Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan is arriving...

Rosh Chodesh Chesvan is arriving. For many women, it is a relief when Cheshvan comes. Finally, some routine! Summer vacation and Yamim Tovim are great (or not!), but it is a relief for most people to get back to a predictable routine.

We have had the intense work and intense growth of Elul. We had the intense work and intense growth of Tishrei. And now comes Cheshvan, and Cheshvan is about processing, absorbing, and intergrating all that we have grown.

Klal Yisrael worked really hard to build the Beis Hamikdash for seven long years. They finished it in Cheshvan. The Beis Hamikdash was the balance between doing and being. It's the experience of 39 melachos, the 39 forms of labor that were done in the Beis Hamikdash, and are not allowed to be done on Shabbos, because Shabbos is not about doing, it's about being.

It's about taking the labor of the six past days and allowing it to intergrate within you, as you are in the stillness of Shabbos.

That is Cheshvan and that is where we each are now. The empty month, the month without any yamim tovim, that gives us the space to properly process what we have accomplished over the past two intense months.

The Medrash says (Yalkut Shemoni, Melachim 184) that just like the Beis Hamikdash was completed in Cheshvan, in the future, the eternal Beis Hamikdash will be dedicated in Cheshvan. And then we will be able to intergrate all the growth that we have accomplished as a nation.

May the day speedily arrive. Looking forward to meeting you all at the chanukas habayis!

Yocheved

Let's Write!1. Make a list of 50 lessons that you have learnt this Elul and Tishrei. Don't stop until you reach the end of the list. You can write "I don't know," if you feel stuck, but no matter what, continue writing. Also, you can repeat yourself as many times as you want. 

2. When you reach the end of your list, create 3-5 categories that you'd like to divide it into. Color code each category and mark each entry with the color of that topic.

3. Count how many entries you have in each category.

4. Write a reflection. What did you learn from writing and reading your list? What does the count of each topic tell you? Explore it.

5. What growth would you like to intergrate this month of Cheshvan?