Excerpting: “Days of Gratitude, Days of Triumph” by Rabbi Yaakov Feitman (Culled from Chapter 24 – Shevat, the Great Month of Potential). Mesorah Publications. 2024. 360 pages. ISBN-10: 1422642593.
(Courtesy of Artscroll) The long, dark nights of Teves eventually give way to the glimmers of hope that radiate from the month of Shevat, whose name can be interpreted as an acronym for shenisbaser besuros tovos, may we hear good news. R’ Hutner often taught us that for the Jew there are no minor matters. Every moment is important, every second a new opportunity. And so, Shevat, which seems to contain only one, seemingly minor Yom Tov, actually offers profound potential for personal growth and spiritual advancement. Let us turn to the master of the months, the Bnei Yissaschar of Dinov (Maamarei Shevat 1), to put us on the right road.
The great Dinover Rav reveals a cryptic fact about the upcoming month. Every chodesh has a mazal, or physical representation that identifies the essence of the month. The mazal of Shevat is d’li, meaning pail or bucket. Yet the Bnei Yissaschar informs us that the chiddush is that, far from the d’li being a minor symbol, the bucket also represents the mazal of Klal Yisrael itself. This synonymity indicates that the month of Shevat has a basic affinity with Am Yisrael, to the point that this can be a time of aliyah for anyone seeking to attain a higher level in one’s Yiddishkeit.
The Bnei Yissaschar explains that d’li is the emblem of Klal Yisrael itself because the d’li is the venue for drawing forth water, and “water is the metaphor for Torah” (Bava Kamma 17a). Therefore, since the essence of our nation is drinking and benefiting from Torah, our mazal is d’li. The Bnei Yissaschar also references the well-known pasuk, “Hoy kol tzamei lechu lamayim — Ho, everyone who is thirsty, go to the water” (Yeshayah 55:1). We may add that the halacha is that when it comes to drinking water, one recites a bracha only if he is thirsty. All other beverages require a blessing even if one is only drinking to swallow a pill or upon doctor’s orders; water alone depends upon one’s need to quench his thirst (Shulchan Aruch 204:14). Torah, too, will be granted only to one who is thirsty for its teachings. As the Bnei Yissaschar continues, the Torah testifies that Moshe Rabbeinu began teaching the Torah afresh, to the generation who would enter Eretz Yisrael, on Rosh Chodesh Shevat (Devarim 1:3-5). This is the day when Moshe lowered the d’li to a nation thirsty to hear the word of Hashem directly from Moshe Rabbeinu.
It is still winter and the trees are yet bare and forbidding. But down deep, the sap begins to run, just as the pail goes deep to bring up Torah and Divine wisdom. As the Rebbes of Rizhin, known for their dedication to the celebration of Tu B’Shevat, used to add, “The pail indeed goes deep but it is not meant to stay down there. It is meant to ascend with the precious and life-giving water. Klal Yisrael, too, sometimes lowers itself to bring up the sparks of holiness that have been lost and must be retrieved.” This is perhaps one reason why Moshe Rabbeinu began teaching Torah to the new generation on Rosh Chodesh Shevat. As the nation looked toward exciting but also? difficult times, perhaps a long winter of galus, Moshe Rabbeinu taught them the great lesson of Shevat. You must lower the pail and dig deep inside your personal well of emunah and bitachon, of kedushah and taharah, no matter what the trees look like. Spring is coming and the geulah is not far behind.
Reprinted from Days of Gratitude, Days of Triumph by Rabbi Yaakov Feitman with permission from the copyright holder, ArtScroll Mesorah Publications.
