Eros Unbound: Full Moon of Av 5785
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ShareAncient and modern re-workings of Tu b’Av. Created in 2025 for My Jewish Learning’s Chodesh Circle, an ongoing exploration of the medicine wheel of Jewish time.
A Hinge-Point
The Fruit 15 Av to 29 Elul
In the Jewish calendar, Av is the month of the hinge, when death turns on itself and becomes birth once more. This is a time of healing, of rediscovering the miracle of being human. The Shechinah is closest to us at this time: from Tu b’Av on, Her mourning turns to dancing.
- Rabbi Jill Hammer: The Jewish Book of Days
In the Jewish calendar, Av is the month of the hinge, when death turns on itself and becomes birth once more. This is a time of healing, of rediscovering the miracle of being human. The Shechinah is closest to us at this time: from Tu b’Av on, Her mourning turns to dancing.
- Rabbi Jill Hammer: The Jewish Book of Days
עֹ֖ד כׇּל־יְמֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ זֶ֡רַע וְ֠קָצִ֠יר וְקֹ֨ר וָחֹ֜ם וְקַ֧יִץ וָחֹ֛רֶף וְי֥וֹם וָלַ֖יְלָה לֹ֥א יִשְׁבֹּֽתוּ׃
“So long as the earth endures,
Seedtime and harvest,
Cold and heat,
Summer and winter,
Day and night
Shall not cease.”
Seedtime and harvest,
Cold and heat,
Summer and winter,
Day and night
Shall not cease.”
מֵיתִיבִי: רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר, וְכֵן הָיָה רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן מְנַסְיָא אוֹמֵר כִּדְבָרָיו:
חֲצִי תִשְׁרֵי, מְרַחְשְׁוָן, וַחֲצִי כִסְלֵיו – זֶרַע.
חֲצִי כִסְלֵיו, טֵבֵת, וַחֲצִי שְׁבָט – חוֹרֶף.
חֲצִי שְׁבָט, אֲדָר, וַחֲצִי נִיסָן – קוֹר.
חֲצִי נִיסָן, אִיָּיר, וַחֲצִי סִיוָן – קָצִיר.
חֲצִי סִיוָן, תַּמּוּז, וַחֲצִי אָב – קַיִץ.
חֲצִי אָב, אֱלוּל, וַחֲצִי תִּשְׁרֵי – חוֹם.
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה מוֹנֶה מִתִּשְׁרִי, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן מוֹנֶה מִמְּרַחְשְׁוָן.
חֲצִי תִשְׁרֵי, מְרַחְשְׁוָן, וַחֲצִי כִסְלֵיו – זֶרַע.
חֲצִי כִסְלֵיו, טֵבֵת, וַחֲצִי שְׁבָט – חוֹרֶף.
חֲצִי שְׁבָט, אֲדָר, וַחֲצִי נִיסָן – קוֹר.
חֲצִי נִיסָן, אִיָּיר, וַחֲצִי סִיוָן – קָצִיר.
חֲצִי סִיוָן, תַּמּוּז, וַחֲצִי אָב – קַיִץ.
חֲצִי אָב, אֱלוּל, וַחֲצִי תִּשְׁרֵי – חוֹם.
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה מוֹנֶה מִתִּשְׁרִי, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן מוֹנֶה מִמְּרַחְשְׁוָן.
The Gemara raises an objection to this from a baraita that discusses the verse: “While the earth remains, planting and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22).
The baraita interprets this verse as referring to six seasons of the year: Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says in the name of Rabbi Meir, and similarly, Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya would say in accordance with his statement:
The second half of Tishrei, all of Marḥeshvan, and the first half of Kislev are the days of planting.
The second half of Kislev, all of Tevet, and the first half of Shevat are the winter days.
The second half of Shevat, all of Adar, and the first half of Nisan are the period of cold;
the second half of Nisan, all of Iyar, and the first half of Sivan are the harvest period.
The second half of Sivan, all of Tammuz, and half of Av are the summer season, while
the second half of Av, all of Elul, and the first half of Tishrei are the season of heat.
The baraita adds: Rabbi Yehuda also would divide the year into these six seasons, but he counts from the beginning of Tishrei rather than from the middle. Rabbi Shimon counts from Marḥeshvan, so that Marḥeshvan and Kislev constitute the season of planting, and so on.
The baraita interprets this verse as referring to six seasons of the year: Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says in the name of Rabbi Meir, and similarly, Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya would say in accordance with his statement:
The second half of Tishrei, all of Marḥeshvan, and the first half of Kislev are the days of planting.
The second half of Kislev, all of Tevet, and the first half of Shevat are the winter days.
The second half of Shevat, all of Adar, and the first half of Nisan are the period of cold;
the second half of Nisan, all of Iyar, and the first half of Sivan are the harvest period.
The second half of Sivan, all of Tammuz, and half of Av are the summer season, while
the second half of Av, all of Elul, and the first half of Tishrei are the season of heat.
The baraita adds: Rabbi Yehuda also would divide the year into these six seasons, but he counts from the beginning of Tishrei rather than from the middle. Rabbi Shimon counts from Marḥeshvan, so that Marḥeshvan and Kislev constitute the season of planting, and so on.
The Jewish Book of Days: Introduction, Eight Phases of Growth
This passage (Bava Metzia 106b) is interesting for two reasons: first, because Rabbi Shimon ben Menashya is willing to divide months to make his seasons correspond to the changes he perceives in nature and, second, because the Sages cannot agree on exactly what the six seasons are. Each Sage begins “seed time” in a different place, depending on his own tradition and experience.
If we look carefully at the Jewish calendar, another possible interpretation of Genesis 8:22 appears — another midrash on Jewish time. In fact, the words the Divine speaks to Noah contain eight phrases: seed time, harvest, cold, heat, summer, winter, day, and night. The Sages ignore day and night as irrelevant, but what if we interpreted those phrases more metaphorically and saw them also as seasons?
So, one possible new midrash on the verse in Genesis is:
Tishrei and half of Heshvan: This is called seed time.
Half of Heshvan and Kislev: This is called night.
Tevet and half of Shvat: This is called winter.
Half of Shvat and Adar: This is called cold.
Nisan and half of Iyar: This is called harvest.
Half of Iyar and Sivan: This is called day.
Tamuz and half of Av: This is called summer.
Half of Av and Elul: This is called heat.
This passage (Bava Metzia 106b) is interesting for two reasons: first, because Rabbi Shimon ben Menashya is willing to divide months to make his seasons correspond to the changes he perceives in nature and, second, because the Sages cannot agree on exactly what the six seasons are. Each Sage begins “seed time” in a different place, depending on his own tradition and experience.
If we look carefully at the Jewish calendar, another possible interpretation of Genesis 8:22 appears — another midrash on Jewish time. In fact, the words the Divine speaks to Noah contain eight phrases: seed time, harvest, cold, heat, summer, winter, day, and night. The Sages ignore day and night as irrelevant, but what if we interpreted those phrases more metaphorically and saw them also as seasons?
So, one possible new midrash on the verse in Genesis is:
Tishrei and half of Heshvan: This is called seed time.
Half of Heshvan and Kislev: This is called night.
Tevet and half of Shvat: This is called winter.
Half of Shvat and Adar: This is called cold.
Nisan and half of Iyar: This is called harvest.
Half of Iyar and Sivan: This is called day.
Tamuz and half of Av: This is called summer.
Half of Av and Elul: This is called heat.
The eight stages of the year correspond to eight parts of the tree:
The seed, corresponding to seed time.
The root, buried in the darkness of the soil.
The branch, laid bare in winter.
The sap, beginning to run in the cold season.
The bud, emerging to be harvested in its time.
The leaf, drawing in the light during the long days.
The flower, beginning to fade in the summer sun.
The fruit, ripening in the heat of summer.
The seed, corresponding to seed time.
The root, buried in the darkness of the soil.
The branch, laid bare in winter.
The sap, beginning to run in the cold season.
The bud, emerging to be harvested in its time.
The leaf, drawing in the light during the long days.
The flower, beginning to fade in the summer sun.
The fruit, ripening in the heat of summer.
The Jewish Book of Days is structured around these eight stages of growth, honoring the words of Isaiah 65:22: “Like the days of a tree shall be the days of My people.”
(ח) אֶ֤רֶץ חִטָּה֙ וּשְׂעֹרָ֔ה וְגֶ֥פֶן וּתְאֵנָ֖ה וְרִמּ֑וֹן אֶֽרֶץ־זֵ֥ית שֶׁ֖מֶן וּדְבָֽשׁ׃
(8) a land of wheat and barley, of vines, figs, and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey;
A Dance Through Time
(טו) וְהָעָ֥ם נִחָ֖ם לְבִנְיָמִ֑ן כִּֽי־עָשָׂ֧ה ה׳ פֶּ֖רֶץ בְּשִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (טז) וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ זִקְנֵ֣י הָֽעֵדָ֔ה מַה־נַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה לַנּוֹתָרִ֖ים לְנָשִׁ֑ים כִּֽי־נִשְׁמְדָ֥ה מִבִּנְיָמִ֖ן אִשָּֽׁה׃ (יז) וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ יְרֻשַּׁ֥ת פְּלֵיטָ֖ה לְבִנְיָמִ֑ן וְלֹא־יִמָּחֶ֥ה שֵׁ֖בֶט מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (יח) וַאֲנַ֗חְנוּ לֹ֥א נוּכַ֛ל לָתֵת־לָהֶ֥ם נָשִׁ֖ים מִבְּנוֹתֵ֑ינוּ כִּֽי־נִשְׁבְּע֤וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אָר֕וּר נֹתֵ֥ן אִשָּׁ֖ה לְבִנְיָמִֽן׃ {ס}
(יט) וַיֹּאמְר֡וּ הִנֵּה֩ חַג־ה׳ בְּשִׁל֜וֹ מִיָּמִ֣ים ׀ יָמִ֗ימָה אֲשֶׁ֞ר מִצְּפ֤וֹנָה לְבֵֽית־אֵל֙ מִזְרְחָ֣ה הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ לִ֨מְסִלָּ֔ה הָעֹלָ֥ה מִבֵּֽית־אֵ֖ל שְׁכֶ֑מָה וּמִנֶּ֖גֶב לִלְבוֹנָֽה׃ (כ)(ויצו)[וַיְצַוּ֕וּ] אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י בִנְיָמִ֖ן לֵאמֹ֑ר לְכ֖וּ וַאֲרַבְתֶּ֥ם בַּכְּרָמִֽים׃ (כא) וּרְאִיתֶ֗ם וְ֠הִנֵּ֠ה אִם־יֵ֨צְא֥וּ בְנוֹת־שִׁילוֹ֮ לָח֣וּל בַּמְּחֹלוֹת֒ וִֽיצָאתֶם֙ מִן־הַכְּרָמִ֔ים וַחֲטַפְתֶּ֥ם לָכֶ֛ם אִ֥ישׁ אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ מִבְּנ֣וֹת שִׁיל֑וֹ וַהֲלַכְתֶּ֖ם אֶ֥רֶץ בִּנְיָמִֽן׃
(כב) וְהָיָ֡ה כִּֽי־יָבֹ֣אוּ אֲבוֹתָם֩ א֨וֹ אֲחֵיהֶ֜ם (לרוב)[לָרִ֣יב ׀] אֵלֵ֗ינוּ וְאָמַ֤רְנוּ אֲלֵיהֶם֙ חׇנּ֣וּנוּ אוֹתָ֔ם כִּ֣י לֹ֥א לָקַ֛חְנוּ אִ֥ישׁ אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה כִּ֣י לֹ֥א אַתֶּ֛ם נְתַתֶּ֥ם לָהֶ֖ם כָּעֵ֥ת תֶּאְשָֽׁמוּ׃ {ס}
(כג) וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵן֙ בְּנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֔ן וַיִּשְׂא֤וּ נָשִׁים֙ לְמִסְפָּרָ֔ם מִן־הַמְּחֹלְל֖וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר גָּזָ֑לוּ וַיֵּלְכ֗וּ וַיָּשׁ֙וּבוּ֙ אֶל־נַ֣חֲלָתָ֔ם וַיִּבְנוּ֙ אֶת־הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים וַיֵּשְׁב֖וּ בָּהֶֽם׃ (כד) וַיִּתְהַלְּכ֨וּ מִשָּׁ֤ם בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא אִ֥ישׁ לְשִׁבְט֖וֹ וּלְמִשְׁפַּחְתּ֑וֹ וַיֵּצְא֣וּ מִשָּׁ֔ם אִ֖ישׁ לְנַחֲלָתֽוֹ׃ {פ}
(כה) בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם אֵ֥ין מֶ֖לֶךְ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִ֛ישׁ הַיָּשָׁ֥ר בְּעֵינָ֖יו יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃
(יט) וַיֹּאמְר֡וּ הִנֵּה֩ חַג־ה׳ בְּשִׁל֜וֹ מִיָּמִ֣ים ׀ יָמִ֗ימָה אֲשֶׁ֞ר מִצְּפ֤וֹנָה לְבֵֽית־אֵל֙ מִזְרְחָ֣ה הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ לִ֨מְסִלָּ֔ה הָעֹלָ֥ה מִבֵּֽית־אֵ֖ל שְׁכֶ֑מָה וּמִנֶּ֖גֶב לִלְבוֹנָֽה׃ (כ)(ויצו)[וַיְצַוּ֕וּ] אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י בִנְיָמִ֖ן לֵאמֹ֑ר לְכ֖וּ וַאֲרַבְתֶּ֥ם בַּכְּרָמִֽים׃ (כא) וּרְאִיתֶ֗ם וְ֠הִנֵּ֠ה אִם־יֵ֨צְא֥וּ בְנוֹת־שִׁילוֹ֮ לָח֣וּל בַּמְּחֹלוֹת֒ וִֽיצָאתֶם֙ מִן־הַכְּרָמִ֔ים וַחֲטַפְתֶּ֥ם לָכֶ֛ם אִ֥ישׁ אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ מִבְּנ֣וֹת שִׁיל֑וֹ וַהֲלַכְתֶּ֖ם אֶ֥רֶץ בִּנְיָמִֽן׃
(כב) וְהָיָ֡ה כִּֽי־יָבֹ֣אוּ אֲבוֹתָם֩ א֨וֹ אֲחֵיהֶ֜ם (לרוב)[לָרִ֣יב ׀] אֵלֵ֗ינוּ וְאָמַ֤רְנוּ אֲלֵיהֶם֙ חׇנּ֣וּנוּ אוֹתָ֔ם כִּ֣י לֹ֥א לָקַ֛חְנוּ אִ֥ישׁ אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה כִּ֣י לֹ֥א אַתֶּ֛ם נְתַתֶּ֥ם לָהֶ֖ם כָּעֵ֥ת תֶּאְשָֽׁמוּ׃ {ס}
(כג) וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵן֙ בְּנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֔ן וַיִּשְׂא֤וּ נָשִׁים֙ לְמִסְפָּרָ֔ם מִן־הַמְּחֹלְל֖וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר גָּזָ֑לוּ וַיֵּלְכ֗וּ וַיָּשׁ֙וּבוּ֙ אֶל־נַ֣חֲלָתָ֔ם וַיִּבְנוּ֙ אֶת־הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים וַיֵּשְׁב֖וּ בָּהֶֽם׃ (כד) וַיִּתְהַלְּכ֨וּ מִשָּׁ֤ם בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא אִ֥ישׁ לְשִׁבְט֖וֹ וּלְמִשְׁפַּחְתּ֑וֹ וַיֵּצְא֣וּ מִשָּׁ֔ם אִ֖ישׁ לְנַחֲלָתֽוֹ׃ {פ}
(כה) בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם אֵ֥ין מֶ֖לֶךְ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִ֛ישׁ הַיָּשָׁ֥ר בְּעֵינָ֖יו יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃
(15) Now the people had relented toward Benjamin, for GOD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel. (16) So the elders of the community asked, “What can we do about wives for those who are left, since the women of Benjamin have been killed off?” (17) For they said, “There must be a saving remnant for Benjamin, that a tribe may not be blotted out of Israel; (18) yet we cannot give them any of our daughters as wives,” since the Israelites had taken an oath: “Cursed be anyone who gives a wife to Benjamin!”
(19) They said, “See, there is a feast of GODmi‘yamim yemimah [“annual” / “from time immemorial”] now being held at Shiloh.” (Which lies north of Bethel, east of the highway that runs from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.) (20) So they instructed the Benjaminites as follows: “Go and lie in wait in the vineyards. (21) As soon as you see the daughters of Shiloh coming out to join in the dances, come out from the vineyards; let each of you seize a wife from among the daughters of Shiloh, and be off for the land of Benjamin. (22) And if their fathers or brothers come to us to complain, we shall say to them, ‘Be generous to them for our sake! We could not provide any of them with a wife on account of the war, and you would have incurred guilt if you yourselves had given them [wives].’”
(23) The Benjaminites did so. They took to wife, from the dancers whom they carried off, as many as they themselves numbered. Then they went back to their own territory, and rebuilt their towns and settled in them. (24) Thereupon the Israelites dispersed to their own tribes and clans; everyone departed for their own territory. (25) In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did as they pleased.
(19) They said, “See, there is a feast of GODmi‘yamim yemimah [“annual” / “from time immemorial”] now being held at Shiloh.” (Which lies north of Bethel, east of the highway that runs from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.) (20) So they instructed the Benjaminites as follows: “Go and lie in wait in the vineyards. (21) As soon as you see the daughters of Shiloh coming out to join in the dances, come out from the vineyards; let each of you seize a wife from among the daughters of Shiloh, and be off for the land of Benjamin. (22) And if their fathers or brothers come to us to complain, we shall say to them, ‘Be generous to them for our sake! We could not provide any of them with a wife on account of the war, and you would have incurred guilt if you yourselves had given them [wives].’”
(23) The Benjaminites did so. They took to wife, from the dancers whom they carried off, as many as they themselves numbered. Then they went back to their own territory, and rebuilt their towns and settled in them. (24) Thereupon the Israelites dispersed to their own tribes and clans; everyone departed for their own territory. (25) In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did as they pleased.
אָמַר רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל, לֹא הָיוּ יָמִים טוֹבִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בְּאָב וּכְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, שֶׁבָּהֶן בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם יוֹצְאוֹת בִּכְלֵי לָבָן שְׁאוּלִין, שֶׁלֹּא לְבַיֵּשׁ אֶת מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ. כָּל הַכֵּלִים טְעוּנִין טְבִילָה. וּבְנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם יוֹצְאוֹת וְחוֹלוֹת בַּכְּרָמִים. וּמֶה הָיוּ אוֹמְרוֹת, בָּחוּר, שָׂא נָא עֵינֶיךָ וּרְאֵה, מָה אַתָּה בוֹרֵר לָךְ. אַל תִּתֵּן עֵינֶיךָ בַנּוֹי, תֵּן עֵינֶיךָ בַמִּשְׁפָּחָה. שֶׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי, אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת ה׳ הִיא תִתְהַלָּל (משלי לא). וְאוֹמֵר, תְּנוּ לָהּ מִפְּרִי יָדֶיהָ, וִיהַלְלוּהָ בַשְּׁעָרִים מַעֲשֶׂיהָ. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר, צְאֶינָה וּרְאֶינָה בְּנוֹת צִיּוֹן בַּמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה בָּעֲטָרָה שֶׁעִטְּרָה לּוֹ אִמּוֹ בְּיוֹם חֲתֻנָּתוֹ וּבְיוֹם שִׂמְחַת לִבּוֹ (שיר השירים ג). בְּיוֹם חֲתֻנָּתוֹ, זֶה מַתַּן תּוֹרָה. וּבְיוֹם שִׂמְחַת לִבּוֹ, זֶה בִּנְיַן בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, שֶׁיִּבָּנֶה בִמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינוּ. אָמֵן:
Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: There were no days as joyous for the Jewish people as the fifteenth of Av and as Yom Kippur, as on them the daughters of Jerusalem would go out in white clothes, which each woman borrowed from another. Why were they borrowed? They did this so as not to embarrass one who did not have her own white garments. All the garments that the women borrowed require immersion, as those who previously wore them might have been ritually impure. And the daughters of Jerusalem would go out and dance in the vineyards. And what would they say? Young man, please lift up your eyes and see what you choose for yourself for a wife. Do not set your eyes toward beauty, but set your eyes toward a good family, as the verse states: “Grace is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised” (Proverbs 31:30), and it further says: “Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates” (Proverbs 31:31). And similarly, it says in another verse: “Go forth, daughters of Zion, and gaze upon King Solomon, upon the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, and on the day of the gladness of his heart” (Song of Songs 3:11). This verse is explained as an allusion to special days: “On the day of his wedding”; this is the giving of the Torah through the second set of tablets on Yom Kippur. The name King Solomon in this context, which also means king of peace, is interpreted as a reference to God. “And on the day of the gladness of his heart”; this is the building of the Temple, may it be rebuilt speedily in our days.
The Holiday of Love
Tu b’Av is known as ‘the Jewish holiday of love’ - but in fact it is a much older festival, and it is not really observed today among the festivals of the Jewish calendar, perhaps unsurprisingly, as we shall see. There is something about Tu b’Av which is embarrassing from a Jewish perspective, at least as we think of Judaism today. In the last 2500 years Judaism has travelled no small distance from its original roots, and thus we find a situation in which certain elements of the foundations from which Judaism has evolved become extremely bizarre by the standards of mainstream rabbinic Judaism.
…The earliest mention of this ‘Holiday of Love’ is in the book of Judges… According to the scripture, this is a holiday that was observed ‘from time immemorial’ at Shiloh. … From the book of Judges it seems that even at the time of the settlement of Canaan by the early Israelites this was thought of as an ancient holiday… so we must conjecture that this was a holiday with Canaanite roots which was absorbed, as is the way with folk traditions, into the early tribal Israelite culture.
On that night, in Shilo, the young women would go out to dance in the vineyards, by all appearances a summer festival connected with the grape harvest. The air was warm, the ground dry, the moon full, the grapes laden heavy on the vines, and the lust for life beating hard in the chest. As is well known, without artificial light, women’s menstrual cycles tend to sync with the moon, menstruating at new moon, and thus ovulating at full moon. During ovulation women feel more sexual appetite; the body wants to get pregnant, and the hormonal balance makes women willing to make much riskier choices than usual…
[From the story in Judges we might think this was a one-off and a shameful episode at that. How much more surprising, then, to see how the holiday has been sacralized by the time of the Mishna…]
Is this not astonishing? The young women of Israel would go out to dance in the vineyards and wait for lusty anonymous young men to come along and snatch them up, not knowing who they were or to what stratum of society they belonged? Is it not remarkable that early rabbinic Judaism turned this daring custom into a fixed holiday within the Jewish calendar, and even goes so far as to compare it to Yom Kippur?
- Rabbi Peleh Ezrahi: Chagigah (my slightly loose translation)
Tu b’Av is known as ‘the Jewish holiday of love’ - but in fact it is a much older festival, and it is not really observed today among the festivals of the Jewish calendar, perhaps unsurprisingly, as we shall see. There is something about Tu b’Av which is embarrassing from a Jewish perspective, at least as we think of Judaism today. In the last 2500 years Judaism has travelled no small distance from its original roots, and thus we find a situation in which certain elements of the foundations from which Judaism has evolved become extremely bizarre by the standards of mainstream rabbinic Judaism.
…The earliest mention of this ‘Holiday of Love’ is in the book of Judges… According to the scripture, this is a holiday that was observed ‘from time immemorial’ at Shiloh. … From the book of Judges it seems that even at the time of the settlement of Canaan by the early Israelites this was thought of as an ancient holiday… so we must conjecture that this was a holiday with Canaanite roots which was absorbed, as is the way with folk traditions, into the early tribal Israelite culture.
On that night, in Shilo, the young women would go out to dance in the vineyards, by all appearances a summer festival connected with the grape harvest. The air was warm, the ground dry, the moon full, the grapes laden heavy on the vines, and the lust for life beating hard in the chest. As is well known, without artificial light, women’s menstrual cycles tend to sync with the moon, menstruating at new moon, and thus ovulating at full moon. During ovulation women feel more sexual appetite; the body wants to get pregnant, and the hormonal balance makes women willing to make much riskier choices than usual…
[From the story in Judges we might think this was a one-off and a shameful episode at that. How much more surprising, then, to see how the holiday has been sacralized by the time of the Mishna…]
Is this not astonishing? The young women of Israel would go out to dance in the vineyards and wait for lusty anonymous young men to come along and snatch them up, not knowing who they were or to what stratum of society they belonged? Is it not remarkable that early rabbinic Judaism turned this daring custom into a fixed holiday within the Jewish calendar, and even goes so far as to compare it to Yom Kippur?
- Rabbi Peleh Ezrahi: Chagigah (my slightly loose translation)
Ašūru Ra’ši Yêni, Festival of New Wine and Grape Harvest
This festival occurs in the full moon of the lunar month of Ra’ši Yêni (late August through early September), during the time of the grape harvest. Ancient texts note that a bunch of grapes is offered to ’Ilu on the day of the new moon. The festival itself takes place over the course of the full moon, or the thirteenth through the twenty-first days of the month. The Ugaritans make animal and material good offerings throughout this seven-day festival. ..… Ra’ši Yêni means ‘new wine,’ and that’s exactly what the Canaanites would have been making from the grape harvest. It’s also a good time to announce any marriage proposals for the coming year.
- Tess Dawson: Whispers of Stone, Modern Canaanite Religion
This festival occurs in the full moon of the lunar month of Ra’ši Yêni (late August through early September), during the time of the grape harvest. Ancient texts note that a bunch of grapes is offered to ’Ilu on the day of the new moon. The festival itself takes place over the course of the full moon, or the thirteenth through the twenty-first days of the month. The Ugaritans make animal and material good offerings throughout this seven-day festival. ..… Ra’ši Yêni means ‘new wine,’ and that’s exactly what the Canaanites would have been making from the grape harvest. It’s also a good time to announce any marriage proposals for the coming year.
- Tess Dawson: Whispers of Stone, Modern Canaanite Religion
Rabbi Dovber Pinson - Tamuz and Av
“On this day of the Divine ‘conception’ of the world, there is an extra spiritual flow of love, making it an opportune moment to seek out and open oneself to love and connection with others. Ultimately, it is love that returns us to integral relationship and holistic unity.”
“The existential state of dejection, alienation, separation, poverty and exile that one experiences on Tisha b’Av is meant to bring one to a higher state of love, unity and redemption. The emptier the vessel, the more it can be filled.”
“On this day of the Divine ‘conception’ of the world, there is an extra spiritual flow of love, making it an opportune moment to seek out and open oneself to love and connection with others. Ultimately, it is love that returns us to integral relationship and holistic unity.”
“The existential state of dejection, alienation, separation, poverty and exile that one experiences on Tisha b’Av is meant to bring one to a higher state of love, unity and redemption. The emptier the vessel, the more it can be filled.”
תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הַגָּדוֹל אוֹמֵר: שְׁנֵי נְחָלִים יֵשׁ בְּבִקְעַת יָדַיִם, אֶחָד מוֹשֵׁךְ אֵילָךְ, וְאֶחָד מוֹשֵׁךְ אֵילָךְ, וְשִׁיעֲרוּ חֲכָמִים שְׁנֵי חֲלָקִים מַיִם וְאֶחָד דָּם. בְּמַתְנִיתָא תָּנָא: שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים בָּצְרוּ גּוֹיִם אֶת כַּרְמֵיהֶן מִדָּמָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּלֹא זֶבֶל.
Likewise [regarding the destruction of Beitar, the culmination of the Roman conquest of Israel]: it was taught in a baraita: For seven years the gentiles harvested their vineyards that had been soaked with the blood of Israel without requiring any additional fertilizer.
