SKG Articles: The Three Weeks

By Mindy Ribner of Beit Miriam

On July 13, 2006, we will enter into a period that is known as the Three Weeks which marks the time
from which the walls of Jerusalem were breeched and our Holy Temples I and II were destroyed on
the 9th day of the month of Av. "The Three Weeks " are a somber time for reflection, a time for
being with yourself on deeper levels of being. It is also a time to be with people with an open loving
heart.

This is a time when anger can easily flare up and we can be so quick to judging so we have to be
particularly mindful and open hearted. It is said that the months are divided between Esau and
Jacob and this month of Tammuz is in the domain of Esau. Though the sun is shining brightly at this
time, perhaps it seems it is too hot, spiritually this is a challenging time for the Jewish people and for
individuals who carry the light.

First, it is important that we have to know that nothing happens by accident. Nothing is random. We
can cry to heaven, and ask why is this happening to me, why is this happening to the world and feel
a little bit like a victim, but then we have to find stillness within so that we can listen deeply and
receive the answers to our questions. Sometimes, we will gain insight and sometimes we will simply
learn to be with the questions of our lives with love and compassion and that itself will bring much
healing. Everything is for good, even our challenging times. When we are in the midst of a
challenging time, it is not always clear to us what the growth, what the gift is within the challenge. A
woman cries out when she is in labor giving birth, but she forgets about her birthing pain when she
holds the child in her hands.

During the Three Weeks, we commemorate the waiting period before the destruction of the Holy
Temple, and the expulsion of the people from the Holy Land. That must have been such an intense
time of great soul searching. The Holy Temple was a container of great spiritual light but the people
did not have the vessels for it so it was destroyed and the people were scattered all over the world.
The destruction of the Holy Temple is symbolic of the schism that is present between the physical
and spiritual dimensions of life. When the Holy Temple is restored, in its right time, the divine
source of blessing will flow bringing harmony to all levels of being to the entire world.

Now today, we are in the waiting period for the expulsion or rather I was advised to say from a Beit
Miriam reader, the relocation of the Jewish people from Gaza. Whether you are for or against the
disengagement, it has to break your heart. If you have seen the land and talked to the people who
live there, all the more so. Prime Minister Sharon initially planned to wait until after the Three Weeks
to do this but now because of the massive demonstrations, he may actually do it during the Three
Weeks. It makes you wonder what is really happening here and why.

Our sages told us that we lost the Holy Temple because we did not love each other enough. I
believe that if the Jewish people are united, we would have no external enemy. Now as in the times
in the past when the Jews faced great enemies we are not together, we are divided. The root of our
problems personal and collective is that we do not love each other enough. So we need to love
more. This sounds so simple but how do we do it?

First we need to purify ourselves to remove the obstacles for love, all the blockages, all the
defenses we have developed that keep us protected and blocked. This is a lot of inner work and
this is what this month of Tammuz is about. We then need to become holy vessels who can receive,
contain and radiate the light of God . We need to be constantly filling ourselves with mitzvot, learning
Torah, prayer and learning to truly love ourselves and God. And we also need to create forums for
interaction between all kinds of Jews as well as non-Jews. There are gatherings to bring Arabs and
Jews together in meaningful prayerful dialogue, there needs to be gatherings for Jews to be with
Jews who are different than themselves, where we learn to listen to each other deeply with open
hearts. This is what I try to do with Beit Miriam.

During these Three Weeks we need to pause and give ourselves the gift of stillness, prayer and
meditation. If we are still, vulnerable and open ourselves to receive, we will receive heavenly support
and healing this month. This is a challenging time but also a very exciting time to be a student of
kabbalah. The doors are open for those who want to participate in this spiritual rebirth that is
happening in our time. To be connected, you need to pray, meditate, learn Torah, and do mitzvot
and it is important to go to Israel. There is a great blessing pouring down for those who can plug
into it.

It is a great blessing to be connected to the Land of Israel. I loved being in Israel and encourage
everyone to go. there. The Beit Miriam trip was so wonderful. Not only was it great fun, I literally saw
people transformed and glowing by the end of the trip. Because the first Beit Miriam trip was so
successful on so many levels, I am planning to offer two trips to Israel in the coming year. These
trips are unique ways to see the land on the inside of the inside.

Love and blessings,

Melinda ( Mindy) Ribner

Source: Beit Miriam email group

Books by Melinda Ribner can be found in our online store.
Kabbalah Month by Month also offers additional teachings, stories, and meditations about the energy of this month.
New Age Judaism offers teachings about the intersection of New Age and Kabbalah, and most relevantly about the
paradigm shift that occurred after the Temple was destroyed and now once again we are undergoing another
paradigm shift after the Holocaust.
Everday Kabbalah offers numerous meditations, and teaching for healing.