The Month of Tammuz 5766 ~by~ Miriam Ben-Yaacov

The Hebrew month of Tammuz of 5766 began June 27, 2006. This year we commemorate the Fast of the 17th of Tammuz on July 13.

He made the letter Chet king over sight
And He bound a crown to it
And He combined one with another
And with them He formed
Cancer in the Universe
Tammuz in the Year
And the right hand in the Soul
male and female.
--Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Formation)

The above quoted passage is from a kabbalistic text called "Sefer Yetzirah", which is translated: "Book of Formation". Each of the twelve months of the Hebrew year has an associating Zodiac sign, Hebrew tribe, Hebrew letter, spiritual “limb,” “sense,” “experience,” “expression” of the soul.

On the breastplate of the Cohen Gadol, the High Priest, the stone of the tribe of Reuven was called ”Odem”, a ruby, to the right of Shimon on the top row. The deep red color symbolizes Reuven’s red face of humiliation over the incident with Bilha. However, because of Reuven’s ability for teshuvah along with his having brought the dudaim (or mandrakes) to his mother, the stone is said to have a special power for preventing miscarriages and promoting pregnancy. His flag was red with a mandrake sown on it.

The mandrake supposedly has a root in the shape of a man and has amazing healing properties. It sounds much like the description of ginseng, which is supposed to be an overall cure for the human body.

The tribal area of Reuven was on the east side of the Dead Sea. Reuven, along with the tribes Gad and Menashe, insisted on taking their land portions before crossing the Jordan.

The mountains of the tribal area of Reuven are reflected in the waters of the Dead Sea. This demonstrates the idea of reflection on our lives that brings us to the teshuvah of Reuven, and is the theme of the Tammuz, as opposed to the normal attitude of summertime fun in the Nations. The nation of Israel commemorates the Fast of the 17th of Tammuz. This begins the Three Weeks, a mourning period leading up to the 9th of Av, the anniversary of the destruction of both Temples.

The parshaot read during the month of Tammuz speak of the struggle to see properly. Korah and his band fail to see the danger in what they are doing. Balak cannot see the angel at first, and this is indicative of his further being unable to truly see—to fear and have awe for—Hashem’s will. The tribes are numbered, and laws are detailed. The details are to refine self-judgment, sight of oneself in Hashem’s sight. They are also to instill awe of Hashem, lacking when people are devoid of Law. In this stabilizing way, people are able to come closer to Him.

On the heels of the sin of the spies is Parshat Korach, read just preceding Tammuz. Aviram and Dathan, from the tribe of Reuven, again attack the leadership of Moshe and Aaron and appeal to the people to return to Egypt. What is the complaint of their appeal?—the firstborn have been displaced. Being from the tribe of Reuven, this is particularly galling to them. However, their complaints show their instability—like water, their lack of judgment—or “sight.” Unlike their tribal father, Reuven, who accepted the stinging words of his father in the blessing of the tribes, they cannot deal with the challenges of their place in the world. They, as well as Korah, jealously aspire for greatness of another’s position, not caring that they are expressing dissatisfaction with Hashem’s will, nor that they are failing to fill their own destiny. Also, unlike Reuven, Aviram and Dathan are completely unrepentant and illustrate the extreme result of that path.

Another of the followers of Korach’s rebellion was Onn, from the tribe of Reuven. The Midrash says his wife tried to dissuade him, but he had committed himself and did not want to renege on his word. His wife gave him a strong drink that caused him to sleep. When the rebels came to get him, she and her daughter were sitting outside the tent combing their hair. Not wanting to approach a woman with her hair uncovered, the men left. When the ground opened underneath Korach and his band, Onn’s bed began sliding toward the abyss. His wife grabbed it and prayed that he had repented and begged Hashem to forgive and spare him. Afterwards, she told him to go to Moshe to apologize, but he was too embarrassed. She went to Moshe herself and told him the story. Moshe then went to Onn and told him that all was forgiven. Onn, like his forefather, Reuven, spent the rest of his life in a state of teshuvah. His thus displayed the deepest characteristic of the tribe.

Korah had seen into the future and came to the erroneous conclusion that, because he was destined to have an illustrious descendant, his rebellion must succeed. What he failed to consider was that his sons’ survival was all that was necessary for this to occur, not his own. That descendant was Shmuel the Prophet. When his mother, Chanah was praying for his birth, she also prayed for the soul of Korah, asking that Hashem to allow him to be part of the Resurrection of the dead, that his soul not be destroyed due to his seeing Shmuel and herself. Korah’s sons authored many Psalms of teshuvah and gratitude for the salvation of Hashem “from the pit.” The Sages say that Chanah’s prayer for Korah’s soul was answered positively.

The letter of the month is Chet, whose numerical value is eight. Its shape is that of a bridge, or a gateway—gateway to infinity. The name, Chet, means both life and fear—fear of Gd, which brings one to life. The number eight is the theme of infinity: eight days to circumcision, eight days of Chanukah, the eighth millennium. This theme of transcending, of passing through the gateway of infinity, is dependent on the teshuvah of Reuven, born of fear of Gd. It takes him beyond the promises of this world’s time and space into the endless possibilities of the next. Like the hunchback of Rebbe Nachman’s Seven Beggars, the potential is of “little holding much”—bending to accept the yoke of the Torah, thereby holding up the world. .

Chodesh tov (Have a good month) Miriam Ben-Yaacov

Previous Months Sivan 5766 Iyar 5766 Shevat 5766 Tevet 5766 Kislev 5766 Cheshvan 5766 Tishrei 5766 Elul 5765

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Miriam Ben-Yaacov