Av: Tragedy and Triumph, Sorrow and Celebration
The month of Av, the fifth month on the Hebrew calendar, is a month of mixed emotions. In the Bible, it is the month in which the spies brought back their evil report (Numbers 13-14). Aaron, the first High Priest and brother of Moses and Miriam, passed away at age 123...
A Sabbath of Vision
What if you could travel back in time, not merely to observe, but to rectify the past and reshape the future? The annual observance of Shabbat Chazon, “the Sabbath of Vision,” offers us a symbolic journey of this kind. Far from a mere memorial, it serves as a powerful...
The Hidden Message of the Sciatic Nerve
By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz Babies are, for the most part, born perfect. Their skin is pearly smooth and everything is pristine and in it’s right place, except for their teeth. I remember that when my children were small, I would wake them up by counting their...
What Do a Post-Biblical Minor Holiday and the Holiest Day of the Year Have in Common?
The fifteenth day of the Hebrew month of Av is a post-biblical holiday. According to Jewish tradition, it is one of the happiest days of the year, as the Mishna states: “Israel had no holidays as joyous as Tu B’Av (the 15th of the Hebrew month of Av) and Yom Kippur...
