Rosh Chodesh — Cheshvan-MarCheshvan — The Hidden Month of Tears and Redemption

“Gaddi’s Notes on the Eternal Wisdom of the Prominent Sages”:

Cheshvan — The Month of the Inner Rain and Quiet Renewal

MarCheshvan — The Hidden Month of Tears and Redemption

The month of MarCheshvan (מַרְחֶשְׁוָן) — drawn from Jewish sages, Midrash, Chassidut, Kabbalah, and integrated with Beit Yisrael International The tribe associated with the month of Cheshvan is Manasseh.

🕯️ 1. Position and Meaning of the Month

• Name & Position:

  • MarCheshvan (מַרְחֶשְׁוָן) is the second month of the civil Hebrew year (counting from Tishrei) and the eighth month from Nisan.

  • It follows the spiritually rich month of Tishrei, which holds all the major festivals of renewal — Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah.

  • Cheshvan stands as the only month without festivals or specific mitzvot, symbolizing silence, introspection, and hidden potential.

• Meaning of “Mar”:

  • “Mar” literally means bitter, but also means a drop (of water) — as in “marbul,” the Flood.

  • The dual meaning expresses the paradox of the month:

    • Bitterness from exile and loss.

    • Sweetness from the hidden rains of blessing and divine cleansing.

💧 2. The Weeping of Rachel Imeinu

• Passing of Rachel:

  • Rachel Imeinu passed away on the 11th of Cheshvan, making her tears and compassion central to the month’s energy.

  • The prophet Jeremiah declares: “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping; Rachel weeps for her children, she refuses to be comforted…” (Jeremiah 31:15).

• Mystical Interpretation:

  • Rachel symbolizes the Shechinah (Divine Presence) — the motherly aspect of God that descends into exile with her children.

  • Her tears represent Divine empathy — the weeping of Heaven for the suffering of souls in exile.

  • The “bitter” (mar) aspect of Cheshvan is thus linked to Rachel’s tears, expressing longing for redemption.

• Beit Yisrael – Gaddi Efrayim Notes:

  • “The tears of Rachel are the hidden dew that waters the seeds of Redemption. Her cry in Cheshvan echoes through generations, awakening divine mercy for her children scattered among the nations.”

🌧️ 3. The Flood and the Cleansing of Creation

• The Great Flood (Mabul):

  • According to the sages, the Flood began on 17 Cheshvan and ended on 27 Cheshvan of the following year — precisely one year of cleansing and renewal.

  • Noah exited the Ark in Cheshvan and built the first altar of thanksgiving to Hashem.

• Symbolic Meaning:

  • The Flood symbolizes Divine purification — washing away corruption and restoring creation to harmony.

  • Cheshvan is therefore the month of renewal through judgment and mercy combined.

  • The “bitter waters” became the waters of birth for a renewed world.

• Beit Yisrael Insights:

  • “The Ark of Noach in Cheshvan becomes the Ark of the Word — the vessel of Torah that shelters the soul amid the flood of confusion. The same waters that destroy also heal when guided by the Tzaddik.”

🕍 4. The Hidden Temple and the

Month Reserved for Mashiach

• No Holidays — Hidden Purpose:

  • The sages teach that because Cheshvan has no appointed festivals, Hashem has reserved it for the future, when the Third Beit HaMikdash will be inaugurated.

  • The Midrash (Yalkut Shimoni, Melachim I, 184) hints that the dedication of the Third Temple will occur in MarCheshvan, transforming its bitterness into everlasting joy.

• Eighth Month — Number of Eternity:

  • Cheshvan is the eighth month from Nisan, corresponding to transcendence and eternity, beyond the natural cycle of seven.

  • The number eight signifies Olam HaBa (the World to Come) and the light of Mashiach.

• Beit Yisrael – Gaddi Efrayim Notes:

  • “MarCheshvan waits in silence for its crown — the rebuilding of the Third Temple. It is the hidden vessel of Redemption, holding within it the light of the eighth, the infinite revelation of Mashiach.”

🌸 5. From Bitterness (Mar) to Exaltation (Ram)

• Transformation through Teshuvah:

  • The letters of Mar (מר) can be rearranged as Ram (רם) — meaning “exalted” or “uplifted.”

  • Through tears, humility, and trust in God, bitterness is elevated into blessing.

  • This alludes to the soul’s journey: from pain and concealment to revelation and renewal.

• Kabbalistic View:

  • Cheshvan corresponds to the tribe of Menasheh, whose name means “to forget suffering” — pointing to divine healing after hardship.

  • The spiritual sense of the month, according to Sefer Yetzirah, is smell — the most subtle sense, symbolizing spiritual perception even in darkness.

• Beit Yisrael Reflection:

  • “When the soul learns to smell the fragrance of holiness even in times of concealment, the bitterness of exile becomes the sweetness of redemption. Mar becomes Ram.”

🌿 6. Integrating Holiness into Everyday Life

• Post-Tishrei Integration:

  • After the spiritual intensity of the High Holidays, Cheshvan calls us to live holiness in the ordinary.

  • It is the month of application — bringing spiritual insight into practical action.

  • The quiet of Cheshvan is the space where light becomes life.

• Beit Yisrael Teaching:

  • “In Cheshvan, Heaven is silent — to let the soul speak. It is the time to manifest the light of Tishrei into deeds, words, and compassion.”

✨ 7. Cheshvan and the Future Redemption

• Rachel’s Weeping and Consolation:

  • The verse following her weeping promises: “Restrain your voice from weeping… your children shall return to their border.” (Jeremiah 31:16–17)

  • Her tears are not despair, but the seed of consolation, as every tear becomes a drop of mercy in the time of Mashiach.

• Gaddi Efrayim Notes:

  • “The cry of Rachel in MarCheshvan and the cry of the Tzaddik in exile are one. Both prepare the throne for the King Messiah, who will turn every tear into light.”

🔮 8. Essence and Conclusion

• Essence Statement:

  • “MarCheshvan — The Hidden Month of Bitterness and Hope — holds within it the tears of Rachel, the cleansing waters of Noach, and the promise of Mashiach. It is the month of silence before the song, exile before redemption, and bitterness that becomes exaltation.”

• Conclusion:

  • Cheshvan is the quiet chamber of the soul, where holiness hides beneath ordinary days.

  • It is the month of concealed light, the resting place of tears, and the promise of the Third Temple.

  • Its “bitterness” is not emptiness — it is preparation for the sweetest revelation yet to come.

The Sense of Smell — The Hidden Power of Cheshvan

Here is a deep exploration of the concept of the “Sense of Smell” (רֵיחַ / rei’ach) as the spiritual power of the month of Cheshvan, based on the writings of Jewish sages, Midrash, Zohar, and Chassidut.

🌿 1. The Sense of Smell in the Sages’ Teachings

• According to Sefer Yetzirah:Every Hebrew month is associated with a unique inner sense (חוש), tribe, and spiritual energy.

  • The sense of Rei’ach (smell) is the spiritual faculty connected with the month of Cheshvan.

  • Smell represents subtle perception — the ability to detect what is hidden, to sense the essence beyond the surface.

• The Ramban and Zohar both teach that smell is the most spiritual of all senses, for it connects directly to the neshamah (soul).

  • Vision and hearing can deceive, but smell penetrates truth — it is the only sense not corrupted by the sin of Adam and Chava.

  • The Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 12:6) explains that when Adam and Chava ate from the Tree of Knowledge, they sinned with sight, touch, and taste — but not with smell, preserving this sense as pure and sacred.

🌬️ 2. Smell and the Soul (Neshamah)

• The word “rei’ach” (רֵיחַ) is related to “ruach” (רוּחַ) — spirit, breath, or wind — indicating a direct link between smell and the spiritual dimension.

  • Smell revives the ruach — as the verse says, “And Isaac smelled the fragrance of his son’s garments, and he blessed him” (Genesis 27:27).

  • The Zohar (Toldot 142a) teaches that Isaac perceived not the physical scent, but the spiritual aroma of Gan Eden — the light of the future world hidden within Jacob’s garments.

  • Thus, smell bridges the physical and the spiritual, the revealed and the concealed — the very essence of the month of Cheshvan.

• The Ari HaKadosh explains that smell is a divine pleasure that reaches the level of the neshamah, the soul’s root, which cannot be satisfied by physical experience.

  • This is why we smell besamim (spices) at the conclusion of Shabbat — to comfort the soul as the neshamah yeterah (extra Shabbat soul) departs.

🌸 3. Evil Smell and Good Smell — Two Currents in Creation

• The Talmud (Avodah Zarah 45b) notes that idol worshippers would burn incense before their idols.

  • They inhaled the smoke and took pleasure in the “scent” of idolatry — this is the evil smell, the distortion of the sacred sense of smell.

  • This misuse of smell represents spiritual contamination — the inversion of holiness, using divine faculties for self-gratification or false worship.

• In contrast, the “good smell” (rei’ach nichoach) is mentioned throughout the Torah:

  • “And the Adonai smelled the pleasing aroma” (Genesis 8:21) — referring to Noah’s offering after the Flood.

  • The sages explain that Hashem does not smell in the physical sense; rather, this verse describes the spiritual joy of the Creator in the sincere return of humanity.

  • Every korban (sacrifice) offered in purity is called rei’ach nichoach laShem — “a pleasing fragrance to Hashem” (Leviticus 1:9).

• The Zohar (Vayikra 28b) expands:

  • The rei’ach nichoach represents teshuvah (repentance) that rises upward and sweetens the judgments of the world.

  • Smell, therefore, becomes the medium of rectification (tikkun) — transforming bitterness into fragrance.

🌸 4. The Fragrance of Shabbat — The Soul’s Delight

• The sages teach that on Shabbat, the neshamah yeterah (extra soul) descends, and with it comes the “good smell” of Shabbat — the hidden delight of the soul.

  • The Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 12:9) calls this rei’ach shel Gan Eden, the fragrance of Eden that enters the world only on Shabbat.

• Baal HaTanya (Tanya, Iggeret HaKodesh 27) explains that the soul senses holiness through smell — it recognizes the divine presence not through logic, but through inner sensitivity.

  • Thus, the sense of smell is the soul’s intuition of holiness.

• Beit Yisrael – Gaddi Efrayim Notes:

  • “Shabbat is the fragrance of the world to come. When we inhale its spiritual scent, we awaken the neshamah to remember its origin in Gan Eden. The month of Cheshvan carries this hidden fragrance — unseen, unfelt, yet real — the soul’s quiet joy amid exile.”

🌿 5. The Month of Cheshvan — From Bitterness to Fragrance

• Cheshvan, called Mar-Cheshvan, contains “mar” (bitter). But the transformation of bitterness (mar) into fragrance (rei’ach nichoach) is its spiritual work.

  • Through teshuvah, Torah, and inner service, bitterness turns into sweetness; exile becomes preparation for redemption.

  • The Zohar (Noach 62a) teaches that the Flood of Noach in Cheshvan purified the earth’s smell — the spiritual atmosphere — to prepare the world for Torah.

• The Sefat Emet writes:

  • “The sense of smell represents hidden holiness. Even when light is concealed, the scent of holiness remains. In Mar-Cheshvan, when there are no festivals, the hidden holiness becomes our task to reveal.”

• Beit Yisrael – Gaddi Efrayim Notes:

  • “Cheshvan is the fragrance of faith. Though the month bears no festivals, its holiness is like perfume sealed within a vessel. When Mashiach comes, this fragrance will fill the world, as it is written: ‘And His scent shall be as the scent of Lebanon’ (Hosea 14:7).”

🌿 6. Torah as the Fragrance of Healing

• The sages teach: “I created the evil inclination, and I created the Torah as its remedy (tavlin).” (Kiddushin 30b)

  • The word tavlin literally means “spice” — implying fragrance and flavor.

  • Thus, Torah itself is the spiritual fragrance that heals the soul from the stench of sin.

  • Torah learning and mitzvot restore the “good smell” of creation — the aroma of the soul’s alignment with its source.

• Midrash Tanchuma (Tzav 14):

  • “Every mitzvah is like incense before Hashem — its fragrance ascends and unites the worlds.”

  • Therefore, Torah is the besamim of the soul, purifying the spiritual air around us.

• Beit Yisrael Reflection:

  • “When the Torah becomes our fragrance, the bitterness of Mar-Cheshvan turns into Rom-Cheshvan — elevated Cheshvan. The scent of holiness spreads silently, awakening redemption through every word of truth and every breath of faith.”

🌿 7. Conclusion and Essence

• Smell is the most refined bridge between the physical and the spiritual — the trace of Gan Eden that remains in creation.

• Evil smell arises when holiness is misdirected; good smell arises when the soul aligns with its source.

• In the month of Cheshvan, the soul learns to distinguish the two — to purify the atmosphere of life and prepare the world for the revelation of Mashiach.

• When the sense of smell is sanctified, exile becomes fragrant; Mar-Cheshvan becomes Rom-Cheshvan.

🌿 Essence Statement

• “The power of Cheshvan is the power of smell — the hidden perception of the soul. It is the month to refine the atmosphere of the world, to transform bitterness into fragrance, idolatry into worship, and concealment into revelation. When the Torah becomes our scent, Mar-Cheshvan becomes Rom-Cheshvan, and the world breathes again with the fragrance of Eden.”