This Shabbes brings the New Moon of Tammuz – just two weeks prior to the Summer Solstice. Sunshine feels wonderful. It grows crops and lifts spirits and more importantly, it grows crops – providing sustenance. Many through history receive the suns warmth as Spirit’s love.
The Northern Hemisphere experiences increased sunlight each and every day between the Winter Solstice to the Summer Solstice (Dec 21-June 21rst) . The Summer solstice marks the culmination, that is the maximum daylight hours.
It is a day where many experience Spirit’s Presence through the expansiveness of the daylight.hours. This expansiveness impacts Earth’s beings providing for crops. The warmth of the sun offers comfort, freedom, expansiveness and empowerment on many levels People tend to spend time out of doors.
The 3 week Jewish mourning period between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av (Beyn haMaytzarim) arrive shortly after the the sunlight hours begin to contract . Beyn haMaytzarim commemorates the capture of Jerusalem and the destruction of the sacred Temple. This was complete destruction of Jewish life at the time. The future was uncertain.
This shift propelled Judaism from a Temple focus; where community met Spirit in a holy designated space to rabbinic Judaism; where community meets Spirit through the cycles of time still practiced today.
The move from increasing sunlight to decreasing sunlight is profound. This shift is like the shift a pendulum will make when changing directions – the in between moment, filled with stillness and potential.
This is mirrored in the movement from Temple based Judaism. It was unknown how and if Judaism would continue. Not knowing, that is, “flux”, is dominant this season. It is OK not to know. It is useful and appropriate to “not know” some times. Not knowing allows change. This is a prelude to the High Holy days. Life as we know it may not be serving and it may move to a flux state and be allowed to reformat.
May this year’s flux offer ample space and potential for nourishing transformation of our selves, communities, planet and beyond to serve the greater good of all.
Hodesh Tammuz Tov
