About the Month of Sivan – Zodiac sign Gemini
by Teresa Quiroz, on behalf of Women of Holy Blossom
Rosh Chodesh Sivan arrives on Friday, June 7. We encourage you to join us at our Shacharit service at 7:30 am. Marking the new moon is the earliest of the Eternal’s commandments in the Book of Exodus as the Israelites set out on their journey in the desert. While the entire Jewish people received the teaching to honour Rosh Chodesh, over time, it became especially associated with a time for women.
Sivan is the third month of the Hebrew calendar counting from Nissan. The number three in Judaism has a mystical connotation. Moses was the third child in his family, the Israelites began the three-day process of preparing themselves to receive the Torah on the third of Sivan and God divided the Jews into three groups with different roles: the Kohanim, the Levites and the rest of the Jews Yisrael. There are three Patriarchs, Abraham, who represents Kindness; Isaac who represents Prayer and Jacob represents the study of Torah. Which by the way, Jacob’s name equals 182 as Jacob (in Hebrew, “Yaakov”): yud-ayin-kuf-beit = 10 + 70 + 100 + 2 = 182. The Gematria shows that every day the name of G/d equals 182, as it is 7×26=182.
The number seven comes from the letter of the month: זtzain, which is the 7th letter in the alphabet and its significance, alludes to Teferet which means beauty. Moses was the seven generation from Abraham, the world was created in 7 days, Torah was given on the 7th day of the week etc.
The Tribe of the Month: Zebulum, he was the supporter of his brother Issachar (Nisan), both were partners as Zebulum worked while his brother studied Torah.
The Limb of the month: the left foot. How the Israelites came to Sinai? By foot, in Nissan the limb of the month was the right foot. Now they used both feet, making easier to travel. Therefore, the attribute of this month is Motion, meaning walk, move. Through the study of Torah, you move and travel from one level to a higher level which leads you through pleasant and peaceful pathways wide and narrow ultimately bringing harmony to the soul, thus to your home, your work and the world.
In Sivan, we celebrate the holiday of Shavuot, when the Torah was revealed and given from G/d to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai. The Torah is considered the world print of the world. Our sages have compared it to a wedding between G/d and the Jewish people, each one being a ½ to make a Whole, as in the written and oral Torah each aspect can’t be one without the other.
The permutation of the month isיוהה ( yud-vav-hei-hei)from the Book of Exodus, chapter 26, v19-20.
On Shavuot, we read the story of Ruth, the Moabite princess who abandoned everything safe and familiar to follow her mother-in-law Naomi to Israel, to a life of physical rigour and spiritual truth. Her story is the story of all of us this month, as we try to move beyond our limited grasp of truth and move closer to the whole picture we saw at Sinai.
The month of Sivan gives us the unique opportunity to go beyond the surface of the physical world and reveal the deeper spiritual meaning hidden within us.
Ken YehiRatzon!
Join us for Shacharit Service: Friday, June 7, 2024, 7:30 am ET, in-person or via Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/93902401402?pwd=dGlOR2dEcGs1RVc0OVFwdkFtOVo5UT09
password: 667580
For upcoming dates and why Rosh Chodesh is special for women, see https://holyblossom.org/rosh-chodesh/
Something New to Come…
One explanation, offered by a Medieval rabbi, teaches that when all the men decided to create the golden calf the women refused to relinquish their jewelry and participate in creating an idol, despite having been entrenched in an idolatry-steeped Egypt. Their bravery and faith in God resulted in the reward of a special holiday to rest, reflect, and reset every month.
Rosh Chodesh celebrates the concept of perpetuity, the waxing and waning of our experiences throughout life. Through triumphs and tragedies, the reappearance of the moon is assured, giving us hope and faith that we too can be renewed. The courage of women to resist losing faith is echoed throughout the centuries to come.
As we move through the cycle of our Jewish calendar the Women of Holy Blossom will be honouring its inspiring, trailblazing, amazing women. Each month, beginning Monday, August 5 at 9 am. (later time due to the civic holiday: normally services are at 7:30 a.m.) we will celebrate one Woman of Holy Blossom whose dedication and good work have helped shape our paths.
Watch for these tributes in “Life @ Holy Blossom” emails and check our website, then let’s join together as we celebrate our wonderful women.
