I recently wrote two different articles with the same theme that appeared in two different places, be'H. The first appeared on Aish.com, and the second will be appearing in the Beltway Buzz magazine of DC. Much of the BB version is found in the podcast on Parshas Noach.
You will notice that they both start and end the same (basically).
Click here for an audio version of this, with many added pieces of information not included in either of the written versions, nor in the podcast on Parshas Noach.
Here is the Aish.com version:
The Bitter Month
Cheshvan is when darkness reigns, yet growth begins deep beneath the surface.
The current Hebrew month, Cheshvan, is classically referred to as Marcheshvan, the prefix of which is the word mar. In Hebrew, this word means “bitter,” which our Sages connect to the fact that there are no special occasions that occur in this month. Even Av, the month when we mourn the destruction of the two Holy Temples, is not referred to as “bitter,” because the sad days of the year offer us an opportunity for introspection, to contemplate where we have gone wrong. Thus, both the festive days and the negative days can be used to connect to spirituality. A month that is bereft of any significant days, even sad days, is more bitter than anything, because there are no moments that arise to give us pause.
It is significant to note that the original name of this month was not Marcheshvan. This Babylonian name was adopted when the Jews went through the 70-year exile between the first and second temples. The original Hebrew name for the month was Bul, which denotes the idea of “drying up,” as the leaves begin to decay with the approach of Autumn.
Clearly, the month of Marcheshvan, or Bul, as its name suggests, is a month of darkness and decay. Indeed, the biblical Book of Kings cites Bul as the month when King Solomon completed the construction of the first Temple – though the dedication did not take place until a year later, in the Hebrew month of Tishrei. What is the deeper significance of this, and what can we learn from it?
Two Key Events
If we search further, we find two other events that occurred in the month of Cheshvan. The first was the flood in the times of Noah. The flood began on the 17th of Cheshvan, and the waters receded by the following year on the 27th of Cheshvan, allowing Noah and the other inhabitants of the ark to disembark. Interestingly, one explanation of the name Bul is that it stems from this month as the beginning of the rainy season in Israel; it is thus connected to the word mabul, flood – an overabundance of rain.
It is significant to note that the flood was originally intended to begin on the 11th of Cheshvan. However, Methuselah passed away, and thus the flood was delayed in deference to the seven-day period of mourning that followed his death.
The second important event that occurred in Cheshvan seems unrelated at first glance. This was the death of Jacob's wife Rachel, as well as the birth of Benjamin, which occurred on the 11th of Cheshvan. It was precisely the same day as Methusaleh's death, the very day that flood had originally been slated to begin. As there are no coincidences in the Torah, we must ask: What is the connection between these two events, and what do they reveal about the essence of the month of Cheshvan?
In thinking about what the matriarch Rachel and her son Benjamin stand for, respectively, we can see that Rachel represents the Jewish people in exile, and Benjamin represents the completed state of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel. Rachel spent her entire life outside of Israel, and passed away just as Jacob and his family entered the holy land. As our Sages tell us, her spirit accompanied the Jewish people as they went into Babylonian exile, and it is she who cries for her children in exile until the final redemption comes.
In contrast, Benjamin is the last son of Jacob, the twelfth of the tribes, whose birth marks the completion of the people of Israel. He is also the only son of Jacob that is born in Israel, and thus represents the Jewish people's perfected state in the land of Israel. This is further underscored, as the Ramchal explains, by the fact that Saul, the first king of the Jewish people, came from the tribe of Benjamin. Furthermore, the miracle of Purim, which immediately preceded the return of the Jews to Israel and the building of the Second Temple, was brought about through the vehicle of Mordechai and Esther, who came from the tribe of Benjamin.
Deep Hibernation
Exploring further, we see that the very death of Rachel resulted in the birth of Benjamin. This would correspond to the idea that the exile itself is that which births the redemption. The descent into darkness creates the potential for the future light.
This theme can be seen in the flood, as well. Although the world in its previous state came to an end, at the same time, there was a new beginning which was being sown in the person of Noah. The very passing of Methusaleh opened the curtain for Noah to assume leadership of the next generation. The death of the previous order gave rise to a new potential for growth.
Now we can explain the essence of the month of Cheshvan, as brought to light by the events that occurred in this month. Cheshvan is a time that is “bitter,” for there seems to be no opportunities for growth and spiritual connection. It is a time of deterioration, as the leaves wither and the world enters a state of deep hibernation. And yet, it is also a time when the rains begin, when the potential for future growth is being sown. It is a time when spiritual darkness reigns, yet when spiritual growth begins deep beneath the surface. It is the moment when Rachel passes on, when all seems bleak, when the darkness of exile closes in; and it is the moment of the birth of Benjamin, the seed of the Jewish people's perfected state, which is sown in that very darkness.
Cheshvan begins the extended time span between the last festival, Sukkot, and the next, Passover. In the meantime, the spiritual seeds planted during the Jewish month of Tishrei begin to take root – to be watered and to grow, finally appearing and bearing fruit in Nissan of next year.
The message of Cheshvan is that despite the darkness, and even because of the darkness, there is future growth that awaits us. We have the opportunity to nurture that right at this moment. It is now that we gather the seeds from the holidays of the month of Tishrei, plant them, and carefully water them through the winter months. With God's help, we will soon marvel at the beautiful spring bounty that we merit to cultivate.
The Beltway Buzz version:
The current month, Cheshvan, is often referred to as Marcheshvan. In Hebrew, the prefix mar means bitter, and our sages teach us that it is called bitter because no special occasions occur this month. Even Av, the month when we mourn the destruction of the two temples, is not referred to as bitter, because the sad days of the year offer us an opportunity for introspection--to contemplate where we have gone wrong in our relationship with Hashem. Thus, both the festive days and the negative days can be used to connect to spirituality. A month that lacks any significant days--even sad days--is especially bitter, because there are no occasions that give us pause.
One could ask, “Why would Hashem give us a month that seems to be so spiritually desolate, with no opportunities for connection? Is there any merit to be found for this month? What is the proper spiritual approach to Cheshvan?”
To answer this question, let us turn to a midrash in פיסקא דרב כהנא פיסקא ל, which does not seem to be related to our discussion. The Torah commands us to observe the three festivals--Pesach, Shavuos and Succos. The second day of Pesach is the start of a 50-day count leading up to Shavuos, thus connecting these two holidays. Similarly, the midrash points out, there is a separate holiday that is connected to Succos. It is Shmini Atzeres, which might be considered the eighth day of Succos, but is actually a separate holiday
The midrash goes on to explain that just as Shavuos is 50 days after Pesach, Shmini Atzeres should have been 50 days after Succos. However, because the rainy and cold season in Israel begins immediately after Succos, Hashem saw fit to have the Jewish people celebrate Shmini Atzeres immediately after Succos, instead of bothering them to return 50 days later during the cold winter months.
The midrash explains this with an analogy: There was once a king whose children lived in many different locations--some of them, near his palace; others, in very distant lands. After the children visited him, when it came time to leave, the king had two distinct approaches, depending on the child. Those who lived nearby were allowed to leave without further ado, as they would surely return soon, because the journey was not difficult. But those who lived far away were asked to stay an additional day, for their distance would discourage them from returning quickly.
During the spring, when Pesach occurs, we are like the children who live nearby. Hashem lets us return home right after Pesach, for He knows it will be an easy to return to the Beis Hamikdash for Shavuos. However, during the winter, we are like the children who live far away and whose journey is more difficult. Thus, Shmini Atzeres is not delayed; rather, it immediately follows Succos.
In order to understand this midrash on a deeper level, we need to focus on how the calendar works. We generally think of the year as a span of 12 (and sometimes 13) months. However, a year is also two units of 6 months each that parallel each other. We have the 6 months from Nissan through Elul, and then we have the 6 months from Tishrei through Adar. We find a clear connection between Pesach and Succos, which occur on the 15 of Nissan and Tishrei, respectively. The Gemara notesin Succah 27A that the Torah uses the phrase ”חמשה עשר”--the 15th day of the month—in referring to both Pesach and Succos. This common phraseology is used to create a parallel between those two holidays. The deeper sources also speak of a connection between Tu b'Av and Tu b'Shvat, which occur on the 15th day of the fifth month of each set of 6 months.
If we examine the character of the 6 months that begin with Nissan, and contrast that with the character of the 6 months that begin with Tishrei, we see a cyclic pattern. The months from Nissan to Elul may be seen as a time of spiritual growth and natural closeness to Hashem. This is reflected in the warm and pleasant weather, as well as in the longer days, which are naturally conducive to that spiritual level. In contrast, the months from Tishrei to Adar represent the opposite expression of the spiritual cycle, when the challenges in spirituality are greater and when there is a natural distance from Hashem. This is reflected, as well, by the cold, rainy, and shorter days, which make it more challenging to connect spiritually.
If we were to consider which part of the year is greater, we might be inclined to say that it is the spring and summer period, which is a time of more obvious growth. In truth, however, the deeper growth occurs when that very growth is challenged. To be positive and upbeat when one is in a good mood is natural. To maintain a positive outlook when the going gets rough is much harder. It is a greater testament to one's emotional strength.
In light of this, we can explain the essence of the month of Cheshvan. It is, indeed, a bitter time, for there seem to be no opportunities for growth and connection to Hashem. It is a time of deterioration, as the leaves wither and the world enters a state of deep hibernation. And yet, it is also a time when the rains begin, when the potential for future growth is being sown. It is a time when spiritual darkness reigns, and when spiritual growth begins deep beneath the surface.
Cheshvan begins the extended time span between the last regel, Succos, and the next one, Pesach. In the meantime, the spiritual seed that we planted in Tishrei begins to take root, to be watered, and to grow--finally appearing and bearing fruit in Nissan of the following year.
The message of Cheshvan is that, despite the darkness, and even because of the darkness, future growth awaits us and we have the opportunity to begin to nurture it right at this moment. We now have the opportunity to gather the seeds we received from the holidays of the month of Tishrei, to plant them and carefully water them through the winter months. With Hashem's help, we will certainly marvel at the beautiful spring bounty that we have merited to cultivate.
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