Week 20 (Book 5):Perez and Bursting Out of the Cold

SONG OF SONGS:

13. Your arid fields are as a pomegranate orchard with sweet fruit, henna and spikenard.

14. Spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all frankincense trees, myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices.

15. A garden fountain, a well of living waters and flowing streams from Lebanon."

SOULS THAT DESCENDED TO EGYPT: Perez

TALMUD SHEVUOTH: Daf 20 – Oaths related to eating and pleasure.

BOOK OF JEREMIAH: Chapter 20

Week 20 in the Jewish calendar is the week of Tu B’Shvat. Tu B’Shvat is the Rosh Hashanah of the trees. The verses of Shir HaShirim of this week again address the theme of nature, as well as pleasure. This week, however, fruit and trees are mentioned specifically.

Of the seventy souls of the Jewish people that descended to Egypt, the twentieth mentioned is Perez. His name means to “burst forth.” Perez’s birth is described in quite detail, and how he burst forth to become the firstborn. It seems related to also how the flowers and fruits must “burst forth,” after the trees’ enduring the cold winter.

Daf Kaf (Folio 20) of Shvuot continues to discuss different laws related to oaths, most of which are also related to eating and pleasure.

Chapter 20 of the Book of Jeremiah contains a similar theme to the above. The chapter speaks of pain endured by Jeremiah, but its most striking part is when he speaks of the day of his birth. It seems to relate back to the themes birth and conception related to this month:

14. Cursed be the day in which I was begotten; the day in which my mother bore me shall not be blessed.  

  

15. Cursed be the man who brought the news to my father, saying, "A male child has been born to you," making him glad. 

16. And that man shall be like the cities that the Lord overturned and did not repent, and let him hear an outcry in the morning and a scream at noontime.

17. That he did not put me to death from the womb, that my mother should be my grave and her womb a perpetual pregnancy.

  

18. Why did I come forth out of the womb to see toil and grief, and my days end with shame?

Week 21 (Book 5): Celebrating "Sweet Fruit" in the Winter

SONG OF SONGS:

16. " Awake, O north wind, and come, O south wind; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out; let my beloved come to his garden and eat his sweet fruit."

1. "I have come to my garden, my sister, [my] bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice, I have eaten my sugar cane with my sugar, I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, beloved ones."                        

2. "I sleep, but my heart is awake. Hark! My beloved is knocking: Open for me, my sister, my beloved, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is full of dew, my locks with the drops of the night."

SOULS THAT DESCENDED TO EGYPT: Zerach

TALMUD SHEVUOTH: DAF 21 – Oaths and Eating

BOOK OF JEREMIAH: Chapter 21

Week 21 in the Jewish calendar is the last week of Shevat. The verses of Shir HaShirim of this week again address the theme of nature, as well as pleasure. It speaks of eating sweet fruit of a garden, spices, sugar cane, wine and milk. Wine and "drinking abundantly" is also mentioned, perhaps a reference to the coming month of Adar. The last verse also contains a theme similar to that of Shevat: "I sleep, but my heart is awake..." We are still in the middle of winter, but it is past Tu B'Shvat and the sap inside the trees has begun to melt.   

Of the seventy souls of the Jewish people that descended to Egypt, the twenty-first mentioned is Zerach. Zerach is Perez’s brother. His name means sunrise. During his birth, he was the first to stretch out his hand, although he ended up being born later, after Perez. Similarly, sunrise is the first moment in which the morning Shmoneh Esreh can be said and the day initially begins, although most people begin prayer much later. This is all related to Shevat, the first “appearance” of spring and the sun, although spring itself comes much later.

Daf Kaf Alef (Folio 21) of Shvuot continues to discuss different laws related to oaths, most of which are also related to eating.

Chapter 21 of the Book of Jeremiah contains a similar theme to the above. The chapter has many references to nature: valleys, plains, fruit, and a forest:

The chapter speaks of pain endured by Jeremiah, but its most strking part is when he speaks of the day of his birth. It seems to relate back to the theme of “natural” birth related to this month:

13. Behold I am against you, O dweller of the valley, rock of the plain, says the Lord, those who say, "Who will encamp upon us, and who will come into our dwellings?"   

14. And I will visit upon you according to the fruit of your deeds, says the Lord, and I will ignite a fire in her forest, and it will consume all her surroundings. 

Week 22 (Book 5): Mordechai the Shepherd

SONG OF SONGS:

3. "I have taken off my tunic; how can I put it on? I have bathed my feet; how can I soil them?"

4. My beloved stretched forth his hand from the hole, and my insides stirred because of him.

5. I arose to open for my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, and my fingers with flowing myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.

SOULS THAT DESCENDED TO EGYPT: Hezron

TALMUD SHEVUOTH: Daf 22 - Oaths and Drinking

BOOK OF JEREMIAH: Chapter 22

Week 22 in the Jewish calendar is the week of Rosh Chodesh Adar. The verses of Shir HaShirim of this week speak of removing one’s head garment and bathing one’s feet. Removing one’s head garment appears to be a reference to the notion of letting go of the intellect, related to this month, focusing on the feet. Similarly, the Rebbe’s Ma’amar Ve’Atah Tetzaveh speaks of Mordechai, the Moshe of the generation, being the head, and the Jewish people being the “feet.” (See also Book 3, on Yaakov and Yikveta de Meshicha, being on the "heels" of the Messianic age).

The second verse in the Song of Songs is extremely reminiscent of perhaps what are the two most crucial verses in all of Megillat Esther (5:2):

And it came to pass when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she won favor in his eyes, and the king extended to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand, and Esther approached and touched the end of the scepter. 

The third verse, makes reference to myrrh, Mor in Hebrew. The Talmud states that Mordechai is hinted in the Torah in Exodus 30:23, in the verse about “pure myrrh,” Mor Dror, which in Aramaic is Mara Dachia.[1] (Chullin 139b)

Of the seventy souls of the Jewish people that descended to Egypt, the twenty-second mentioned is Hezron. (Hezron, the descendant of Reuven, has already been discussed in Week 4). Interestingly, in Book 3, this Hezron, son of Perez, can be found in week 25, also in the month of Adar. There, it is written that Hezron comes from the word chatzer, which means courtyard, or enclosure. In order to be able to carry in a courtyard, two neighbors need to set up an eruv chatzeirot.[2] Interestingly, the word Eruv comes from the same root as Arev, which means sweet. When Jews come together, and their duality serves a positive function, there is sweetness. This is also one of the themes of the month of Adar.

Daf Kaf Beit (Folio 22) of Shvuot continues to discuss different laws related to oaths, related to eating. However, the main emphasis of this daf relates to the laws of speaking, and also whether drinking should be included in the category of eating. Clearly drinking is one of the main themes of Adar. Specifically, drinking to point of not being able to know the difference between “blessed in Mordechai and cursed is Haman.” This daf begins the discussion of speaking by mentioning how someone who curses (“blesses”) Hashem by mistake must bring a sacrifice.

Chapter 22 of the Book of Jeremiah contains a similar theme to the above. It speaks of a situation of the Jewish people being left leaderless, confused, as well as of eating and drinking.

15. Shall you reign, for you compete with the cedar? Your father-did he not eat and drink and perform justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him.  (...)

22. All your shepherds shall be broken by the wind, and your lovers shall go into captivity, for then you shall be ashamed and confounded because of all your evil. (…)

29. O land, land, land, hearken to the word of the Lord. 

  

30. So said the Lord: Inscribe this man childless, a man who will not prosper in his days, for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting on the throne of David or ruling anymore in Judah.

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[1]http://www.chabad.org/kabbalah/article_cdo/aid/380247/jewish/Purim-and-Providence.htm; http://www.aish.com/tp/i/pp/141352743.html

[2] http://www.dailyhalacha.com/Print.asp?ClipID=1079

Week 23 (Book 5): When Hashem and our Leaders Are Hidden

SONG OF SONGS:

6. I opened for my beloved, but my beloved had hidden and was gone; my soul went out when he spoke; I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he did not answer me.

7. The watchmen who patrol the city found me; they smote me and wounded me; the watchmen of the walls took my jewelry off me.

8. "I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, what will you tell him? That I am lovesick."

SOULS THAT DESCENDED TO EGYPT: Hamul

TALMUD SHEVUOTH: DAF 23 – Oaths  on Drinks

BOOK OF JEREMIAH: Chapter 23

Week 23 in the Jewish calendar is the week of the seventh of Adar, the yahrzeit and birthday of Moshe Rabbeinu. The verses of Shir HaShirim of this week speak of looking for Hashem and not finding Him, calling out to Hashem and not getting a response. The verses also speak of being “smitten” and wounded. These may all be references to the loss of Moshe. The verse about Hashem being “hidden” and “gone,” and our calling out to Hashem and not receiving a response is also related to the idea of Hester Panim (when Hashem's face is hidden), related to the Purim story.

Rashi’s comments regarding the third verse (verse 8), makes a direct reference to “Mordechai’s generation in the days of Haman,” that despite all the suffering the Jewish people fulfilled the Torah. This is the message of Adar and Purim. Our sages also teach us that Mordechai in his generation was like Moshe in his.

Of the seventy souls of the Jewish people that descended to Egypt, the twenty-third mentioned is Hamul. This name appears to come from the word Chemlah, which means pity, mercy. Hamul would therefore mean someone who is dealt with mercifully, such as Moshe himself at the time of his birth.

Daf Kaf Gimmel (Folio 23) of Shvuot continues to discuss whether drinking should be included in the category of eating. In fact, a great part of the discussion is about wine and intoxicating beverages. The daf also speaks of combining many oaths into one (still in large part discussing drinking) and then discusses an oath not to eat forbidden food. One of the main points of contention of the Purim story was of partaking in Achashverosh’s meal.

Chapter 23 of the Book of Jeremiah contains a similar theme to the above. It speaks of a situation of the Jewish people being left without a proper shepherd (Moshe), yet also speaks about Mashiach, who will be like Moshe. The future redemption will parallel the redemption from Egypt. Jeremiah also speaks about being like someone who is drunk: 

5. Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, when I will set up of David a righteous shoot, and he shall reign a king and prosper, and he shall perform judgment and righteousness in the land.  

 

6. In his days, Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely, and this is his name that he shall be called, The Lord is our righteousness. 

 

7. Therefore, behold days are coming, says the Lord, when they shall no longer say, "As the Lord lives, Who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,"   

8. But, "As the Lord lives, Who brought up and Who brought the seed of the house of Israel from the northland and from all the lands where I have driven them, and they shall dwell on their land."  

9. Because of the prophets my heart is broken within me, my bones shake, I was like a drunken man and like a man whom wine has overcome, because of the Lord and because of His holy words.

Week 24 (Book 5): the Intoxicating Power of Food and Drink

SONG OF SONGS:

9. "What is your beloved more than another beloved, O fairest of women? What is your beloved more than another beloved, that you have so adjured us?"

10. "My beloved is white and ruddy, surrounded by myriads.

11. His head is as the finest gold; his locks are curled, [they are as] black as a raven.

SOULS THAT DESCENDED TO EGYPT: Issachar

TALMUD SHEVUOTH: DAF 23 – Oaths on Forbidden Foods

BOOK OF JEREMIAH: Chapter 24

Week 24 in the Jewish calendar is the week of Purim. The verses of Shir HaShirim of this week speaks of the “fairest of women,” a likely reference to Queen Esther, who was chosen above all the women of the Persian Empire. The reference to Israel’s Beloved being white and “ruddy,” appears to be connected to the wine of Purim. (See Week 23, Book 4a: “Do not look at wine when it is red; when he puts his eye on the cup, it goes smoothly.” (Proverbs 23:31))

Of the seventy souls of the Jewish people that descended to Egypt, the twenty-fourth mentioned is Issachar. Issachar was conceived on the night that Rachel exchanged for the dudayim of Leah. The intoxicating nature of the dudayim seem to parallel the intensity of Purim, which is brought about as well through physical intoxication.

Daf Kaf Dalet (Folio 24) of Shvuot continues to discuss forbidden foods, and speaks about how one can violate more than one law in a single act of eating. One of the main points of contention of the Purim story was the fact that the Jews partook of Achashverosh’s festive meal.

Chapter 24 of the Book of Jeremiah contains a similar theme to the above. It speaks about duda’ey te’enim, translated as “pots of figs,” but which literally mean dudayim of figs. Some of the figs could be eaten – others not at all. This dichotomy, especially between the very good (Mordechai) and the very bad (Haman) is also symbolic of Adar. In this case, Jeremiah’s vision is referring to those that willingly go to exile in Babylon, and those that stubbornly decide to stay in the Land of Israel.

1. The Lord showed me two pots of figs, prepared before the Temple of the Lord after Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, had exiled Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and the princes of Judah and the craftsmen and the sentries of the gates from Jerusalem and brought them to Babylon. 

  

2. One pot [contained] very good figs like the first ripe figs, and the other pot [contained] very bad figs that could not be eaten because they were so bad. (…)

The end of this chapter also has language very similar to Haazinu’s verse for Week 24 in Book 2:  “They will sprout hair from famine, attacked by demons, excised by Meriri. I will incite the teeth of livestock upon them, with the venom of creatures that slither in the dust.” (Deuteronomy 32:24)

10. And I will send forth the sword, the famine, and the pestilence against them until they are consumed from upon the land that I gave them and their forefathers.