Av אב – The 5th Hebrew Month

Chodesh Tov to you all! Av is the father of the months. What does that mean? The name Av means father so the month must be the father. But the father to whom? Who is our father? Of course it is Hashem. Av is called Menachem Av which translates as Father the consoler. This indicates the dual energies that are active during this month. The judgment in the first 10 days associated with a strict father and the Mercy in the last 20 associated with the consoler. Why does this month especially have 2 energies? It comes from the letters that create the month (see below).

The Hebrew word Av comes from the Shoresh (root) אבה. This root means to desire. Desire represents the vessel. Consoler represents the Light or fulfillment. This is another indication of the dual energies of this month.

Letters of the month: Tet ט is the letter that creates the constellation Aryeh אריה. Aryeh means lion – some people see the physical structure of the Tet as a womb. In this case they see the 9 months of pregnancy reflected into the first 9 days of Av culminating in the 9th day of Av (see Holidays below).

Others see the physical structure of the Tet as representing the dual energies reflected in the two upward lines – one curved and one straight.

This second perception is reinforced by the knowledge that the Tet, numerical value 9, is connected to the Yesod Sephira especially the male sex organ. As you know this organ has both potential life force energy (sperm) and waste product coming from the same organ through the same orifice.

Contemplate why the creator did this aspect of creation as it will help you understand the energies in the month of Av.

There is another aspect of Aryeh that needs to be discussed. The Gematria of Aryeh is 216 which is the same as the Gematria of the word Gevurah which is the name of the Sephira of judgment. Another way to relate to this Sephira is to recognize that Gevurah is setting limits on the attribute of mercy in order to keep balance in creation.

Another aspect of 216 is that it is the number of letters in the 72 Names of God. These Names represents attributes of Mercy. This is the essence of the Aryeh being perceived by Ezekiel as the right side face of the 4 faces of each Angel. The right side face represents Mercy and it is the Lion or Aryeh. This is why the Merciful energies in Av make up 20 days and not 15 days representing a balanced aspect of energy.

Caf כ is the letter that created the planet we call the Sun. The sun has two Hebrew words that translate into sun. One is Shemesh שמש and the other is Hamah חמה. As we know these two words can not mean the same "sun" as there is no synonym in Hebrew. Shemesh is the internal sun and Hamah from the shoresh meaning hot is the external.

The sun just like the moon has only 1 month in which to share its energy, and that is the month of Av for the sun, and Tammuz for the moon. This makes the energies of these months more focused and strong. Please realize, with the other 10 months the astrological influence of the planets is shared by 2 different months. For example the planet Mars shares its influence with both Nissan and Mar Cheshvan.

The word Caf means Palm in Hebrew and represents the part of our body where we manifest things. This is the aspect of the month of Av that relates to the Birth of Mashiach on the 9th day and the amazing transition from the negativity on Tisha B’Av to the complete Joy and Happiness on the 15th day of Av known as the Holiday of Tu B’Av (See below).

Constellation: The constellation has the name Aryeh as discussed above.

Holidays: There are 2 Holidays during Av representing the most negative day of the year controlled by Satan and the Highest non Holiday of the year known as Tu BeAv.

The first 9 days of Av (actually manifesting on the 10th day – remember Yesod (9) and Malchut (10) are always attached) are part of the Narrow 3 weeks. The period where the intensity of the Light is too much for the vessel. It is during these 9 days that the regulations and rituals are intensified (see below) During the period from the 17th Day of Tammuz to the 9th of Av it is considered a negative period and there are certain regulations and rituals that are recommended to follow.

One is the meditation here!

Another is to not utilize natural bodies of water during this period. This means not to go swimming in rivers, lakes or oceans.

Since the negative energy intensifies during the period from Rosh Chodesh Av until the 9th of Av, we have additional rituals as well. These are considered intensified rituals. They are:

It is recommended to not eat meat during this period except on Shabbat.

It is recommended to not shower or bathe during this period.

It is recommended to contemplate what the destruction of the Temple means in our lives and how we can remove hatred for no reason from our personality and character traits, to enable the rebuilding of the Temple.

Of course many people do not follow all of these recommendations. Please know that The “crying for the Temple” is the most important.

Once this negative energy ends we go immediately to a positive state which manifests on the full moon day – the 15th of the month. As said above this positive state is considered the most positive non Holiday day of the year. This is because contrary to western science explanations: The cause of the full moon represents the moment when all of the energy of the sun is being shared with the moon. This is true in every month but it is most intensified in the month of Av because Av is created by the Sun and thus all of the energy of the Sun is being shared with all of the vessel of the Moon. Another way of perceiving this Metaphorically is Total Male energy is being poured into Total Female Energy represented by the full moon. Tu B’Av is the Hebrew equivalent of Valentines Day and is actually much more representative of that consciousness. The consciousness of unity and love represented by the Hebrew word Zevug. Sexual intercourse based on love not lust.

Hope you have a wonderful Tu B’Av.

Tribe: The tribe of Shimon is the Fifth of the Tribes when it comes to giving offerings at the Mishkan dedication. There is much to be learned from the Name Shimon about the characteristics of the month of Av, so here is the link to the fifth day of the dedication that we have available on our website.

  • Nissan Day 5 - Tribe of Shimon.
    • I suggest you spend some time during this month checking out the attributes of the name Shimon and the Name of the Nasi who gave the dedication and his consciousness of why he gave what he gave. Remember not all of these attributes are positive and with restriction we can correct them and transform them into positive aspects.

    There is much to learn from the relationships around Shimon. Both with Levi who represents weak judgment in relation to Shimon who represents strong judgment and with Judah. Shimon received his land allotment in Israel within the land allotment of Judah. Both of these relationships are expounded on the web site www.inner.org. Here is a copy of what they said.

    The name Shimon comes from the word "to hear." The sin of the spies on the 9th of Av entailed their speaking evil of the land of Israel and the people's accepting--"hearing"--the evil tongue. Thus the general rectification of the month of Av is the rectification of hearing.

    Shimon is the only tribe that Moses did not explicitly bless at the end of the Torah. This was due to his "frustration" with the tribe of Shimon because of their involvement (more than all the other tribes) in the sin of Pe'or (prostitution with foreign women, which resulted in idolatry). The name Shimon divides into two words which spell sham avon, "there is iniquity."

    In a certain sense, Moses (from the tribe of Levi) was most closely related (in spirit) to Shimon than to any other tribe. "Shimon and Levi are brothers" (Genesis 49:5) said our father Jacob in blessing his sons. The two together (Shimon leading his younger brother Levi) took revenge for the rape of their sister Dinah, and destroyed the entire city of Shechem.

    In Kabbalah we are taught that the primary reincarnation of Moses is in Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, he who more than any other of the sages revealed the inner dimension of the Torah of Moses (in the Holy Zohar).

    The "degeneration" of the power of Shimon leads to the destruction of the Temple. The rectification and elevation of that very power brings about the eternal reconstruction of the Temple.

    The rectification of Shimon (the rectification of the sins and iniquities of Israel which brought to the destruction of the Temple in the month of Av, the month of Shimon) is by his clinging to the most essential attribute of Moses--humility. The word avon ("sin") permutes to spell anav ("humble") the unique term by which the Torah praises Moses (Numbers 12:3): "And the man Moses was very humble [anav], more than any other man on the face of the earth." The name Shimon transforms (in the month of Av) from "there is iniquity" (sham avon) to "there is the humble one" (sham anav).

    The ability of Shimon to so "metamorphasize" depends upon his inner sense of hearing. Moses addresses Israel with the most all-inclusive statement of the Torah (Deuteronomy 6:4) : "Hear [shemah] O' Israel...." Moses speaks to Israel through the soul-root of Shimon. Inner hearing (derher in Yiddish) comes with the deep sense of humility in the soul.

    Even though Moses did not explicitly bless Shimon, our sages teach us that he alluded to him in the first word of his blessing to Judah (Deuteronomy 33:7): "Hear [shemah] G-d the voice of Judah...." (This phrase complements the verse "Hear O' Israel..."; in gematria, "Hear G-d the voice of Judah" = 602 = 7 times 86 [Elokim, G-d], "Hear O' Israel..." = 1118 = 13 times 86).

    In the division of the land of Israel to the twelve tribes, Shimon inherited his portion within the larger portion of Judah (this is the only instance that one tribe inherited its portion within another). When the two names Shimon and Judah are added together: 466 plus 30 = 496 = malchut ("kingdom") Thus we learn that the malchut of Judah depends upon the "presence" and "partnership" of Shimon.

    Judah corresponds to the month of Nissan and the sense of speech. Shimon corresponds to the month of Av (the first two letters and "sub-root" in Hebrew of the word aviv, the name in Torah for the month of Nissan) and the sense of hearing. Av is the 5th month from Nissan, whose letter is hei = 5.

    The two senses of speaking and hearing are obviously a pair, just as in the sin of the people's hearing (accepting) the "evil tongue" spoken by the spies, the sin of the 9th of Av.

    Thus we conclude that the power of the month of Av (the month of [apparent] destruction) is to "hear" the message "spoken" by the month of Nissan (the month of redemption), and integrate the first and foremost power of Israel?leadership?into the consciousness of the Jewish people.

    This is the secret of the "pregnancy" and "birth" of Mashiach (the quintessential leader of Israel) from the 1st of Av (the beginning of his 9 day pregnancy) to the 9th of Av (his birth). He then fully unites with the consciousness of the people, "in matrimony," on the 15th of Av.

    Sense: Hearing.

    "To hear" in Hebrew means "to understand,". This means to fully integrate into one's consciousness (into one's heart, not only to understand intellectually in one's mind). To hear another is to fully understand his dilemma and empathize with him. Hearing is receiving--kabbalah .

    Contemplate this truth!

    In the beginning of Isaiah (read on the Shabbat before the 9th of Av which is Deuteronomy and also the Haftara called Vision), it says: "if you desire [tovu , from the word Av] and hear [the sense of Av], you shall partake of the goodness of the land.

    The sense of hearing is the sense of inner balance, the foundation of rectified existence. (Imbalance is the source of all falling and destruction). A well balanced ear, a well oriented sense of hearing, possesses the ability to discern and distinguish in everything one hears truth from falseness, as is said (Job 12:11 and 34:3): "the ear discerns words" ozen malin tivchan (the initial letters of this phrase spell emet--"truth").

    The above text explains the comparison between Hearing and Seeing which is also similar to the comparison between hearing and speaking.

    Controller: The left kidney. The month of Iyar dealing with Sight has the right kidney as its controller. This is consistant with the Kabbalistic teaching that ones right should be over ones left just as Sight in Iyar is over (above or earlier) Hearing and the Left Kidney in Av. The right kidney teaches one how to rectify sight through careful introspection. The left kidney teaches one how to integrate truth into one’s consciousness.

    To fully understand the above please review the blog for the month of Iyar.

    The color of the month is Orange - Red.

    Energy Days: Rosh Chodesh, Tisha B’Av and Tu B’Av are considered High Energy Days.

    Rosh Chodesh Av – Hilula of Aron HaCohen the first High Priest and His son Elazer the Second High Priest.

    Please note that the permutation of the word Av brings Bet Aleph which is Bo or “Come” in Hebrew. We can then say in Av comes the Mashiach and the manifestation of the Torah in our world. Are you packed to move to Israel yet?

    5th of Av comes – Hilula of the ARI Rabbi Issac Luria. This is also a similar day to Lag B’Omer being Hod S’B’ Hod as it is the 5th day of the 5th month. Hod is the 5th Sephirah from Chesed.

    9th of Av - Comes the fast of Av as well as the Hilula of the Seer of Lublin.

    Our sages especially the ARI have given us a tool to make all fasts easier. Here is a link

  • to that meditation.

    • 10th of Av - Comes the Hilula of Yissachar Ben Yaacov and Don Yitzok Abarbanel

    15th of Av – the Holiday of Love (Zivug). It is also the Hilula of the famous Sage “Gamzu LeTovah” “And this is also for good!”.

    19th of Av - The Hilula of Rabbi Yaakov ben Rabbi Machir Culi, author of Me'am Loez

    20th of Av - Rabbi Levi Yitzchok ben Rabbi Boruch Schneur Schneerson Father of the last Chabad Rebbe

    21st of Av - Rabbi Chaim ben Rabbi Yosef Dov Ber Soloveitchik

    26th of Av - Rabbi Yehuda Fatiyah

    28th of Av -comes the Birthday of the Magid of Mezritch

    Also take advantage all of the Tzadikim that left during this month of Av. There is someone who left each day and they will relate to the Sephirah of that day. The more you learn about an individual Tzadik the more you can be assisted in your spiritual work by the work that the Tzadik did during his lifetime. He is making him or herself available to you. I hope you will utilize them. All you have to do is light a 25 hour candle in his or her name.

    Here is a link to the list of Tzadikim

    On your astrological chart your north nodes teaches you about the miskake you made last lifetime and what life lessons you came to learn this lifetime.

    If you do not know where is your north node refer to an astrological chart or write to yeshshem@hotmail.com and give us your time, date, and place of birth.

    For people who have their north node in Av , your lifetime correction points you toward abandoning desire for superficial originality in order to develop your capacity to serve humanity. Your tikun suggests that you will be given an opportunity to lead, provided you learn to do this in a selfless manner.

    For all of us the influence of the Astrological sign of Aryeh and the month of Av will cause us to think we know it all. With restriction we can learn the attribute of humbleness. The easiest path to humbleness is to ALWAYS ask for help. From the creator and from his tools – your friends, neighbors, family, and enemies (people with whom you feel competitive).

    One other point to remember, we are rapidly approaching the renewal of the year. Starting with Shabbat Nachamu on the Shabbat before Tu B’Av we have 7 weeks before Rosh HaShana. We have 7 weeks to cleanse ourselves before the New Year. We have 7 weeks to do Tshuvah and become a Baal Tshuvah (Head or Master of Tshuvah). We have 7 weeks to become Tzadikim so that we merit the year ahead that we envision. We will speak more about this in the weekly emails and also in the monthly email for Elul.

    Suffice it to say! You can complete your Tikun next year, with effort! Are you willing to try? Then start with a list of people you hurt, harmed, or caused pain of any kind during this past year. Plan your Tshuvah during this period between now and Tu B’Av,.

    Bring along this list as a guide.

    Chodesh Tov