Soul Searching

We are now in the Hebrew month of Cheshvan , the month following all our “big” holidays filled with beautiful music, festive meals, dramatic prayers, and personal accounting. For many of us, the month of Tishrei brings a spiritual high with time for introspection, communal gatherings, and celebration. And then comes the month of Cheshvan .

The name of this month was originally Marcheshvan , from the Akkadian, meaning “the eighth month.” However, our rabbis separated the word into Mar Cheshvan , and it took on a different meaning.

The word “mar” means “bitter,” and it describes the month of Cheshvan

because it is the only month in which there are no Jewish holidays other than Shabbat. The month of Cheshvan can feel a bit anticlimactic after our majestic fall holidays, but one could also argue that Cheshvan is not bitter at all.

During the holiday of Sukkot , we read from the book of Ecclesiastes which teaches: “There is a time for everything, a season for every experience under heaven.” Indeed, there is a time for grand holidays, and then there is a time to get to work. Cheshvan is our time to return to the routines of daily life and the real work of living.

At the end of Shabbat each week, we praise the Holy One who makes a distinction between Kodesh v’chol , the holiness of Shabbat and the regular days of the week. Even though we might be sad that Shabbat is ending, there is nothing bitter about the other days of the week, especially not if we use them wisely. The same is true for the month of Cheshvan . We might even be grateful for some quiet meals (and no extra days off school for our kids). Now is the time to roll up our sleeves and get to work.

Rabbi Reni Dickman is Executive Vice President of the Chicago Board of Rabbis and Senior Jewish Educator of JUF.