THE MONTH OF TEVES AND THE CURRENT SITUATION IN OUR HOLY LAND תשס''ט 2009

The בני יששכר quotes the תקוני זוהר in stating that every month of the year has a separate formation of the שם הוי'. This is taken from first or end letters of different pesukim. For example the formation for Nissan is the straight forward one as written in the Siddurim, י' ה' ו' ה', this is taken from the first letters from ישמחו השמים ותגל הארץ.

The point about the שם הוי' being the normal way as written in the Sefer Torah, Siddurim etc. is to emphasise that the name of Hashem being used is the שם העצם, Hashem’s basic name and שם הרחמים. By having the letters in this formation, this emphasises that Nissan was a month where Hashem’s absolute mercy first was shown. We know that Nissan was the month that the Bnei Yisroel were redeemed from Egypt and our chachomim tell us that this will also be the month in which we will be redeemed in the future. בניסן נגאלו בניסן עתידים להגאל

For the month of Teves, the formation is taken from the posek
גדלו לי' ה' ו' ה' אתי ונרוממה שמו יחדו

The construction of the name is from the last letters of the four middle words, being ה י ה ו. Please note that every one of the letters is not its normal place in the שם הוי'. For example, normally it commences with י, in this case is starts with ה. Normally the second one is ה, in this case it is י, etc. Furthermore, unlike Nissan mentioned above, it is the last letter of each word which is utilised. This implies that the רחמים is concealed.

In order to try to understand why it should be that, precisely for the month of טבת, the letters of the שם הוי' should all not be in their correct position and concealed, I believe, it is necessary to look at the place where this posek occurs.

Dovid Hamelech had considerable problems from his father-in-law, Shaul Hamelech. At one time he ran away and turned up at the court of Avimelech. Whilst he was there, he was spotted by none less than the brother of Goliath, who was only too pleased to tell Avimelech about the problems that Dovid had and therefore, Dovid was in great danger.

Chapter 34 in Tehillim commences לדוד בשנתו את טעמו לפני אבימלך etc. Dovid feigned madness and, therefore Avimelech banished him. Dovid promptly blessed Hashem as the Mizmor continues, אברכה את ה' בכל עת, I will bless Hashem at all times. The third verse is the posek that we are referring to, גדלו לי' ה' ו' ה' אתי ונרוממה שמו יחדו. This really means, Acclaim the greatness of Hashem together with me and let us exalt His Name together. We all know that Dovid overcame his difficulties and became King David. The רחמי ה' were concealed and jumbled up but if finally all came right.

Dovid was at a low point in his life, but he made it clear that he was, nevertheless, blessing Hashem and praising Him even in such trying circumstances. Based on all this, I believe that one can understand why this is the formation of the שם הוי' to have in mind in the month of Teves and, in particular, at the end of the middle of brocho of Mussaf on Rosh Chodesh. This month always occurs in mid winter when the day time is at the shortest and the nights are the longest and darkest. It is just then, when things look most gloomy, that one has to reiterate and reinforce ones faith in Hashem. Even when everything appears to be a jumble, out of place and one cannot see an easy way forward, one must have in mind the שם ה'. That is why the letters are, deliberately?, all out of the normal order to emphasise this point.

There is a Rabbinical teaching which is derived from the very posek we are discussing, namely גדלו לי' ה' ו' ה' אתי ונרוממה שמו יחדו, When the Chazan makes this statement, the congregation then joins in, in praising Hashem. We use this posek whenever we take out a Sefer Torah for leining. The Chazan says גדלו לה' אתי and the congregation answers לך ה' הגדולה etc.

(In passing I would mention that I had heard many people repeating גדלו לה' אתי after the Chazan but this is incorrect.)

What I find even more intriguing is that immediately after the praising of Hashem, we recite a special prayer

אב הרחמים הוא ירחם עם עמוסים ויזכר ברית איתנים ויציל נפשותינו מן השעות הרעות ויגער ביצר הרע מן הנשואים ויחן אותנו לפליטת עולמים וימלא משאלותינו במדה טובה ישועה ורחמים

I have often wondered as to why this prayer was put in at this particular place. However, bearing in mind the underlying meaning of גדלו לה' אתי and the formation of the שם הוי' and that what I mentioned regarding Dovid Hamelech being in such trouble, it fits in perfectly with the point I have been making concerning גדלו לה'. We have the phrase ויציל נפשותינו מן השעות הרעות and should save our souls from the evil hours. ויחן אותנו לפליטת עולמים and should give us grace for ever lasting salvation and other phrases all connected with the same theme.

As we are about to read from the Sefer Torah, the source of our mitzvos and laws, we appeal to ה' to help us in the זכות of learning and adhering to the Torah.

As we all know, at the moment, there is an intense conflict going on Gaza and there are still rockets flying from there towards our Jewish brethren in the Holy Land. Thousands of people are in shelters, others have left their homes temporarily, these include many people whose whole lives are predicated on Torah and mitzvos.

As this is the month of Teves, I think that it is highly appropriate for us to have in mind the particular formation of the name of ה' י' ה' ו'. It is an opportune moment to pray to Hashem that the rockets and other weapons are completely stilled without loss of Jewish life and that there should be שלום על ישראל.

יא טבת תשס''ט