TEVET

The mazal, or constellation, for Tevet is a goat.

The tenth of Tevet is a fast day to remember the attack by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnetzar on Jerusalem. In the Northern hemisphere, Tevet is a cold, winter month when the days are short and darkness comes early.

Rosh Chodesh Tevet falls on the sixth or seventh night of Chanukah. (This depends on the year. See Appendix, "Days of the Month" in Celebrating the New Moon: A Rosh Chodesh Anthology for a fuller explanation.) Matia Angelou's poem "New Moon for the Daughters" incorporates the themes of this holiday into the lighting of the Chanukah menorah.

Rabbi Vicki Hollander reflects:

"Tevet lies like a blanket upon the earth.
If you look closely you can see her
rise and fall with earth's barely noticeable sleepy breath.

Tevet teaches that,
just as one learns to see at night,
waits while our eyes empty
of light, and then adjusts,
only then we can see that which cannot be seen
at the very first.
Only then can one find one's way through darkness.
Only through the creation of empty spaces
can room be made to receive the new."

This month, with the long dark evenings, is a time to reflect on darkness and light. What are the dark and light moments in our lives and how do we use each of them as holy moments of growth? There are two types of exile - spiritual and geographic. How do they intersect with each other? Write a letter to God describing your exile.

Women's Yahrzeits:

Lina Morgenstern -3rd of Tevet(1830-1909) was a German feminist, writer and peace activist who called for the first International Women's Congress in Berlin in 1896.

Sara Herzog -15th of Tevet (1897-1979) was a social welfare advocate and president of Israel's National Women's Religious Organization.

Lily Montague -25th of Tevet (1873-1963) was the founder of both the Liberal movement in England and the World Union of Progressive Judaism. She was also the spiritual leader of the West Central Liberal Jewish Congregation in London.

Rosh Chodesh Tevet*
Matia Rania Angelou

Gather in the darkness of the moon,
dark as skin of African sisters
who gently cradle Torah scrolls,
tenderly kiss and pass them on.

Gather on the New Moon of the Daughters,
a night to honor women,
to remember women's lives
and their courage during hard times.

Light these flames.
Tiny sparks catch and burn,
reminding us that in the heart of darkness
is the greatest light.

Light one flame for Judith
whose wisdom and courage shine through the ages.

Light the second for the Maccabean mother
who kept her faith as her sons were killed for freedom.

The third flame is for all women
expelled from their homes, wandering to settle once more.

Light the fourth for young women, lives unfulfilled,
murdered by Nazi madness.

And the fifth for Ethiopian sisters
whose children were stolen as slaves.

Light the sixth flame for grandmothers
who taught us how to be women.

And the seventh one for all of us
who strive to discover the truth in the darkness.

The eighth, as yet unlit, is for our unborn daughters,
the light and hope of the future.

As the new moon of Tevet waxes from darkness to fullness, let us remember the women before us who taught the lessons of life. May we find meaning in the darkness and truth in the light. These tiny sparks, each one alone so small, burn together with a brightness beautiful to behold. May they burn ever brighter, increasing our strength and courage. Blessed are You God, Who separates darkness and light, honoring both.

* Rosh Chodesh Tevet, depending on the year and whether Kislev has 29 or 30 days, may fall on the seventh night or eighth night of Chanukah. Rosh Chodesh Tevet may be a one or two day Rosh Chodesh, again depending on the year, so this candle-lighting should be recited for the seventh night of Chanukah. For a fuller understanding of the holiday, "New Moon for the Daughters," see Leah Novick's chapter, "The History of Rosh Chodesh and its Evolution as a Woman's Holiday" in Celebrating the New Moon: A Rosh Chodesh Anthology, Edited by Susan Berrin (Jason Aronson Publishers).
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Matia Angelou is a poet and singer who uses her voice as part of a Jewish women's healing group. Matia is an educational consultant, giving workshops on Jewish values and prayer, writing and women's spirituality. Dedicated to exploring the various forms of women's spiritual expression, she has helped create life-cycle ceremonies for Jewish women using Kos Miriam, The Cup of Miriam.

Matia has been an active member of a Rosh Chodesh group for many years. Because of her interest in creating a safe space for women to learn and grow spiritually, she founded Nishmat haNashim, and has also helped birth many Rosh Chodesh and meditation groups.

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