The Magnificent 7 – 2. SEVEN BODILY SENSES
All my limbs shall declare, “God, who is like You?” ~ Psalms 35:10 “The eye sees. The heart desires, and the body finishes the act.” The renowned medieval teacher and commentator on the Torah, Rashi, here makes a connection between the eyes, the heart and the body. The physical body is in fact one large […]
The Magnificent 7 – 1. TIME
Through this series we will explore the concepts and connections of the magnificent number 7. In Rabbinical writings it is considered that the number seven possesses unique significance in the Torah and in Nature and that “all sevens are beloved.” We find stunning God-ordained patterns of seven rippling through Nature; patterns that play an important […]
13. Hebrew AlephBet – TAV – Sivan
The name Israel stands for Shir-El, the Song of God. There are those who go beyond the boundaries of Israel to sing a song of humanity. They aspire towards humanity’s general goal and look towards its higher perfection. ~ Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook THE SHAPE AND MEANING OF THE TAV Kol haKavod! Well done! We […]
12. The Wonder of the Aleph Bet – SHIN
Shabbat Shalom! – שבת שלום! We light the Shabbat lights and gather in Shefa – the resplendent radiance of the Shechina – the presence and peace of the Holy One among us. THE SHAPE AND MEANING OF THE SHIN Shin is the second to last letter of the Alef-Bet The letter is composed of […]
11. The Wonder of the Aleph Bet – REISH
‘God puts tzaddikim in this world to testify to the fact that He exists.’ THE SHAPE AND MEANING OF THE REISH The Reish needs to be written very carefully. If the corner at the top right is not clearly rounded it will look like a Dalet – ד. If the ‘roof’ of the letter is […]
10. The Hebrew Aleph-Bet AYIN – Tevet
‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts. Zechariah 4:6 12:6 THE SHAPE AND MEANING OF THE AYIN The name of the letter Ayin means eye! It’s a letter that ‘sees.’ It also carries the meaning of a spring of water (a source of tears?) as in Ayin […]
9. The Hebrew Letter SAMECH – Kislev
BHBW – THE ALEPH-BET KISLEV 5784 / 2023 SAMECH – סמך A day’s light fluxes in tides: pale and gleaming at dawn, the glare of noon, the gold of evening, the promise of twilight — every second of every day has […]
8. The Hebrew Letter NUN – Cheshvan
BHBW – THE ALEPH-BET CHESHVAN 5784 / 2023 NUN If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, will make Myself known to him in a vision. I will speak with him in a dream. Numbers 12:6 THE SHAPE AND MEANING OF […]
7. The Hebrew Letter MEM – Tishrei
BHBW – THE ALEPH-BET TISHREI 5784 / 2023 MEM Shout for joy to Adonai all the earth; burst into song, sing with joy, make music to Adonai. Psalms 98:4 THE SHAPE AND MEANING OF THE MEM The letter Mem has two forms. […]
6. The Hebrew AlephBet – Caf and La’med – ELUL
BHBW – THE ALEPH-BET ELUL 5783 / 2023 CAF- LA’MED Who shall ascend the mountain of the LORD? Or who shall stand in His holy place? He that […]
Psalm 27
PSALM 27 THERE ARE EASIER PSALMS: Some ring with “HalleluYah” or feature nature’s joy in field and tree; others darker, give us short and piercing cries of the heart. But not Psalm 27. Not this poem that Jewish tradition bids us read for fifty consecutive days each year. Here, we encounter something more nuanced: the […]
ELUL – The Sixth Hebrew Month
ELUL – The Sixth Hebrew Month BLESSING OF THE NEW MONTH – BIRKAT HA’CHODESH May it be Your will, O LORD, our God and the God of our forefathers, that You inaugurate this month of Elul upon us for goodness and for blessing. May You give us long life, a life of peace – Shalom […]
4. The Hebrew Aleph-Bet TAMMUZ – Zayin and Chet
Man needs difficulties; they are necessary for [ mental, physical, and spiritual ] health! ~ Carl Jung THE SHAPE AND NAME OF THE ZAYIN The letter Zayin is in the shape of a Vav whose head extends in both directions ’crowning’ the letter, as it were. In the Torah, the Zayin is given three tagin or […]
5. The Hebrew Aleph-Bet AV – Tet and Yod
You, imprisoned in the shells in which society, state, church, school, economy, public opinion, and your own pride have stuck you – indirect one among indirect ones, break through your shells, become direct…have [ good and true ] contact. ~ Martin Buber, in What Is to Be Done? 1919 THE SHAPE OF THE TET The […]
3. The Hebrew Aleph Bet – SIVAN – Hei and Vav
BHBW – THE ALEPH-BET SIVAN 5783 / 2023 HEI – VAV Not with toil and not with struggle, but by the word of His mouth did the One Above create His world. Not with toil and not with struggle, but with wisdom […]