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The Bible emphasizes the significance of time over space. There are holy times of the year, holidays to remember, seasons that we change with. With time we learn to change our focus throughout the year, expanding our consciousnesses. Time also teaches us how to make the most of space. The significance of days in this world supersedes reward in the world to come. We do not deny this world, but embrace her. We embrace all of her seasons, all of the times of the year. Similarly, we embrace nature in all the beauty of her seasons and in all the ways she renews us.

The Hebrew year leads the English year by 3760 years. Hence in 2007, the Hebrew year is 5767. A simple rule to remember is that the year modulo 10 is the same. More properly this is the Hebrew year between January 1^st and September’s Rosh Hashanah.

Another example, in the Book of Esther we find the following small letters in the judgment of the sons of Haman – תשז – 707 followed by their execution.^[610] In this century this would be the year 5707. The corresponding English year would be 1946:^[611]

English year = 5707 – 3761 = 1946
The Nierenberg tribunal executed ten former Nazi leaders on Oct. 16^th 1946
Rosh Hashanah that year was September 26^th, 1946, so we use the 2^nd formula

The ten sons of Haman, son of Hamdas, oppressor of the Jews, they killed.

The Hagim – חגים – Holidays sanctify time in our world. Judaism emphasizes the sanctity of time over space. In the Tree of Life, the transition from Hochmah to Binah, past conscious to future conscious, denotes time. The six sefirot from Hesed to Yesod are the six directions denoting space. The crown sefira Keter with Malchuts denotes the moral dimension of reality.^[612]

G-d created the constellations with the twelve elemental Hebrew letters in their respective order.^[613] The names of the corresponding months are from Babylonia. A few of the original Hebrew names are in the Tanach.

While there are twelve months in the Hebrew calendar, they are not for the twelve signs of the constellations. Hence, astrological signs are according to the solar calendar.^[615]

All of them (the planets) minister to the twelve constellations^[616] which correspond to the twelve (solar) months. The constellations are: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. All the constellations minister to the days of the sun.^[617]

The great cycle of the sun is 28 years, and therein are seven small cycles each of four years. (in the order of Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, and the Moon)

The order was believed to be from the farthest to the closest to the Earth, although this is a partial order and distances also vary by oribital positions.

The Sun signs follow the progression of the sun through the months while the Moon signs follow the progression of the moon through the signs. Due to the progression of the equinoxes, astrological signs do not correspond with star constellations. The signs are the visions of the spirit upon the lights of creation beyond the physical location of the stars.

The lunar calendar, which inserts a corrective thirteenth month every three years, varies from the astrological signs, which vary from the physical constellations. Nevertheless, the lunar calendar determines the new month and subsequently all the Jewish holidays of the year.^[619]

Like a husband and wife, each accepts her greater strengths and weaknesses in different circumstances and situations. While women are capable of doing many more activities than most men, they still find us useful for some things.

The Sefer Yetzirah describes the ruling personal qualities of the constellations. These correspond to the particularly trait in each sign that must be expressed regularly for a being under the influence of the sign to feel a sense of joy and balance.^[623] Of course in each of us there is a touch of each element below that must be satisfied. Nevertheless, the Sun sign indicates the primary source of psychological balance for each sign. The key is what one struggles with in this life to self-actualize. With the Hebrew letters Hashem endowed the heavens and identified qualities in people. When the twain meet, natural and actualized character, there is joyful bliss and complete harmony.

The Twelve Tribes above are in the order of Exodus 1:2-5.^[624]

And you shall count this as your first month, for I took you at of Egypt at this time. The letter ה – heh denotes holiness since the letter occurs twice in the name of G-d representing both the attribute of Binah and Malchuts. The relationship here is G-d like a mother to her daughter Israel. There is a lot of conversation and differences of opinion, but the two love each other and support each other through the trials of Egypt.

Make amends, repair our fences, we want moshiach now. The Baal Shem Tov called the last day of Pesach Moshiach Seudah. The Book ‘Today is the Day’ or Sefer ‘Hayom Yom’ comments that the previous Chabad Rebbe made a meal and there were 310 students and 18 tables. The 310 students represent the 310 storehouses saved up for the righteous in the world to come and the 18 tables represent eternal life.

Levi Yitzhak of Berditchev said the secret of the holiday name of Pesach lies in the Song of Songs phrase, “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.”^[625] When Hashem saw that we did not wait for the dough to rise when we left Egypt, He called the holiday the Festival of Matzot because of our swiftness. Still, we call the holiday Pesach because Hashem passed over our houses and slew only the Egyptians. Like two lovers we remember more the kindness of our beloved and honor the day more with His action overlooking our own deeds.

On Passover we place three Matzot on the table specifically for the Seder. Chabad teaches that they represent all the Jewish people as one is for the Cohen, another is for the Levi, and the third is for Israel. The initials of the names, spell the word CLY – כלי that means vessel. When we are united we are a vessel for receiving G-d’s blessing, but if we are divided we can hold nothing good, Has vShalom.^[626]

The State of Israel is a Taurus! This has endowed the country with a green thumb. The state of Israel is also a place for hard work and productivity. Ironically, spirituality plays a secondary role to the physical sensations that pervade the land in this manifestation of its nationhood. Dance, song, agriculture, engineering, security, and monetary success preoccupy the nation.

Nevertheless, the letter ו – vav is also a letter in the name of G-d and represents the outstretched arm of G-d to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him sincerely. Six midos [character qualities] compose the ו, i.e. kindness, judgment, beauty, eternity, thankfulness, and foundation. These are also the principle values of the nation of Israel.

The month of Iyar – אייר is an acrostic for the verse, “I am G-d your Healer.” The warmth of the sun heals the world each year at this time.^[627]

The holiday of Shavuot falls out here. The letter ז – zayin – 7 denotes the Shabbas or day of rest as Shavuot represents an end to the planting season and a resting period after 7 weeks. This is the Yom haBikkurim, the day of the first offerings of the harvest. On the first day of Shavuot after the Cohen blessing at the Torah, the following poem is read:^[628]

The Traditional Prayer Book for Sabbath and Festivals
Rabbinical Council of America
Behrman House publishing, 1960
trans. David De Sola Pool
pp. 506-512

‘This poem with its ninety verses follows a double alphabetical acrostic with another giving the name of the composer of the hymn, "Meir, son of Rabbi Isaac, may he grow in Torah and in good deeds. Amen. And be strong and of good courage."’ p.504

July is represented by the letter ח – het, which denotes a fence or limitation. The period, Between the Fences, refers to the three weeks before Tish B’Av. At the end of the Second Temple, these three weeks contained an inordinate amount of defeats during the siege of Jerusalem. The fences limited the area of operation necessary to properly defend the Holy Temple.

The letter ט – tet denotes the serpent or adversary who punishes the Jewish people. On Yom Kippur, a goat was sent away to Azazel. Rabbi Nachman explains the meaning of this. This is like a bone thrown into the mouth of the great goat to quiet him while the Jewish people repent. For 364 days a year, the accuser presents himself before the Almighty, but on Yom Kippur, we are spared his accusations. This also relates to Pidyon that is an amount of money paid to redeem a person. The Pidyon is given to silence the adversary.

The name Azazel – עזאזל has gematria 115 which is also qoof, yod, heh. We spell Azazel Ayin, Zayin, Aleph, Zayin, and Lamed. The Aleph represents G-d that stands in the middle of the name. Azazel is the dismissal of sin. The sin of the Jewish people is dismissed in the wilderness, the place of Azazel. What is in the wilderness? Is it not the 248 positive commandments of the Jewish people? BaMidbar is Bet, Mem, Dalet, Bet, and Resh that is 248. There is a force in the wilderness, and its name is Azazel and it is a servant of Hashem. Its function is to dismiss sin from the Jewish people by a goat, wandering into the wilderness. How can we understand the goat?

There is a teaching that a blessing needs something to rest upon. When we recite the Birkat Hamazon, we do so at a table for a blessing needs an object to rest upon. Similarly, when the Jewish people were in the wilderness and sought removal of their sins, the Cohen would place his hands upon the head of a goat and pronounce our sins, but in so doing the people’s requests would have something to rest upon as well. Why a goat? So that it may wander away into the wilderness. In the wilderness, the sins are devoured and removed by the force of Azazel. The goat is more able to carry sins than a lamb or another animal due to its similar nature. The intention is not that the goat dies but that it wanders into the wilderness and does not return. With the shitafot, the flash floods of winter, the land is washed clean and renewed. The sins that the goat carries will also be washed away.

When the spies returned with an evil report about Israel, G-d said, “Since you have complained on this day for no reason, I will give you a reason.” On this day, our enemies destroyed the First and Second Temples.

Five things are prohibited:

It is also prohibited to greet one’s friend or acquaintance and even to say, “Good morning.” However, one may respond to a greeting in a low tone in order to avoid resentment. Customarily we do not work for any length of time that may distract from the mourning.

After reading Eicha, Lamentations, we recite the following song:

The following meditation illustrates the positive effect fasting has on meditation. While fasting facilitates meditation by weakening the physical binds on the soul, lengthy fasts can also be dangerous and it is easier to lose consciousness as illustrated at the mediation’s end.

To be at rest, we must turn away from the turmoil around us and find inner tranquility. As I began to drive off the dove stayed on my car.

The Tur says the Temple was destroyed, because the Jews failed to say a blessing before studying Torah. This would be the two blessings, one said before and one said after an Aliyah to the Torah. They did not internalize the concept of blessing into their Torah learning experience.

The 15^th of Av – ט"ו באב

One of the most joyous celebrations in the Jewish calendar lost to our people needs restoration. For without the renewal of this holiday, there is no restoration for the plight of Jewish singles. For here was a holiday geared towards their needs that would bring available women and men together to meet for marriage.^[632]

R. Zvi Elimelech presents a more mystical interpretation of the origin of this holiday:

Any unknown commentary explains:

Tu B’Av is the New Year of Singles suggesting that the fate of singles is judged on this day for the year to come: who will get married, who will find someone, and who will remain alone with the sealing of the decree on Yom Kipper.

Elul is the month of remedy before the high holidays. The letter י – yod is the source letter of Elul from Sefer Yetzirah, the Book of Creation. The yod indicates that the righteous return completely to G-d. Righteous ones can make a complete repentance in the month of Elul, some from the very first of the month. The yod is the first letter in the name of G-d and represents beginnings like Rosh Hashanah. It symbolizes wisdom and the source of the 32 paths. Out of the yod comes the heh, (10 х 5), which represents the 50 gates of understanding according to the sefirah of Binah – understanding. These 50 gates are the permutations taken two at a time of the seven ‘children’ – midot – ‘character qualities’ of Binah plus one for the revelation of G-d. The Zohar Hakodesh alludes to the fiftieth gate being a hidden door to Hochmah:^[637]

Elul – אלול is an acrostic for Ani ldodi vdodi li – אני לדודי ודודי לי, I am for my beloved and my beloved is mine. In Elul, G-d and Israel are as lovers that meet informally. We go out into the field to wait for our beloved as he returns from his hard day of work. We adorn ourselves with pretty clothes and basic jewelry so that our beloved sees our simple beauty. He is our King, our Husband, our L-rd, and our Master. The gematria for Elul is 67. The simple number from this gematria is 6+7, which is 13, that is also the gematria of love – אהבה and oneness – אחד.

“The King is in the field, let us go out and greet him.”

“In Utah, the King is in the mountains.”

“I will go look for Him”

What preparations should one make before Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur?

Everything one can accomplish during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur can be accomplished during the month of Elul. Preparations include:

A person can achieve complete repentance in the month of Elul. In astrology, Elul associates with the purity and renewal of virginity. This is the same as the renewal and cleansing of the soul.

“The observance of the 1st of Tishri as Rosh Hashanah is based principally on the mention of "Zikkaron" (= "memorial day"; Lev. xxiii. 24) and the reference of Ezra to the day as one "holy to the Lord" (Neh. viii. 9) seem to point. The passage in Psalms (lxxxi. 5) referring to the solemn feast which is held on New Moon Day, when the shofar is sounded, as a day of "mishpat" (judgment) of "the God of Jacob" is taken to indicate the character of Rosh Hashanah”

We are to hear the call of God like a trumpet calling us back to Him.

24. Speak to the children of Israel, saying, in the seventh month, in the first day of the month you will have a sabbath of remembrance with trumpets – שבתון זכרון תרועה of a holy calling – מקרא-קדש.

25. You shall do no labor in it; but you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.

33. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

34. Speak to the people of Israel, saying, the fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Booths for seven days to the Lord.

35. On the first day shall be a holy gathering; you shall do no labor in it.

36. Seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord; on the eighth day shall be a holy gathering to you; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord; it is a solemn assembly; and you shall do no labor in it.

37. These are the feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy gatherings, to offer an offering made by fire to the Lord, a burnt offering, and a meal offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day;

38. Beside the sabbaths of the Lord, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which you give to the Lord.

39. Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep a feast to the Lord seven days; on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.

40. And you shall take on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.

41. And you shall keep it a feast to the Lord seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month.

42. You shall dwell in booths seven days; all who are Israelites born shall dwell in booths;

43. That your generations may know that I made the people of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.

44. And Moses declared to the people of Israel the feasts of the Lord.

The letter Lamed – ל denotes the new cycle of learning that begins with Simchas Torah at the end of the holiday [when we begin reading the Torah scroll from the beginning]. Lomed – למד is also the word for learning in Hebrew. Tishrei is a month to renew Jewish learning which helps us with Tshuvah, i.e. returning to G-d. In addition, the constellation of the month is Libra whose scales symbolize the ten-day judgment period from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur. In Hebrew, the word for scales is moznaim.^[639]

During the morning service, I was inclined to leave several times.^[640] During the Musaf (afternoon) service I had the following experience. I saw myself in a wedge of people advancing into the 1st and 2nd palaces of heaven. The palaces were like castles, the first a reflection of our own world; the second housing the activities of many angels. The 1st and 2nd palaces were chained together and were easy to pass through. Michael and Gabriel held the gates of each palace open to permit the throng to enter. I asked the angels to help me ascend a ladder in the throne room of the 2nd palace. The ladder was completely occupied on this high holiday with the souls of the righteous reaching into the heavens. The angels enabled me to rise beside the ladder upward though the channel of the eye of the cylindrical water fall. The ladder entered a chamber where a righteous one sat upon a throne. This was in the 3rd palace, which parallels the sefira of Hesed. The hands of the being were beautiful reflecting deeds of kindness and compassion. He was blessing each person who had ascended the ladder with mercy. I moved beside the person in the front of the line and noticed his right hand in front of me. I was afraid to look at his face, but I had learned from past visions to defeat my fear and that this leads to the highest truth. I looked into his face. At first I saw the reflections of people I knew in the community such as the owner of the Kosher deli, the Rabbi, and other members of the temple, but then the face turned into a doorway. I willed myself into the face of the angel and entered a tunnel, which alternated between black and white corridor sections. At the end of the tunnel were ornately carved doors, which I could not open. I knew these doors led to the 4th palace, which would be the place of the sefira of Hochmah. I uttered in my mind the name of G-d associated with this sefira and the doors opened. I feared entering and then I saw the hand of a lady pass through the doorway towards me seeking my own. I took the hand and entered to be greeted by a beautiful lady in a relatively empty place. I danced with the lady who appeared petite with blonde hair and I wondered what she was doing here? Why was she at this level of the sefirot? I then realized she was the personification of the Shechinah and was associated with the Partzuf Nukvah or Sefirah Malchuts. The princess dwells in the palace of her father, who is Hochmah and that is why I saw her here. Wisdom is sometimes referred to as a woman in Proverbs, but in truth, it is Wisdom’s daughter that is feminine while Wisdom is masculine. I danced with the Shechinah in circles and enjoyed the moment. I remembered the throng following me and I summoned the angels to hold open the gates of this world. The throng entered scaring the princess, but I told her they did not know where they were and could do no harm. As we spun in a circle with one arm extended inward from each of us, I noticed below our hands the singularity of the whole world. This is why there is nothing in Wisdom for all is yet undifferentiated. Looking upward I saw the singularity reflected downward from the gates of Keter, which were black and almost impossible to recognize. The angels could not bring me higher. From here on out I was on my own. I uttered the name of G-d associated with Keter, and the black gates opened and I rose through the darkness into the radiating black light. I saw endless blackness all around. I recalled that sons, food, and clothing are left to mazel and descend from this level. Instead I willed myself upward to the next level or Mah in the world of letters. I saw white light and silver chains and knew that Mah parallels Malchut below. I willed upward into Ben, which parallels Yesod. I proceeded into Sag, which parallels Binah, and then Av, which parallels Hochmah. Above this was Adam Kadmon where I briefly stayed and then sought to know of higher worlds. I saw the name RaM – רם, which means ‘high above’ and discerned the following expansion. 10*4 + 100*2 => BakDai – בקדי. BakDai means ‘enough seeking’ which clearly meant I had gone far enough. I ended the vision and swept down in a river flowing through all the sefirot and pouring out of Malchuts like a waterfall.

There is a special relationship between the attributes of Hochmah and Malchut not unlike a father and a daughter. Hochmah is the upper wisdom and Malchut the lower wisdom. The daughter seeks to be the apple of her father’s eyes and she is clever. Cleverness is the lower wisdom.

The word for ‘In the beginning’ is Breshit – ברשית. Zohar 1:18a explains how both beginnings are the same:

...the first gate to supernal Wisdom is the fear of God. This is Reshit – beginning – רשית and ‘in the’ – ב, the two are joined together as one. These are two points: one hidden and concealed, one existing overtly. Since they are inseparable, they are called Reshit – beginning One not Two. Whoever attains one attains the other. All is one, for He and His name are one, as it is written: They will know that You, G-d, alone are Your name. (Psalms 83:19).

The hidden point is Hochmah and the visible point is Malchut. The first gate is Malchut, the lower fear. Hochmah is the higher fear, experienced as awe. “Upon entering Shekhinah, lower Wisdom, one encounters higher Wisdom, reflected in Her.”^[641]

After the destruction of the first Temple, the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnetzar allowed a remnant of the Jews to remain and appointed Gedaliah Ben Achikam to be their governor.^[642] Jews who had fled to neighboring lands began to return to tend the vineyards of Judah. The King of Ammon sent Yishmael Ben Netaniah to assassinate Gedaliah. Gedaliah disbelieved the rumors he had heard, and went out to greet Yishmael in the town of Mitzpa, and Yishmael assassinated him.^[643]

We read in the daily Alenu prayer:

And on Rosh Hashanah we read:

The Gates of Light quotes further:

The death of Gedaliah is hard to understand. Yet, life depends on mazel that is the constellations and fortune. Still the sages commemorated Gedaliah’s death with a fast day to remember always the good of his life.

On Yom Kippur, we read of the plight of the Ten Martyrs slain by a wicked Roman viceroy. Here the Roman asks Rabbi Ishmael the punishment for kidnapping. His reply is ‘death’. Then the Roman says is it not true that the brothers kidnapped Joseph and never paid for their crime. Rabbi Ishmael concedes. Then the Roman says since they are no longer alive and you are their descendents, then you will pay for their crime.

Rabbi Ishmael asks for three days to find if this is decreed from heaven. Rabbi Ishmael ascends to heaven to hear whether the decree that they succumb to death to pay for the punishment of kidnapping and selling Joseph into slavery is from on high. Rabbi Ishmael hears from a white angel that this decree is what “I heard behind the curtain”. After descending, Rabbi Ishmael informs the others and the ruler whereupon guards set upon and take him and Rabbi Shimon immediately. Rabbi Shimon asks to die first so that he does not have to witness the death of Rabbi Ishmael whereupon an executioner removes his head from his body. Rabbi Ishmael laments about how the tongue that spoke so eloquently words of Torah now licks the dust of the ground. The emperor’s daughter upon seeing the face of Rabbi Ishmael wants him for herself, but the emperor denies her, whereupon she says let his face be flayed off. When the flaying reaches the location of the tefillin, Rabbi Ishmael cries out and his life ends.

Here the White angel is guarding the final gate holding back the Shefa to be released into the world for the New Year. Later I realize the white angel is the same as the one Rabbi Ishmael consulted on high and accepted the decree of punishment meant for the brothers of Joseph. My Hebrew name is Joseph and I have long ago forgiven any harm that came upon me from my brethren. I look forward to preparing the world for the descendent of Judah for the messiah leader.

Sometimes Hashem’s decree is firm though the victim has already forgiven the perpetrators. For this reason Elohim did not grant a reprieve to Rabbi Ishmael, Rabbi Shimon, and the others. The death of the martyrs also connects to the sin of slander and senseless hatred between Jews, has vshalom.

On Sukkot we wave the Four Species in the six directions corresponding to the six sefirot of Zer Anpin. A good prayer while doing this is:

One may perform Tashlich up until Hoshana Rabbah. One chooses a living body of water, preferably with fish. Fish never close their eyes, which alludes to their sinless nature. Fish symbolize salvation from G-d. Even before G-d prepared punishment for Jonah, he prepared his savior. G-d prepared a big fish that would swallow Jonah and prevent him from drowning. When Jonah agreed to be the messenger for G-d to the city of Nineveh, the fish spit Jonah out onto the dry land. Thereupon, Jonah proclaimed, “I have returned to being the messenger of G-d; may G-d cast all my sins into the depth of the sea.” The sea is very large, large enough to dissolve all sins.^[648]

On the seventh day of Sukkoth, the day of Hoshana Rabbah arrives, where we walk around the Torah seven times with final pleas for G-d to save us in the coming year. The Zohar is a source for the teaching that the final judgment of Rosh Hashanah is sealed on Hoshana Rabbah, the seventh day of Sukkot:^[649]

On this day the idolatrous nations come to the end of their blessings and enter into judgment, and Israel come to the end of their punishments and enter into blessings. For on the next day (Eight Day of Assembly) they are to rejoice in the King and to receive from Him blessing for all the year.

Hoshana Rabbah is the last day that repentance may change ones course in the year to come. This means that at the end of Yom Kippur, G-d holds back and does not seal one’s fate until Hoshana Rabbah. Thus, one may perform Tashlich up until Hoshana Rabbah though it is a commandment to do so the afternoon of Rosh Hashanah. Nevertheless, Hazal teach that Gates of Prayer are never closed to the truly repentant. How are we to understand this? From here we learn while ones course is sealed on Yom Kippur and can still be changed by Hoshana Rabbah, that prayer and repentance mitigate the harm that may occur on the course during the rest of the year. In fact, a course that was to bring loss can be turned into a course that will bring reward. Still, if ones course in life is decreed to bring one into exile that will not change, but the reward in exile can be increased by prayer and repentance during anytime of the year. Hoshana Rabbah is the gift of the mercy of G-d that even when we thought we were sealed one way on Yom Kippur, we may yet change our course. For example, though G-d decreed that we would go into exile, G-d changes that decree so that we may stay in Eretz Israel. Or though we were decreed to have a car accident, G-d changes the course so that we will not have an accident. After Hoshana Rabbah, only the harm of the accident can be mitigated which is still a great gift.

Overall, the repentance that one obtains on Hoshana Rabbah is complete and so beautiful that we regret this day ever ending. Because of the sublime beauty of repentance, Hashem gave us the day of Shemini Etzeret that we may yet dance with Her presence in this world once more. Hence, we dance with the Torah, our jewelry from our Beloved.

Those who bear tokens of the beauty of creation, the seven species, walk around the Torah that is His gift to us seven times.^[650] As a wife circles her husband, we circle the Torah of G-d’s presence. The Torah is our marriage contract, that which we celebrate on the following day(s) of Shemini Etzeret and Simchat Torah. Interestingly the 8^th and 9^th days are a separate holiday from Sukkoth and yet a closing holiday. We keep them purely for the sake of our love for G-d. While the offerings of the 70 nations of the world are brought during Sukkoth, Shemini Etzeret is for Israel alone a day of love with G-d.

There are no holidays in this month which is represented by the letter נ – nun. The letter nun does not occur in King David’s great psalm Ashrei, thus denoting a level the Jews never descended to before leaving Egypt.^[651] There is a teaching that there are 49 levels down followed by a 50th level from which there is no return. There are also 49 levels up and the 50th denotes the holiday of Shavuot or the Giving of the Torah and the revelation at Mt. Sinai.

The letter ס – samech denotes happiness or sameach. This month has the holiday of Hanukah. Hanukah contains the prefix ‘hen’ which means grace. For at this time G-d showed his grace upon Israel and permitted the menorah in the Temple to burn for eight days. Also Hanukah refers to education. By studying Torah, grace and favor from G-d is a reward.^[652] The first letter of Hanukah is the Het. The Het is the eight letter of the alphabet symbolizing immortality in Judaism much like the number 8 turned on its side ∞. There are seven days in the holiday of Sukkot and the eight day Shemini Etzeret is a festival between G-d and Israel alone symbolizing the world to come. Hanukah is similar to Sukkot and is a festival reminding us of the world to come.

Also within the word for Hanukah are the words for dedication and education. The oil on Hanukah is an important symbol as well for the holiday. Shemen or oil is also fat in Hebrew as in the ‘fat of the land.’ Oil symbolizes prosperity and money. Hence the idea of giving Hanukah gelt or coins developed for the hope of assisting in a child’s education.

We all have a root soul and each of us must work to purify that part of the root’s body, which we represent. All our actions affect our root soul. Our actions affect other branches of the same root soul.^[653]

He said, now I will give you a gift and he pushed me upwards into the spiritual heavens. I beheld a white angel with a beautiful face. His robes were like a candle flame and I held them as we ascended. All around there were souls busying themselves and mirrors.^[654] Eventually the angel brought me into a dark chamber higher up. Here was a man in dark robes with a small gray beard and gray hair and a pointed face. His appearance was scary. He was the root soul of the others. He was the root soul of myself.^[655]

I had a dream about the princess, the Shechinah. She is young and in this world quite sick, has vshalom, yet she will be whole again, with our effort and G-d’s help.^[656]

The young girl represents the Shechinah who wanders in this world sick and removed from G-d. Our spirit is the young girl. We are trying to heal her, physically, but the cause of her illness is something else entirely. Cancer, G-d forbid, in a child is often beyond environmental cause and nutritional remedy. For this reason, the better healing approach is to apply the hand of the mind to withdraw the illness from her body in a supernatural manner. Didn’t have time to finish the remedy in the dream.

Hanukah is a holiday of joy as well. Hillel taught on Hanukah that we light the candles in increasing order so that we increase the light in our lives. Similarly, by increasing the light of joy and happiness we are healing ourselves spiritually. The story is similar to Rabbi Nachman’s Seventh Beggar. It is really the prince who needs to be cured. How does the princess cure the prince? Her illness makes him aware that he must be healthy to help her and she gives him spirit and he returns her to health.

The letter ע – ayin denotes the adversary and many of Hillel’s students died on the Tenth of Tevet that is a fast day. My Grandfather Moshe ben Ovadiah died on this day. Nebuchadnetzar, King of Babylonia, laid siege to Jerusalem on this day and 3 years later on the 9^th of Tamuz the walls were breached. With the siege came terrible famine:

The 8^th and 9^th of Tevet are called ‘fast-days-for-the-righteous’ and observe the misunderstandings of the Greek translation of the Torah on the 8^th, and the death of Ezra the Scribe on th 9^th. The ultimate aim of the fast day as well at the nine days leading up is repentance and return to G-d. This is a time to restrict pleasure and examine our deeds and improve for the future.

The Sefer Yetzirah teaches with the letter צ – tzadi God formed the month of Shevat, which denotes the righteous One who is compared to a complete Tree. All of her midos are in proper balance. As the tree is sustained with water—mayim has the gematria of 90, the same as the tzadi. On the 15^th day of the month during the full moon is the holiday of Tu B’shevat, which is a day to plant trees. In Israel one plants trees at this time to keep track of the three-year requirement before one is permitted to eat the fruit of the tree.

The following describes a meditation that cures paranoia. The visualization can be done at any time and in any place and should be effective.^[658]

Afterwards say the blessing over the fruit and release the sparks within.

This meditation is helpful for improving ones relationship with the world.^[659]

At the end of the vision, I asked to see the source of the answers I was receiving. I saw the form of the Glory of G-d who was draped in regal robes with a scepter in His right hand; yet I could not see His face. He stood in a central area while above in a circle there were angels all around. He would turn from one to another assigning a mission and immediately the angel would depart.

In every apple there is a 5-pointed star, which refers to man’s body as he stands on a mountain receiving the light of God that he shares with his world. On Tu B’shevat, the New Year of the Trees, we are blessed to partake of this light to a greater degree. See 9.5.1 and 10.7.

The month of Adar is symbolized by the letter ק – koof, which denotes laughter. One needs to make an extra effort to be happy in this month, which like all yearends can bring back nostalgic memories and melancholy. The holiday of Purim occurs in this month and is one of two festive holidays where one is advised to get inebriated. The other holiday of this sort is Simhas Torah in the month of Tishrei.

The question arises, ‘Why do some people wear costumes on Purim’? There is a teaching that one should drink on Purim to the point of not knowing the difference between Haman and Mordechi. How better to test this then by looking at each other in costume? A more sublime explanation deals with Esther’s name, which means “to cover up” or “to hide”. Esther hid her identity and yet arose like Moses to save her people. By concealing her identity Esther rose to a position of power. Yet, she did not forget her Jewish identity. We wear costumes to remind us that even if our surface appearance changes, we are still the same underneath.

Another aspect of concealment is that God’s Name is hidden throughout the Book of Esther. Nevertheless, He is still the force of redemption. The costume may also represent our true self that is normally hidden from others. When Esther dressed in her royal clothes to reveal herself to her King to plead for mercy, her costume represented her True self.

Each shavua – שבוע – week reminds of the process of creation. There are various correspondences with each day of the week.^[661]

The double letters reveal the Gilgul or circle of life. God created all of the stars and planets on Wednesday and there are more than seven planets.^[662]

Kindness is associated with Sunday, the first day of the week. The planetary ruler of the first hour of the day is the Sun from which the Romans gave it the name.

Judgment associates with Monday. On Mondays and Thursdays, Hashem holds back some of the good light so that we may learn to return to him. In order to make up for this light, we recite the Torah portion in shul on those days to bring the light of G-d down through learning. In addition, Mondays and Thursdays are chosen for self-appointed fasts to return to G-d.

G-d blessed Tuesday twice in the creation story. Beauty and splendor associate with Tuesday. The energy of the day facilitates torah learning and knowing truth.

Wednesday associates with the upper prophecy of Moses. The energy of the day facilitates victory in undertakings and the joy of success, which is required to experience prophecy. Wednesday evenings are particularly suited for meditation for at this time the upper prophecy descends to the lower prophecy in our world.

Thursday associates with the lower prophecy of Aaron the priest. This manifestation of prophecy is in life lessons and service to Hashem. The energy of the day is particularly suited to remind us of the need to show gratitude to Hashem and others in our life.

Righteousness associates with Friday. The energy facilitates preparation for Shabbat. Towards the end of Friday, Hashem grants an extra energy to finish the work of the week.

Observing the Shabbas is one of the keys to achieving closeness to Hashem. This is the day when Hashem releases an extra portion of blessing stored in Malchuts for our world. This is similar to the extra portion of manna that the Israelites had for Shabbas while wandering in the Wilderness. We call the extra portion released from Malchuts, the Shechinah that is the presence of G-d.

There are 39 types of work prohibited on Shabbat.^[665] These are based o