Pray for family, friends, and firefighters in Southern California

A heavenly show in the skies above.

What is really important in life?

"Praised are you, O Lord, who renews new moons."

From the Birkat Hachodesh prayer

Find a small bit of peace in these troubled times

And The LORD rested on the seventh day.

May our emptiness be filled with a small blessing.

I have set My bow in the clouds, and it shall serve as a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.

When I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow appears in the clouds...

Bereshet/Genesis 9:13-14

May the waves of chaos wash away during this day of peace.

Recognize the blessings you have been given.

Take time to enjoy the fruits of your week's labor.

A trusted source for Shabbat candle lighting times for more than twenty years, the Hebrew Illuminations 16-Month Wall Calendar showcases art created with neshama, “Jewish soul,” by Adam Rhine.

Beginning in September 2025 to coincide with Jewish New Year and ending with December 2026, the 16-month calendar showcases vibrant renderings of the Menorah, Magen David, and Judaic-inspired mandalas are meant to glorify The Lord as visual prayers for Israel and Judaism.

Features include:

12" x 12" wall calendar (12" x 24" open)

Cover design eliminates need for plastic packaging

Printed on FSC® certified paper with soy-based ink

Spans September 2025–December 2026  8 Elul, 5785 – 21 Tevet, 5787

Jewish holidays and observances

Candle lighting times for Shabbat and holidays

Official government holidays for U.S., Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand

Moon phases, based on Universal Time

Inspiring biblical quotes

Artwork created with a combination of watercolor, colored pencil, and acrylic

Wall art for your home, school, or office that provides a sense of time for planning and dreaming

WE PLANT TREES to offset our carbon footprint and resource usage — more than ONE MILLION and growing!

NO SINGLE-USE PLASTIC — We have eliminated single-use shrink wrap to reduce plastic pollution.

RESPONSIBLY SOURCED — Our paper is responsibly sourced from a combination of recycled materials and wood harvested from socially and environmentally sustainable forests and is FSC® certified.

Available on Amazon.com

Available on Amazon.com

Available on Amazon.com

Available on Amazon.com

Available on Amazon.com

Available onAmazon.com

Available on Amazon.com

Prophets and Prophecy - From the Patriarchs and Matriarchs to Miriam and Queen Esther, the featured historical figures are celebrated with beautiful designs and vibrant colors. Each month shares a detailed biblical passage that describes the prophecies of the wise one revealed.

Amazon.com

On the second day of Hanukkah, 2020 this edition of Hebrew Illuminations sold out faster than any of the previous 17 editions. Toda rabbah and thank you very much to everyone who supported me this year!

This unique calendar features sixteen original paintings by Jewish artist Adam Rhine that celebrate the Jewish Holy Days, such as Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), Hanukkah (the Festival of Lights) and Pesach (Passover). Each painting is paired with text from Tanakh (Jewish scripture) or a traditional prayer that brings meaning and context to the artwork.
• 12" x 12" wall calendar (12" x 24" open).
• 16-month Jewish wall calendar — September 2020 through December 2021.
• Each month features candle lighting times for Shabbat and holidays and biblical quotes.
• Each painting is accompanied by text from the Tanakh that brings meaning and context to the artwork.
• Features both the Hebrew and Western calendars.
• Amber Lotus Publishing, an independent carbon-negative US company, has planted ONE MILLION trees since 2008
• High-quality printing on premium paper stock.
• Printed on paper sourced from a combination of sustainably managed forests and recycled materials.
• Features US and Canadian legal holidays, phases of the moon, and important Jewish holidays.

SOLD OUT on Amazon.com and Amber Lotus Publishing

Available on Amazon.com

This unique calendar features sixteen original paintings that celebrate the ideas of peace and love, including Shabbat Shalom (Peace on the Sabbath), Sheva Brachot (The Seven Wedding Blessings), Ema (Mother), and Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World). Each painting is accompanied by text from Tanakh (Jewish scripture) that brings meaning and context to the artwork.

• 12'' wall calendar (12'' x 24'' open).
• 16-month Jewish wall calendar September 2019 through December 2020.
• Each month features candle lighting times for Shabbat and holidays and biblical quotes.
• Each painting is accompanied by text from the Torah that brings meaning and context to the artwork.
• Features both the Hebrew and Western calendars.
• Amber Lotus Publishing, an independent carbon-negative US company, has planted more than three quarters of a million trees since 2008.
• High-quality printing on premium paper stock.
• Printed on paper sourced from a combination of sustainably managed forests and recycled materials.
• Features US and Canadian legal holidays, phases of the moon, and important Jewish holidays.

Available on Amazon.com

This unique calendar features sixteen original paintings that celebrate the ideas of peace and love, including Shabbat Shalom (Peace on the Sabbath), Sheva Brachot (The Seven Wedding Blessings), Ema (Mother), and Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World). Each painting is accompanied by text from Tanakh (Jewish scripture) that brings meaning and context to the artwork.

• 12'' wall calendar (12'' x 24'' open).
• 16-month Jewish wall calendar September 2019 through December 2020.
• Each month features candle lighting times for Shabbat and holidays and biblical quotes.
• Each painting is accompanied by text from the Torah that brings meaning and context to the artwork.
• Features both the Hebrew and Western calendars.
• Amber Lotus Publishing, an independent carbon-negative US company, has planted more than three quarters of a million trees since 2008.
• High-quality printing on premium paper stock.
• Printed on paper sourced from a combination of sustainably managed forests and recycled materials.
• Features US and Canadian legal holidays, phases of the moon, and important Jewish holidays.

Available on Amazon.com

This unique calendar features sixteen original paintings that recall its earliest chapter with Gan Eden (Garden of Eden) and Etz Chayim (Tree of Life), the Exodus with the Parting of the Waters and Mishkan (the Tabernacle), as well as the core beliefs of Emet (Truth) and Emunah (Faith). Jewish artist Adam Rhine uses watercolor, colored pencil, and acrylic to create the ornate, highly detailed Judaic paintings featured here.

Available on Amazon.com

This unique calendar features sixteen original paintings that recall its earliest chapter with Gan Eden (Garden of Eden) and Etz Chayim (Tree of Life), the Exodus with the Parting of the Waters and Mishkan (the Tabernacle), as well as the core beliefs of Emet (Truth) and Emunah (Faith). Jewish artist Adam Rhine uses watercolor, colored pencil, and acrylic to create the ornate, highly detailed Judaic paintings featured here.

Available on Amazon.com

Explore the ancient and enduring spirit of Jewish tradition with this exquisite sixteen-month coloring calendar. Jewish artist Adam Rhine has created intricate Judaic motifs such as Magen Davids and menorahs for you to bring to vivid life with the colors of your choice. Each illustration is a meditation on the infinite glory of the Lord that visually brings forth His energy. As you add your artistic touch to this elegant artwork, you'll feel your creative juices flow and your stress slip away.

Available on Amazon.com

Explore the ancient and enduring spirit of Jewish tradition with this exquisite sixteen-month coloring calendar. Jewish artist Adam Rhine has created intricate Judaic motifs such as Magen Davids and menorahs for you to bring to vivid life with the colors of your choice. Each illustration is a meditation on the infinite glory of the Lord that visually brings forth His energy. As you add your artistic touch to this elegant artwork, you'll feel your creative juices flow and your stress slip away.

Available on Amazon.com

This unique calendar features the final eleven letters of the Hebrew alphabet plus five illuminations of significant Jewish themes, such as Gavishi Menorah (the Crystalline Menorah) and Mizrach (The East). Jewish artist Adam Rhine uses watercolor, colored pencil, and acrylic to create the ornate, highly detailed Judaic paintings featured here.

Available on Amazon.com

Available on Amazon.com

This unique calendar features the first eleven letters of the Hebrew alphabet plus five illuminations of significant Jewish concepts, such as Chai and Hanukkah. Jewish artist Adam Rhine uses watercolor, colored pencil, and acrylic to create the ornate, highly detailed Judaic paintings feature here.

Available on Amazon.com

Available on Amazon.com

Hebrew Art Trivia: One day before I was supposed to arrive at a vacation condo rental in central Wisconsin, the owner called to tell me that the unit above hers had a water pipe leak, and the ceiling above the master bedroom collapsed. Had I been there one day earlier, that would have been a literal disaster!

So I used the canceled vacation week to stay at home and generate two calendars worth of line drawings, all of which made it into the Hebrew Illuminations adult coloring book which followed them. My vacation was less scenic, but way more productive.

Available on Amazon.com

Hebrew Art Trivia: One day before I was supposed to arrive at a vacation condo rental in central Wisconsin, the owner called to tell me that the unit above hers had a water pipe leak, and the ceiling above the master bedroom collapsed. Had I been there one day earlier, that would have been a literal disaster!

So I used the canceled vacation week to stay at home and generate two calendars worth of line drawings, all of which made it into the Hebrew Illuminations adult coloring book which followed them. My vacation was less scenic, but way more productive.

Available on Amazon.com

Available on Amazon.com

Hebrew Art Trivia: The cover image, “Emet,” wasn’t going well during the color sketch phase. I kept trying different palettes, throwing watercolors on white paper until I was really disappointed with it and ready to give up.

I scanned it into Photoshop on my PC in an attempt to resuscitate it, but to no avail. On a whim, and out of sheer frustration, I clicked on the “invert” filter which flips all light shades to dark, and all colors to their spectral opposite.

***BAM!***

B”H it became an extremely compelling design in all respects, and close to what you see here on the final painting.

Whenever I reach an artist’s block, I do love to “flip the coin” and think about what a completely reversed idea or approach would be. It usually leads down absurd and useless paths, but it does free the mind.

Hebrew Art Trivia: A used copy of this edition sold for $500.00 on Amazon.com!

Hebrew Art Trivia: I was showing one of my nephews, when he was very young, how to paint with watercolors. He lost control of the brush and it soared through the air… hitting my Illuminated Lamed behind him with a wet splat. After the little tyke left, I worked his “addition” into the design. So this is the only Hebrew Illuminations calendar cover where, technically, I had the help of a guest artist ;-)

Hebrew Art Trivia: I had already painted “Aleph” and “Lamed” more than a year prior to getting the green light for a 2007 edition of Hebrew Illuminations.

Needing more artwork, I decided to complete the 22-Hebrew letter series in this style so that I’d have enough images for two years’ worth, finally getting into the groove of the calendar publishing industry.

For the first time in my artistic life, I positioned four pencil drawings on watercolor paper onto my art table and painted them all with similar palettes at the same time. It was the only way to complete 20 paintings in one year… and it worked!

Hebrew Art Trivia: I met the owners of Amber Lotus Publishing in person for the first time at the Book Expo Chicago in 2004. After greeting them, they told me “Adam, we have some good news and some bad news.”

“The good news is, your debut 2005 Hebrew Illuminations calendar sold well enough that we’d like to publish a 2006 edition.”

“What’s the bad news?” I asked.

“We need 16 brand new paintings in one year.”

My blood froze and my life passed before my eyes. The first 13 paintings took me over three years to produce. Now they want 16 in one year???

Fortunately I was a younger man back then and didn’t require much sleep, if any. Also, because I was a web design contractor at Kraft Foods, Northfield, IL at the time, I worked 7 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. with no lunch break, and I was home painting from 4:00 p.m. till 10:00 p.m.

B”H I was able to create 12 paintings and we reran four from the previous edition to complete the calendar with no time to spare.

I would have taken a nice long nap afterwards, but there was a next year’s edition to prepare!

Hebrew Art Trivia: The very first Hebrew Illuminations wall calendar… where it all began!

“When G-d began to create heaven and earth— the earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and a wind from G-d sweeping over the water— G-d said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.” Bereshet/Genesis 1:1-3

“You have seen what I did to Egypt, and that I have borne you on the wings of eagles and brought you to Me.” Shemot/Exodus 19:4

This quote from the Torah is G-d's own analogy of how He brought the Jewish people out of Egypt. Eagles carry their young on their backs, protecting them from any dangers below, which is similar to the cloud which He moved between the Israelites and the Pharoah's chariots at the Sea of Reeds during the Exodus from Egypt.

“Faith is the song of life!” Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook (1864 – 1935)

Emunah, commonly translated as faith, is the original biblical term for a firm belief in a single, supreme, omniscient, benevolent and all-powerful Creator of the universe. It contains the belief that everything that happens to us is for our ultimate good and benefit, directing our souls to knowledge of G-d. This absolute belief in divine providence, in God’s unfailing goodness, is expressed in the Jewish hopefulness for a better world.

Text by Louise Temple from the book "Hebrew Illuminations"

“The Torah of the Lord is perfect, it restores the soul...” Tehillim/Psalm 19:8

Who can paint the concept of the Torah, the words of the Almighty, given to Moses on Mount Sinai? For me, this painting is a celebration of the written covenant with the Jewish people, the unceasing assurance from the Source of all life and the fact that we are divinely protected and loved when we walk this ordained path. It is said that everyone has their own inner Torah, uniquely illuminated by the light of Truth as our lives “unscroll.” This is mine - for now.

My spiraling design echoes the unceasing cycle of the reading of the Torah, year after year, generation to generation, as we wrap ourselves in G-d’s holy words and decrees. In five of the circles are the five titles of the books: Bereshet (Genesis), Shemot (Exodus), Vayikra (Leviticus), Bamidbar (Numbers), and Devarim (Deuteronomy.) In the sixth and uppermost circle I put the crown of Hashem, the Supreme Author.

When the yetzer ha’rah (evil inclination) surrounds and challenges us, we must look inward, into the core of our beliefs, to the beautiful blossoming rose of the Torah.

Text by Louise Temple from the book "Hebrew Illuminations"

“The LORD, your G-d, is true.” From the Shema, Traditional Daily Prayer

The Hebrew word for truth, emet, is composed of the three root letters, aleph, mem and tav.

The aleph and the tav are the first and last letters of the alphabet and the mem lies at the very middle. This teaches us that only God sees the whole picture – the beginning, middle and outcome of an event or a lifetime - and for this reason emet is more accurately translated as “reality.” Our understanding of things, however brilliant, is always limited by our subjective thinking. Only divine intelligence can span past, present and future.

Text by Louise Temple from the book "Hebrew Illuminations"

“Now you shall command the Children of Israel that they shall take for you pure olive oil, pressed for illumination, to kindle a lamp continually. In the Tent of Meeting, outside the Partition tht is near the Testimonial tablets, Aharon and his sons shall arrange it from evening until morning, before Hashem, an eternal decree for their generations, from the Children of Israel.” Shemot/Exodus 27:20-21

The Eternal Light (Ner Tamid) is hung above the Aron HaKodesh (ark) where the Sefer Torah is kept inside every Synagogue. Our sages describe the Ner Tamid as a shining symbol of G-d’s eternal Presence in our world and in our lives.

“G-d’s infinite light needs an infinite vessel. The name of that vessel is joy.” Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach (1925 – 1994)

We are commanded to serve God, b’simcha, with joy, because joy is the natural state of the soul that sees the wonders of the universe and its Creator, and trusts in His Goodness.

The 19th Century Chassidic Rabbi, Nachman of Breslov, instructed his followers: “If you don’t feel happy, pretend to be. Even if you are depressed, put on a smile. Act happy. Genuine joy will follow…. Remember, things can go from the very worst to the very best… in just the blink of an eye.”

Text by Louise Temple from the book "Hebrew Illuminations"

“Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord moved the sea with a strong east wind all the night, and He turned the sea to damp land and the water split. The Children of Israel came within the sea on dry land; and the water was a wall for them, on their right and on their left.” Shemot/Exodus, 14:21-22

Of all the miracles chronicled in the Torah, the one that is perhaps most dramatic is the Parting of the Waters at the Sea of Reeds. With the Egyptian army swiftly descending on the newly freed nation of Israel, G-d, through his servant Moses, parts the water and allows over a million people to cross safely on dry land.

This painting is an abstract representation of the magnificence of the event. Blue waves are parted by a Magen David of orange flames, flames that recall the angel that lit the way for the Jews in the desert.

Text by Louise Temple from the book "Hebrew Illuminations"

“You shall open your hand to your brother, to your poor and to your destitute in your land.” Devarim/Deuteronomy 15:11

Tzedakah, commonly translated as “charity”, is often used synonymously with justice, truth and kindness. In Judaism, giving generously to those in need – family, neighbors and the greater community – is considered righteous behavior and an act of justice.

The Rabbi of the Warsaw Ghetto, Kolonymos Shapiro (1889-1943) taught: “The greatest thing in the world is to do someone else a favor.” Through acts of benevolence that open our hearts to love, we grow closer to the Source and Giver of all life.

Text by Louise Temple from the book "Hebrew Illuminations"

“Gladden us LORD, our G-d, with Elijah the prophet, Your servant, and with the kingdom of the House of David, your Moshiach, may he come speedily and cause our heart to exult.

On his throne let no stranger sit nor let others continue to inherit his honor, for by Your holy Name You swore to him that his heir will not be extinguished forever and ever! Blessed are You, LORD, Shield of David.” Traditional Blessing after every Haftarah reading

Daily we pray that Moshiach, descendant of King David, arrives soon to redeem Israel, defeat its enemies, and rebuild the Beit HaMikdash (The Holy Temple).

Text by Louise Temple from the book "Hebrew Illuminations"

“The Lord spoke to Moses saying, 'On the day of the first new moon, on the first day of the month, you shall build the Mishkan, the Tent of Meeting. There, you shall keep the Ark of Testimony...” Shemot/Exodus 40:1

This was the portable sanctuary, or tabernacle, the Jewish people build and carried throughout their journey in the desert. The design of the outer rim that frames the six-pointed star was in my sketchbook for years, but the center remained empty. After studying the parsha, the Torah portion that describes G-d's specific instructions for the items to be used in the Mishkan, I created a Magen David design that combined the twelve-stoned Choshen (breastplate worn by the Kohen Gadol/High Priest), the Ark of the Covenant, and the seven-candled menorah. When eventually united with the outer rim design, the composition was complete.

I used a wet-into-wet watercolor technique to apply the colors, an homage to the cloud that would settle upon the Mishkan when G-d's Presence was communing with Moses and Aaron.


Text by Louise Temple from the book "Hebrew Illuminations"

“So that you may remember and perform all my commandments and be holy to your G-d. I am Hashem your G-d, Who has removed you from the land of Egypt to be your G-d. I, the Lord, am your G-d.” Portion of the “Shema,” Traditional Prayer

The “Mitzvot” are the 613 Commandments given to the Jewish people by G-d at Mt. Sinai during the Divine Revelation by the entire nation of Israel, to obey in order to become closer to Him, and conduct our lives in holiness and clarity within His world.

We all have individual choice, and during our lives can obey these Mitzvot or not. As Jews within the Covenant, we must face the consequences of our actions, both in this life and in Olam Haba (The World to Come). These choices are represented by the directional arrows in this painting.

“And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them 'You have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; the great trial which thine eyes saw, the signs and those great wonders.” Devarim/Deuteronomy 29:1-2

This is a statement by Moses to the entire Nation of Israel, reminding them that they have seen with their own eyes the miracles done by G-d Himself on their behalf to their captors, the Egyptians. This is visible proof for all time that the G-d of Israel exists, is active in the world, and loves the Jewish People.

“And G-d took man and placed him in Gan Eden to work in it and guard it.” Bereshet/Genesis 2:15

The Garden of Eden, the lush and floral paradise described in the Torah. It was a place of incredible beauty and spiritual perfection where The Lord made every kind of fruitful tree to grow, including the Tree of Life, and the Tree of Knowledge.

My painting attempts to capture the pure and enclosed, whole, and holy environment from which humankind was banished, only to work on being worthy enough to return. In the center of the work is the letter Gimel, the first letter of "Gan Eden," bursting out of yellow-green petals, filling the garden with G-d's presence.

Text by Louise Temple from the book "Hebrew Illuminations"

“And out of the ground The LORD G-d made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.“ Bereshet/Genesis 2:9

Available for $6.99 on Amazon.com

Introducing a collection of 20 enchanting secular mandalas paired with serene meditations, offering a space for unwinding, creativity, and mindfulness. Practice tranquility and self-expression with these intricate designs and accompanying reflections.

Inside includes:

20 distinct mandalas and patterns

20 meditations

Single-sided coloring page printing ensures that every design has its own dedicated page, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the coloring experience without worrying about bleed-through.

Engaging in this mindful coloring activity promotes relaxation and cultivates a sense of inner peace.

An ideal gift for various occasions such as birthdays, Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, holidays, baby showers, and beyond, providing a thoughtful and heartfelt present for your loved ones.

Perfect for those seeking solace in captivating designs

By investing in this book, you're not just acquiring a coloring book but also supporting the craftsmanship of fellow human artists.

Relax into the joy of coloring and contemplation with this exquisite collection aimed towards inner harmony and self-discovery.

Available for $6.99 on Amazon.com

Available on Amazon.com

Like medieval illuminated manuscripts that honor the divine, the celebratory creations of Adam Rhine evoke a sense of sacred wonder and mystery in all who behold them.

Unique in both concept and design, this sumptuous book offers inspired art that speaks both to the heart and to the mind. Rhine presents twenty-two traditional Hebrew letters illuminated by watercolors to enhance his striking calligraphic rendering of this ancient language of communication between Hashem―The Higher Name―and the Jewish people.

Using Psalm 145 ("Praise the Lord, O My Soul") to provide context, each illumination is accompanied by the artist's meditative reflections that invite us to contemplate the deeper meanings ourselves.

“A handsome picture book...Rhine's paintings echo Christian illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages.” ―Chicago Tribune, Sept. 22, 2006

“Rhine is an accomplished Judaic artist...a beautifully illustrated book of the Hebrew symbols and alphabet.” ―The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Sept. 9, 2006

An ASMR page-by-page review of my Hebrew Illuminations hardcover book.

You can purchase the book on Amazon.

Available on Amazon.com

Explore the ancient and enduring spirit of the Jewish tradition with this exquisite coloring book for adults. Jewish artist Adam Rhine has created intricate Judaic motifs such as Magen Davids, menorahs, and Hebrew calligraphy for you to bring to vivid life with the colors of your choice. Each illustration is paired with verses from the Torah, Psalms, and the Prophets that enlighten the reader and encourage further study into the meanings of the carefully selected themes.

• Intricate Jewish motifs to embellish with color.
• 38 unique full-page illustrations.
• 38 wisdom quotes and words of prayer to contemplate while coloring.
• A wonderful creative tool for Hebrew schools and scripture study groups.
• One-sided printing on heavy paper designed specifically for coloring.
• Perfect bound with a heavy durable coated cover.
• Printed in the US on paper sourced from a combination of sustainably managed forests and recycled materials.
• Published by Amber Lotus, an independent carbon-negative US company that has planted more than half a million trees since 2008.

Available on Amazon.com

Hebrew Illuminations: A Coloring Journey Through the Jewish Holy Days for Adults.

Buy your copies on Amazon!

Hebrew Art Trivia: I presented the “Illuminated Psalms” concept to the publishers at Amber Lotus as the next theme for the “Hebrew Illuminations” calendar.

“Why don’t we turn that into its own separate title?” they suggested.

“Sure!” was my obvious answer.

“But we’d like a brand new set of paintings where you don’t use the Magen David (Star of David) shape.”

Normally I don’t take suggestions, but this was an interesting artistic challenge at the time. The downside was I had zero paintings like this, and I had just one year to produce them on top of my responsibilities to the continuing “Hebrew Illuminations” art… oh, and my full time job!

Hebrew Art Trivia: My manager at work went on maternity leave and, after I completed the tasks she left for me, I ended up in the odd position with very little to do until she returned.

So I brought a stack of 2” x 2” squares with a single circle printed inside and did pencil sketch after pencil sketch to fit that format. I designed more than half of the 24 Illuminated Psalms during those sessions, and I felt the energy and momentum.

This circumstance won’t likely happen again now that I’m a manager.

Available on Amazon.com and Amber Lotus Publishing

Text on front:
Happy Hanukkah

Text inside:
Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the universe, Who has wrought miracles for our forefathers, in those days as in this season.

• 5" x 7" holiday cards printed on semi-gloss cardstock
• Sold in a folio-style box with 12 cards and 12 envelopes
• Earth friendly: cards and box are printed on paper sourced from a combination of sustainably managed forests and recycled materials

“I will exalt You, my God, the King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:1

The letter aleph is the symbol of the unique oneness of the Creator.

Aleph is one, G-d is One.

It is the letter that begins Ashrei, the name of this psalm, “Praiseworthy”, and the first word Aromimcha, “I will exalt You”. Exaltation is the orientation of our connection to, and faith in the Essence of existence. Aleph also begins the word for “love” – ahava. This holy letter is composed of three parts: two letter yuds connected by the letter vav. The numerical value of these letters when added together is 26, which is the same number comprising the letters of the most sanctified name of the Creator denoting love and compassion, the unpronounceable Tetragrammaton, spelled yud-hei-vav-hei.

With the limited understanding of human intellect we cannot grasp the Infinite One, and yet, paradoxically, at the revelation at Sinai of the Ten Commandments, G-d addresses the Jewish people using a personal pronoun, anochi, which begins with an aleph… ”I (anochi) am the G-d, Your G-d, Who has taken you out of the land of Egypt…” This is a clear statement of both the transcendent and immanent in creation, and of the Creator’s participation in the world and in our lives.

In the form of the aleph, the yud below touches the Earth, and the yud above reaches heavenward, desiring to be close to The LORD. With the giving of the Torah, heaven and earth were united. Each of us can fulfill our purpose here by joining heaven and earth – revealing the hidden spirituality in the physical world - and seeking to know the underlying unity, the oneness of reality. The mediating force of vav, upright like a human being, connects the two yuds into one entity. The Aleph possesses the power to bear the polarity of opposites, paradox.

May we find balance and harmony in this physical world, as we honor and seek our source in the spiritual. In exalting G-d we stand strong and confident, knowing the true dignity of being human.

“And the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever, that in six days The LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and ceased from his work.” Shemot/Exodus 31:16, 17

“May my mouth speak praises of The LORD, and may all flesh bless the Name of the Holy One forever and ever. We will bless G-d now and forever, Halleluyah!” Tehillim/Psalm 145:21

In this final verse of Ashrei, King David, speaks of praise, tehillat, the plural form – tehillim – being a name given to the Book of Psalms. David sang The LORD’s praises even when battling great forces, in himself and the world around him. How can we emulate this? The last letter, or seal, of the word emet, “truth” is the letter tav which is the culmination of all the twenty-two letters, or forces, active in creation. We learn that The LORD’s seal in creation is Truth. This is spelled out by the final letters of the last words in the account of Creation – bara elokim la’asot – meaning, “G-d created to do”, alef-mem-tet spells emet. These are also the beginning, middle and end letters of the alef-beit. The culmination of truth, when all is said and done, is simple faith, and this is the secret of the letter tav, and to King David’s ability to remain in a constant state of praise.

The form of the tav is composed of a daled joined to a nun, resembling a stamp or seal. Fittingly, tav begins the word Torah, the Five Books of Moses that reveal the light of G-d’s wisdom, Talmud, the 63 volumes of the Oral Law given on Mt. Sinai with the written law, and the word for prayer, tefilla.

400 years of exile in Egypt; 400 pieces of silver with which Abraham purchased the cave of Machpelah to bury Sarah; the dimensions of the Land of Israel are 400 parsah by 400 parsah.

As we experience the cycles of life, may we recognize with simple faith, that the beginning, middle and end of all things bears the seal of Truth. In believing in the underlying Perfection of all things we will be given the strength to “bless G-d now and forever, Halleluyah!"

“Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who hast sanctified us by thy commandments, and commanded us to kindle the light of Hanukkah.” Traditional Hanukkah blessing

“The will of those who fear Him He will do; and their cry He will hear and save them.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:19

In this verse of Ashrei, the letter reish begins the Hebrew word for “will”, rozon. Every morning we pray, “The beginning of wisdom is fear of G-d”. The word for “fear” in Hebrew, yirah, has many levels of understanding. Simply speaking we can say that the reish, is connected to the word rosh, meaning “head”. When we aspire to connect our will to the Will of Supreme Intelligence, we open ourselves to receive wisdom. Thus “fear” is a healthy awe before that which is greater than us, and we use our rozon to elevate our state of consciousness. Further, the Hebrew word for “running” ratz, is related to rozon. We are asked to run to do someone a favor, to run to carry out The LORD’s Will, the instructions, tools or commandments He has given us to reach our potential as creatures created in the Divine Image. We learn that the natural state of the soul is to “run and return” between its Divine Source and physical reality. By aligning our will with G-d’s, the soul affects physical reality. This is the pinnacle (rosh, “head”) we can strive for, and the beginning (reishis, see the letter beit) of true intelligence.

The form of this letter is likened to a bowing head. We pray on Rosh Hashanah (the “head” of the year) to be blessed to act as the “head” and not as the “tail” in the coming year, that our highest selves will lead us in righteous actions.

The reish is the numerical half-way point of the alef-beit.

In bowing in true humility, knowing our Source and our Beginning, may we be blessed to act upon this knowing, preceding all our actions and efforts with the prayer, “If it be Your Will…”

“The LORD protects all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy.”Tehillim/Psalm 145:20

The shin begins the Hebrew word shomer in this verse, which means “to guard”, in the sense of safeguarding and protecting. The shin itself is a protection. It is written on every mazuza, the prayer scroll that is affixed to every entrance way, and on the phylacteries that are bound on the arm and placed on the forehead of the Jewish male in prayer. The shin is the symbol for G-d’s Name Shaddai, spelled shin-daled-yud, the attribute of the Holy One representing the concept of “enough” – guarding delimitations and boundaries. In a sense, it represents the gateway between the physical and spiritual worlds, the former being limited by necessity or we would have no form, and the latter being limitless and infinite. As we enter our doorways and see the mazuza, we are conscious of the Owner of this house, and by extension this world, and the One Who protects and guards us.

The form of the shin is three vavs rising like flames from a single base point. The flame is a symbol of love, as expressed in the above verse. The light of the Torah is seen as fire. In the candle flame we see three levels of light: the “dark” light around the wick, the white flame surrounding it, and the aura of the flame itself. There are three essential manifestations of love as taught by the Chassidic master, the Ba’al Shem Tov: the dark light corresponds to the love of Israel, that is, souls in physical bodies; the white light to love of Torah, and the aura to love of G-d. We can see the flickering flames of the shin as representing the mutability of all things, rising from an eternal, invariant Source.

These flames evoke the three patriarchs, Abraham, Issac, and Jacob who tower, for all generations, in spirit, character, and courage, never abandoning their foundation in G-d.

300 foxes were sent to burn the fields of the Philistines; the five letters of G-d’s Name, Elokim, when spelled in full, equal 300; there were 3,000 parables of King Solomon.

We experience the shin in “peace”, shalom, when we have complete faith that our well-being is watched over, and that we are truly loved by the One who gave us life.

“The LORD is close to all who call upon Him, to all who call in truth.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:18

Karov, beginning with the letter kuf, means “close”. The idea of closeness with the Infinite One is hard to grasp intellectually and yet is the feeling tone of spiritual experience. We speak of an awakening (or an arousal) from Above, and an awakening (or arousal) from below. Sometimes it is as if G-d is calling (from Above) to us through creation, “Come close! And sometimes it is our yearning for Truth that calls out, and this is a personal awakening, in which the process of seeking is finding an ever-closer degree of closeness. The function of the Korban service (offering) in the Holy Temple, was to eliminate the sense of separation between the individual, who made the offering, and The LORD. In offering up our limited selves at the altar, in surrendering to the Source of life, we grow close to our inherent holiness and to who we are meant to be in the image of G-d. Kadosh is holiness, also beginning with the kuf.

The descending vav, in the formation of the kuf, symbolizes the potential for unholiness, while the kaf shape, anchored on the line from above, (the benevolent palm) is responsible for keeping the vav from descending completely.

Human temptation and the negative inclination are always present in our world. Kuf also means “monkey” in Hebrew. The nature of monkeys is to act on impulse and to imitate. They represent the restless, undisciplined aspects of human behavior that prevent us from coming close to our deepest selves.

100 is the age of Abraham at the birth of Isaac; 100 is the life-span of the eagle; 100 is the number of the daily blessings we say; 10 times10 is the perfection of the square; 19 is the ordinal value of kuf – the basis of the Jewish calendar is a nineteen-year cycle of the moon in relation to the sun.

The LORD is close. Come close! Listen to your calling! Call out and trust that you are being heard. Come close as you can!

“You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:16

Pei is the seventeenth letter of the alef-beit which is the numerical value of tov, “good”. In this verse it is connected to the word poteyach, “You open”, and the concept of Divine generosity and beneficence. We are required to recite this verse with great concentration and joy as it is a declaration of The LORD’s universal goodness and caring for every creature.

Pei is shaped like an open mouth with an exposed tooth, and is therefore connected to the power of speech, the oral communication of knowledge. It is said that wisdom proceeds from the inner eye of the heart to the mouth. The power of speech distinguishes us from the animal kingdom, for it is through speech that we express consciousness. Words can uplift, educate, and unite. They can also be weapons of disunity and destruction, G-d forbid. We are enjoined not to speak l’shon hara “evil speech”, and to diligently take on the spiritual practice of guarding our speech and using language to reflect the Divine image in which we are created.

Our teacher, Moses, was 80 when he led the Jewish people out of Egypt, received the Torah and transmitted the Oral Law to the nation.

May our reflections on the letter pei instill in us a reverence for the gift of speech and the gift of life with which we have been entrusted. May we also recognize the merits of silence.

“Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:2

Beit is the first letter written in the Torah. It starts the word Bereshet which means “In the beginning”. It also begins the word for blessings, berachah. We learn from this that there is a connection between beginning and blessings. The Creator of life generates life every second, therefore every moment is a new beginning, and every moment a blessing. As King David models for us, “Every day I will bless you…” Bchol yom avorecha… From this we can take on the daily practice of developing, and expressing, a positive state of awareness. G-d blesses His creation, and creates it, with the attribute of loving-kindness, the attribute of Abraham, who is entrusted, as the first Jewish soul, with the Divine power of blessing.

Having a solid foundation, the letter beit represents a house or home. Each of us can be a home for the divine and a source of blessings to the world, making it a true Home for the Divine. The value of beit is two, reminding us that the world is comprised of pairs: man and woman, day and night, holy and secular. This world of duality exists within the Source of Oneness.

May we find comfort and blessings in the place we call home, and find that which makes us complete and at peace. May we know that each breath is a new beginning and a source of blessing.

“The LORD is great and highly extolled, yet inscrutable is His greatness.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:3

Here Gimel is the first letter of the word gadol, “great”. Sometimes luminaries and scholars are called by this term, and yet nothing we can conjure conceptually, in human terms, can even approximate the vast greatness of the Creator of all existence.

The letter gimel contains within it a great force and power. It also begins the words for “strength”, gevurah, and “might”, gibor. Its shape resembles a body (vav) with the attached yud as a foot extended to the left. We can see this as a person running to give charity to the poor, thus fulfilling the will of G-d, in one of the great acts of kindness entrusted to us. In this way we emulate G-d’s continuous and loving generosity towards us.

Gimel’s numerical value of three evokes our forefathers, Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, The LORD’s presence in the holy matrimony between a man and a woman, and the three parts of the holy Torah: The Five Books of Moses, the Prophets, and The Writings.

May we always recognize that the source of true greatness and strength in this world is derived from the One Infinite Being. True greatness comes from knowing this.

“Each generation will praise Your works to the next and of Your mighty deeds they will tell.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:4

Daled begins the word for “generation” in Hebrew – dor. The eternal wisdom of the Torah is faithfully cherished and upheld through time, passed from generation to generation, bearing witness to G-d’s greatness.

Daled also begins delet for “door”, dirah, denoting G-d’s earthly dwelling, and deled for “knowledge.” The shape of the letter, with its horizontal top extending to the left of the vertical post, reminds us of a door frame with one side open.

We learn that only those who are humble in spirit, who know that everything comes from G-d, can enter the door of the Divine Palace. The daled suggests the shape of a bowing figure and reminds us that we are all servants of the Sovereign Ruler of this universe.

Daled’s numerical value of four reminds us of the four letter’s of the Holy One’s unpronounceable name. There are also four matriarchs of the Jewish people: Sarah, Rivka, Leah, and Rachel. At the Passover Seder, four cups of wine are drank, and the Four Questions are asked by the youngest child.

May we be ever-mindful of what we have been given, what we are being given right at this moment, and what we are passing on to those who will come after us. May we be worthy to seek out, and pass through, the doors of knowledge and understanding of the Commandments, so that we can make this earth a spiritual dwelling place for The LORD.

“Let me speak of the splendor of Your power and Your wondrous deeds.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:5

Hei opens this line with the word, hadar, “splendor” or “glory”. This can also be referred to as hidden beauty, to which we are drawn and attracted.

The soul, we learn, possesses three means of expression, or “garments”: thought, speech and action. The shape of the hei corresponds to these garments – the upper horizontal line to thought, the right vertical line to speech and the unattached foot to action.

In all areas of the soul’s expression we aspire to cultivate an inner radiance or brilliance that will reflect the glory of G-d. Aaron, the Kohain Gadol, “High Priest” and brother of the Prophet Moses, elevated the souls of those who had transgressed in the proper use of the soul’s “garments”. Therefore he represents hod, (a derivative of hadar) a channel of divine flow in the kabbalah system of ten emanations. So humble and pure was he that G-d’s splendor could shine out fully through him, transforming with love those who had erred.

We can also see the hei as comprised of the letters, daled and yud. The daled forms the right side, acting as a door to the physical world, and the yud on the left denotes spirituality entering our lives. Moreover, the letter hei appears twice in G-d’s Holy Name, the Tetragrammaton, as if mirroring itself.

As we reflect upon this letter may we be reminded of another word, hinani, “Here I Am,” a declaration made without hesitation by Abraham, Jacob and our teacher, Moses, when called directly by The LORD. Here I am to do Your Will, to serve You with all my heart and soul. May I connect my thoughts, speech and actions to You so that Your splendor will shine through me all the days of my life

“And of Your wondrous works, the people shall speak, and Your greatness they shall relate.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:6

Vav means “and” when placed at the beginning of a word. The first vav found in the Torah is in the opening line of the Book of Bereshet (see the letter beit) where we read, “In the beginning G-d created the heavens and the earth.” We learn that the very first time a letter or word is found in the holy Torah, that is its spiritual headquarters, so to speak. Here vav’s essential purpose is to join spirit and matter, heaven and earth, body and soul. Standing upright like a person or a pillar, its hook-like shape connects concepts, or spiritual domains together. It is also one of the four letters of the Tetragrammaton, G-d's Holy Name.

The numerical value of vav mirrors the manifestation of the six days of creation, the descent, as it were, of spirit into matter. The Talmud consists of six “orders” each containing the tractates that deal with a specific area of Torah law. In the central prayer of Judaism, the Shema, there are six Hebrew words in the first sentence: “Hear, O Israel, The LORD is our G-d, The LORD is One”. There are six directions in space to which we turn, on the high holiday of Sukkot, to wave the four species that symbolize the unification of G-d’s Name: north, south, east, west, up and down.

Just as the holy letter vav unites both words and worlds, may we humans, standing unique amongst created beings, comprehend the underlying connection between all of creation, and the ceaseless exchange between spirit and matter, soul and body.

“A remembrance of Your abundant goodness they will utter and of Your righteousness they will sing exultantly.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:7

Zecher “remembrance”, is the first word of this verse. We are commanded to remember the Sabbath, the seventh day and seal of creation, that commemorates completion and wholeness. The feminine presence of the Sabbath is called the Sabbath Bride, or Queen, and mystically signifies the marriage between G-d and Israel, the feminine aspect of the Creator being called the Schechina. On this holy day, realms of the soul are elevated to new awareness. The peace, or rest of the Sabbath day derives from the spiritual concept of completion – everything being in place for the purposeful work of the six days. We abstain from productive labor, and submerge ourselves in meditating on the perfection of the Source of all that exists and all that will unfold in the ensuing week. The seventh day is the soul of the physical and secular week.

The number seven also evokes the seven lower sefirot in the mystical teachings of the Kabbala, the commandments in the Torah which connect to multiples of seven – the Counting of the Omer, the Sabbatical and Jubilee years, and the seven shepherds of Israel – Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, and David.

The shape of the zayin is that of a vav whose head extends in both directions like a crown or scepter, reminding us that humanity is the crown of creation, created on the sixth day in the image of G-d, that we may reflect on this Sovereign gift on the Sabbath.

As King David reminds us, may we always remember who we are.

“Gracious and merciful is The LORD, slow to anger, and great in [bestowing] kindness.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:8

Chayn is the word for “grace” from which the first word of this verse derives.

Chet is said to be constructed out of a merger between the opposing forces of the letters vav and zayin, joined at the top by an arch. This presents the concept of the tension, or paradox, between the absolute unity of The LORD and the plurality of creation. The above verse reminds us that the Creator of this world is understanding and benevolent and mindful of these forces. The word, chessed, denoting the attribute of loving-kindness, begins with a chet.

Chai the word for “life,” is spelled with a chet and yud. This combination unites the presence of G-d (represented by the yud) to our existence in time (chet). The numerical value of these letters is eighteen, multiples of which are often given in currency as charity, to remind us of the gift of life and the benevolence that we are required to emulate. The word Chaya is the second highest level of soul, referring to the Source of life and life-force itself.

Chet is like an open gateway between worlds of consciousness. The number eight is connected to transcendence as it stands outside the seven days of creation. It is connected to the concept of Moschiach, the Messiah, and also brings to mind the eight days of Channukah which commemorate miracles that defy the laws of nature. It is a holiday on which we celebrate light, a way of seeing from a purified heart.

As we contemplate this holy letter may we feel the grace that permits us to soar through the archway of consciousness, while being fully grounded in our lives within the physical world.

“The LORD is good to all; His mercies are on all His works.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:9

Tov, the word for “good” begins this verse. At the beginning of creation the appearance of light is called “good” in G-d’s eyes. Righteous beings are also described in this way as they reveal the inner light and purpose of creation. They exist in this world but are not of it. They are conscious of the physical world in order to rectify it, while being fully aware that there is nothing other than G-d. Through the service of the soul all reality is filled with the Creator’s infinite goodness, bringing harmony and peace to this world. This is exemplified by the last seventeen years of our father Jacob’s life that are described as “good”, the numerical value of tov being seventeen. He lived in the depraved culture of Egypt, yet studied Torah incessantly with his sons, thereby creating a foundation of strength for the Jewish people to withstand the exile that was to come.

Tet is shaped like an open container, or vessel, with a flat, stable base. It signifies the space for potential, an open womb. There are nine months of pregnancy, and nine sefirot pour blessings into this realm of malchut, G-d’s Kingdom on earth.

Even when we cannot understand the workings of this world, we know that there is a Master plan and that everything, however challenging and difficult, is ultimately for the good. A person of faith believes in G-d’s goodness under all circumstances. By reciting Ashrei we create a positive state of mind that enables us to see and to embody this benevolence.

May we see with ayin tov “good eyes” the goodness in ourselves and in each other, filling the vessel of tet with infinite blessings.

“All Your works shall thank You, LORD, and Your devout ones will bless You.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:10

Yud is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet and is contained in all letters and words, as if it were a seed, the first dot of creation. It is the only letter that is suspended and is the first letter of G-d’s Holy Name, the Tetragrammaton. It is whole and not built from separate parts, which is symbolic of the Oneness of The LORD.

The power of 10 resonates throughout Judaism. There are 10 Divine channels, or emanations of light, through which the Creator continually brings this world into being, and as each word and letter contains the power of yud, each is a channel for The LORD’s infinite light to enter finite reality. There are 10 commandments, 10 utterances of creation (“Let there be light, etc.), Abraham survived 10 tests of faith, and 10 plagues were brought by The LORD against the Egyptians. A prayer service cannot begin without a quorum of 10 men.

We speak of the “pintele yid”, the dot of Jewish essence, as it were, that is never extinguished, that will continue to survive even the hardest trials.

May we contemplate the nucleus of all life that is the yud as it hovers in a state of becoming, soaring upwards as the Divine point of everything. May we never “miss the point”.

“All shall speak of Your kingdom’s glory, and of Your power they will relate.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:11

Kaf holds the eleventh position in the alphabet, and has a numerical value of twenty. Here it begins the word kavod which means “honor”, “glory” or “respect”. It is incumbent on us to bring this attitude to all of G-d’s creation, and to the Source of all creation when we stand in prayer. Kaf is the first letter of the word “kavannah,” which means “intention”, an essential preparation of the heart and mind before prayer, speech and action.

Kaf is the root of kipah – a skullcap – and also means the palm of the hand. The shape of the letter has been described as a crown on the head of a prostrating king. It is not surprising that it begins the word keter or “crown” which is the highest of the ten Sefirot. The crown represents the Supreme Nobility of The LORD, and a level of spiritual elevation beyond human comprehension. With this imagery we can relate to the skullcap as the palm of G-d blessing the head to fulfill its highest purpose.

20 appears in the Bible several times: Joseph’s brothers sold him for 20 pieces of silver; Jacob worked for Laban for 20 years; and the maximum height of the Sukkah (the temporary dwelling we reside in on the holiday of Sukkot) is 20 cubits.

In honoring and respecting each other, we glorify G-d. May kaf remind us to purify our hearts and minds for prayer and meditation so we may receive the presence, the palm, of the Holy One.

“To make known to all mankind, Your mighty deeds, and the splendor of Your glorious kingdom.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:12

The literal meaning of the letter Lamed is “to learn” or “to teach”. In this verse it begins the word l’hodiya, “to make known”. It is the only letter in the alphabet that ascends above the line, reaching up to the yud at its summit. This represents the aspiring heart that reaches up to receive the seed (yud) of wisdom from above. The Hebrew word for heart, leiv, also begins with a lamed, and this is the vessel into which consciousness is drawn to gestate. Our sages refer to the lamed as “a tower soaring in the air”. In the study of Torah this alludes to our desire to grasp inner spiritual truth, transcending our earthbound nature and constantly aspiring to uplift ourselves and “make known…Your mighty deeds”. These deeds express themselves in the physical world when we perform acts of kindness and emulate G-d’s ways. In this way we create a relationship between our inner and outer spiritual life, coming close to the divine Source in holiness and service, drawing heaven into earth and earth into heaven.

The numerical value of Lamed is 30. In the Midrash (rabbinical commentary), it is said that when a person reaches this age they can begin influencing the world. Up until then they are preparing by building their knowledge and character. There are 30 days in the month; 30 categories of tzaddikim in the world-to-come, and 30 generations from Abraham to the destruction of the first Temple.

The Torah ends with a lamed, the last letter in the word “Israel”. We all have the potential to reach this holy land inside, and make known the glory of G-d in this world. May we stand tall like the lamed, and strive for understanding every day of our lives. May we cultivate the wisdom of the heart, so our thoughts, speech and actions make this world a “glorious kingdom”.

“Your kingdom is a kingdom spanning all eternities. Your dominion is everlasting from generation to generation.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:13

Here, the mem begins the word for “kingdom” – malchus. We live in G-d’s world, this physical domain, into which divine emanation flows, and then rises like a fountain to flow back again. This is why malchus is associated with women, because it is the receptacle of divine plenty and goodness. It is the place of planting seeds, of “working the field”, of birthing, and of creative manifestation. The shape of the letter mem is likened to the womb or a reservoir, and is connected to the power of reproduction. The mem has two forms – open, and closed when it is placed at the end of a word. These two forms symbolize the revealed and hidden dimensions of the Torah. It is not surprising that mem begins the Hebrew word for “water”, mayim, which is a metaphor for spiritual knowledge. All life depends on water.The Hebrew word for compassion, rachamim, ends with the three letters mem-yud-mem, the same letters that spell water. The word for “womb” in Hebrew – rechem – is connected to both rachamim and mayim. Hence our understanding of the feminine presence in the Kingdom of G-d.

The number 40 has great significance in the Torah. Moses ascended Mount Sinai for 40 days; the Jewish people wandered for 40 years in the wilderness; 40 generations from Moses to the completion of the Talmud; the minimum quantity of water required for a mikveh (spiritual bath) is 40 seah; the height of the entrance to the sanctuary of the Temple was 40 cubits; there are 40 weeks of pregnancy. In the Jewish tradition it is believed that 40 days before the birth of a baby, their soul-mate is announced in heaven.

Mem also begins the word mitzvot, the 613 divine precepts, or ways of creating a deeply personal, living relationship with The LORD, that are taught to us by Moses in the Torah.

May we always be open and receptive to the flowing Source of all life. As new seeds of awareness are planted and grow, may we always be open to change.

It is significant that the letter nun is omitted from Ashrei (Tehillim/Psalm 145). In general, the nun corresponds in Torah to the image of falling, nefilla. This psalm is a prayer to instill in us, with every letter, a positive and elevated consciousness, to strengthen our faith and praise the Creator of all life with every fiber of our being.

The following letter, samech, means “support”, the full embrace of the divine, or, in other words, G-d’s transcendent mercy. These ideas express the spiritual concept of the descent (fall) for the sake of the ascent. Every so-called mistake or act of forgetfulness, can be a conduit for self-knowledge and a means to draw closer to The LORD. Thus, it is said, the nun does not appear but is supported by the samech. King David himself, sings constantly of this battle with the forces of negation, and the ascent (the Psalms) to praise the glory of G-d. The numerical value of his name is fourteen and nun is the fourteenth letter of the alef-beit. The form of the nun is like a bowing servant, representing subservience and faithfulness.

The numerical value of nun is 50, which represents transcendence. There are 50 gates of spiritual attainment; a cycle of 50 years culminates in the Jubilee, which is celebrated as a year of freedom in the Holy Land of Israel; there are 50 references to the Exodus in the Torah; the spiritual practice of Counting the Omer between the High Holy Days of Pesach and Shavuous is 50 days.

Nun begins the word ner “candle”, and neshamah, “soul.” We learn in the Talmud that “the soul of man is the candle of G-d”. As we know, one flame can light up a room of darkness. As we contemplate the nun, may we reflect on the hidden source of light that is within all of us ready to illuminate this world and to serve our Creator.

“The LORD supports all the fallen ones, and straightens all the bent.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:14

Samech is a complete circle, a metaphor for The LORD, the One who has no beginning and no end. All growth and evolution proceeds in spiraling cycles, as expressed in the symbol for infinity. Samech is an inclusive space, an enclosure that supports us, the divine embrace. The Sukkah, the temporary dwelling that we are commanded to reside in on the holiday of Succos, begins with a samech. It represents the or makif, the transcendent surrounding light that protected the Jewish people in the wilderness, described in the Torah as “clouds of glory”. The chuppah, or wedding canopy, is also described as or makif, as is the ritual of the bride circling the groom seven times. In a sense, the samech is the deep containment of holy intimacy.The wedding ring also conveys this in the union between two souls.

The emphasis samech has on its “center” is like the Mishkan the “Tabernacle” in the desert around which the twelve tribes of Israel encamped and traveled on their journey through the desert. The Holy Temple was the center of religious life in Jerusalem, just as Jerusalem is now the center of Jewish identity throughout the world.

60 is the numerical symbol of an all-inclusive state; 60 ten thousands – 600,000 – souls left Egypt in the Exodus; sleep is one sixtieth of death; dream is one sixtieth of prophecy; Shabbat is one sixtieth of the world-to-come; honey is one sixtieth of manna; there are 60 tractates in the Oral Torah and 60 letters in the priestly blessing.

As we focus on samech may we feel deeply at home in that place within that we call our center, breathing in the life-force that sustains us moment to moment, surrounded by the loving embrace of our Creator.

“You have captured my heart, My own, my bride, You have captured my heart With one [glance] of your eyes, With one coil of your necklace. How sweet is your love, My own, my bride! How much more delightful your love than wine, Your ointments more fragrant Than any spice!” Shir HaShirim/Song of Songs 4:9, 10

“As on them the daughters of Jerusalem would go out in white clothes, and on the fifteenth of Av they would go out to the vineyards and dance… A tanna taught: One who did not have a wife would turn to there to find one.” Taanit 31a

“The eyes of all look to You with hope, and you provide them with their food in its proper time.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:15

Ashrei celebrates The LORD’s providential care – the Creator’s constant watchfulness over every element of creation. Here, the letter ayin means “eyes”, expressing the intimate connection between us and the Source of all that sustains us. G-d is all-knowing and actively present in every detail of our lives. How we surrender to this sense of Presence is the very nexus of spiritual practice and the way we conduct ourselves. Everything is infused with divine life, and since this is so, there is potential good in everything. It is asked of us to develop ayin tov “good eyes” so that we may lovingly discern the spark of holiness in all that exists, particularly in our fellow beings and in all life that challenges us. In so doing, as King David reminds us in the above verse, everything becomes “food”, a source of nourishment. How we look out into this world is how it is reflected back to us.

There are 70 Names of The Lord (according to the Baal HaTurim); 70 archetypal nations and languages; 70 Holy Days in the Hebrew calendar; 70 sages of the Sanhedrin; 70 years of King David’s life; 70 elders chosen by Moses.

The shape of the letter ayin can be seen as two eyes with optic nerves entering the brain.

May we see the Artist and Author in all things of beauty, in art and in nature.

May we see with the eyes of the soul, searching out G-d’s goodness in everything, as we are lovingly watched over.

“Righteous are You in all Your ways, and magnanimous in all Your deeds.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:17

Tzadhe is the first letter of the word tzaddik in this verse, meaning “righteous”. The LORD is just and merciful in His judgment of us. This attribute is reflected in the spiritual “pillars” of each generation - the tzadikim or “righteous ones”, whose saintly behavior elevates them, inspiring people to loving devotion to the Torah and its commandments. The righteous know The LORD in all His ways, in all the seemingly mundane activities and details of this world. Through their devout study and immersion in the spiritual precepts of the oral and written Torah, they raise the consciousness of the collective soul to higher levels of Divine perception.

The bent shape of the letter tzadhe symbolizes how the righteous humble themselves before the Lord, knowing from Whom their abilities and spirituality derive.

Tzadakah, the Hebrew word for “charity,” begins with a tzadhe. It is often used synonymously with justice, truth and kindness. Giving generously to those in need: family, neighbors, and the greater community, is considered righteous behavior, and in Jewish thinking, an act of justice. We follow the example of our righteous father, Abraham, who ran to do acts of charity. We are not the owners of what we have been given, but the custodians. If we have been blessed with greater means than another it is a sacred trust to be used wisely and in the service of those less fortunate. Through acts of benevolence that open our hearts to love, we grow closer to the Source and Bestower of all life.

90 is the age at which Sarah gave birth to Isaac; it is the number of total consciousness; 90,000 elders danced before the holy ark when King David brought it to Jerusalem.

The symbol of tzadhe with its outstretched arms reminds us that giving and receiving are one, and that each us has the potential to act from that place of the hidden tzadik within.

"Upon me, O G-d, are my vows unto You; I shall render thanksgiving offerings to You. For You rescued my soul from death, even my feet from stumbling; to walk before G-d in the light of life." Tehillim/Psalm 56:13-14

“Blessed are You, LORD our G-d, King of the universe, Who has wrought miracles for our forefathers, in those days as in this season.”
Traditional Hanukkah blessing

“Hanukkah” is the eight-day festival that commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Greek invaders of the land of Israel, led by Antiochus IV, who defiled the Beit HaMikdash. Once liberated, there was only a small portion of oil for the Menorah, enough for one day.

A miracle occurred which kept the oil burning for eight days, the exact amount of time needed for new oil to be made. In this painting, the flames of the eight candles of the Menorah are lit across the top with the Shamash, the auxiliary candle, placed higher in the center.

“Blessed are You, LORD our G-d, King of the universe, Who has wrought miracles for our forefathers, in those days as in this season.”
Traditional Hanukkah blessing

“Hanukkah” is the eight-day festival that commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Greek invaders of the land of Israel, led by Antiochus IV, who defiled the Beit HaMikdash. Once liberated, there was only a small portion of oil for the Menorah, enough for one day.

A miracle occurred which kept the oil burning for eight days, the exact amount of time needed for new oil to be made. In this painting, the flames of the eight candles of the Menorah are lit across the top with the Shamash, the auxiliary candle, placed higher in the center.

"Bless our G-d, O peoples, and make heard the sound of His praise; He who set our soul in life and did not allow our foot to falter. For You examined us, O G-d, You refined us as if refining silver." Tehillim/Psalm 66:8-10

"Eternal G-d, with power, our rocklike stronghold; O Shield of our salvation, be a stronghold for us. There is no comparison to You, there is nothing except for You, there is nothing without You."
HaKol Yoduach, Traditional Prayer

"My frame was not hidden from You; that which I was made in concealment, which I was knit together in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my unshaped form, and in Your book all were recorded..."

Tehillim/Psalm 139:15-16

"I love You for You listen to me, my Creator, and hear my prayers." Tehillim/Psalm 116:1

In deep intimacy with his Creator, King David proclaims his love. Through the trials and errors of life, our circumstances and relationships shift and change, and sometimes we depart from the voice of truth within. Yet, whenever we return, G-d is there, faithfully present, waiting to listen to our voice and to hear our prayers. When we declare, “I love You” to our Source, we connect with our innermost eternal being. This is the soul of love itself through which the divine can manifest. This is why it is essential to keep the channels of communication open, to speak up and pray in our unique ways.

To listen with a loving heart, and to feel truly heard, are amongst the greatest gifts we can give and receive. It is a godly act to listen without judgment, to truly hear and respect the voice of another. This month, let us aspire to be good listeners, so we can hear our own heart’s prayers, and those of others. Let us remember, and proclaim, our love for the One who listens to us all. Let Love be our Guide.

"Teach us to count our days, that we may bring forth a heart of wisdom."
Tehillim/Psalm 90:12

Our time here is limited. With this consciousness we can choose wisely to make every day count. When we disconnect from our mortality we lose touch with humility and with the One who gives us life. In contrast, recognizing the gift of each day directs us joyfully to seek meaning and purpose and alignment with what is most true. How can we learn this? We ask, we pray to be taught; we yearn for a knowing and discerning heart; we search for guidance in the teachings of life itself and in the precepts of spiritual texts; we praise Supreme Intelligence and we are grateful. We till the field of our heart, sorting and sifting, to bring us to Essence. Day by day, we clear the way to a greater reality.

This month, practice breathing into your heart center to still the distractions of the mind. Place your hand on your heart, take a deep breath and be present. Let every moment be treasured as an opportunity to connect to your heart’s wisdom. Here is all you need to know: Each of us counts and is beloved by our Creator.

"Praise The LORD, all nations; praise Him, all the states! For His kindness has overwhelmed us, and the truth of The LORD is eternal, Halleluyah!"
Tehillim/Psalm 117:1-2

"My soul bless G-d... You water the mountains from Your upper chambers, from the fruit of Your works the earth is sated. You cause grass to sprout for cattle, and vegetation for the labor of humankind to bring forth bread from the earth."
Tehillim/Psalm 104:1,13-14

The dance of water graces life in all its divinely designed forms, so that natural systems can work in harmony. King David calls upon his soul to bless the Creator for this wondrous world and all that is given life within it. Here he sings of the blessings of rain that flow from the highest mountains to provide sustenance for all of creation.

Water is a manifestation of love and a symbol of spirituality. We are called upon as co-creators to refine the natural ingredients that are given to us, and to infuse matter with spirit. The metaphor of making bread serves to define our interaction with the physical world — how we sow, thresh, knead and bake in conscious relationship with the Source of life.

This month, let us bless the rain and receive it joyfully as a sacred life-bearing gift. Let us meditate on how we, being more than seventy-five percent water, can flow in harmony with our planet. Let us be grateful custodians and work this earth to uplift all living things.

"Even in darkness a light shines for the upright; He is gracious, compassionate and righteous. Good is the man who is gracious and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice."
Tehillim/Psalm 112:4-5

"Search out The LORD and His might, seek His Presence always."
Tehillim/Psalm 105:4

"Not for our sake, Source of life, not for our sake, but to Your Name give glory for the sake of Your kindness and Your truth." Tehillim/Psalm 115:1

With prophetic insight into past and future history, King David understood human frailty and the supreme kindness of the Creator who never gives up on His children, even when we transgress. However much we might accomplish in this world, when we deflect praise and glory from ourselves and place it where it belongs, we are coming closer to realizing our true purpose here. When we honor and acknowledge G-d’s mastery and dominion over all things, our divine souls rise to a state of pure joy.

This is the ultimate reward for our efforts. A feeling of rightful dignity comes when we remember that all we have is given to us — all possessions, attributes and achievements — and we thank and honor the One who emanates all this.

This month when we feel righteous or powerful, let’s try to remember to give thanks. If we have moments of feeling down, let’s praise the Creator for the daily kindnesses we are given as ongoing tokens of love. Offering praise and glory to the Creator is the holy fuel of the universe — it makes the world go around!

"Only for G-d does my soul wait in silence, for my hope comes from my Creator. Only G-d is my rock, my deliverance, my fortress. I shall not be shaken."
Tehillim/Psalm 62:6-7

There was much turbulence in King David’s life. Yet, amidst challenges of every nature, he had the discipline, patience and fortitude to create an inner fortress of silence, his own soul-space, where his essence could merge with the Essence of life itself. From this bedrock of being he drew his strength and hope. Such unshakable faith comes from complete surrender of the ego, from knowing that there is nothing other than G-d. He turned down the volume of the world and tuned into his Maker.

It is easy to act on impulse. It takes much strength to allow time to pass in non-action and remain connected to that silent place within that is not subject to the whims of time and circumstance. This month, cultivate inner silence and patience as a path to peace and faith. For a few minutes each day, listen to the sound of your breath, deep and slow, as it so faithfully breathes you. Wait in silence and stillness as you feel inner strength come up to meet you. Hold on to the rock of your Creator and be free.

"Praiseworthy are those who dwell in Your house, continually they will praise You."
Tehillim/Psalm 84:5

"You are with me."
Tehillim/Psalm 23:4

Joy and sorrow are intertwined in our lives. Some of us are here for a short stay; some live long and healthy lives. Whatever the circumstances, each of us has a choice: to believe either that we are alone – abandoned – or that our Creator is always with us.

King David sings of this intimate relationship with G-d throughout the psalms.

Wherever he finds himself, “You are with me.” Much of human pain derives from the illusion that we are alone, from doubting the loving closeness of the Divine, when it is we who have our backs to the Source of life. All we have to do is make the choice to turn around. Coming to faith in this way is the battleground of the spiritual warrior.

The goal of spiritual practice is to bring Presence into each moment that sustains us. The bridge to present awareness is through the breath. This month, make daily appointments on your calendar to meet with Presence!

Stop whatever you are doing, take some slow, deep breaths into the inner sanctuary of your heart center, exhaling doubt all the way out, making space for the Source of life to enter with the next breath – and proclaim, “You are with me.” This will give you strength.

"On Your behalf my heart has spoken: 'Seek My Presence.' Your Presence, my Creator, I do seek." Tehillim/Psalm 27:8

King David speaks of his longing to know G-d most intimately, face to face, as it were. It is as if his own heart speaks as his Creator’s emissary. He listens to his heart’s desire, implanted by the Lord of all worlds, and with conscious awareness of his deepest inner truth, he obeys and responds affirmatively.

His will is G-d’s will for him. This is a reciprocal calling to unite. So often our hearts want one thing and our minds another, as if inner and outer worlds are split — and drift apart. Here, one longing alone permeates his reality.

This month, let us engage the imagination in deepening our spirituality. In our daily lives we can imagine that the Source of life is calling us within our hearts, as if our hearts were the loudspeaker of the soul, “Seek Me, seek My Presence.” And wherever we are, we can respond in our minds, “I do seek Your Presence. I really do and I really am!” In this way, mind and heart can be aligned in one purpose.

"A Psalm of thanksgiving. Call out to the Creator, everyone on earth. Serve G-d with joy, come before Him with joyous song. Know that our Essence is G-d. He has made us and we are His. His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving, His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name." Tehillim/Psalm 100:1-4

Imagine if everyone on earth cried out in joyful unison, “Thank you, Creator!” The world would be transformed! G-d is our Maker, Shepherd and Protector, and each of us has a divine soul that is deeply cherished. His Ownership of us is our true identity.

King David teaches that expressing gratitude is the key to a happy and healthy life. True service derives from acknowledging our Creator in everything we have and everything we do, and in treating our world as the sacred ground of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

Let us be thankful each day for the great and small things we are given. This restores the balance of giving and receiving in our lives. And just as the Shepherd looks after each of His sheep, let us care for each other.

At every entrance, at every new beginning and at each moment of enlightenment, let us stop to bless and thank our Maker, knowing that everything comes from Him, and that we have divine purpose. Thank You!

"You guide my destiny. You will make known to me the path of life, the fullness of joy in Your Presence." Tehillim/Psalm 16:5,11

Each soul is part of a vast Intelligence, guided by a Mighty Conductor who intimately knows each instrument of His orchestra. King David sings of the path of life that is revealed when we remain present to Presence and open to the signposts along the way. As we believe in our Creator’s loving care for each of His creations, so do we surrender to what we now understand to be His guidance.

Only in deeply aligned faith and trust that everything is ultimately for the good of all, does joy spring forth like a fountain.

We all long for guidance in the confusion of this world. Let us take comfort in the psalmist’s words and know that there is a divine plan for each of us. Breathe silence and peace into your inner sanctuary and restore your soul with this lovingkindness.

Now listen to the voice of your deepest truth. The Presence of God is a breath away for each of us to choose.

"The Creator is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Creator is my life's strength, whom shall I dread? One thing I asked of the Almighty, that shall I seek - that I dwell in the House of G-d all the days of my life, to behold the sweetness of my Creator and to contemplate in His Sanctuary." Tehillim/Psalm 27:1-4

There are so many moments during the day when we are overcome with fear and anxiety, overwhelmed with the task before us. The mind goes around in circles, and no help comes to relieve the phantoms we imagine. King David is reminding us to stop the negative cycle and remember who’s running the show!

The Creator is the light in the darkness of fear and uncertainty. Simply being aware of G-d’s Presence is salvation and our source of strength. The psalmist seeks only to be at home with G-d, in constant union with the Divine Presence. The House of G-d was the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. It is also the sacred ground of our being, the sanctuary where we contemplate the Divine within.

Together we can make this earth a dwelling place for G-d. This month, seek ways you can bring godliness to the world around you. Take time to meditate daily in your sanctuary and to taste the sweetness of union, at home with the Beloved.

"Hear my words, my Creator, perceive my thoughts. Listen to the sound of my outcry, my King and my God, for to You alone do I pray. My Creator, at dawn hear my voice, at dawn as I arrange my prayer before You, and wait expectantly..." Tehillim/Psalm 5:2-5

Through these verses we learn that the Creator hears our words and perceives our thoughts. How awesome this is to contemplate! Here, we can take comfort in the fact that we are never alone.

We all long to be known for who we truly are – and to be heard. When we strive to cultivate faith in this essential connection to our Creator we strengthen the foundation of all our relationships.

King David waits to be enlightened, through prayer, by crying out to the Supreme One – the One Who knows him best - all that is in his heart.

This is how he starts his day, by laying out, arranging his innermost being to the One Who created him with all these strengths, weaknesses and struggles. He asks for help and he expects to be answered.

Take the time each morning to “arrange” your prayer and to prepare for this day that brings with it a new quality of light and hope. Find a few moments of silence, slow down and center in your breath. In this sanctuary of your being you will feel the Sovereign Presence. Speak to G-d in your own words about all and everything. Imagine the best possible outcome for all you expect to encounter this day, trusting that you are in creative partnership, knowing that you are not alone.

"The LORD is your Guardian; The LORD is your protective Shade at your right hand. By day the sun will not harm you, nor the moon by night. The LORD will protect you from every evil; He will guard your soul."
Tehillim/Psalm 121:5-8

"Where can I go from Your spirit? And where can I flee from Your Presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in the lowest depths, behold You are there."
Tehillim/Psalm 139:7,8

There is nowhere in this entire universe that lacks the presence of the Creator. King David sings of this reality throughout the Book of Psalms and makes it clear to us that a living and true relationship with the Source of Existence isn’t just about riding on a high through the good times. In all our perfectly imperfect humanness, G-d is with us. Sometimes it takes reaching rock bottom for us to wake up to this truth. There is nowhere too dark for the Source of love to find us, and nowhere too illuminated for us to seek Him, for we are inseparable. To believe otherwise is an illusion.

The instinct to flee is human, but we can never ultimately run from our true selves, for they are rooted in the divine. This truth can set us free from doubt and fear and open us to a greater Love. It can restore our faith through hard times. It is said that the seeker is the sought. This month let us contemplate this as we seek to live within Presence.

"For with You is the source of life - by Your light may we see light."
Tehillim/Psalm 36:10

In this single verse, we are reminded of the key teaching of all the psalms: that G-d is the Source and Originator of everything that exists. With each breath and every pulse beat, life is granted anew. Divine intelligence exists in every drop of water, in every leaf and mote of dust, and sustains all of creation. We do not always see the cause, but we see the effect. Just as we do not see electricity with the naked eye but enjoy its benefits, so it is with the Generator of life force itself. In truth, our vision is limited to our biased physical eyes. The psalmist prays that we cultivate spiritual vision to see by the light of our souls.

King David was a warrior. He armed himself with closeness to G-d to fight his internal and external battles. To see through the illusions of this world, we too must become spiritual warriors, determined to see the hidden light in all things. This month, consciously practice seeing the divine essence of all things with eyes of wonderment.

"On the day I cried You answered me, You emboldened me, there is strength in my soul."
Tehillim/Psalm 138:3

"I acknowledge You, for I am awesomely, wondrously fashioned. Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it well."
Tehillim/Psalm 139:14

King David sees the Creator in every atom of existence. For him, all of creation sings vibrantly to G-d of His Artistry and Authorship. In this verse the psalmist says, “I acknowledge You,” and it is these words that open spiritual vision and allow us to step outside our limited perceptions.

When we become conscious of the moment-to-moment miracles granted to our bodies to maintain life, we are lifted to new heights of awareness and gratitude. In this exalted place, we are filled with awe and wonder at the miracles within and all around us. This joy is the natural state of the soul that knows no separation from its Creator.

How awesome is the gathering of cells that create the baby in the mother’s womb! This renewal of cells continues as the ongoing presence of divine creation until our souls no longer need their bodies in this form.

Pause each day this month to contemplate an aspect of your body’s miraculous design, and say unequivocally, “I acknowledge You.”

"He is the Healer of the broken-hearted, and the One who binds up their sorrows. He counts the number of the stars, to all of them He assigns names. Great is our Creator and abundant in strength; His understanding is beyond calculation." Tehillim/Psalm 147:3-6

Imagine if everyone on earth cried out in joyful unison, “Thank you, Creator!” The world would be transformed! G-d is our Maker, Shepherd and Protector, and each of us has a divine soul that is deeply cherished. His Ownership of us is our true identity.

King David teaches that expressing gratitude is the key to a happy and healthy life. True service derives from acknowledging our Creator in everything we have and everything we do, and in treating our world as the sacred ground of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

Let us be thankful each day for the great and small things we are given. This restores the balance of giving and receiving in our lives. And just as the Shepherd looks after each of His sheep, let us care for each other.

At every entrance, at every new beginning and at each moment of enlightenment, let us stop to bless and thank our Maker, knowing that everything comes from Him, and that we have divine purpose. Thank You!

"Create a pure heart for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me."
Tehillim/Psalm 51:12

"Who is the person who desires life, and loves days of seeing goodness? Guard your tongue from negating life, and your lips from speaking deceitfully. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."
Tehillim/Psalm 34:13-15

King David is teaching us to put into practice what science is proving today: that our thoughts and feelings directly impact our environment and create what we experience as reality. Speech follows thought. If language is an expression of consciousness, then it is incumbent on each of us to know ourselves, to seek the good points in all people and circumstances, and to refrain from gossip and speaking ill of others. In this way we can strive to counter the negative inclination and transform our lives. This is the practice of actively seeking peace.

Words have the power to affirm and uplift life — and the power to destroy. This month let us use the vehicle of language kindly — to heal and to uplift, to unite and to build. Each of us can be peace-makers, and the world is asking this of us now. Take the time each morning to pray to overcome negative thoughts and speech, not to judge and to cultivate empathy. This victory will bring you life in the fullest sense of the word.

"In truth, G-d has heard, He has hearkened to the sound of my prayer. Blessed is G-d, Who has not turned away my prayer or His lovingkindness from me."
Tehillim/Psalm 121:5-6

"Come! Let us sing to The LORD, let us call out to the Rock of our salvation. Let us greet Him with thanksgiving, with praiseful songs let us call out to Him." Tehillim/Psalm 95:1-2

“Who is the man who desires life, who loves days of seeing good?” Tehillim/Psalm 34:13

Chai, the Hebrew word for “life”, is a combination of the letters chet and yud. The numerical value of these letters is eighteen, multiples of which are often given as charity to remind us of the gift of life and the benevolence we are required to emulate. Charity, tzedakah, is one of the pillars of the Jewish religion and an eternal practice of its people.

Text by Louise Temple from the book "Hebrew Illuminations"

“You open Your hand, and satisfy all the desire of every living thing. Righteous is The Lord in all His ways, and magnanimous in all His deeds.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:16-17

“I am My Beloved’s, and My Beloved is Mine” Shir HaShirim/Song of Songs 6:3

“Ani L'Dodi...” is the most well known sentence from Shir HaShirim, the “Song of Songs” written by Shlomo HaMelech (King Solomon). This book of the Megillah is written as a beautiful, romantic declaration between a wife and husband, as well as being an allegory of the eternal love between the people of Israel and G-d.

Text by Louise Temple from the book "Hebrew Illuminations"

“For Your kindness is greater than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I shall bless You all my life; in Your Name I shall lift my hands.” Tehillim/Psalm 63:4-5

Chai, the Hebrew word for “life”, is a combination of the letters chet and yud. The numerical value of these letters is eighteen, multiples of which are often given as charity to remind us of the gift of life and the benevolence we are required to emulate. Charity, tzedakah, is one of the pillars of the Jewish religion and an eternal practice of its people.

Text by Louise Temple from the book "Hebrew Illuminations"

“Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, who has chosen the people of Israel with love.” Traditional Blessing

The last Hebrew word of this blessing is b’ahava, meaning “with love.” The relationship we have with the Lord is based on love. The love we share is compared to the unconditional love between a parent and child, and we are commanded to be mindful of this throughout the day, so that we may be loving and tender to ourselves and others. The people of Israel are chosen with love to be an example of G-d’s love.

Text by Louise Temple from the book "Hebrew Illuminations"

“The teaching of the LORD is perfect, renewing life; the decrees of the LORD are enduring, making the simple wise…” Tehillim/Psalm 19:8

“Had I not trusted that I would see the goodness of The Lord in the land of Life! Hope to G-d, strengthen yourself and He will give you courage, and hope to G-d.” Tehillim/Psalm 27:13-14

“I am My Beloved’s, and My Beloved is Mine” Shir HaShirim/Song of Songs 6:3

“Ani L'Dodi...” is the most well known sentence from Shir HaShirim, the “Song of Songs” written by Shlomo HaMelech (King Solomon). This book of the Megillah is written as a beautiful, romantic declaration between a wife and husband, as well as being an allegory of the eternal love between the people of Israel and G-d.

Text by Louise Temple from the book "Hebrew Illuminations"

“I alone am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.” Shir HaShirim/The Song of Songs 6:3

A ketubah is a marriage contract and outlines the rights and responsibilities of the chatan (groom), in relation to the bride (kallah). It is the only holy document in Judaism that can be decorated with art and illuminations.

This ketubah was hand painted by the artist with Persian motifs and colors to reflect the Iranian heritage of the chatan's family ancestry.

The term sephardic comes from the Hebrew word for "Spain," and is used to describe the Jewish people and Judaic culture originating from Western European and Middle Eastern regions.

“Had I not trusted that I would see the goodness of The Lord in the land of Life! Hope to G-d, strengthen yourself and He will give you courage, and hope to G-d.” Tehillim/Psalm 27:13-14

“You will teach me the path of life. In Your presence is perfect joy; delights are ever in Your right hand.” Tehillim/Psalm 16:11

Chai, the Hebrew word for “life”, is a combination of the letters chet and yud. The numerical value of these letters is eighteen, multiples of which are often given as charity to remind us of the gift of life and the benevolence we are required to emulate. Charity, tzedakah, is one of the pillars of the Jewish religion and an eternal practice of its people.

Text by Louise Temple from the book "Hebrew Illuminations"

“A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me to water in places of repose; He renews my life; He guides me in right paths as befits His name. Though I walk through a valley of deepest darkness, I fear no harm, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff—they comfort me.” Tehillim/Psalm 23:1-4

“May only goodness and kindness pursue me all the days of my life, and shall dwell in the House of The Lord for long days.” Tehillim/Psalm 23:6

Chai, the Hebrew word for “life”, is a combination of the letters chet and yud. The numerical value of these letters is eighteen, multiples of which are often given as charity to remind us of the gift of life and the benevolence we are required to emulate. Charity, tzedakah, is one of the pillars of the Jewish religion and an eternal practice of its people.

Text by Louise Temple from the book "Hebrew Illuminations"

David said to Abigail, “Praised be the LORD, the G-d of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! And blessed be your prudence, and blessed be you yourself for restraining me from seeking redress in blood by my own hands. David then accepted from her what she had brought him, and he said to her, “Go up to your home safely. See, I have heeded your plea and respected your wish.”

Shmuel Aleph/I Samuel 25:32-33, 35

“For just as the rain and snow descend from heaven and will not return there, rather it waters the earth and causes it to produce and sprout, and gives seed to the grower and food to the eater, so shall be my word that emanates from My mouth, it will not return to Me unless it has accomplished what I desired and brought success where I sent it.” Yishyah/Isaiah 55:10

From 619-533 B.C.E., Yishyahu was a prophet and poet for the Judean nobility. Many of his prophecies unfolded during his lifetime, and we still await his others of final Redemption to come true. However, he is clear in his writings that this will not come about with insincerity and empty prayers to G-d. Only through purity and holiness will it arrive.

“(Avraham) threw himself upon his face, and G-d spoke with him saying ... ‘I will ratify my covenant between Me and you, throughout the generations as an everlasting covenant, to be a G-d to you and to your offspring after you.’” Bereshet/Genesis 16:3, 7

“They arrived at the place of which G-d had spoken to him; Avraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound Yitzchak, his son, and he placed him on the altar atop the wood. Avraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son...” Bereshet/Genesis 22:9-10

“He encountered the place and spent the night there because the sun had set; he took from the stones of the place which he arranged around his head, and lay down in that place. And he dreamt and behold! A ladder was set earthward and its top reached heavenward; and behold! Angels of G-d were ascending and descending on it.” Bereshet/Genesis 28:11-12

“So they both (Eliyahu and Elisha) went. Fifty men of the prophets' disciples went , standing opposite them at a distance, and the two of them stood at the Jordan (River).

Eliyahu took his mantle and folded it over, and struck the water, which split apart this way and that, and they both crossed over on dry land. As they were crossing, Eliyahu said to Elisha,
‘Request what I should do for you before I am taken away from you.’

Elisha said, ‘May twice as much as your spirit be mine.’

(Eliyahu) said, ‘You have made a difficult request. If you see me taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if you do not, then it will not happen.’

As they were walking and conversing, behold! - a chariot of fire and horses (appeared) and separated between the two of them, and Eliyahu ascended to Heaven in the Whirlwind.” II Kings 2:6-11

Eliyahu was a prophet of amazing talents and power during the reign of the evil king of Israel, Ahab. Though the King and his wife, Jezebel, threatened to have him killed, he obeyed G-d and followed the prophecies given to him. Eliyahu was able to raise a young boy from the dead, challenge and destroy hundreds of idol-worshiping false prophets, part the Jordan River, and ascend to Heaven in a fiery chariot. Since Eliyahu did not “die” per se, Jews to this day invite him annually to the Seder table at Passover, hoping that he brings the prophecy of the coming of the Moshiach/Messiah.

“And G-d said to Avraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife – do not call her name Sarai, for Sarah is her name. I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son through her; I will bless her and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples will rise from her.’” Bereshet/Genesis 17:15-16

“And the Lord said to her, ‘Two nations are in your womb; two regimes from your insides shall be separated; the power shall pass from one regime to the other and the elder shall serve the younger.’” Bereshet/Genesis 25:23

“Lavan had two daughters, the name of the older one was Leah and the name of the younger one was Rachel. Leah’s eyes were tender, while Rachel was of beautiful form and beautiful of appearance.” Bereshet/Genesis 29:16-17

“Ya’akov loved Rachel so he said, ‘I will work for you for seven years, for Rachel your younger daughter.’ Lavan said, ‘It is better that I give her to you than I give her to another man; remain with me.’ So Ya’akov worked seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him a few days because of his love for her.” Bereshet/Genesis 29:18-20

“Never again has there arisen in Israel a prophet like Moshe, whom The LORD had known face-to-face, as evidenced by all the signs and wonders that The LORD sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his courtiers and all his land, and by all the strong hand and awesome power that Moshe performed before the eyes of all Israel.” Devarim/Deuteronomy 34:10

From the moment he spoke to The Lord at the Burning Bush, Moshe stayed in constant communication with Him until his passing at age 120. The entire book of Devarim/Deuteronomy is Moshe’ speech to the nation of Israel, filled with prophecies of disaster and redemption, curses and blessings.

“Then Esther said to Mordechai, ‘Go, assemble all the Jews to be found in Shushan and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I, with my maids, will fast also. Then I will go to the King though it’s unlawful, and if I perish, I perish.’” Megillat Esther/The Book of Esther 4:15-16

Esther became Queen of Persia at a time when the Jewish people were held captive there. she became aware of a plot by Haman, the King’s prime minister, to exterminate all Jews within the kingdom. By risking her own life, she brought Haman’s scheme to the King’s attention.

Because of her devotion to G-d and the Jews’ prayer, the plot was foiled and Haman was executed.

“Give praise, give praise, O Devorah! Give praise, give praise, utter a song! Arise, O Barak, and capture your prisoners, O son of Abinoam!” Shoftim/Judges 5:12

Devorah is described as a prophetess, a judge, and an “eshet lapidote” which can be translated as a “woman of fire.” She tells the warrior general, Barak, upon embarking on his battle with the Canaanite leader Sisera that “Indeed, I will go with you – but the path on which you have chosen will not be for your glory, for The Lord will have delivered Sisera into the hands of a woman.” (4:9)

Her prophecy comes true as Jael, wife of Heber, kills Sisera with a peg and a hammer in her tent, and Devorah sings a joyous song of victory.

“Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aharon, took her drum in her hand and all the women went forth after her with drums and with dances. Miriam spoke up to them, ‘Sing to The LORD for He is exalted above the arrogant, having hurled horse with its rider into the sea.’” Shemot/Exodus 15:20

Miriam was the prophet Aharon’s sister, and is credited for reuniting her separated parents so that they would conceive one more child. That child became the holiest man and greatest prophet in all of Judaism, Moshe. Her holiness merited a gift from G-d, a miraculous rock that followed her and the Israelites through their travels in the desert that issued enough water to satiate the entire nation. Upon her passing, “Miriam’s Well” no longer functioned.

“Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed the following to Samuel: “At this time tomorrow, I will send a man to you from the territory of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him ruler of My people Israel. He will deliver My people from the hands of the Philistines; for I have taken note of My people, their outcry has come to Me.” As soon as Samuel saw Saul, The LORD declared to him, “This is the man that I told you would govern My people.” Shmuel Aleph/I Samuel 9:15-17

“He said to me ‘Prophecy over these bones! Say to them “O dry bones, hear the words of the Lord! Thus said the Lord G-d to these bones: Behold, I bring a spirit into you, and you will come to live. I will put sinews upon you, I will bring up flesh upon you, and I will coat you with skin; then I will put a spirit into you and you will come to life; then you will know that I am the Lord.’” Yechzekial/Ezekiel 31:4-6

Though Yechzekial lived in a time after the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple) and the exile into Babylonian slavery, he is considered a prophet of hope. His prophecies promise a time when the Lord would rescue the Children of Israel from the other nations and return them to the Promised Land.

His most well-known prophecy is that of the “Dry Bones” that rise and become whole again, a metaphor for the exiles of Israel who would be reborn into a new nation.

“The minister of Midian had seven daughters; they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father’s sheep. The shepherds came and drove them away. Moses got up and saved them and watered their sheep. They came to Reuel their father. He said, ‘How could you come so quickly today?’ They replied, ‘An Egyptian man saved us from the shepherds, and he even drew water for us and watered the sheep.’ He said to his daughters, ‘Then where is he? Why did you leave the man? Summon him and let him eat bread!’”Moses desired to dwell with the man; and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses. She gave birth to a son and he named him Gershom, for he said, ‘I have been a stranger in a foreign land.’” Shemos/Exodus 2:16–22

“Then Pharaoh said to Yosef, ‘Since G-d has informed you of all this, there can be no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace and by your command shall all my people be sustained; only by the throne shall I outrank you.’” Bereshet/Genesis 41:39-40

Having become known as an interpreter of dreams while incarcerated in an Egyptian prison, Yosef was brought before Pharaoh to decipher the monarch’s own visions. After G-d revealed to Yosef that Pharaoh’s dreams foretold seven years of prosperity followed by seven of famine, Pharaoh elevated the former prisoner to viceroy, ruler over all Egypt, under Pharaoh.

“The Lord said to Moshe ‘See, I have made you a master over Pharaoh, and Aharon your brother shall be your spokesman.

‘You shall speak everything that I shall command you and Aharon your brother shall speak to Pharaoh, that he should send the Children of Israel from his land.’” Shemot/Exodus 7:1-2

G-d told Moshe what to say to Pharaoh while in Egypt concerning the approaching ten plagues, and Aharon, Moshe’ older brother, then announced the prophecies to the king of Egypt. In the desert Aharon was anointed Kohen Gadol (high priest) over the nation of Israel, officiating services at the holy Mishkan (Tabernacle). Aharon’s descendants became the Kohanim (priest class) who continued to manage prayers and sacrifices in the Mishkan and both Beit HaMikdashim (Holy Temples) in Jerusalem, and give the Birkat Kohanim (Blessing of the Priests) in every synagogue to this day.

Though I finished this piece many years ago, it will be featured as the cover of the 2022 Hebrew Illuminations calendar.

Using the Hebrew letter “aleph” from my Illumination Theory series, I tried out a small-format painting to see what it would look like in gold.

This is my first painting on olive-green paper. It certainly didn’t start well and I came close to throwing it out. However I figured that… “How much worse can it get?” and continued on. B”H it got better, way better.

Check out more studio shots on Instagram @mandala_illuminations

Seven swirls in the center, ten swirls around the edge, one fun composition!

Not sure where this came from as it emerged from the sketchbook, so it's "from the beyond."

Since it's in an X shape, my working title is "Exxe." Since this is the initial pencil drawing, I guess that makes it an Exxe-a-Sketch!

The “making of” my most popular image on Instagram. Check it out on @mandala_illuminations

What does a five-pointed star within a nine-pointed star look like? I grabbed a pencil and found out.

My favorite place to be, doing my favorite thing in the world.

Reimagining the shape, form, and power of the Hanukkah Menorah in colored pencil on black paper.

Letting my imagination flow with a metallic silver colored pencil.

One of my first influences when I started “Hebrew Illuminations” was discovering the Book of Kells. This design, as it developed in my sketchbook, certainly strayed into the illuminated Celtic look & feel… so I went with it.

This is what I consider paradise: Dual watercolor palettes. Metallic acrylics. Too many brushes. My axe (recently tuned). A tall cold brew with cold foam (not pictured). And hours of uninterrupted time to create artwork!

I start with a series of overlapping circles and see where the illuminations begin to form. On this one, I went with gold to finalize the composition.

A quick sketch where the crisscross line work grew into s-shape curves and, eventually, a pleasing little design.

A top-down angle of my “Celtic Circles” watercolor and acrylic painting.

I’ve always found blue to be the easiest color to work in, so here I’m wrapping up my 2022 series of paintings with a relaxing composition.

A top-down angle of my “Schmuel - Samuel” illumination.

In my 20+ years of Hebrew Illuminations, I never tried an all-pink composition. This one seemed to work with that palette, and it’s nearing completion.

It took three color sketches to finally balance this design. With every new composition I push myself to explore new palettes and geometry so I don’t repeat and don’t play it safe.

While being thrown back and forth on a commuter train every weekday morning, I was able to sketch many ideas for
”The Matriarchs” stained glass windows commission that, unfortunately, fell through. However I did, based on these sketches and more, create all four Matriarchs and three Patriarchs as full-sized finished watercolor paintings.

This is the one that started the entire 22-part Hebrew Illuminated Letters series that has been featured in five editions of the Hebrew Illuminations calendar to date.

I didn’t expect this lens flare from the sun until I lifted the selfie stick. So I took the shot anyway.

I was in the studio, shifting through old sketchbooks looking for something entirely different that what accidentally slipped out. Wow! I totally forgot I created this one years ago. Now it’s the next one up to enlarge and paint, B”H!

I created four small sketches for a Ketubah (Jewish wedding contract) commission in one sitting. The client opted for a different composition, but liked the feathery shapes in this one. I brought those over as a motif across the top of the final painting.

At less than 1”x1” on a post-it note, I wanted to find out if a traditional heart shape would fit in a Magen David (Star of David) shape. Sure enough it does! And this tiny scrawling led to one of my most popular paintings.

Many moons ago I composed and painted what was to become my “Rosh Chodesh” painting in watercolor and acrylic. That one was a pleasure from beginning to end.

How many paintings over the years have come from the colors in this set? These bring a certain twist when used with my standard set that makes things very interesting.

Picking the next color sketch to go full-size with in acrylics, watercolors, colored pencils and more!

This sketch set the stage for my largest work to date. Five 2’x2’ interconnecting paintings form the completed work.

At Gibeon The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and G-d said, “Ask, what shall I grant you?” Solomon said, “You dealt most graciously with Your servant my father David, because he walked before You in faithfulness and righteousness and in integrity of heart. You have continued this great kindness to him by giving him a son to occupy his throne, as is now the case. Grant, then, Your servant an understanding mind to judge Your people, to distinguish between good and bad; for who can judge this vast people of Yours?” Malachim Aleph/I Kings 3:5-6, 9

“Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord moved the sea with a strong east wind all the night, and He turned the sea to damp land and the water split. The Children of Israel came within the sea on dry land; and the water was a wall for them, on their right and on their left.” Shemot/Exodus, 14:21-22

“And these days will be remembered and joyfully celebrated by every generation, by every family, every country, and every community; and the days of Purim shall never end among the Jewish people, nor their remembrance cease from their offspring.” Megillat Esther/The Book of Esther, 9:28

“Blessed are You, LORD our G-d, King of the universe, Who has wrought miracles for our forefathers, in those days as in this season.” Traditional Hanukkah blessing

"For a commandment is a lamp and the Torah is light; and reproving discipline is the way of live, to guard you..."
Mishle/Proverbs 6:23

The Torah is G-d's gift to all of humankind, and the Children of Israel are its stewards. and guardians Each mitzvah (commandment) contained in the Torah shows us the path from ordinary, secular living into the light of His holiness.

"G-d saved - and on that day - Israel from the hand of Egypt and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.

Israel saw the great hand that G-d inflicted upon Egypt and the people feared Him, and they had faith in the Lord and in Moses, His servant.

Then Moses and the Children of Israel chose to sing this song to G-d, and they said the following:

I shall sing to G-d for He is exalted above the arrogant, having thrown horse with its rider into the sea.

G-d is my might and my praise, and He was a salvation for me. This is my G-d, and I will build him a Sanctuary; the G-d of my father and I will exalt Him... '"
Shemot/Exodus 14:30-15:2

"It is one of the most inspirational Talmudic stories, related in Avos D'Rebbe Nosson. Rabbi Akiva was a shepherd, a laborer, an am ha’aretz – religious in observance, but ignorant of Torah knowledge. At age 40, he didn’t even know how to read the aleph-beis.

One day, while sitting by a brook, Akiva noticed a steady trickle of water hitting a rock. It was only a drip, but it was constant – drop after drop after drop. Akiva observed something incredible: A hole had been carved out by that steady drip of water. He wondered how that could be. He concluded: If something as soft as water can carve a hole in solid rock, how much more so can words of Torah – which is compared to fire – make an indelible impression on my heart."
Avot d'Rav Natan 6


(Text found on Aish.com. From the Artscroll book "Like Water on a Rock.")

"For his anger endures but a moment; life results from His favor. In the evening one lies down weeping, but with dawn - a cry of joy!" Tehillim/Psalm 30:4-5

"Like a rose (lily) among thorns"
Shim HaShirim/The Song of Songs: 2:2

Describing our relationship with G-d, King Solomon, wisest of all men, wrote, "I am to my Beloved and my Beloved is to me; like a rose among the thorns." A curious statement. The first half of the verse is perfect and symmetrical. I love G-d, and He loves me. Beautiful. Powerful. Uplifting.

“...The secret of Hashem (above) is One and His Name (the manifestation of His Kingship below) is One.” The Zohar, Terumah 163-6

The Zohar, “splendor” or “radiance,” is one of the central books of Jewish mysticism, being a commentary on the soul of the Torah. It presents Judaism as an intensely vital religion of the spirit, a holy fire, as it were.

The Zohar stresses that the spiritual forces above depend for their activity on the influences from below, that is, human thought, speech, and action. Thus the thrust of my design depicts the intertwining of red flames from below with blue flames from above, as heaven and earth embrace.

Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights that last 8 days and nights.

“And of Your wondrous works, the people shall speak, and Your greatness they shall relate.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:6

Vav means “and” when placed at the beginning of a word. The first vav found in the Torah is in the opening line of the Book of Bereshet (see the letter beit) where we read, “In the beginning G-d created the heavens and the earth.” We learn that the very first time a letter or word is found in the holy Torah, that is its spiritual headquarters, so to speak. Here vav’s essential purpose is to join spirit and matter, heaven and earth, body and soul. Standing upright like a person or a pillar, its hook-like shape connects concepts, or spiritual domains together. It is also one of the four letters of the Tetragrammaton, G-d's Holy Name.

The numerical value of vav mirrors the manifestation of the six days of creation, the descent, as it were, of spirit into matter. The Talmud consists of six “orders” each containing the tractates that deal with a specific area of Torah law. In the central prayer of Judaism, the Shema, there are six Hebrew words in the first sentence: “Hear, O Israel, The LORD is our G-d, The LORD is One”. There are six directions in space to which we turn, on the high holiday of Sukkot, to wave the four species that symbolize the unification of G-d’s Name: north, south, east, west, up and down.

Just as the holy letter vav unites both words and worlds, may we humans, standing unique amongst created beings, comprehend the underlying connection between all of creation, and the ceaseless exchange between spirit and matter, soul and body.

Sukkot is the Festival of Booths and lasts for a full week of joy and celebration.

“All Your works shall thank You, LORD, and Your devout ones will bless You.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:10

Yud is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet and is contained in all letters and words, as if it were a seed, the first dot of creation. It is the only letter that is suspended and is the first letter of G-d’s Holy Name, the Tetragrammaton. It is whole and not built from separate parts, which is symbolic of the Oneness of The LORD.

The power of 10 resonates throughout Judaism. There are 10 Divine channels, or emanations of light, through which the Creator continually brings this world into being, and as each word and letter contains the power of yud, each is a channel for The LORD’s infinite light to enter finite reality. There are 10 commandments, 10 utterances of creation (“Let there be light, etc.), Abraham survived 10 tests of faith, and 10 plagues were brought by The LORD against the Egyptians. A prayer service cannot begin without a quorum of 10 men.

We speak of the “pintele yid”, the dot of Jewish essence, as it were, that is never extinguished, that will continue to survive even the hardest trials.

May we contemplate the nucleus of all life that is the yud as it hovers in a state of becoming, soaring upwards as the Divine point of everything. May we never “miss the point”.

Pesach - Passover is the Festival of Matzot (Unleavened Bread.) Enjoy!!!

“The LORD is good to all; His mercies are on all His works.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:9

Tov, the word for “good” begins this verse. At the beginning of creation the appearance of light is called “good” in G-d’s eyes. Righteous beings are also described in this way as they reveal the inner light and purpose of creation. They exist in this world but are not of it. They are conscious of the physical world in order to rectify it, while being fully aware that there is nothing other than G-d. Through the service of the soul all reality is filled with the Creator’s infinite goodness, bringing harmony and peace to this world. This is exemplified by the last seventeen years of our father Jacob’s life that are described as “good”, the numerical value of tov being seventeen. He lived in the depraved culture of Egypt, yet studied Torah incessantly with his sons, thereby creating a foundation of strength for the Jewish people to withstand the exile that was to come.

Tet is shaped like an open container, or vessel, with a flat, stable base. It signifies the space for potential, an open womb. There are nine months of pregnancy, and nine sefirot pour blessings into this realm of malchut, G-d’s Kingdom on earth.

Even when we cannot understand the workings of this world, we know that there is a Master plan and that everything, however challenging and difficult, is ultimately for the good. A person of faith believes in G-d’s goodness under all circumstances. By reciting Ashrei we create a positive state of mind that enables us to see and to embody this benevolence.

May we see with ayin tov “good eyes” the goodness in ourselves and in each other, filling the vessel of tet with infinite blessings.

“I will exalt You, my G-d, the King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:1

The letter aleph is the symbol of the unique oneness of the Creator.

Aleph is one, G-d is one.

It is the letter that begins Ashrei, the name of this psalm, “Praiseworthy”, and the first word Aromimcha, “I will exalt You”. Exaltation is the orientation of our connection to, and faith in the Essence of existence. Aleph also begins the word for “love” – ahava. This holy letter is composed of three parts: two letter yuds connected by the letter vav. The numerical value of these letters when added together is 26, which is the same number comprising the letters of the most sanctified name of The Creator denoting love and compassion, the unpronounceable tetragrammaton, spelled yud-hei-vav-hei.

With the limited understanding of human intellect we cannot grasp the Infinite One, and yet, paradoxically, at the revelation at Sinai of the Ten Commandments, G-d addresses the Jewish people using a personal pronoun, anochi, which begins with an aleph… “I (anochi) am the G-d, Your G-d, Who has taken you out of the land of Egypt…” This is a clear statement of both the transcendent and immanent in creation, and of The Creator’s participation in the world and in our lives.

In the form of the aleph, the yud below touches the Earth, and the yud above reaches heavenward, desiring to be close to The LORD. With the giving of the Torah, heaven and earth were united. Each of us can fulfill our purpose here by joining heaven and earth – revealing the hidden spirituality in the physical world - and seeking to know the underlying unity, the oneness of reality. The mediating force of vav, upright like a human being, connects the two yuds into one entity. The Aleph possesses the power to bear the polarity of opposites, paradox.

May we find balance and harmony in this physical world, as we honor and seek our source in the spiritual. In exalting G-d we stand strong and confident, knowing the true dignity of being human.

"I am My Beloved's, and My Beloved is Mine" Shir HaShirim/Song of Songs 6:3

"Ani L'Dodi..." is the most well known sentence from Shir HaShirim, the "Song of Songs" written by Shlomo HaMelech (King Solomon). This book of the Megillah is written as a beautiful, romantic declaration between a wife and husband, as well as being an allegory of the eternal love between the people of Israel and G-d.

“You will teach me the path of life. In Your presence is perfect joy; delights are ever in Your right hand.” Tehillim/Psalm 16:11

“You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:16

Pei is the seventeenth letter of the alef-beit which is the numerical value of tov, “good”. In this verse it is connected to the word poteyach, “You open”, and the concept of Divine generosity and beneficence. We are required to recite this verse with great concentration and joy as it is a declaration of The LORD’s universal goodness and caring for every creature.

Pei is shaped like an open mouth with an exposed tooth, and is therefore connected to the power of speech, the oral communication of knowledge. It is said that wisdom proceeds from the inner eye of the heart to the mouth. The power of speech distinguishes us from the animal kingdom, for it is through speech that we express consciousness. Words can uplift, educate, and unite. They can also be weapons of disunity and destruction, G-d forbid. We are enjoined not to speak l’shon hara “evil speech”, and to diligently take on the spiritual practice of guarding our speech and using language to reflect the Divine image in which we are created.

Our teacher, Moses, was 80 when he led the Jewish people out of Egypt, received the Torah and transmitted the Oral Law to the nation.

May our reflections on the letter pei instill in us a reverence for the gift of speech and the gift of life with which we have been entrusted. May we also recognize the merits of silence.

"I am My Beloved's, and My Beloved is Mine" Shir HaShirim/Song of Songs 6:3

"Ani L'Dodi..." is the most well known sentence from Shir HaShirim, the "Song of Songs" written by Shlomo HaMelech (King Solomon). This book of the Megillah is written as a beautiful, romantic declaration between a wife and husband, as well as being an allegory of the eternal love between the people of Israel and G-d.

“Your kingdom is a kingdom spanning all eternities. Your dominion is everlasting from generation to generation.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:13

Here, the mem begins the word for “kingdom” – malchus. We live in G-d’s world, this physical domain, into which divine emanation flows, and then rises like a fountain to flow back again. This is why malchus is associated with women, because it is the receptacle of divine plenty and goodness. It is the place of planting seeds, of “working the field”, of birthing, and of creative manifestation. The shape of the letter mem is likened to the womb or a reservoir, and is connected to the power of reproduction. The mem has two forms – open, and closed when it is placed at the end of a word. These two forms symbolize the revealed and hidden dimensions of the Torah. It is not surprising that mem begins the Hebrew word for “water”, mayim, which is a metaphor for spiritual knowledge. All life depends on water.The Hebrew word for compassion, rachamim, ends with the three letters mem-yud-mem, the same letters that spell water. The word for “womb” in Hebrew – rechem – is connected to both rachamim and mayim. Hence our understanding of the feminine presence in the Kingdom of G-d.

The number 40 has great significance in the Torah. Moses ascended Mount Sinai for 40 days; the Jewish people wandered for 40 years in the wilderness; 40 generations from Moses to the completion of the Talmud; the minimum quantity of water required for a mikveh (spiritual bath) is 40 seah; the height of the entrance to the sanctuary of the Temple was 40 cubits; there are 40 weeks of pregnancy. In the Jewish tradition it is believed that 40 days before the birth of a baby, their soul-mate is announced in heaven.

Mem also begins the word mitzvot, the 613 divine precepts, or ways of creating a deeply personal, living relationship with The LORD, that are taught to us by Moses in the Torah.

May we always be open and receptive to the flowing Source of all life. As new seeds of awareness are planted and grow, may we always be open to change.

Shavuot is the Festival of Weeks and is the second of the three pilgrimage holy days on the Jewish calendar.

It is significant that the letter nun is omitted from Ashrei (Tehillim/Psalm 145). In general, the nun corresponds in Torah to the image of falling, nefilla. This psalm is a prayer to instill in us, with every letter, a positive and elevated consciousness, to strengthen our faith and praise the Creator of all life with every fibre of our being.

The following letter, samech, means “support”, the full embrace of the divine, or, in other words, G-d’s transcendent mercy. These ideas express the spiritual concept of the descent (fall) for the sake of the ascent. Every so-called mistake or act of forgetfulness, can be a conduit for self-knowledge and a means to draw closer to The LORD. Thus, it is said, the nun does not appear but is supported by the samech. King David himself, sings constantly of this battle with the forces of negation, and the ascent (the Psalms) to praise the glory of G-d. The numerical value of his name is fourteen and nun is the fourteenth letter of the alef-beit. The form of the nun is like a bowing servant, representing subservience and faithfulness.

The numerical value of nun is 50, which represents transcendence. There are 50 gates of spiritual attainment; a cycle of 50 years culminates in the Jubilee, which is celebrated as a year of freedom in the Holy Land of Israel; there are 50 references to the Exodus in the Torah; the spiritual practice of Counting the Omer between the High Holy Days of Pesach and Shavuous is 50 days.

Nun begins the word ner “candle”, and neshamah, “soul.” We learn in the Talmud that “the soul of man is the candle of G-d”. As we know, one flame can light up a room of darkness. As we contemplate the nun, may we reflect on the hidden source of light that is within all of us ready to illuminate this world and to serve our Creator.

“Righteous are You in all Your ways, and magnanimous in all Your deeds.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:17

Tzadhe is the first letter of the word tzaddik in this verse, meaning “righteous”. The LORD is just and merciful in His judgment of us. This attribute is reflected in the spiritual “pillars” of each generation - the tzadikim or “righteous ones”, whose saintly behavior elevates them, inspiring people to loving devotion to the Torah and its commandments. The righteous know The LORD in all His ways, in all the seemingly mundane activities and details of this world. Through their devout study and immersion in the spiritual precepts of the oral and written Torah, they raise the consciousness of the collective soul to higher levels of Divine perception.

The bent shape of the letter tzadhe symbolizes how the righteous humble themselves before the Lord, knowing from Whom their abilities and spirituality derive.

Tzadakah, the Hebrew word for “charity,” begins with a tzadhe. It is often used synonymously with justice, truth and kindness. Giving generously to those in need: family, neighbors, and the greater community, is considered righteous behavior, and in Jewish thinking, an act of justice. We follow the example of our righteous father, Abraham, who ran to do acts of charity. We are not the owners of what we have been given, but the custodians. If we have been blessed with greater means than another it is a sacred trust to be used wisely and in the service of those less fortunate. Through acts of benevolence that open our hearts to love, we grow closer to the Source and Bestower of all life.

90 is the age at which Sarah gave birth to Isaac; it is the number of total consciousness; 90,000 elders danced before the holy ark when King David brought it to Jerusalem.

The symbol of tzadhe with its outstretched arms reminds us that giving and receiving are one, and that each us has the potential to act from that place of the hidden tzadik within.

Wishing everyone a happy Jewish new year!

“To make known to all mankind, Your mighty deeds, and the splendor of Your glorious kingdom.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:12

The literal meaning of the letter Lamed is “to learn” or “to teach”. In this verse it begins the word l’hodiya, “to make known”. It is the only letter in the alphabet that ascends above the line, reaching up to the yud at its summit. This represents the aspiring heart that reaches up to receive the seed (yud) of wisdom from above. The Hebrew word for heart, leiv, also begins with a lamed, and this is the vessel into which consciousness is drawn to gestate. Our sages refer to the lamed as “a tower soaring in the air”. In the study of Torah this alludes to our desire to grasp inner spiritual truth, transcending our earthbound nature and constantly aspiring to uplift ourselves and “make known…Your mighty deeds”. These deeds express themselves in the physical world when we perform acts of kindness and emulate G-d’s ways. In this way we create a relationship between our inner and outer spiritual life, coming close to the divine Source in holiness and service, drawing heaven into earth and earth into heaven.

The numerical value of Lamed is 30. In the Midrash (rabbinical commentary), it is said that when a person reaches this age they can begin influencing the world. Up until then they are preparing by building their knowledge and character. There are 30 days in the month; 30 categories of tzaddikim in the world-to-come, and 30 generations from Abraham to the destruction of the first Temple.

The Torah ends with a lamed, the last letter in the word “Israel”. We all have the potential to reach this holy land inside, and make known the glory of G-d in this world. May we stand tall like the lamed, and strive for understanding every day of our lives. May we cultivate the wisdom of the heart, so our thoughts, speech and actions make this world a “glorious kingdom”.

“The LORD supports all the fallen ones, and straightens all the bent.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:14

Samech is a complete circle, a metaphor for The LORD, the One who has no beginning and no end. All growth and evolution proceeds in spiraling cycles, as expressed in the symbol for infinity. Samech is an inclusive space, an enclosure that supports us, the divine embrace. The Sukkah, the temporary dwelling that we are commanded to reside in on the holiday of Succos, begins with a samech. It represents the or makif, the transcendent surrounding light that protected the Jewish people in the wilderness, described in the Torah as “clouds of glory”. The chuppah, or wedding canopy, is also described as or makif, as is the ritual of the bride circling the groom seven times. In a sense, the samech is the deep containment of holy intimacy.The wedding ring also conveys this in the union between two souls.

The emphasis samech has on its “center” is like the Mishkan the “Tabernacle” in the desert around which the twelve tribes of Israel encamped and traveled on their journey through the desert. The Holy Temple was the center of religious life in Jerusalem, just as Jerusalem is now the center of Jewish identity throughout the world.

60 is the numerical symbol of an all-inclusive state; 60 ten thousands – 600,000 – souls left Egypt in the Exodus; sleep is one sixtieth of death; dream is one sixtieth of prophecy; Shabbat is one sixtieth of the world-to-come; honey is one sixtieth of manna; there are 60 tractates in the Oral Torah and 60 letters in the priestly blessing.

As we focus on samech may we feel deeply at home in that place within that we call our center, breathing in the life-force that sustains us moment to moment, surrounded by the loving embrace of our Creator.

“The eyes of all look to You with hope, and you provide them with their food in its proper time.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:15

Ashrei celebrates The LORD’s providential care – the Creator’s constant watchfulness over every element of creation. Here, the letter ayin means “eyes”, expressing the intimate connection between us and the Source of all that sustains us. G-d is all-knowing and actively present in every detail of our lives. How we surrender to this sense of Presence is the very nexus of spiritual practice and the way we conduct ourselves. Everything is infused with divine life, and since this is so, there is potential good in everything. It is asked of us to develop ayin tov “good eyes” so that we may lovingly discern the spark of holiness in all that exists, particularly in our fellow beings and in all life that challenges us. In so doing, as King David reminds us in the above verse, everything becomes “food”, a source of nourishment. How we look out into this world is how it is reflected back to us.

There are 70 Names of The Lord (according to the Baal HaTurim); 70 archetypal nations and languages; 70 Holy Days in the Hebrew calendar; 70 sages of the Sanhedrin; 70 years of King David’s life; 70 elders chosen by Moses.

The shape of the letter ayin can be seen as two eyes with optic nerves entering the brain.

May we see the Artist and Author in all things of beauty, in art and in nature. May we see with the eyes of the soul, searching out G-d’s goodness in everything, as we are lovingly watched over.

“The LORD is close to all who call upon Him, to all who call in truth.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:18

Karov, beginning with the letter kuf, means “close”. The idea of closeness with the Infinite One is hard to grasp intellectually and yet is the feeling tone of spiritual experience. We speak of an awakening (or an arousal) from Above, and an awakening (or arousal) from below. Sometimes it is as if G-d is calling (from Above) to us through creation, “Come close! And sometimes it is our yearning for Truth that calls out, and this is a personal awakening, in which the process of seeking is finding an ever-closer degree of closeness. The function of the Korban service (offering) in the Holy Temple, was to eliminate the sense of separation between the individual, who made the offering, and The LORD . In offering up our limited selves at the altar, in surrendering to the Source of life, we grow close to our inherent holiness and to who we are meant to be in the image of G-d. Kadosh is holiness, also beginning with the kuf.

The descending vav, in the formation of the kuf, symbolizes the potential for unholiness, while the kaf shape, anchored on the line from above, (the benevolent palm) is responsible for keeping the vav from descending completely.

Human temptation and the negative inclination are always present in our world. Kuf also means “monkey” in Hebrew. The nature of monkeys is to act on impulse and to imitate. They represent the restless, undisciplined aspects of human behavior that prevent us from coming close to our deepest selves.

100 is the age of Abraham at the birth of Isaac; 100 is the life-span of the eagle; 100 is the number of the daily blessings we say; 10 times10 is the perfection of the square; 19 is the ordinal value of kuf – the basis of the Jewish calendar is a nineteen-year cycle of the moon in relation to the sun.

The LORD is close. Come close! Listen to your calling! Call out and trust that you are being heard. Come close as you can!

“The will of those who fear Him He will do; and their cry He will hear and save them.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:19

In this verse of Ashrei, the letter reish begins the Hebrew word for “will”, rozon. Every morning we pray, “The beginning of wisdom is fear of G-d”. The word for “fear” in Hebrew, yirah, has many levels of understanding. Simply speaking we can say that the reish, is connected to the word rosh, meaning “head”. When we aspire to connect our will to the Will of Supreme Intelligence, we open ourselves to receive wisdom. Thus “fear” is a healthy awe before that which is greater than us, and we use our rozon to elevate our state of consciousness. Further, the Hebrew word for “running” ratz, is related to rozon. We are asked to run to do someone a favor, to run to carry out The LORD’s Will, the instructions, tools or commandments He has given us to reach our potential as creatures created in the Divine Image. We learn that the natural state of the soul is to “run and return” between its Divine Source and physical reality. By aligning our will with God’s, the soul affects physical reality. This is the pinnacle (rosh, “head”) we can strive for, and the beginning (reishis, see the letter beit) of true intelligence.

The form of this letter is likened to a bowing head. We pray on Rosh Hashanah (the “head” of the year) to be blessed to act as the “head” and not as the “tail” in the coming year, that our highest selves will lead us in righteous actions.

The reish is the numerical half-way point of the alef-beit.

In bowing in true humility, knowing our Source and our Beginning, may we be blessed to act upon this knowing, preceding all our actions and efforts with the prayer, “If it be Your Will…”

“The LORD protects all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:20

The shin begins the Hebrew word shomer in this verse, which means “to guard”, in the sense of safeguarding and protecting. The shin itself is a protection. It is written on every mazuza, the prayer scroll that is affixed to every entranceway, and on the phylacteries that are bound on the arm and placed on the forehead of the Jewish male in prayer. The shin is the symbol for G-d’s Name Shaddai, spelled shin-daled-yud, the attribute of the Holy One representing the concept of “enough” – guarding delimitations and boundaries. In a sense, it represents the gateway between the physical and spiritual worlds, the former being limited by necessity or we would have no form, and the latter being limitless and infinite. As we enter our doorways and see the mazuza, we are conscious of the Owner of this house, and by extension this world, and the One Who protects and guards us.

The form of the shin is three vavs rising like flames from a single base point. The flame is a symbol of love, as expressed in the above verse. The light of the Torah is seen as fire. In the candle flame we see three levels of light: the “dark” light around the wick, the white flame surrounding it, and the aura of the flame itself. There are three essential manifestations of love as taught by the Chassidic master, the Ba’al Shem Tov: the dark light corresponds to the love of Israel, that is, souls in physical bodies; the white light to love of Torah, and the aura to love of G-d. We can see the flickering flames of the shin as representing the mutability of all things, rising from an eternal, invariant Source.

These flames evoke the three patriarchs, Abraham, Issac, and Jacob who tower, for all generations, in spirit, character, and courage, never abandoning their foundation in G-d.

300 foxes were sent to burn the fields of the Philistines; the five letters of G-d’s Name, Elokim, when spelled in full, equal 300; there were 3,000 parables of King Solomon.

We experience the shin in “peace”, shalom, when we have complete faith that our well-being is watched over, and that we are truly loved by the One who gave us life.

“May my mouth speak praises of The LORD, and may all flesh bless the Name of the Holy One forever and ever. We will bless G-d now and forever, Halleluyah!” Tehillim/Psalm 145:21

In this final verse of Ashrei, King David, speaks of praise, tehillat, the plural form – tehillim – being a name given to the Book of Psalms. David sang The LORD’s praises even when battling great forces, in himself and the world around him. How can we emulate this? The last letter, or seal, of the word emet, “truth” is the letter tav which is the culmination of all the twenty-two letters, or forces, active in creation. We learn that The LORD’s seal in creation is Truth. This is spelled out by the final letters of the last words in the account of Creation – bara elokim la’asot – meaning, “G-d created to do”, alef-mem-tet spells emet. These are also the beginning, middle and end letters of the alef-beit. The culmination of truth, when all is said and done, is simple faith, and this is the secret of the letter tav, and to King David’s ability to remain in a constant state of praise.

The form of the tav is composed of a daled joined to a nun, resembling a stamp or seal. Fittingly, tav begins the word Torah, the Five Books of Moses that reveal the light of G-d’s wisdom, Talmud, the 63 volumes of the Oral Law given on Mt. Sinai with the written law, and the word for prayer, tefilla.

400 years of exile in Egypt; 400 pieces of silver with which Abraham purchased the cave of Machpelah to bury Sarah; the dimensions of the Land of Israel are 400 parsah by 400 parsah.

As we experience the cycles of life, may we recognize with simple faith, that the beginning, middle and end of all things bears the seal of Truth. In believing in the underlying Perfection of all things we will be given the strength to “bless G-d now and forever, Halleluyah!"

“All shall speak of Your kingdom’s glory, and of Your power they will relate.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:11

Kaf holds the eleventh position in the alphabet, and has a numerical value of twenty. Here it begins the word kavod which means “honor”, “glory” or “respect”. It is incumbent on us to bring this attitude to all of G-d’s creation, and to the Source of all creation when we stand in prayer. Kaf is the first letter of the word “kavannah,” which means “intention”, an essential preparation of the heart and mind before prayer, speech and action.

Kaf is the root of kipah – a skullcap – and also means the palm of the hand. The shape of the letter has been described as a crown on the head of a prostrating king. It is not surprising that it begins the word keter or “crown” which is the highest of the ten Sefirot. The crown represents the Supreme Nobility of The LORD, and a level of spiritual elevation beyond human comprehension. With this imagery we can relate to the skullcap as the palm of G-d blessing the head to fulfill its highest purpose.

20 appears in the Bible several times: Joseph’s brothers sold him for 20 pieces of silver; Jacob worked for Laban for 20 years; and the maximum height of the Sukkah (the temporary dwelling we reside in on the holiday of Sukkot) is 20 cubits.

In honoring and respecting each other, we glorify G-d. May kaf remind us to purify our hearts and minds for prayer and meditation so we may receive the presence, the palm, of the Holy One.

“Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:2

Beit is the first letter written in the Torah. It starts the word Bereshet which means “In the beginning”. It also begins the word for blessings, berachah. We learn from this that there is a connection between beginning and blessings. The Creator of life generates life every second, therefore every moment is a new beginning, and every moment a blessing. As King David models for us, “Every day I will bless you…” Bchol yom avorecha… From this we can take on the daily practice of developing, and expressing, a positive state of awareness. G-d blesses His creation, and creates it, with the attribute of loving-kindness, the attribute of Abraham, who is entrusted, as the first Jewish soul, with the Divine power of blessing.

Having a solid foundation, the letter beit represents a house or home. Each of us can be a home for the divine and a source of blessings to the world, making it a true Home for the Divine. The value of beit is two, reminding us that the world is comprised of pairs: man and woman, day and night, holy and secular. This world of duality exists within the Source of Oneness.

May we find comfort and blessings in the place we call home, and find that which makes us complete and at peace. May we know that each breath is a new beginning and a source of blessing.

“The LORD is great and highly extolled, yet inscrutable is His greatness.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:3

Here Gimel is the first letter of the word gadol, “great”. Sometimes luminaries and scholars are called by this term, and yet nothing we can conjure conceptually, in human terms, can even approximate the vast greatness of the Creator of all existence.

The letter gimel contains within it a great force and power. It also begins the words for “strength”, gevurah, and “might”, gibor. Its shape resembles a body (vav) with the attached yud as a foot extended to the left. We can see this as a person running to give charity to the poor, thus fulfilling the will of G-d, in one of the great acts of kindness entrusted to us. In this way we emulate G-d’s continuous and loving generosity towards us.

Gimel’s numerical value of three evokes our forefathers, Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, The LORD’s presence in the holy matrimony between a man and a woman, and the three parts of the holy Torah: The Five Books of Moses, the Prophets, and The Writings.

May we always recognize that the source of true greatness and strength in this world is derived from the One Infinite Being. True greatness comes from knowing this.

“Each generation will praise Your works to the next and of Your mighty deeds they will tell.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:4

Daled begins the word for “generation” in Hebrew – dor. The eternal wisdom of the Torah is faithfully cherished and upheld through time, passed from generation to generation, bearing witness to G-d’s greatness.

Daled also begins delet for “door”, dirah, denoting G-d’s earthly dwelling, and deled for “knowledge.” The shape of the letter, with its horizontal top extending to the left of the vertical post, reminds us of a door frame with one side open.

We learn that only those who are humble in spirit, who know that everything comes from G-d, can enter the door of the Divine Palace. The daled suggests the shape of a bowing figure and reminds us that we are all servants of the Sovereign Ruler of this universe.

Daled’s numerical value of four reminds us of the four letter’s of the Holy One’s unpronounceable name. There are also four matriarchs of the Jewish people: Sarah, Rivka, Leah, and Rachel. At the Passover Seder, four cups of wine are drank, and the Four Questions are asked by the youngest child.

May we be ever-mindful of what we have been given, what we are being given right at this moment, and what we are passing on to those who will come after us. May we be worthy to seek out, and pass through, the doors of knowledge and understanding of the Commandments, so that we can make this earth a spiritual dwelling place for The LORD.

“Let me speak of the splendor of Your power and Your wondrous deeds.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:5

Hei opens this line with the word, hadar, “splendor” or “glory”. This can also be referred to as hidden beauty, to which we are drawn and attracted.

The soul, we learn, possesses three means of expression, or “garments”: thought, speech and action. The shape of the hei corresponds to these garments – the upper horizontal line to thought, the right vertical line to speech and the unattached foot to action.

In all areas of the soul’s expression we aspire to cultivate an inner radiance or brilliance that will reflect the glory of G-d. Aaron, the Kohain Gadol, “High Priest” and brother of the Prophet Moses, elevated the souls of those who had transgressed in the proper use of the soul’s “garments”. Therefore he represents hod, (a derivative of hadar) a channel of divine flow in the kabbalah system of ten emanations. So humble and pure was he that G-d’s splendor could shine out fully through him, transforming with love those who had erred.

We can also see the hei as comprised of the letters, daled and yud. The daled forms the right side, acting as a door to the physical world, and the yud on the left denotes spirituality entering our lives. Moreover, the letter hei appears twice in G-d’s Holy Name, the tetragrammaton, as if mirroring itself.

As we reflect upon this letter may we be reminded of another word, hinani, “Here I Am,” a declaration made without hesitation by Abraham, Jacob and our teacher, Moses, when called directly by The LORD. Here I am to do Your Will, to serve You with all my heart and soul. May I connect my thoughts, speech and actions to You so that Your splendor will shine through me all the days of my life.

“A remembrance of Your abundant goodness they will utter and of Your righteousness they will sing exultantly.”
Tehillim/Psalm 145:7

Zecher “remembrance”, is the first word of this verse. We are commanded to remember the Sabbath, the seventh day and seal of creation, that commemorates completion and wholeness. The feminine presence of the Sabbath is called the Sabbath Bride, or Queen, and mystically signifies the marriage between G-d and Israel, the feminine aspect of the Creator being called the Schechina. On this holy day, realms of the soul are elevated to new awareness. The peace, or rest of the Sabbath day derives from the spiritual concept of completion – everything being in place for the purposeful work of the six days. We abstain from productive labor, and submerge ourselves in meditating on the perfection of the Source of all that exists and all that will unfold in the ensuing week. The seventh day is the soul of the physical and secular week.

The number seven also evokes the seven lower sefirot in the mystical teachings of the Kabbala, the commandments in the Torah which connect to multiples of seven – the Counting of the Omer, the Sabbatical and Jubilee years, and the seven shepherds of Israel – Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, and David.

The shape of the zayin is that of a vav whose head extends in both directions like a crown or scepter, reminding us that humanity is the crown of creation, created on the sixth day in the image of G-d, that we may reflect on this Sovereign gift on the Sabbath.

As King David reminds us, may we always remember who we are.

“Gracious and merciful is The LORD, slow to anger, and great in [bestowing] kindness.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:8

Chayn is the word for “grace” from which the first word of this verse derives.

Chet is said to be constructed out of a merger between the opposing forces of the letters vav and zayin, joined at the top by an arch. This presents the concept of the tension, or paradox, between the absolute unity of The LORD and the plurality of creation. The above verse reminds us that the Creator of this world is understanding and benevolent and mindful of these forces. The word, chessed, denoting the attribute of loving-kindness, begins with a chet.

Chai the word for “life,” is spelled with a chet and yud. This combination unites the presence of G-d (represented by the yud) to our existence in time (chet). The numerical value of these letters is eighteen, multiples of which are often given in currency as charity, to remind us of the gift of life and the benevolence that we are required to emulate. The word Chaya is the second highest level of soul, referring to the Source of life and life-force itself.

Chet is like an open gateway between worlds of consciousness. The number eight is connected to transcendence as it stands outside the seven days of creation. It is connected to the concept of Moschiach, the Messiah, and also brings to mind the eight days of Channukah which commemorate miracles that defy the laws of nature. It is a holiday on which we celebrate light, a way of seeing from a purified heart.

As we contemplate this holy letter may we feel the grace that permits us to soar through the archway of consciousness, while being fully grounded in our lives within the physical world.

Keep your heart alight
Radiating in your chest
Beats strong as thunder.
They can steal your treasure
But not your spirit or soul.

Kaleidoscoping
Seeing through geometry
A crystalline world.
Reality fragmented
Facets, refractions await.

The Tree of Knowledge
Forbidden fruit enticing
Revealing the truth.
Now banished from paradise
Was it really worth the cost?

Sunburst fills my eyes
Staring right into the sun
Blinded to the truth.
As empty as a desert
Light shines on a vacant soul.

Spiraling downward
Past the point of no return
There’s no end in sight.
Accept the ebb and the flow
Enjoy the ride while it lasts.

A feeling of loss
Others try to take control
Claim what is not theirs.
Courage, strength and steel spine.
Never run. Never bend. Stand.

Whirlwind of chaos
Tears apart all I have built
No strength to defend.
Now I rise from the ashes
Phoenix-like I am reborn.

Intoxicating
Lilac fragrance fills my head.
Sudden awareness!
Purples, violets and golds
Intertwining shapes ignite.

On the horizon
The finish line within sight
Satisfaction reached.
Long hours, sweat and toil
Paves the way to victory.

Four roses spiral
Each petal like a poem.
The quiet garden
Hides its thorns from those who seek
Forbidden beauty inside.

Icy blue crystals
Glistening diamond facets
Transcendent value.
Color of sky and water
Captured in the sparkling gem.

It’s the Tree of Life
To those whose souls grow with it.
May they all feel joy!
Its ways lead to paradise
All of its paths lead to peace.

Candle radiance
Each flame clings to a soul lost
Dispels the sadness.
Smoke and fire always rise
Midnight is reborn as dawn.

Boundless energy!
Atomic blast sensation
Cannot be contained.
My soul pours onto canvas
A tidal wave of passion.

Constant distractions
Focus on spirit fading
Trapped inside the maze.
Warmth, beauty all around me
Never forget life’s meaning.

A friend. An ally.
A bond worth more than treasure.
Difficult to find.
Till then construct a stronghold
Protect what is yours inside.

Dawn breaks through the mist
Dew glistens on cool ground
Dreamers start to rise.
The sun reveals beauty
As our spirits are renewed.

Blessings from above
Many felt, many hidden
Too many to count.
From the depths, pray for mercy.
The contrite heart will be saved.

Emerald isle
Valleys of green. Ancient runes.
Stony grey soil.
Book of Kells illuminates
The depth of the Gaelic soul.

Creation unleashed
Out of the void comes all life
Worldwide genesis.
Each morning the soul’s reborn
Uphill battles; faced and won.

Natural beauty
Blossoms fill the air with scents
Petals with colors.
I walk through the strange garden
Flowers follow twisted paths.

Clouds part; shafts of light
Illuminate the cold earth
Awaking me.
I was longing for the sun
Gone are my shadows of fear.

Blues from the vast sky.
Yellows from the glowing sun.
Reds from iron blood.
A prism of emotions
Pierces my inner darkness.

Waves crash at my feet
From shore to the horizon
Ebbing and flowing.
Colors set with the low sun
The tide retreats with the light.

Sapphire vision
Much deeper than the ocean
Far beyond the stars.
Water and diamonds bend light
Extremes alter perception.

Guardian angel
The storm has reached my doorstep
I call on you now.
With strength I face my darkness
And you by my side.

Yechidah – or Essence of Oneness – is the essence of the soul in complete union with God and is the highest level the soul can reach.

“These [higher] souls do not have any detectable influence on the body, and do not add to or subtract from man’s vitality or sensations. The only function of these [higher] souls is with respect to man’s true essence and appropriate association with the highest Roots.” (The Way of G-d, 3:1:4)

Thus chayah and yechidha remain external to the body and represent the highest level of supernal understanding only few individuals can attain. Yet, these levels of consciousness beckon and respond, up and down the divine soul-chain, to those who yearn to nullify the lesser self for the ultimate expression of love and Selfhood, where all personal attachments and desires are consumed by a Greater Love.

This is Ultimate Union.

In ascending order, ruach is the next level of the divine soul. It is described as the first level of the “human soul”. The associated realm of consciousness is manifest through the awakening and calling of the emotions to higher service in the dynamic interplay of life.

The directed and intentional focus of the intellect is contemplation in order to arouse the emotions to love and awe of the Creator. The spiritual masters call this “the toil of the heart” through which an individual comes to love the Essence of life with all their heart. Ruach is also known as “spirit.” It is not attached to the body in the same way as the nefesh and can depart, with the other ascending levels of soul, during sleep.

Nefesh and ruach are sometimes called the existential aspects of the soul. Ruach also means “wind”, that which invisibly stirs and directs all of creation.

Chayah – or living essence – is the level of conscious awareness that all vitality in every living thing draws its aliveness from the Creator alone. At this upper level of the “soul chain” the holy light of the Infinite One is more direct, less filtered. It is only with advanced spiritual development and purification that an individual might gain access to this gateway of consciousness.

Here, the soul merges into a state of nullification of the ego and acquires knowledge of the absolute truth of things. This highest soul-knowing, or intuitive understanding, is not defined by the limited, finite universe, for there is no individual identity outside G-d. There is nothing other than G-d, the Essence of all Reality. Chayah is called loving G-d with all one’s being.” (Deut. 6:5).

The highest levels of our soul can illuminate our truest essence when we gain consciousness of the divine life force that runs like an electrical current through all that exists.

The divine soul is bound to the body through the nefesh, or animal soul (common to all living creatures according to their species), that enters at birth and parts with a person at death. The nefesh is the life force of the body, linked to the blood “and transmitted through the genetic material at the time of conception.” (The Way of God, 3:1:3)

It informs and animates the physical, autonomous, and psychological functions of the human being. In the associated realm of action, a person’s level of awareness of their divine Roots, will determine their response to the body’s drives and demands. This, in turn, influences the individual’s freedom to choose deeds as divine service throughout their lifetime, in order to create a relationship with higher levels of consciousness.

Messages from the higher levels of the soul to the animal soul can be transmitted as thoughts, dreams and images. Thus, it behooves us to listen to, and be guided by, the divine wisdom of the body.

The nature of the divine soul is to yearn for closer and closer union with G-d. The individual connected to the neshama level of the soul will never be satisfied by the pleasures and desires of this world, because s/he aspires to transcendent union. The neshama level of the divine soul is connected to the intellect in the realm of conceptual understanding.

It is the source of individual identity seeking to comprehend the manifestation of divine energy in the created world and is realized through religious and mystical discipline. It contemplates the coming-into-being of life and existence from nothingness. It is the breath of life – neshama derives from the word neshimah which means “breath” – as conscious presence in, and attunement to, each breath connecting to the Source of all Being.

At this level of increasing spiritual light, love is revealed through intellectual comprehension of the divine, filling the heart with the desire for godliness and communion with G-d as Creator of the worlds.

“It is our duty to praise the Master of all creation.”
The Aleinu, Traditional Prayer

Written by the prophet Joshua after the fall of the city of Jerecho, the Aleinu prayer is said at the conclusion of all three daily services, every day of the year. It declares the sovereignty of The Lord, the Creator of all existence, and our responsibility to give praise. It is recited standing up as we declare our faith, our fear, and our awe.

Aleinu has always evoked feelings of strength from within me. Declaring faith before G-d is empowering and complex, hence the strong, vivid colors and spiraling interplay of shapes. As our devotion emanates from the center, the Ayin Tov is watching.

“Grant abundant peace upon Your people Israel eternally, for You are the King, Lord of all peace. May it be pleasing in Your eyes to bless Your people Israel at every season, every hour, with Your peace.” Sim Shalom - Traditional Prayer

The word Shalom meaning “hello,” “goodbye,” and “peace” has deep significance to the Jewish people. We pray for peace, not only between the peoples of this world, but spiritually between ourselves and G-d. My painting depicts the two most important channels through which we can achieve peace in all ways.

At top is the letter yud, the first initial of the Holy Name, and at the bottom are the Luchot, the two tablets within the Ten Commandments. By looking to G-d above, and following the Commandments here on Earth, we will know how to conduct ourselves in holiness and establish peace wherever we go.

“May the Lord bless you and safeguard you.
May it be His will.
May the Lord illuminate His countenance for you and be gracious to you.
May it be His will.
May the Lord turn His countenance to you and establish peace for you.
May it be His will.”
The Priestly Blessing, Traditional Prayer

In Jewish tefilah (prayer) we understand that G-d is our Creator and makes decisions that affect us at a holy and divine level, beyond our understanding. Our daily prayers are structured to humbly ask for His blessings, and that it be His will for our pleas to be answered.

“Rock of our lives, Shield of our salvation are You from generation to generation. We shall thank You and relate Your praise - for our lives, which are committed to Your power and for our souls that are entrusted to You; for Your miracles are with us every day...”
from the “Modim,” the Thanksgiving prayer

Found in the prayers Modim (“We gratefully than You”) and Shema (“Hear O'Israel”) this reminds us that the Lor will both protect those who believe in Him and redeem our souls in Olam Haba (the World to Come).

Our daily prayers reflect the appreciate of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for our survival as a nation.

“And to Jerusalem, Your city... May You rebuild it quickly in our time as an eternal structure, and may you swiftly establish the throne of David inside it. Blessed are you, LORD, Builder of Jerusalem.” Traditional prayer during the Maariv service

A Mizrach, meaning “The East,” is traditionally a decorative image that is hung on the East wall of a home to indicate which direction to face when davening (praying), the direction of our Holy City of Yerushalyim (Jerusalem).

“Therefore we put our hope in You, Lord our G-d, that we may soon see Your mighty splendor, to remove detestable idolatry from the earth, and false gods will be utterly cut off, to perfect the universe through Your Almighty sovereignty.”
The Aleinu, Traditional Prayer

Tikkun Olam is a Hebrew phrase meaning the “repair” or “fixing” of the world. It not only explains the Jewish idea of social justice, but also our highest purpose is making this realm a dwelling place for the Divine. The more Mitzvot we do, that is, the more actions G-d has commanded us to do in order to express the Divine Will in this world, the closer the world moves towards perfection.

It is our duty to fix what we see as broken and bring beauty and harmony to our world. No individual is responsible for correcting every wrong on our planet, but each of us must rise in awareness to bring holiness to the people and situations we are able to influence.

This was one of the most challenging paintings of this collection. My original sketch included only the Magen David shape in the center. That's what I painted and it turned out exactly as planned.

My wife, a far better artist than I, saw the star floating by itself on the white board and commented that it looked unfinished. I agreed and began spontaneously to add everything you see around the Magen David. In its sketch-form, I had planned to make the theme Ema, or “Mother,” but after I had completed all of the illuminated areas, it felt like a complete and beautiful world to me, hence Tikkun Olam.

"Give thanks to the Creator for He is good, for His kindness endures forever. To Him alone performs great wonders, for His kindness endures forever." Tehillim/Psalm 136:1,4

“Please, Hashem, save now!
Please, Hashem, save now!
Please, Hashem, bring success now!
Please, Hashem, bring success now!”
Read during the Hallel service and, on Sukkot, when the Four Species are waved.


Hoshana Rabbah is known as the day of the final sealing of judgment, which began on Rosh Hashanah. During the festival of Sukkot the world is judged for water. The seventh day of the festival is the final sealing and since human life depends on water, Hoshana Rabbah is somewhat similar to Yom Kippur. Hence there are additional prayers and requests for repentance as on Yom Kippur. In this spirit, the cantor wears a kittel as on the High Holidays.

Hoshana Rabbah has an interesting status as sort of a High Holiday (due to it being the final day for judgment) and in between a Chol HaMoed and full-fledged Yom Tov, and in this spirit the cantor, in the Ashkenazic tradition, recites the service using High Holiday, Festival, Weekday, and Sabbath melodies interchangeably.

“Our Father, our King, be gracious to us and answer us, though we have no merits; deal charitably and kindly with us and save us.” Aveinu Malkenu - Traditional Prayer

This prayer is chanted on the holiest day of the Jewish year, the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. Though The LORD is One, without separate parts, needs, or gender, we usually acknowledge G-d as male. This is to instill both love and fear of a father figure Who judges our actions, protects us, and enforces discipline.

On Yom Kippur, we cry out to Our Father, Our King, to accept our repentance made on Rosh Hashanah, and inscribe us for one more year in the Book of Life.

“May the Lord bless you from Zion, and may you look upon the glory of Jerusalem every day of your life. May you witness children born to your offspring, peace in Israel!”
Tehillim/Psalm 128:5-6

This is the name of the walled city in Israel, Jerusalem, which ws reclaimed by King David, who set up the Miskan (Tabernacle) and placed within it the Ark of the Covenant. David's son and successor, Solomon, then built the Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple) on the very site where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Issac, and where Jacob had his dream of the ladder to heaven. This solidified Yerushalyim as the Jewish people's holiest city.

In my painting, calligraphic curves spiral and wrap around the Hebrew word Yerushalyim, as it is the center of every Jew's spiritual focus, no matter where we find ourselves. I have incorporated several yud shapes, emphasizing both the first letter of the city's name as well as the first letter of The LORD's (G-d's) Holy Name within a design that is intended to glorify the Divine centrality to the Holy City. As I drew, I was exploring curve upon curve within the confines of a geometric shape. Jerusalem, the holy center of the world, allows for the intertwining of such great diversity.

This design is inspired by the passage in Proverbs titled Ashet Chayil written by King Solomon and read every Sabbath by a husband to his wife. The first three lines of the Proverb found in the painting read:

“An accomplished woman, who can find? Far beyond pearls is her value. Her husband's heart relies on her, and he shall lack no fortune. She bestows goodness upon him, never evil, all the days of his life.”

More than simply “valor” is implied by these words of deep, mystical meaning. The most straightforward understanding is that they are a testament to a woman who possesses the attributes she needs to carry out any task with virtue. Ayshet Chayil is also a metaphor for the Shechinah, the feminine Presence of G-d, the “Sabbath Bride” who surrounds us on Shabbat.

To underscore the importance of the women of valor in our history, I have surrounded the composition with the names of the four Matriarchs (Sarah, Rebecca, Leah, and Rachel), the prophetess Miriam, and Ruth, the great-grandmother of King David.

“And to Jerusalem, Your city... May You rebuild it quickly in our time as an eternal structure, and may you swiftly establish the throne of David inside it. Blessed are you, Lord, Builder of Jerusalem.”
Traditional prayer during the Maariv service


A Mizrach, meaning “The East,” is traditionally a decorative image that is hung on the East wall of a home to indicate which direction to face when davening (praying), the direction of our Holy City of Yerushalyim (Jerusalem).

“Dew - let it drop sweetly on the blessed land, with the delicacies of heaven sate us with blessing, to enlighten us from amid the darkness...” Traditional Prayer for Dew

On the first day of Pesach, we pray to G-d for dew. The droplets, which remind us of the miracle of creation every morning, represent renewal and rebirth, teaching us never to take any blessing for grated, however small, like the dew on the earth. As the dew descends before dawn, it is a metaphor for the hidden secrets of the Torah.

The pencil sketch for this design was the second Magen David shape I ever put to paper. It sat in my sketchbook for over four years, not having a theme, until davening (praying) on Pesach morning. When the chazan (leader of the prayers) loudly chanted “Tal!" this design surfaced strongly in my memory, and the two were united.

I now knew what the circles were in the four quadrants, and what their relationship was as dewdrops to the leaves in the center. The “Back of G-d” was again felt, in The LORD's own timing, by a gift of simple inspiration I will value forever.

“Grant abundant peace upon Your people Israel eternally, for You are the King, Lord of all peace. May it be pleasing in Your eyes to bless Your people Israel at every season, every hour, with Your peace.” Shalom Rav - Traditional Prayer

The word Shalom meaning “hello,” “goodbye,” and “peace” has deep significance to the Jewish people. We pray for peace, not only between the peoples of this world, but spiritually between ourselves and G-d. My painting depicts the two most important channels through which we can achieve peace in all ways.

At top is the letter yud, the first initial of the Holy Name, and at the bottom are the Luchot, the two tablets within the Ten Commandments. By looking to G-d above, and following the Commandments here on Earth, we will know how to conduct ourselves in holiness and establish peace wherever we go.

“Our Father in heaven, rock and redeemer of Israel, bless the State of Israel, the first manifestation of the approach of our redemption. Shield it with Your lovingkindness, envelop it in Your peace...” Prayer for the State of Israel

This is my first painting to celebrate the reclaiming of the Promised Land by the Jewish people after almost 2,000 years in exile. The promise is that the Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple) will be rebuilt in our time, and the Moshiach (Messiah) will dwell among us. I have used stone texture inspired by the Western Wall, the last remnant of the second Temple, and allowed its texture to recede into the distant center of the composition. Stripes of Israeli flowers cross to create yet another Magen David shape, with the Hebrew word for "Israel" on either side of the new star.

The tips of the Magen David are broken off and floating in separate directions. They represent the Jewish diaspora, the breaking up and scattering of Jews in exile all over the world. These members of the twelve tribes, the “Shevatim,” will once again return to Israel and reunite in the land promised to the children of Abraham.

“Grant abundant peace upon Your people Israel eternally, for You are the King, Lord of all peace. May it be pleasing in Your eyes to bless Your people Israel at every season, every hour, with Your peace.”
Shalom Rav - Traditional Prayer

The word Shalom meaning “hello,” “goodbye,” and “peace” has deep significance to the Jewish people. We pray for peace, not only between the peoples of this world, but spiritually between ourselves and G-d. My painting depicts the two most important channels through which we can achieve peace in all ways.

At top is the letter yud, the first initial of the Holy Name, and at the bottom are the Luchot, the two tablets within the Ten Commandments. By looking to G-d above, and following the Commandments here on Earth, we will know how to conduct ourselves in holiness and establish peace wherever we go.

“Hear our voice, Hashem our G-d, pity and be compassionate to us, and accept - with compassion and favor - our prayer...”
Traditional Prayer during the daily Minchah Service

Tefilah, or “prayer,” is our most important method of communication with or Creator, and we thank Him daily for hearing and accepting our prayers with loving kindness.

There is no promise of a direct or immediate response for our prayers, but G-d has promised the Children of Israel that our supplications will be heard, and that we will “see His back” (Shemot/Exodus 33:23) after He acts upon our lives and bestows His blessings.

“By David, a psalm. Of mercy and justice do I sing; unto Thee, G-d, will I sing praise.” Tehillim/Psalm 101:1

Daled is the first letter in the name of David HaMelech (David our King.) The six-pointed star is called the Magen David, or “Shield of David,” since it was his standard. David is credited with writing all 150 Psalms, songs to be sung by the tribe of Levi in the Beit HaMikdash, praising G-d's greatness. The letter daled is in the top point of this star.

The painting has a special place in my heart, as it is the very first Judaic painting I ever composed, setting the course for my entire Magen David series and all Judaic artwork to follow.

It is also a rare occurrence when I am able to achieve everything that I want in a design, from the almost-hypnotic depth of the geometry in the center to the color balance of the rust-brown background and the plum-blue tips. I had just turned thirty when I started focusing my art on Yiddishkeit and painted this image.

Thirty, according to the Midrash, is the age when a person can begin influencing the world. Up until then they are preparing by building their knowledge and character.

“All Your works shall praise You, LORD our G-d. And Your devout ones, the righteous, who do Your will, and Your entire people, the House of Israel, with glad song will thank, bless, praise, glorify, exalt, extol, sanctify, and proclaim the sovereignty of Your Name, our King.

For to You it is fitting to give thanks, and unto Your Name, it is proper to sing praises, for from This World to the World to Come, You are G-d.

Blessed are You, LORD, the King Who is lauded with praises.”
Final portion of the Hallel service, read on all major holy days

“Hear O’Israel, the Lord is our G-d, The Lord is One.” Devarim/Deuteronomy 6:4

The Shema is the most well-known and important prayers in all of Judaism, first spoken by Moses in his final address to the nation of Israel. It said every morning and evening during the week, and recited on every Sabbath and festival. Inside every mezuzah, a container mounted on every doorpost in a Jewish home, is a handwritten scroll of the Shema.

The sentence itself declares that the Lord is one, and only one; a whole and perfect being. He is also the G-d of the Jewish people, who led them out of slavery in Egypt to be their G-d.

My composition supports and illuminates the nobility of the statement, ornately framing the first two famous Hebrew words. I am constantly fascinated by the paradox between revealing the tiniest bit of G-d's splendor and beauty within a myriad of detail, and the nature of G-d Who is One and without “parts.”

“I gratefully thank you, O living and eternal King, for You have returned my soul within me with compassion. How great is Your faithfulness!” Modeh Ani - Traditional Daily Prayer

A Jew is commanded to wake up with words of gratitude to the Bestower of life, for life itself. Modeh Ani – I thank You. This sets the tone of consciousness for the day. Gratitude, acknowledging the Source of every single thing we have, be it spiritual or physical, allows us to stay in a state of open receptivity and humility. Each day is a gift and greeting it with thankfulness uplifts the spirit to serve G-d with joy.

“Halleluyah! Praise G-d, O my soul! I will praise G-d while I live, I will make music to my G-d while I exist...”
Tehillim/Psalm 150

The nature of the divine soul is to yearn for closer and closer union with God. The individual connected to the neshama level of the soul will never be satisfied by the pleasures and desires of this world, because s/he aspires to transcendent union. The neshama level of the divine soul is connected to the intellect in the realm of conceptual understanding. It is the source of individual identity seeking to comprehend the manifestation of divine energy in the created world and is realized through religious and mystical discipline.

It contemplates the coming-into-being of life and existence from nothingness. It is the breath of life – neshama derives from the word neshimah which means “breath” – as conscious presence in, and attunement to, each breath connecting to the Source of all Being. At this level of increasing spiritual light, love is revealed through intellectual comprehension of the divine, filling the heart with the desire for godliness and communion with G-d as Creator of the worlds.

Teferet, meaning “splendor,” is the sixth of the ten sefirot recognized in Kabbalah. It is found in the middle of the sefirot configuration, acting as the “heart” of the divine attributes.

It's position below, yet connecting, Gevurah (strength) and Chessed (lovingkindness). It it said that Teferet resolves the spiritual conflict between the two polar opposites. Strength is needed to survive and succeed in this world, but too much can cause callousness.

Lovingkindness is needed to establish positive relationships between individuals, but too much can be taken advantage of by others. Teferet recognizes both in their proper place, much like two horns of a ram, to be used together productively and in harmonious balance.

“The righteous shall flourish like the date palm; growing like a cedar in Lebanon. Planted in the house of G-d, they shall flourish in the courts of our Lord. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; vigorous and full of richness; to declare that the G-d is just, my Rock, in whom there is no wrong.” Tehillim/Psalm 92:14-15

The Hebrew letter tzadhe, at the center of this Magen David, is the first letter of the word Tzaddikim or “righteous ones.” The painting is dedicated to them, those individuals throughout history who have brought us the light of the Torah and the Lord., and have spread blessings like far-reaching vines.

Notable tzaddikim are our forefathers: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (and their feminine counterparts, our Holy Matriarchs,) Moses, Rabbi Akiva, Rashi, Rambab, and the tzaddik I read most frequently - Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto. This painting is dedicated to all those righteous ones who have been, and all those who are to come.

“The eyes of all look to You with hope, and You provide them with their food in its proper time.” Tehillim/Psalm 145:14

This painting emerged from a formless place, without words. The ayin is a silent letter, being a servant of the vowel sound it carries. It means “eye,” which is a metaphor for The LORDwatching over us, seeing our pure thoughts not clothed in words.

The concept of ayin sof is Kabbalistic for the “great nothingness” or the unknowable Lord. When we annihilate our egos, so to speak, and return to “nothingness,” then the Cause of everything can come forth. In this way it signifies the fullness of being that transcends being itself, for in this way we can reflect Divine Being.

And because G-d’s true nature is beyond our written or visual understanding, I have chosen a limited and subdued palette of colors to set up a vibration and a rotation around the center letter, ayin. I have attempted to express the paradox of the formless within form itself.

“As long as deep in the heart,
The soul of a Jew yearns,
And forward to the East To Zion,
an eye looks Our hope will not be lost,
The hope of two thousand years,
To be a free nation in our land,
The land of Zion and Jerusalem.”
From the Hatikva, the National Anthem of Israel

We kindle these lights on account of the miracles, the deliverances and the wonders which thou didst work for our fathers, by means of thy holy priests. During all the eight days of Chanukah these lights are sacred, neither is it permitted us to make any profane use of them; but we are only to look at them, in order that we may give thanks unto thy name for thy miracles, thy deliverances and thy wonders.

Al Hanisim – On the Miracles

“Blessed are You, LORD our G-d, King of the universe, Who has wrought miracles for our forefathers, in those days as in this season.” Traditional Hanukkah blessing

“Hanukkah” is the eight-day festival that commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Greek invaders of the land of Israel, led by Antiochus IV, who defiled the Beit HaMikdash. Once liberated, there was only a small portion of oil for the Menorah, enough for one day.

A miracle occurred which kept the oil burning for eight days, the exact amount of time needed for new oil to be made. In this painting, the flames of the eight candles of the Menorah are lit across the top with the Shamash, the auxillary candle, placed higher in the center.

We kindle these lights on account of the miracles, the deliverances and the wonders which thou didst work for our fathers, by means of thy holy priests. During all the eight days of Chanukah these lights are sacred, neither is it permitted us to make any profane use of them; but we are only to look at them, in order that we may give thanks unto thy name for thy miracles, thy deliverances and thy wonders.

Al Hanisim – On the Miracles

We kindle these lights on account of the miracles, the deliverances and the wonders which thou didst work for our fathers, by means of thy holy priests. During all the eight days of Chanukah these lights are sacred, neither is it permitted us to make any profane use of them; but we are only to look at them, in order that we may give thanks unto thy name for thy miracles, thy deliverances and thy wonders.

Al Hanisim – On the Miracles

“Blessed are You, LORD our G-d, King of the universe, Who has wrought miracles for our forefathers, in those days as in this season.” Traditional Hanukkah blessing

“Hanukkah” is the eight-day festival that commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Greek invaders of the land of Israel, led by Antiochus IV, who defiled the Beit HaMikdash. Once liberated, there was only a small portion of oil for the Menorah, enough for one day.

A miracle occurred which kept the oil burning for eight days, the exact amount of time needed for new oil to be made. In this painting, the flames of the eight candles of the Menorah are lit across the top with the Shamash, the auxillary candle, placed higher in the center.

“Blessed are You, LORD our G-d, King of the universe, Who has wrought miracles for our forefathers, in those days as in this season.” Traditional Hanukkah blessing

“Hanukkah” is the eight-day festival that commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Greek invaders of the land of Israel, led by Antiochus IV, who defiled the Beit HaMikdash. Once liberated, there was only a small portion of oil for the Menorah, enough for one day.

A miracle occurred which kept the oil burning for eight days, the exact amount of time needed for new oil to be made. In this painting, the flames of the eight candles of the Menorah are lit across the top with the Shamash, the auxillary candle, placed higher in the center.

“Blessed are You, LORD our G-d, King of the universe, Who has wrought miracles for our forefathers, in those days as in this season.” Traditional Hanukkah blessing

“Hanukkah” is the eight-day festival that commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Greek invaders of the land of Israel, led by Antiochus IV, who defiled the Beit HaMikdash. Once liberated, there was only a small portion of oil for the Menorah, enough for one day.

A miracle occurred which kept the oil burning for eight days, the exact amount of time needed for new oil to be made. In this painting, the flames of the eight candles of the Menorah are lit across the top with the Shamash, the auxillary candle, placed higher in the center.

“Blessed are You, LORD our G-d, King of the universe, Who has wrought miracles for our forefathers, in those days as in this season.” Traditional Hanukkah blessing

“Hanukkah” is the eight-day festival that commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Greek invaders of the land of Israel, led by Antiochus IV, who defiled the Beit HaMikdash. Once liberated, there was only a small portion of oil for the Menorah, enough for one day.

A miracle occurred which kept the oil burning for eight days, the exact amount of time needed for new oil to be made. In this painting, the flames of the eight candles of the Menorah are lit across the top with the Shamash, the auxillary candle, placed higher in the center.

“Blessed are You, LORD our G-d, King of the universe, Who has wrought miracles for our forefathers, in those days as in this season.” Traditional Hanukkah blessing

“Hanukkah” is the eight-day festival that commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Greek invaders of the land of Israel, led by Antiochus IV, who defiled the Beit HaMikdash. Once liberated, there was only a small portion of oil for the Menorah, enough for one day.

A miracle occurred which kept the oil burning for eight days, the exact amount of time needed for new oil to be made. In this painting, the flames of the eight candles of the Menorah are lit across the top with the Shamash, the auxillary candle, placed higher in the center.

“You shall celebrate it as a festival for The LORD, a seven day period in the year, an eternal decree for your generations... You shall dwell in booths for a seven day period, every native in Israel... So that your generations will know that I caused the Children of Israel to dwell in booths when I took them from the land of Egypt, I am The LORD, your G-d.” Vayikra/Leviticus 23:41-43

The word sukkot means “booths,” and refers to the temporary dwellings that we are commanded to live in during this holy festival. While inside, we recall the period of the Nation of Israel wandering during their exodus from bondage in Egypt.

During the festival of Sukkot, we take the Four Species (arba minim) and wave them in six directions (east, south, west, north, up, and down). This symbolizes the fact that G-d is everywhere.

“The LORD spoke to Moses saying, ‘Speak to the Children of Israel, saying ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, there shall be a day of rest for you, a remembrance with blasts of the Shofar, a holy convocation.’” Vayikra/Leviticus 23:23

“Rosh Hashanah” is the day that celebrates the Jewish New Year. It is also more importantly known as Yom HaDin or “The Day of Judgement.” On that day, G-d looks at the actions of every individual from the past year, and determines whether or not that person will be written in the Book of Life and earns the blessing of living for another year.

The blowing of the Shofar (a ram’s horn) sounds to announce the Creation of the Universe by G-d, and the beginning of His Judgement. The Days of Repentance end eight days later on Yom Kippur, the Day of Repentance.

“The LORD, The LORD is a merciful and gracious G-d, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and truth, keeping mercy for a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, and giving pardon to the penitent.” Thirteen Attributes of Mercy

“As on them the daughters of Jerusalem would go out in white clothes, and on the fifteenth of Av they would go out to the vineyards and dance… A tanna taught: One who did not have a wife would turn to there to find one.” Taanit 31a

Tu B’Av, the fifteenth of the month Av) is a minor Jewish holiday. In modern-day Israel, it is celebrated as a holiday of love (Ḥag HaAhava). It has been said to be an auspicious day for weddings.

Tisha B’Av, “the Ninth of Av,” is an annual fast day in Judaism, named for the ninth day (Tisha) of the month of Av in the Hebrew calendar. The fast commemorates the destruction of both the First Temple and Second Temple in Jerusalem, which occurred about 655 years apart, but on the same Hebrew calendar date.

“And G-d said to Moses… in the land of Egypt… This month is for you, the head of the months. First it is for you among the months of the year.” Shemot/Exodus 12:1-2

In Hebrew, Rosh Chodesh means, literally, “head of the month” or “first of the month.” Rosh Chodesh is the first day of any new month. If a month is 30 days long, then the 30th day is treated as part of the Rosh Chodesh for the next month, and the Rosh Chodesh for next month extends for two days (the 30th of the earlier month and the 1st of the later month).

In ancient times, Rosh Chodesh was a significant festival day. At that time, the new months were determined by observation. Each month began when the first sliver of moon became visible after the dark of the moon. Observers would watch the sky at night for any sign of the moon. If they saw the moon, they would report their sightings to the Sanhedrin, which would interrogate them to make sure that they were not mistaken.

“On the day of the first fruits, you will bring a meal-offering to the Lord on the Festival of Weeks, and there shall be a holy convocation for you.” Devarim/Deuteronomy 16:9

The Feast of Weeks celebrates the season of the harvest in Israel. Falling exactly seven weeks after Passover, the Torah declares Shavuot (“weeks”) the end of the harvest, and the time when the first fruits of the land were brought to Jerusalem as a thanksgiving for the Lord.

More importantly, it marks the day the Ten Commandments were given to the Jewish people at Mt. Sinai.

Lag BaOmer, also known as Lag LaOmer amongst Sephardi Jews, is a Jewish holiday celebrated on the thirty-third day of the Counting of the Omer, which occurs on the 18th day of Iyar. The most common reason given for the holiday is as the day of passing of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.

“...and now, go and I shall send you to Pharaoh, and you will bring forth My people, the Children of Israel, out of Egypt.” Shemot/Exodus 3:10

Pesach means “Passover” in Hebrew. Pesach is the festival of the unleavened bread that commemorates the exodus of the Jewish nation from slavery in Egypt by the direct hand of G-d.

The dinner that begins the festival week is called a “Seder” at which several ceremonial foods are put upon the Seder plate, which this drawing depicts: Maror, Karpas, Charoses, Zeroah, and Baytzah, and Chazeres.

“And these days will be remembered and joyfully celebrated by every generation, by every family, every country, and every community; and the days of Purim shall never end among the Jewish people, nor their remembrance cease from their offspring.”
Megillat Esther/The Book of Esther, 9:28

Purim is the one of the happiest festivals on the Hebrew calendar. The story, as told during the public reading of the “Megillah Esther,” is set in ancient Persia where Esther is forced to wed King Ahasuerus.

The king’s advisor, Haman, schemes to have the entire population of Jews killed because they wouldn't bow down to him. Esther, by divine guidance and the help of her cousin Mordecai, uses her influence over the king and reveals Haman’s evil plot. The king was so upset, he had Haman hanged on his own gallows, and appointed Mordecai as the new advisor. Esther’s faith had saved the entire Jewish population from extermination.

“Blessed are You, LORD our G-d, King of the universe, Who has wrought miracles for our forefathers, in those days as in this season.” Traditional Hanukkah blessing

“Hanukkah” is the eight-day festival that commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Greek invaders of the land of Israel, led by Antiochus IV, who defiled the Beit HaMikdash. Once liberated, there was only a small portion of oil for the Menorah, enough for one day.

A miracle occurred which kept the oil burning for eight days, the exact amount of time needed for new oil to be made. In this painting, the flames of the eight candles of the Menorah are lit across the top with the Shamash, the auxiliary candle, placed higher in the center.

“For the Lord your G-d brings you to a good land... a land of wheat, barley, grape, fig, and pomegranate...” Devarim/Deuteronomy 8:7

The 15th day of the month of Shevat commemorates the beginning of the “new year” for trees. Tu B'Shevat marks a new year for calculating the age each tree for purposes of tithing. In the Torah, fruit from trees grown in the land of Israel are prohibited from being eaten during the first three years. Fruit that grows in the fourth year is for the Lord. From the fifth year on, the fruit can be eaten.

In Israel today, it is a tradition to plant new trees, as well as partake of all of the fruits of the land to mark the joyous day, and to remember that trees are an asset and a blessing.

“For the Lord your G-d brings you to a good land... a land of wheat, barley, grape, fig, and pomegranate...” Devarim/Deuteronomy 8:7

The 15th day of the month of Shevat commemorates the beginning of the “new year” for trees. Tu B'Shevat marks a new year for calculating the age each tree for purposes of tithing. In the Torah, fruit from trees grown in the land of Israel are prohibited from being eaten during the first three years. Fruit that grows in the fourth year is for the Lord. From the fifth year on, the fruit can be eaten.

In Israel today, it is a tradition to plant new trees, as well as partake of all of the fruits of the land to mark the joyous day, and to remember that trees are an asset and a blessing.