Rosh Chodesh Sivan 5781

Rosh Chodesh Sivan

5781

RAEL] CAME TO I IS T HE 'NE [B W IL

SINAI ON THE F IRS OF SS T DA NE Y ER D

OF SIVAN, NTH ON O M TH E E TH SA F O

EY H

HEY LEFT R EN T EP H HI W DI Y M DA ,T E M

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TABLE OF

CONTENTS welcome opening about sivan practices bless the moon closing thank yous

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c h o d e s h s i v a n t o v !

Welcome to Sivan! This month feels fun; there's an all night dairy and learning festival and it aligns with the joyful back and forth energy that Gemini season brings. It is also a month of revelation, and according to the Torah, the month when we entered the wilderness. The liberation at Pesach still feels new, but in our familiarity in this new freedom, it's time to test limits and listen hard. What will be revealed to us this month?

This zine hopes to guide you through welcoming the month during the new moon and be a close companion with you for the month of Sivan. Go through this with a Rosh Chodesh group, inviting folks to lead (and/or stop leading) as they feel falled. Or, just take some alone time with you and the moon. After Rosh Chodesh, try to carve out a moment or two with the zine each week.

To best engage with this zine you might want to have a candle and some journaling or art supplies by your side.

Chodesh tov! A good month! May it be a month of blessings!

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opening a moment of grounding. find a comfortable spot, preferably outdoors. sit (or lay, or stand, or kneel, or jump, or whatever your body needs). what do feel and/or hear the earth telling you about tonight? where is the darkness inviting you? acknowledge and thank the sacred land on which you reside. acknowledge and thank the original caretakers of the land. commit to reconcile the land to her original inhabitants. "the land shall not be sold permanently because the land belongs to the divine, since you are all immigrants and sojourner-settlers according to me" (Leviticus 25:23).

a moment for candle lighting. a central candle is lit. each person says their name and pronouns and shares about a gift they received that felt especially meaningful. after sharing, light your personal candle and recite the blessing.

may the source of light remind us of the holiness of our neshamot* as we usher in the month of sivan. en " but is oitfthin tw ans "breyath h e g m li y e ll th ra lite , carr tehorah. my neshamot) his month a (sing. ooful" or "spirit". aTm enatataubrei ." sh h a *nesham "s od as er, "elohai nesh given to me is p understore memb have you andeaver, the soul you w spirit

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shem meforash by hava pinhas-cohen

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SIVAN

"season, time"

‫סִיו ָן‬

Sivan is the third liturgical month and the ninth month of the civil Jewish year. It coincides with May and June in the Gregorian calendar.

ALL ABOU The major holiday of Sivan is Shavuot. Literally translated from the Hebrew as "weeks", Shavuot marks the conclusion of counting the omer and commemorated the wheat harvest in ancient Israel.

Shavuot also marks the anniversary of Gd giving the Torah to our all Jews at Sinai.

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‫המליך אות ז' וקשר לו כתר וצר בו תאומים בעולם‬ ‫וסיון בשנה ורגל ימין בנפש‬ God produced Zayin, predominant in movement, crowned, combined, and formed Gemini in the world, Sivan in the year, and the left foot.

Sefer Yetzirah 5:2

UT SIVAN Sivan is a time of acceptance and receiving. We commit to the work of cementing our communities as we remember the words of ancient Israel upon receiving the Torah, "We will do and we will hear."

What does it mean for you to receive? What work do you need to do to prepare to receive?

Sivan is for harvesting: not only the first fruits of the land, but the fruits of our healing work from Iyar.

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practices for sivan

HARVEST Get your hands in the dirt, and harvest something. Find a community farm that needs volunteers and schedule some time to aid with this season's DEVEKUT harvest. Give thanks for the We are taught that a central many fruits of the earth. tenet in the Baal Shem Tov's (regarded as the founder of Chasidic Judaism, whose yahrtzeit we observe on Shavuot) teaching is the direct connection with the Divine in every waking moment, in all GIVE AND our activities, or devekut. Set an RECEIVE intention this month to find This month, be conscious about connection with divinity in all giving and receiving. Take note you do. of which comes easier and stretch yourself to do the more difficult task. Find the blessing in both giving and receiving

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MAP YOUR JOURNEY: Our sages teach that on Rosh Chodesh Sivan, the Israelites camped at Sinai. Where have you come from to get you to SIVAN JOURNAL where you are right now at this moment of receiving? Complete PROMPTS: Joyce Mercer's "River of Life" Each Jew has Torah to reveal to the world; what is Activity or something similar to yours? How will you share create a visual representation of your journey. it?

Who has helped you to get to where you are now? How can you acknowledge them? CELEBRATE RELATIONSHIPS: What season are you in?

What is it time for you to In Megillat Ruth, we read about Ruth and Naomi's "pledge of do? mutuality and shared destiny in What does it feel like to receive? To give? Where do the face of the unknown." those feelings live in your Identify a particularly meaningful relationship that has body? changed your life for the better and take time to honor it.

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Kiddush for Rosh Chodesh Let us bless the source of life that ripens ruit on the vine, as we hallow the Rosh Hodesh festival, weaving new threads into the tapestry of tradition

Libations for Rosh Chodesh We return water to the earth, in honor of our ancestors who relied on moonlight and water to guide us to liberation

Blessing for the new and for renewal ּ ‫בְּרוּכָה אַתְּ יָהּ אֱלֹהֵינו ּ רוּחַ הָעוֹ לָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָתְנו ּ וְקִיְּמָתְנו‬ ‫וְהִג ִּיעָתְנו ּ לַזְּמָן הַז ֶּה‬ Brucha at yah mekor ha'hayyim shehekheyatnu vekiyematnu vehigi'atnu la'zman ha'zeh.

Praised are You God, Source of Life, who keeps us alive, sustains us, and brings us to this moment.

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blessing the month ‫לשָׂשׂוֹן‬ ָ ‫ב‬ ְ ‫ל‬ ִ ְ ‫עלֵינוּ חֹדֶשׁ סִיו ָן לְטוֹבָה ו‬ ָ ‫חדֵּשׁ‬ ַ ‫ת‬ ְ ,‫רכָה‬ ְ ִ ‫יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁיּ‬ ‫פּרְנָסָה‬ ַ ,‫לעֲבוֹדָה ו ִיצִירָה‬ ַ ,‫הבָה‬ ְ ‫שׂ‬ ִ ‫ל‬ ֲ ‫ רֵעוּת ו ְאַ‬,‫לשָׁלוֹם ו ְאחֲו ָה‬ ְ ,‫מחָה‬ ְ ‫וּ‬ ,‫ארֶץ‬ ַ ,‫ברִיאוּת הַגּוּף‬ ְ ‫ וּ‬,‫שׁלְו ַת הַנֶּפֶש‬ ַ ‫ל‬ ָ ‫ל‬ ַ ְ‫ו‬ ֶ ‫ֶך‬ ֶ ‫לחַיּ ִים שֶׁל‬ ְ ,‫כּלָה‬ ְ ‫כ‬ ְ ‫דּר‬ ‫ כֵּן‬,‫לבֵּנוּ לְטוֹבָה‬ ִ ‫לבְּנוּ‬ ִ ‫שׁאֲלוֹת‬ ְ ‫מ‬ ִ ,‫לחַיּ ִים שֶׁיִּמָלוּ בָּם‬ ְ ,‫הבַת תּוֹרָה‬ ֲ ‫ו ְאַ‬ ‫יְהִי רָצוֹן‬ May the month of Sivan be a month Y'hi ratzon sheyitchadeysh of blessings: aleynu chodesh Sivan blessings of goodness, blessings of joy, l'tovah v'livrakhah, l'sason ul'simchah, peace and kindness, friendship and love, l'shalom v'achavah, rey'ut v'ahavah, creativity, strength, la'avodah vitzirah, serenity, parnasah vekhalkalah, fulfilling work l'shalvat hanefesh and dignity, uvri'ut haguf, satisfaction, success, l'chayim shel derekh eretz and sustenance, v'ahavat torah, l'chayim sheyimal'u bam physical health mish'a lot libeynu l'tovah. and radiance.

Keyn y'hi ratzon.

May truth and justice guide our acts and compassion temper our lives that we may blossom as we age and become our sweetest selves.

May it be so.

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May the month of Sivan bring... ‫כן יהי רצון‬ Keyn y'hi ratzon!

May it be so!

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citations and thank yous - at the well dot com sivan moon manual - sefer yetzirah - keshet - ritualwell dot com - The Jewish Planner 5781 - The Book of Days, Rabbi Jill Hammer

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made by ari l monts. sivan 5781