Dear Friend,
You are part of a growing community of women joining together monthly on Rosh Chodesh for inspiration and connection.
This month, Chodesh Cheshvan is also known as Chodesh MarCheshvan. Why? The classic answer is that it is a bitter month without any holidays. The Pri Chadash (Even Ha'ezer 126:7) offers an alternative explanation. The name Mar Cheshvan is based on the fact that it is the beginning of the rainy season. The Targum translates "mar" as "tipah", a drop, in the verse "Hen goyim k'mar midli — Behold, the nations are as a drop of [water from] a bucket" (Isaiah 40:15). The name suggests a rainy Cheshvan rather than a bitter Cheshvan. Notice that the word mar is a drop in the bucket. Our efforts in taking the holiness of Tishrei may feel overwhelming. Our approach in transitioning to reality needs to be one drop at a time. Change happens slowly but many little drops eventually add up to rain. Just as each drop counts, each of our actions make a difference.
Please join the OU Women's Initiative at ouwomen.org/rc on October 16 at 12 noon EST for our virtual Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan shiur with Dr. Julie Joseph.
Julie Joseph, Ed.D. is the Educational Director for Project Inspire Long Island and an Educator at the Project Inspire retreats. She provides monthly Torah-related classes at the Jewish Center of Atlantic Beach. Additionally, Julie is a fellow in Ohr Torah Stones's Women's International Halakha program. She is a popular educator and author, has taught at several high schools, and served as an adjunct professor at Stern College for Women, teaching medieval Jewish life in both Ashkenaz and Sefarad. Julie holds a master's in medieval Jewish history from New York University and a master's in Jewish studies from Touro Graduate School. She is also a recipient of a doctorate in Jewish education from Yeshiva University where she studied peer-victimization in Modern-Orthodox Middle School programs. Julie authored a memoir titled, Am I My Mother's Daughter: A Search for Identity and Jewish Women's Literacy in Eastern Europe During the 18th and 19th Centuries in Poland. She lives in Lawrence, NY.
Chodesh Tov,
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