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ShareLife is born and life moves on and the earth has held and will hold it all.
The sun rises and the sun sets and returns again to rise and fall.
The wind turns south and the wind turns north, turning, turning, returning still.
The rivers run from the clouds to the sea and become the rain, and the sea is never filled.
So the beginning moves to the end and the end flows on to begin again.
The one at the end is the one who begins and the breath of breath is within all things.
Recording by Shoshana Jedwab and Daniel Ori
(כב) בֶּן בַּג בַּג אוֹמֵר, הֲפֹךְ בָּהּ וַהֲפֹךְ בָּהּ, דְּכֹלָּא בָהּ. וּבָהּ תֶּחֱזֵי, וְסִיב וּבְלֵה בָהּ, וּמִנַּהּ לֹא תָזוּעַ, שֶׁאֵין לְךָ מִדָּה טוֹבָה הֵימֶנָּה:
(22) Ben Bag Bag said: Turn it over, and [again] turn it over, for all is therein. And look into it; And become gray and old therein; And do not move away from it, for you have no better portion than it.
Sefer Yetzirah’s Seasonal Correspondences
המליך אות נ' בריח
וקשר לו כתר
וצר בו עקרב בעולם
ומרחשוון בשנה
ודקין (מעיים) בנפש
זכר ונקבה.
[God] caused the letter נ nun to reign over the domain of Smell,
attached to it a crown, and formed its correspondences:
Aligned it with the Scorpion [Scorpio] in the cosmos,
Marcheshvan in the year,
and the intestines [others: spleen] in the living being,
male and female.
Nun and Scorpio: Descent and Ascent
Scorpio is the fixed water sign, combining the emotional depth of water with the steadfastness and determination of the fixed modality. This means Scorpios are emotionally intense, persistent, and often private, with a strong focus on transformation and psychological depth. Scorpios are known for their intensity, passion, and ability to dive into topics others avoid, like the darker aspects of life, transformation, and death.
The Scorpion: The initial, more primal stage, focused on the material world and power struggles.
The Eagle: The second stage, where the individual gains wisdom, intuition, and a broader perspective.
The Phoenix: The final stage, a state of being reborn from the destructive phases of the previous stages (Scorpion and Eagle), shedding attachments, and moving towards empathy, compassion, and wisdom.
(א) וְהַנָּחָשׁ֙ הָיָ֣ה עָר֔וּם מִכֹּל֙ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה ה׳ אֱלֹקִ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה אַ֚ף כִּֽי־אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹקִ֔ים לֹ֣א תֹֽאכְל֔וּ מִכֹּ֖ל עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן׃
(1) Now the serpent was the shrewdest עָר֔וּם of all the wild beasts that God ה׳ had made. It said to the woman, “Did God really say: You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?”
in Pr, in good sense (opp. אֱוִיל, כְּסִיל, פֶּתִי); as attrib. אָדָם עָרוּם Pr 12:23 a shrewd or sensible man; ע׳ as subst. = id., v 16; 13:16, so חָכְמַת ע׳ 14:8; = prudent man 14:15; 22:3; 27:12; pl. עֲרוּמִים 14:18.
(יג) מַֽלְכוּתְךָ֗ מַלְכ֥וּת כׇּל־עֹלָמִ֑ים וּ֝מֶֽמְשַׁלְתְּךָ֗ בְּכׇל־דּ֥וֹר וָדֹֽר׃
(יד) סוֹמֵ֣ךְ ה׳ לְכׇל־הַנֹּפְלִ֑ים וְ֝זוֹקֵ֗ף לְכׇל־הַכְּפוּפִֽים׃
(13) מ Your kingship is an eternal kingship; Your dominion is for all generations.
(14) ס The LORD supports all who stumble, and makes all who are bent stand straight.
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: מִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא נֶאֱמַר נוּן בְּ״אַשְׁרֵי״ — מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ מַפַּלְתָּן שֶׁל שׂוֹנְאֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב: ״נָפְלָה לֹא תוֹסִיף קוּם בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל״.
Additionally, with regard to this psalm, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Why is there no verse beginning with the letter nun in Ashrei (Ps.145)? Because it contains an allusion to the downfall of the enemies of Israel, a euphemism for Israel itself. As it is written: “The Maiden Israel has fallen and she will rise no more; abandoned in her land, none will raise her up” (Amos 5:2), which begins with the letter nun. Due to this verse, Ashrei does not include a verse beginning with the letter nun.
Every month has something in particular that we have to work on, and in Cheshvan our work is to strengthen ourselves and get up if we have fallen down.
(טז) כִּ֤י שֶׁ֨בַע ׀ יִפּ֣וֹל צַדִּ֣יק וָקָ֑ם וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים יִכָּשְׁל֥וּ בְרָעָֽה׃
(16) Seven times the righteous person falls and gets up, While the wicked are tripped by one misfortune.
Marcheshvan, Chodesh Bul and the Hidden Holidays
(לח) וּבַשָּׁנָה֩ הָאַחַ֨ת עֶשְׂרֵ֜ה בְּיֶ֣רַח בּ֗וּל ה֚וּא הַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשְּׁמִינִ֔י כָּלָ֣ה הַבַּ֔יִת לְכׇל־דְּבָרָ֖יו וּלְכׇל־מִשְׁפָּטָ֑ו וַיִּבְנֵ֖הוּ שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִֽים׃
(38) and in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul—that is, the eighth month—the House [i.e. the Temple] was completed according to all its details and all its specifications. It took him [King Solomon] seven years to build it.
משיח = 358 = Mashiach / messiah / anointed one
Intuition, Smell and Ultimate Redemption
(כ) וַיִּ֥בֶן נֹ֛חַ מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לַֽה׳ וַיִּקַּ֞ח מִכֹּ֣ל ׀ הַבְּהֵמָ֣ה הַטְּהֹרָ֗ה וּמִכֹּל֙ הָע֣וֹף הַטָּה֔וֹר וַיַּ֥עַל עֹלֹ֖ת בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ (כא)וַיָּ֣רַח ה׳ אֶת־רֵ֣יחַ הַנִּיחֹ֒חַ֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה׳ אֶל־לִבּ֗וֹ לֹֽא־אֹ֠סִ֠ף לְקַלֵּ֨ל ע֤וֹד אֶת־הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ בַּעֲב֣וּר הָֽאָדָ֔ם כִּ֠י יֵ֣צֶר לֵ֧ב הָאָדָ֛ם רַ֖ע מִנְּעֻרָ֑יו וְלֹֽא־אֹסִ֥ף ע֛וֹד לְהַכּ֥וֹת אֶת־כׇּל־חַ֖י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִֽׂיתִי׃
(20) Then Noah built an altar to ה׳ and, taking of every pure animal and of every pure bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar. (21)ה׳ smelled the pleasing odor, and ה׳ resolved: “Never again will I doom the earth because of humankind, since the devisings of the human mind are evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living being, as I have done.”
Intuition is thought of in Kabbalah as an offshoot of the sense of smell. The elevated aspect of smell is what enables us to ‘sniff out’ someone or something and discern a great deal about them, despite these things being outside of what we can see. ..…
The sense of smell is incredibly refined and extraordinary. [Whereas the other senses require direct physical contact], to smell something one just needs to breathe.
The Talmud associates the sense of smell with ‘soul nourishment.’ This is why the sages establish that on motzei Shabbat, when we feel down because our neshama yetera / extra soul is departing, it is appropriate to smell fragrant herbs in order to cheer our spirits up. There is a rich connection between the sense of smell and the neshama / soul. ..…
from Rabbi Peleh Ezrahi: Chagigah
(א) וְיָצָ֥א חֹ֖טֶר מִגֵּ֣זַע יִשָׁ֑י וְנֵ֖צֶר מִשׇּׁרָשָׁ֥יו יִפְרֶֽה׃ (ב) וְנָחָ֥ה עָלָ֖יו ר֣וּחַ ה׳ ר֧וּחַ חׇכְמָ֣ה וּבִינָ֗ה ר֤וּחַ עֵצָה֙ וּגְבוּרָ֔ה ר֥וּחַ דַּ֖עַת וְיִרְאַ֥ת ה׳׃ (ג) וַהֲרִיח֖וֹ בְּיִרְאַ֣ת ה׳ וְלֹֽא־לְמַרְאֵ֤ה עֵינָיו֙ יִשְׁפּ֔וֹט וְלֹא־לְמִשְׁמַ֥ע אׇזְנָ֖יו יוֹכִֽיחַ׃
(1)But a shoot shall grow out of the stump of Jesse, A twig shall sprout from his stock.(2)The spirit of GOD shall alight upon him: A spirit of wisdom and insight, A spirit of counsel and valor, A spirit of devotion and reverence for GOD. (3)He shall sense [lit: smell] the truth through his reverence for GOD: He shall not judge by what his eyes behold, Nor decide by what his ears perceive.
אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה: הַאי מַאן דְּנָפֵיק בְּיוֹמֵי נִיסָן וְחָזֵי אִילָנֵי דְּקָא מְלַבְלְבִי, אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ שֶׁלֹּא חִיסֵּר בְּעוֹלָמוֹ כְּלוּם וּבָרָא בּוֹ בְּרִיּוֹת טוֹבוֹת וְאִילָנוֹת טוֹבוֹת לְהִתְנָאוֹת בָּהֶן בְּנֵי אָדָם״. אָמַר רַב זוּטְרָא בַּר טוֹבִיָּה אָמַר רַב: מִנַּיִן שֶׁמְּבָרְכִין עַל הָרֵיחַ? — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כֹּל הַנְּשָׁמָה תְּהַלֵּל יָהּ״. אֵיזֶהוּ דָּבָר שֶׁהַנְּשָׁמָה נֶהֱנֵית מִמֶּנּוּ וְאֵין הַגּוּף נֶהֱנֶה מִמֶּנּוּ? — הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר: זֶה הָרֵיחַ.
On a related topic, the Gemara cites that Rav Yehuda said: One who goes out during Nisan and sees trees that are blossoming recites: Blessed…who has withheld nothing from His world, and has created in it beautiful creatures and trees for human beings to enjoy. Rav Zutra bar Toviya said that Rav said: From where is it derived that one recites a blessing over scent? As it is stated: “Let every soul praise the Lord” (Psalms 150:6). He explains the verse:What is it from which the soul derives benefit and the body does not derive benefit from it? You must say: That is scent. Even over items from which only the soul derives benefit, one must recite a blessing and praise God.
(יז) יְהִ֤י שְׁמ֨וֹ ׀ לְֽעוֹלָ֗ם לִפְנֵי־שֶׁמֶשׁ֮ (ינין)[יִנּ֢וֹן] שְׁ֫מ֥וֹ וְיִתְבָּ֥רְכוּ ב֑וֹ כׇּל־גּוֹיִ֥ם יְאַשְּׁרֽוּהוּ׃
(17) May his name be eternal; while the sun lasts, may his name endure; let men invoke his blessedness upon themselves; let all nations count him happy.
י - נ - ו - ן
(כ) וַיִּ֥בֶן נֹ֛חַ מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לַֽה׳ וַיִּקַּ֞ח מִכֹּ֣ל ׀ הַבְּהֵמָ֣ה הַטְּהֹרָ֗ה וּמִכֹּל֙ הָע֣וֹף הַטָּה֔וֹר וַיַּ֥עַל עֹלֹ֖ת בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ (כא)וַיָּ֣רַח ה׳ אֶת־רֵ֣יחַ הַנִּיחֹ֒חַ֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה׳ אֶל־לִבּ֗וֹ לֹֽא־אֹ֠סִ֠ף לְקַלֵּ֨ל ע֤וֹד אֶת־הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ בַּעֲב֣וּר הָֽאָדָ֔ם כִּ֠י יֵ֣צֶר לֵ֧ב הָאָדָ֛ם רַ֖ע מִנְּעֻרָ֑יו וְלֹֽא־אֹסִ֥ף ע֛וֹד לְהַכּ֥וֹת אֶת־כׇּל־חַ֖י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִֽׂיתִי׃
(20) Then Noah built an altar to ה׳ and, taking of every pure animal and of every pure bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar. (21)ה׳ smelled the pleasing odor, and ה׳ resolved: “Never again will I doom the earth because of humankind, since the devisings of the human mind are evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living being, as I have done.”
