Saying goodbye to the month of dreams, and making way for goodness
This is a time for digging deep and discovering glints of gold in the darkness
Earlier this week, on a moonless night during Channukah, the month of dreams quietly ended.1 And last night the final candle on the menorah burned down and out.
The good news, literally, is that the Hebrew month of Kislev (dream month) is followed by the month of Tevet, which is known as the month of goodness.
This is a month when we’re reminded to find hidden sparks of goodness in situations that might not look so wonderful — or might even seem downright awful, on the surface.
More good news (for this dreamer, at least): We are still in the cycle of Torah readings where we reflect on the story of Joseph, one of the most famous dreamers of the Bible (remember Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat? Yes, that Joseph!)
So today, I won’t be talking about Sarah directly. But I am going to share poetry and prose based on stories about her grandson (Jacob) and great-grandson (Joseph).
Read my reflection on what Joseph’s story tells us about the Jewish approach to dreams and how that can help in today’s world:
But first, I want to acknowledge and honor the moment we are in, with war thundering on, and taking an unspeakable and unacceptable toll on human life. To compound the situation, anti-semitism and Islamaphobia are on the rise around the world.
Amidst all of this, like you I’m sure, I can use all the ancestral wisdom I can get. Studying Sarah’s story has given me the immense gift of uncovering treasures from the Jewish tradition that range from profound spiritual wisdom to fact-nuggets like the one I shared earlier about the month of goodness. And so …
In this month when we are reminded to peer below the surface and scoop up hints of hope, inspiration, and reasons for joy, I’ll continue to share what I am uncovering in these posts.
I hope you, too, will take this invitation to dig into your spiritual roots and discover the riches that await you there.
This week’s poem
As we conclude the series of dream-stories in the current Torah cycle, this week I offer you (yet another) pantoum. This one is also about dreams … in particular Jacob’s dream. As a reminder, Jacob is Joseph’s father and is the other ‘most famous’ dreamer in the Bible. (Although sadly, Jacob, unlike his son, didn’t get his own Broadway production.) Listen to “Jacob’s Dream” here, and scroll down for links to more pantoums:
“Jacob’s Dream” ©️Copyright Tzivia Gover, Third House Moon, LLC, all rights reserved.
It’s also been a month(plus) of pantoums
As I mentioned above, I’ve been writing a lot of pantoums lately. I’ve shared a few in recent posts, which you can revisit here:
And you can see and hear me read one of those pantoums here.
Start the New Year with a commitment to creativity
✏️ Stay (Cozy) at Home and Write: A Weekend Retreat Online, Friday-Sunday Jan. 19-21 2024
In this low-cost Write-at-Home retreat, you’ll receive optional writing prompts, structured writing time, virtual check-ins, and the opportunity to write and share your work with an online community. Accessible pricing: Standard $55; Low/Fixed Income $25; Angel Price $75. Learn more or Join Stay (Cozy) at Home and Write.
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I’m wishing you a season filled with miracles and light.
To read more about the Month of Dreams, click here.