The Third Month: Kislev

We have just completed the month of Cheshvan, or Marcheshvan as it is sometimes called -- "bitter Cheshvan." To a people whose holidays nearly outnumber our non-holidays, Cheshvan is a famously holiday-free month. It serves a stark contrast to the previous intensity of the month of Tishrei, when we have Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, etc.

Now we are entering the month of Kislev. Kislev is the 3rd month. The number 3 is associated with the Divine emanation (sefira) of Tiferet, meaning harmony. Tiferet is the 3rd of the 7 emotional sefirot, or the emotional faculties we can both express and map onto G-d. Tiferet does the job of synthesizing Chesed (Kindness) and Gevurah (Strength), the previous 2 sefirot, into something new. In some ways, free flowing Chesed can be too free, and strongly structured Gevurah can be too structured. Tiferet filters these 2 emanations and creates something harmonious - Tiferet.

Literally, Tiferet means beauty. If we're talking about physical beauty, that's something that our world has been so crippled by. Lately, possessing beauty means to look like the 1% of our population that has a symmetrical face and a great personal trainer (or a great plastic surgeon - I have a great rec if you're in the market for that. Hit up my Very Online uncle Dr. Jonathan Kaplan aka Dr. Bae!!!)

But physical beauty, as aforementioned, also has to deal with balance - symmetry means there are pleasing proportions present. But even if we can connect one aspect of physical beauty to Tiferet, it goes beyond the surface. Tiferet is beauty in harmony, beauty in diversity, in opposites.

We see Tiferet exemplified in music -- it's made up of notes A-G and then semitones, flat tones, sharp tones all in between. Music consists of different, corresponding notes, not just one... that would be super boring. Pieces of art are not made up of one color, but all kinds of shades, too.

We see Tiferet in the functioning - not just the appearance - of the human body. Here's the text of Asher Yatzar, the blessing said after using the bathroom:

"Blessed are You, Hashem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who formed humankind with wisdom and created within him many openings and many hollows (cavities). It is obvious and known before Your Throne of Glory that if but one of them were to be ruptured or if one of them were to be blocked it would be impossible to survive and to stand before You (even for a short period of time). Blessed are You, Hashem, Who heals all flesh and acts wondrously."

The human body is made up of 37 trillion cells and 78 organs -- all working harmoniously together. It's a true miracle. We have seen how even a tiny virus like COVID can wrench a body from its normal functioning. We are so vulnerable in this way.

Cont’d…

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