Itโs traditional to eat dairy on Shavuot, which begins the first week of Sivan. So let’s explore dairy for the month of Sivan. Letโs start with the separation of milk and meat in the Torah. What it actually says is โdonโt boil a kid in its motherโs milkโ (ืึนื-ืชึฐืึทืฉึตึผืื ืึฐึผืึดื, ืึทึผืึฒืึตื ืึดืึผืึน). This prohibition is…
Category: wheel of the year
Iyyar: Rituals and Activities
Some practices and rituals to try out or adapt during the month of Iyyar. Count the Omer: If you haven’t explored the practice of counting the omer, it’s not too late.ย Give a daily offering of barley groats, available in the bulk food section of many stores, to physically count the omer.ย Pick a space…
Barley: Symbol of Iyyar
Iโm not sure there can be a more potent symbol of the month of Iyyar, which generally falls between April and May, than barley (ืฉึฐืืขึนืจึธื). Many of us are disconnected from the agricultural cycles of our world, and especially disconnected from the agricultural cycles that part of Jewish tradition. But in the ancient world, and…
Issachar: Tribe of Iyyar
Issachar is the tribe associated with the month of Iyyar, which generally falls between April and May. What does the name Issachar (ืึดืฉึธึผืืฉืืึธืจ) bring to mind? Anything? Do any famous stories from the Torah come to mind? Probably not, yet Issachar holds a special place in Jewish tradition. Issachar was the 5th son of Jacob and Leah,…
Iyyar: Tarot Card/ Hierophant
The High Priest (Hierophant) is a connection between the manifest world of man (Emperor) and the pure world of Divine fire (Lovers). This could also be seen as the connection between Assiyah (Earth) and Aztilut (fire). The Kohen Gadol (High Priest) cannot be lost in the firey love connection with the Divine. His role is…
Nisan: Rituals and Activities
Some practices and rituals to try out or adapt during the month of Nisan.
Nisan: Tarot Card/ Emperor
Rosh Chodesh Nisan is the New Year of Kings, so it makes complete sense that the Emperor (ืงึตืืกึธืจ) is the card for the month.
Haggadah: Symbol of Nisan
OMG-D/dess! Itโs almost time for Passover! With Nisan upon us, preparations for our annual journey out of Mitzrayim begin in earnest. Whether you take a traditional or modern approach, believe in G!d(dess) or not โ Passover is a holiday pretty much all Jews can connect to. There are so many things we could explore as…
Judah: Tribe of Nisan
Judah (ืึฐืืึผืึธื), associated with the month of Nisan (ื ึดืืกึธื), is the fourth son of Leah and Jacob. In Judaism the number four, the letter Dalet (ื), represents doorways. There are also four new years in Judaism, and the Nisan is the first โ the doorway (ืืืืช) to the year. Considering the number of fours found in the…
Adar: Rituals and Activities
Some practices and rituals to try out or adapt during the month of Adar. Rosh Chodesh Meditations for Offerings: