is a month where, in a non-leap year, we should begin to see the signs of spring emerging by the end of it – or at least know it is coming so very soon – and this makes most people very happy.   We celebrate the return of spring through the holiday of Tu B’Shevat, which is one of the four traditional Jewish new years. Asher seems to be associated with delicious food, too, “As for Asher, his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.”(Gen 49:20)  What a perfect correspondence to the sense of the month, Taste, and the Kabbalistic tradition of a Tu B’Shevat seder that has become so popular in recent years.  Food is one of our simplest pleasures in life!

A month of simple happiness – is that possible?  So many months of the year offer us challenges that seem insurmountable.  What kind of a challenge is happiness?

The mazal, the astrological sign of the month, gives us some clues to the challenge of happiness.  The sign of the month is the D’li (דְלִי) – the Bucket (Aquarius). How do you contain happiness?  How do you give fluid emotions like joy a shape?  You need a container – not to close it in, but allow you to carry it forward and share it.

Another lesson of Asher is the line between right and wrong.  Can something be wrong if it makes us happy?  There is the question between a moment of happiness and true life-long happiness.  The name Asher is clearly related to the word Ashera.  Wait…how can a beloved son of Jacob have anything to do with a forbidden ancient goddess that the Torah repeatedly warns us of?!?  Maybe the issue here is the vessel of choice – not what was contained in it.  She is a tree of life (עץ חיים הי), but we do not need the image of tree to worship.

I can think of a lot of things that make me happy for a moment, but do not sustain ongoing happiness for myself or anyone else.  Asher is also seems like it must related to the word “asher” – meaning “that” or “which.”  Could it be that something which enables something else is the key to true happiness?  Does sustainable happiness need to be able to connect two things together?

Happiness is simple and it is complex – just like Jewish life.  The lesson of Asher for Shevat is to explore true happiness.  What form does it need and what forms will it take on?  What is the difference between a moment of happiness and a life of true joy?

The lesson of Asher is to find happiness olive tree that can sustain generations, not just the olive that feeds you alone for a moment.

That’s what I find.  What about you?

Want more Insights into Shevat?

~Excerpt from Shevat Guide – Subscribe for Free and Receive the Complete Guide Each Month ~

Lesson of the Tribe: Cheshvan (Oct. 7 – Nov. 7)

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Check out Ketzirah at PeelAPom!

Lesson of the Tribe
The tribe of Cheshvan is Menasheh (מְנַשֶׁה), the first-born but officially second son of Joseph.  That means the first two months of the spiritual year (Tishrei and Cheshvan) make up the “House of Joseph” in the Jewish Wheel of the Year.  Joseph is generally not counted in the listing of the tribes, because his birthright was passed to his sons with their adoption by Jacob.  The name Menasheh, according to many, means “Who Makes to Forget.”  I found this really interesing since his brother Ephraim’s name means “doublely fruitful.”  The idea that the House of Joseph is both doublely fruitful and able to forget seems telling, especially since Cheshvan is often called “Mar Cheshvan” or “Bitter Cheshvan.”

During the time in the desert, the tribe of Menasheh was positioned with Benjamin to the West of Tabernacle.  Menasheh was on the side of the setting sun.  Sunset is a time of endings and beginnings.  In Jewish tradition our day begins when the sun goes down.  So Menasheh was the one on the side of the new day.  Maybe another lesson from Menasheh is to forget our anger as the sun sets in the West.

According to Inner.org, “the name Menasheh (מְנַשֶׁה) permutes to spell “soul” (נְשָׁמָה). Menasheh represents the sense to reveal the Divine soul in Israel.”  Considering the “soul scrub” that is the high holidays, it does seem appropriate that Cheshvan would be associated with Menasheh.  It’s a month where we should still have a soul that is still holding the glow of the Days of Awe.  As the year moves on it can get harder and harder to hold that feeling, but in Cheshvan we are still so fresh.

In recent years, we’ve learned that we forgot the Tribe of Menasheh — not that they forgot us or what it means to be Jew.  The tribe was thought to be assimiliated in the lands it lived in and fully adopted the ways of those people (Jewish Encyclopedia).  Of course I don’t think the Tanach says it quite so nicely.  But then in one sentence it will condem and in another it, or the Talmud, will praise. In 2005, Bnei Menashe was officially welcomed back into the fold and was recognized by the State of Israel.  These Jews from an area in North East India are considered to be one of the Lost Tribes of Israel.  They, like the Jews of Ethiopia, offer an alternative view of what it means to be Jewish.  They are Jews who split off from the rest of the Tribe before the Rabbinic era, so their traditions evolved directly out of the Biblical era.

As we move into Cheshvan it’s time to stop looking inward. We cannot grow and be fruitful (Ephraim), if we forget (Menasheh) the outside world and live in a state of constant self-examination — or celebration. The literal meaning of Menasheh is “to leap up and away.” Maybe the lesson of Menasheh is that after a month of deep self-reflection and celebration in Tishrei — it’s time to leap up and get on with the business of living.

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