Cheshvan is often referred to as MarCheshvan, mar meaning bitter. Why is this month referred to as "bitter"? You might think that Chodesh Av should be the bitter month - MarAv, why is Cheshvan bitter? As we transition away from all the Chagim, we enter a month bereft of holidays. Without spiritual touchpoints, our days become bitter. Even Chodesh Av has a spiritual touchpoint, albeit a sad one. A sorrowful connection is better than none - at least we are connecting. The lesson of MarCheshvan is that we each need spiritual touchpoints in our month, in our day. A month without connection is truly a bitter month.
Please join the OU Women's Initiative at ou.org/women/rc on Wednesday, October 26 at 12 noon EST for our virtual Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan shiur with Prof. Adina Broder.
Adina Broder, MS, JD, is a professor at Touro Graduate School of Education and a Judaic Studies teacher at Shulamith High School for Girls. She gives workshops on various pedagogical topics and is the author of Meaningful Kinnos, Meaningful Viduy and Viduy Booklet for Kids.
All the best,
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