No Kidding

Obviously, this time of year is celebrated by millions as the time when one year ends and the next begins. Most people assume that there is no recognition of this concept in Jewish thought. The two times associated with new beginnings are thought to be Nisan, the first of the months, and Tishrei, the beginning of a new year. Nisan marks the beginning of spring and the beginning of growth, and Tishrei marks the beginning of gathering in what one has worked for all year.

The truth is that, although not symbolic of a new year, this time period is, in fact, associated with a time of new beginning by Chazal. The Midrash (Tanchuma Haazinu 1) compares the life cycle of a human to the yearly cycle. While doing this, it states that after the individual has received his judgment from Tishrei (apparently enacted in Cheshvan) he begins anew in Teves. The Midrash mentions that this is why the mazal of Teves is a G'di, a kid. Just like a kid will develop into a mature goat, so too, this person is starting with a fresh start and able to mature.

Perhaps, the association follows the fact (certainly the secular new year does) that this time of year does mark a time of new growth. The sun's position begins to decline in the sky starting from late June. It continues to get lower and lower in the sky until right around the beginning of Teves. At that point the sun stops and reverses itself and begins to ascend higher and higher every day until late June. The days get longer and the nights shorter.

While no actual agricultural growth can be seen at this time, the sun's position allows one to see that things will turn around and the winter will end (hopefully sooner than later). This may not be a significant renewal to warrant a new year or beginning of the months, but it allows one to see that even though this time marks the beginning of the harshest season, it also marks the fact that that is already beginning its end. Eventually, when the sun is high enough the earth will have heated up enough and the spring will come around again!!!

8 weeks of not missing Tachanun on a weekday

An interesting phenomenon occurs in any year containing two Shabb'tot Chanukka, such as this year: From after the end of Chanukka until the end of Shvat is a period of 8 consecutive weeks in which there is no calendrical reason for omitting Tachanun on any weekday. This is the longest consecutive period of not missing Tachanun.

As we will not have two Shabb'tot Chanukka again until 17 years from now (5787), so too we will not again have 8 consecutive weeks of Tachanun until 17 years from now.

Thanks to Shtikler, Rabbi Heber, and Tzvi Goldman for discussing this issue with me 3 years ago.

קדוש לבנה Advisory

The מולד for this month was at 12:59am Thursday morning, ירושלים time. That translates to 5:59pm EST. If we were to subtract the 21 minutes from the conversion to Standard Time, that would make the מולד at 5:38pm. Many shuls on the Eastern Time Zone might very well be leaving shul at exactly that time on מוצאי שבת. Although I have previously advocated adjusting for the 21 minutes, my "Rabbinic Advisory board" has advised against it for concerns regarding the Equation of Time which at present, I don't quite understand.

Some facts about this שבת

• This is the last time we will have two שבתות חנוכה for another 17 years
• I believe this is the longest possible laining we can have without a double פרשה

146 from מקץ

50 from נשא and בהעלתך

=196 פסוקים

The Satanic Strategy of Scorpius

The fascinating episode of Yaakov Avinu’s battle with the angel is recounted in this week’s parsha. For the first time in his life, Yaakov Avinu was taking control. As a young man he was still in the household of parents. Then he fled to Lavan’s house out of fear of his, slightly, older brother. Now, he was finally on his way to confront his brother. He was no longer subjugated to anyone else. It was at this time that this angel, Eisav’s angel, chose to attack.

Perhaps, this point in time was more of an opportune time to attack then can be seen in the pesukim themselves. Rav Yehonasan Eibshitz zt"l (Tiferes Yehonasan) states that this episode happened on Yom Kippur. We know that the first ten days of Tishrei are days of judgement, but, perhaps, this was even more extreme for Yaakov Avinu.

Rabbeinu Bachye (Bereishis 34:25) informs us that the third of anything is considered to be under the astrological influence of Mars and Scorpius. Both of these celestial objects are associated with destruction and desolation. Interestingly, both are associated with redness. Mars is the Red Planet (Maadim in Hebrew) and Scorpius' brightest star is Antares which is very red. In fact, its name means opposite Mars in Greek. Eisav was also associated with redness. In addition, Rabbeinu Bachye tells us, that the third of any item is subjected to the Angel of Death. The Ramban, when discussing the goat that was sent away on Yom Kippur (and also the red heifer) tells us that these ideas were taken and inserted into idol worship as some of its basic ideas. The other nations, and Eisav, were interested in tapping into what they perceived to be powers of the underworld. It is on Yom Kippur that it appears as if Klal Yisrael sends a sacrifice to appease these powers in order for them to remain quite during judgement. Of course, Klal Yisrael would not do this and this sacrifice was ordered by Hashem; however, its appearance seems to display this concept.

There is a phenomenon called the precession of the equinoxes. Without boring the reader with the details, the basic concept is that the constellations shift slowly over the course of many years. The reason why each mazal is symbolic of a specific month is because the sun is perceived to be located in that mazal’s region of the sky (see Rashi R"H 11b). Due to this precession, the technical order has been slowly shifting throughout time and we are currently one month off from the way Chazal describe the mazalos. Therefore, based on the old description the month of Nisan would be Dagim and not Adar. Initially, the month of Tishrei would have been described as being the month of Akrav, Scorpius.

In our scenario, we have Yaakov Avinu as the third of the Patriarchs. He is found alone on the final day of judgement in the month of the Akrav (although the equinox had already slipped into Libra, by the time Yom Kippur would the sun would already be in Scorpius). This would have seemed to be an opportune time for the Angel of Death, or the forces of Eisav, to strike. The third item is subjected to these influences and this item, Yaakov Avinu, is alone with nothing to protect him. It is in the month of Scorpius and the final day of the judgement. Yaakov Avinu, however, was victorious and, perhaps, this paved the way for Yaakov Avinu’s grandchildren, in the future, to have no evil inclination rule over them on Yom Kippur (Yoma 20a). Perhaps, this also had something to do with the fact that Scorpius was later reassigned, via precession, to Cheshvan instead of Tishrei.

When Klal Yisrael seem to be giving a present to these destructive forces, perhaps, what they are really displaying is how their father was able to overcome these forces. On the surface level it would appear as if Klal Yisrael has no chance to fend off these overpowering forces; therefore, it appears as if they are sending a present to them with the goat sent to Azazel. This would be comparable to Yaakov Avinu being seen as the major underdog in this battle. However, Klal Yisrael is able to overcome these forces. We are really sending a present to Hashem. We are showing that even though the objective onlooker may think that we feel powerless to these forces, we recognize that, with trust in Hashem and the observance of His Torah that we will succeeed. Yaakov Avinu overpowered both the angel and his brother. He then went to travel to Sukkos (Bereishis 33:17), so too, we overpower these forces every year and then travel from Yom Kippur into Sukkos.

Can the Torah's South be North?

In this week’s Haftarah we are told (הושע יג:יב),
"צרור עון אפרים צפונה חטאתו."
"Ephraim’s iniquity is bound, his sin is hidden."
Earlier, the navi had made it known, clearly, that the sin of Ephraim was idolatry. Idolatry being "hidden" is something that actually refers to an astronomical fact. More specifically, that which is hidden shows that idolatry is ridiculous.

Rabbeinu Bachye (Bamidbar 2:2) informs us that the cardinal directions, east (מזרח), west (מערב), north (צפון) and south (דרום) are named such because of the sun’s perceived motion (also see Ramban Shemos 26:17). מזרח is the word for east because it comes from zarach meaning to shine. It is from this direction that the sun begins its journey every day. מערב is from erev which means nightfall because the sun’s journey ends here at nightfall. דרום is actually a contraction of two words, dar and rom, meaning dwells high.

The sun, to those at northern latitudes, rises from the east and travels on the southern portion of the sky and sets in the west. צפון also means hidden and that is why north is referred to as such. While the sun can definitely set and rise from a slightly northern direction, it NEVER travels on this side of the sky. The sun, the most commonly chosen idol, should have been rejected as a god for this reason. The fact that it has no power in this area, and that it sets, shows its impotence!!! The Rema (Toras HaOlah) tells us that this is why the pending destruction of the first Beis HaMikdash was described by the navi, Yirmiyahu, as coming from the north. This was to show the idol worshippers that they were horribly wrong. Perhaps, this is why Ephraim’s sin is depicted as being hidden, as well.

When describing these types of ideas, people sometimes ask why the Torah seems to totally disregard those in the southern hemisphere. For them, it is the northern side that the sun travels on and the southern side is "hidden". I am not 100% sure, but I feel that the answer is either that since the Torah was given in the northern hemisphere it is told from that perspective, OR that the Torah would have called north darom and south tzafon to these people!!! The idea is not the actual direction, but the solar movement. If so, then it is reasonable that this would be the case.

Rosh Chodesh Not a Function of the Moon?

Most are familiar with the fact that Rosh Chodesh is associated with the lunar cycle. Therefore, when they see the Yerushlami (Rosh Hashana 14b) they do a double take. The Yerushalmi states that both the sun and moon play a role in the determination of Rosh Chodesh. Essentially, when the new moon is sighted and/or sanctified by the official beis din, the NEXT DAY is considered Rosh Chodesh.

The Yerushalmi determines this based on a pasuk that states that the sun knows its path and the moon determines the specified times. The Yerushalmi understands this to mean that through the sun's path we determine the times of the moon and the effects of a new moon will not happen until that solar day (at sunset) is over. In this way, Rosh Chodesh can be viewed as a synthesis of the solar and lunar paths in the sky.

Although, the Acharonim on the page stipulate theories in order to try and read this Yerushalmi within the conventional understanding that the sun does not have any effect on Rosh Chodesh, the plain reading (as expressed above) can be found as given by Rashi on Bereishis Rabbah (6). While this opinion does not appear to be considered by the Bavli, and certainly not by the Rambam (Hilchos Kiddush HaChodesh), it is still fascinating to see it in a primary text. (For a resolution to the problems presented by certain Mishnayos in Rosh Hashana please see the post Superhuman Sight that I posted here on August 5 of this year.)

The Shibbolei HaLeket (168) references this Yerushalmi (in the plain form, as well) and states that this is an answer to a question that he has pondered in the past. When a month has 30 days, the last day is called Rosh Chodesh in addition to the following day (the first of the next month). He wonders why this day should actually have any sanctity considering that it is not the true first of the month. He responds by saying that this day enables the following to be Rosh Chodesh, simlar to the day beis din declares the sanctification of Rosh Chodesh which causes the FOLLOWING day to be Rosh Chodesh. He cites this Yerushalmi to support his claim!