SKG Articles: Shvat

Each month of the Hebrew calendar contains mystical meaning.
Shvat teaches us about the wellsprings of wisdom.

The word shvat is related to the Hebrew word for a staff or rod. A staff can be used as a symbol
of power, or as a cane to lean on. It serves a master. This is an underlying theme of the month.
The constellation associated with Shvat is the water bucket. This symbol also represents an
object that serves someone. It draws water. In secular astrology, the symbol is not the bucket
but the carrier. (This is one of two out of 12 signs of the zodiac that differ slightly from secular
astrology signs.)

The symbolism of the water bucket is very important. A bucket has but one function, design,
and purpose: to draw and carry water. That is, to be a vessel of transmission. Its whole
essence is one of serving. It is not an end unto itself. It is meant to be a vehicle for something
else.

Water, in many places throughout Jewish thought, is a metaphor for the wisdom of Torah.
There are a number of qualities that water has, which are conceptually parallel to Torah.
One of the qualities of water is that it always flows to the lowest spot. How is this parallel to
Torah? The out-pouring of wisdom that comes from God rests on the most humble personality.
The more selfless a person is, the more wisdom flows toward him. If a person devotes himself to
ideals, to living truth, to helping others... then he becomes a vessel fitting to receive the
Torah's wisdom.

This sign, known as Aquarius, is the sign of the Jewish people. Just as a person is designated
by a sign of the zodiac, so to nations also have a sign designated to them.
The natural element is associated with Shvat is wind. Out of the four elements (wind, earth,
water, and fire), wind is the least tangible. It often acts as a conduit for other things. It
transports moisture, and brings seedlings and other particles of nature from one location to
another. Earth, fire and water are more important for what they are, than for what they do.
The tribe of Asher is kabbalistically associated with Shvat. Asher in Hebrew grammar connects
the subject of a sentence to a verb. It supports the subject. This is another example of Shvat's
relationship to being subordinate to a master.

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS

All of these points suggest that the month of Shvat is prone to be a conduit for us. A
stepping-stone to the next step in our lives.

Many things in a person's life can be looked at from two viewpoints. One view looks at the act
itself. The other view is how the act is a means to an end. For example, I may enjoy playing
tennis once a week for the pure enjoyment of the game, the exercise, or the company of my
playing partner. However, I can also use my weekly tennis game as a means to keep me
physically healthy, which gives my whole life more enjoyment, which allows me to serve God
with more vigor and joy.

That second viewpoint is not a contradiction to the first view. It's an added, more elevated
outlook that makes my tennis playing a more powerful spiritual experience.

The letter kabbalistically associated with Shvat is the tzadi, otherwise known as the tzaddik.
That word in Hebrew also means righteous one. One of the qualities of the tzaddik is that he
uses all of his activities for a higher purpose. When he eats, it is not just to enjoy the food. He
eats in order to better serve his creator. The Talmud says, A righteous person eats to satisfy
his soul.

Coincidentally, the human attribute kabbalistically associated with Shvat is eating. This daily
experience is connected with the first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve -- not to
eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. Through eating, we have a daily opportunity to correct a
part of our soul, so deep and intrinsic that it reaches back into the Garden of Eden.
Shvat is a month to focus on this idea of using your normal daily behavior as a medium for
spirituality. This month, think through your work, play, exercise, eating, reading, etc. -- and
focus on the spiritual side of them.

Source: Kabbalah Made Easy
By: Max Weiman