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As you tap into the cyclical wisdom of the Hebrew calendar, you quickly learn that each month has its own spiritual energy. Nissan is a time of liberation. Iyar is a time of healing. And so on.
Much of the wisdom about the Hebrew calendar’s spiritual energies comes from a text called Sefer Yetzirah, known as the “Book of Creation.” What do we know about this book, and what can we learn from it?
This ancient Jewish mystical text explores the metaphysical principles of creation. It describes the formation of the universe through the interplay of Hebrew letters, numbers, and divine qualities (known as the sefirot).
For example, in a cryptic sentence about the month of Shvat it reads: “He made the letter tzadi king over taste, and He tied a crown to it and He combined one with another and with them He formed Aquarius in the Universe and Shvat in the year, and the esophagus in the soul male and female” (Sefer Yetzirah 5:2).
From this short sentence, the Sages unpack all sorts of mysterious energies and teachings about the month of Shvat: the corresponding Hebrew letter that gives energy to the month (tzadi), the sense of the month (tasting), the Zodiac (Aquarius, or D’li in Hebrew), and the body part (esophagus).
Thus we can see Shvat as a time to focus on how we eat, to bring more intention and consideration to what nourishes us. This connects beautifully to one of the month’s holidays, Tu B’Shvat, when we savor luscious fruits with a ceremony celebrating the flavorful abundance of the Creator’s world..
This powerful and cryptic text is also the subject of some debate. Sefer Yetzirah was mentioned in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 65b), but scholars disagree on the text’s specific age and authorship.
Traditionally, Sefer Yetzirah is said to have been written by the patriarch Abraham (about 1800 BCE). Others date the text back to after the destruction of the First Temple, in the 1st century CE. Others argue the original version dates back to the time of the Mishnah, the 2nd century CE. And some scholars date the book relatively more recently, between the 6th and 9th century CE (Marla Segol, Peter Hayman, Elliot Wolfson, etc).
The location where Sefer Yetzirah was written is also debated. Scholars suggest it may have come from Israel, Egypt, or North Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq and Syria).
Regardless of what school of thought you agree with, the teachings of this text provide us with powerful guidance on where to direct our energy for healing, month by month.
This text is also truly universal. In Jewish tradition, it’s common that some teachings, laws, or obligations are specific to the Jewish community and not required of all people. But Sefer Yetzirah is unique because, in the words of Joseph Dan, “there is not one [statement] in the book that divides between” those who are Jewish and those who aren’t.
In other words, our tradition teaches that the energies of the Hebrew months have an impact on your life and inner world, no matter your spiritual or religious background.
At The Well is lifting up these ancient teachings, and other Jewish wisdom that can support you in living a life of balance, connection, and wholeness.
One of the lines I love most from Sefer Yetzirah is one of its most famous: “The beginning is wedged in the end” (1:7). This simple sentence encapsulates the cyclic nature of existence. This perspective can influence how you approach each month, viewing it not merely as a unit of time but as part of an interconnected cosmic cycle.
One we approach an ending, something falls away, and yet something emerges. Every moon cycle goes through these rhythms: the new moon marks a beginning, the waxing moon grows and fills up until the full moon, the peak of the cycle.
Yet, we cannot remain in our fullness, as the moon reminds us. The moon wanes, emptying out, closing a cycle, and yet begins again anew.
What is above, so is below.
To learn more about the spiritual energy of each month, get your copy of Moon by Moon: A Guided Journal for a Year of Well-Being. Each month’s journaling practices includes teachings and prompts that make the cryptic wisdom of Sefer Yetzirah easy to integrate.
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At The Well uplifts many approaches to Jewish practice. Our community draws on ancient Jewish wisdom, sometimes adapting longstanding practices to more deeply support the well-being of women and nonbinary people. See this article’s sources below. We believe Torah (sacred teachings) are always unfolding to help answer the needs of the present moment.
Sefer Yetzirah: The Book of Creation by Aryeh Kaplan
Return to the Place: The Magic, Meditation, and Mystery of Sefer Yetzirah by Rabbi Jill Hammer
The Ars Poetica of the Sefer Yetzirah by Yehudah Liebes
Points of Similarity between the Exposition of the Doctrine Homilies: The Implications of this Resemblance by Shlomo Pines
The Ancient Jewish Mysticism by Joseph Dan
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Jenna has creatively infused Jewish mystic teachings from the cyclical Hebrew calendar into wellness practices for over 10 years. Jenna’s passion is teaching embodiment practices that help women anchor to Jewish time in a healing and connective way. She believes that each Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) is an open invitation to discover our most authentic, deep selves. With the guidance of the Hebrew calendar, time becomes a vessel to be filled with spirituality, intentions, and purpose. As a celebrated teacher of Jewish Mysticism, Yoga, and Mindfulness, Jenna humbly draws forth great wisdom from her root-teachers and ancestors.
Outside of work as the Jewish Education Director of At The Well, you can find Jenna trekking in the mountains with her psychotherapist and qigong-loving husband and two small boys.
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