Thank you to the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem for permission to repost Melila Hellner-Eshed’s in-depth exploration of the development of an ancient Jewish legend about the moon. Previously I was only linking to this fascinating article, but now you can read the whole thing here on Wellsprings, illustrated with great moon photos and a painting by Marc Chagall. Enjoy!
Creative Commons photos are linked back to their original sites so that you can explore the work of that photographer. Remember, you can see photo credits on hover, except for the large “Featured Images” for each post, which are credited and linked (where applicable) at the foot of each post.
Rosh Hodesh, also spelled Rosh Chodesh (“Ch” as in “Bach”), is the celebration of the new Hebrew month, an ancient festival finding renewal among contemporary Jews.
The Torah depicts Sun and Moon being created together on the Fourth Day* of Creation. But the Midrash, an ancient genre that includes imaginative “back stories” of the Torah, depicts a legendary struggle for dominance in which the moon wanted to have a greater role.
If you enjoy the nature photography on Wellsprings of Wisdom, I invite you to follow Wellsprings on Instagram. All of the photos(and videos) there are my personal work–or should I say, play? I share them in the hope of helping people to see the world with new eyes, to appreciate the beauty of our natural world (and some of our human creations) and our capacity to enjoy it all as a divine gift.
The New Moon tonight signals the beginning of the Hebrew month of Cheshvan חֶשְׁוָן begins tonight. (This is the month with no holidays, right after Tishre תִּשְׁרֵי which has the most holidays.) In honor of Rosh Hodesh, the celebration of the New Month, enjoy a beautiful song, Rosh Hodesh Moon, by Rabbi Geela Rayzel Raphael. It’s the second post in the new Gateway of the Moon.
The midrash about the Moon’s diminishment in the previous postdid not remain static over the centuries, but was reinvented to reveal new meanings. Explore the changing face of this ancient legend in depth, through this fascinating article by Melila Hellner-Eshed, the Shalom Hartman Institute, Jerusalem. It’s a bit longer than most of our pathways, but well worth the read.
‘Of What Use is a Candle in Broad Daylight?’ The Reinvention of a Myth
I’m just emerging from the busy Fall Holiday season to launch a new Gateway page: Gateway of the Moon.The Jewish calendar, many rituals and colorful legends center on the Moon. This Gateway has just started, so check back to watch it grow and to learn about the meaning of the moon in Jewish tradition and as a symbol for the changes and cycles of our own lives.
As a congregational rabbi, this is my busiest time of year, so new posts may be a bit slow in the coming weeks. However, you can find several holiday related posts on Wellsprings of Wisdom that I hope will add to the meaning of the season for you.
Other posts highlight outdoor, nature-based rituals of the season, such as the Rosh Hashanah custom of Tashlich, “casting off sins” into a flowing stream. Learn about the custom here. I also share about a personal tashlich ritual that I created to deal with a difficult life transition, and share photos of the beautiful Northern California creek where I performed it. While on the subject of Tashlich, enjoy a poem about a creek, “Today is Forever,” translated from Yiddish of Malka Heifetz Tussman by Marcia Falk, and shared from her wonderful book for the season, The Days Between (linked in the post).
After the Days of Awe (Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur) comes Sukkot, the harvest festival, which focuses on life out of doors by dwelling in a hut called a sukkah. Here is a post about the sukkahand the holiday and its symbolism. The post links to holiday retreats in the US East and West coasts.
As I write this, Hurricane Irma is battering Florida. I wish safety and calm to everyone there, and urge those of use who are far away to contribute both our prayers and our tzedakah (charity, righteous giving) to help those who are impacted.
Wishing everyone blessings of a Shanah Tovah! Be written and sealed in the Scroll of Life for a good and sweet New Year.
ancient Jewish legend about the moon. Previously I was only linking to this fascinating article, but now you can read the whole thing here on Wellsprings, illustrated with great moon photos and a painting by Marc Chagall. Enjoy!
emerging from the busy Fall Holiday season to launch a new Gateway page: 
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