{"id":4185,"date":"2023-12-15T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-15T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/themuseumguy.weblorenz.com\/?p=4185"},"modified":"2026-05-29T13:00:03","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T10:00:03","slug":"winter-a-time-to-think","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themuseumguy.co.il\/he\/post\/winter-a-time-to-think\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter: A Time to Think"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This famous quote has made its way into modern usage, including Batman: The Dark Knight <\/u><\/a>(2008)<\/u><\/a>. Harvey Dent uses this line<\/u><\/a> while trying to reassure the people of Gotham that there is hope, amidst the attacks of the Joker. Batman also finds himself in doubt and despair. This movie is a perfect example of the issues we encounter in the winter, not to mention the curious connection between the Joker and the story of Purim. But that\u2019s for another newsletter. Winter brings with it cold, darkness and uncertainty. Our sentiments towards winter have changed a bit with the advent of technology, electricity, infrastructure and therefore more security in the long cold nights. But the fear and doubt of winter stems from the times of our ancestors who were exposed to the elements without the cover of trees, or who took risks planting seeds without knowing if they will grow until the spring. It is a time that requires strength and fortitude, as expressed in Psalms\/Tehillim:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u05dc\u05b0\u05d4\u05b7\u05d2\u05b4\u05bc\u05a3\u05d9\u05d3 \u05d1\u05b7\u05bc\u05d1\u05b9\u05bc\u05a3\u05e7\u05b6\u05e8 \u05d7\u05b7\u05e1\u05b0\u05bd\u05d3\u05b6\u05bc\u0591\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05b6\u059d\u05d0\u05b1\u05de\u05bd\u05d5\u05bc\u05e0\u05b8\u05ea\u05b0\u05da\u05b8\u0597 \u05d1\u05b7\u05bc\u05dc\u05b5\u05bc\u05d9\u05dc\u05bd\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea\u05c3<\/strong> (\u05ea\u05d4\u05d9\u05dc\u05d9\u05dd \u05e6\u05d1, \u05d2) To proclaim Your steadfast love at daybreak, Your faithfulness each night <\/strong>(Tehillim 92:3)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even more interesting is the connection made in the Talmud between Emunah\/faithfulness<\/em> \u05d5 Zera’im\/planting seeds<\/em> (or the tractate with that name).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u05f4\u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b8\u05d9\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b1\u05de\u05d5\u05bc\u05e0\u05b7\u05ea <\/strong>\u05e2\u05b4\u05ea\u05b6\u05bc\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05d7\u05d5\u05b9\u05e1\u05b6\u05df \u05d9\u05b0\u05e9\u05c1\u05d5\u05bc\u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea \u05d7\u05c7\u05db\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u05ea \u05d5\u05b8\u05d3\u05b8\u05e2\u05b7\u05ea \u05d5\u05b0\u05d2\u05d5\u05b9\u05f3 (\u05d9\u05e9\u05e2\u05d9\u05d4\u05d5 \u05dc\u05d2, \u05d5)\u05f4. \u05f4\u05d0\u05b1\u05de\u05d5\u05bc\u05e0\u05b7\u05ea\u05f4 <\/strong>\u2014 \u05d6\u05b6\u05d4 \u05e1\u05b5\u05d3\u05b6\u05e8 \u05d6\u05b0\u05e8\u05b8\u05e2\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(\u05ea\u05dc\u05de\u05d5\u05d3 \u05d1\u05d1\u05dc\u05d9 \u05e9\u05d1\u05ea \u05dc”\u05d0:)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u05d6\u05b6\u05d4 \u05e1\u05b5\u05d3\u05b6\u05e8 \u05d6\u05b0\u05e8\u05b8\u05e2\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd<\/strong>, \u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05d0\u05b8\u05d3\u05b8\u05dd \u05de\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05de\u05b4\u05d9\u05df \u05d1\u05b0\u05bc\u05d7\u05b7\u05d9\u05b8\u05bc\u05d9\u05d5 \u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05dc \u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc\u05b8\u05dd \u05d5\u05b0\u05d6\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8\u05b5\u05e2\u05b7<\/strong>. (\u05d1\u05de\u05d3\u05d1\u05e8 \u05e8\u05d1\u05d4 \u05d9\u05d2, \u05d8\u05d6)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a nutshell, the six tractates of Mishnah correspond to six words in Yeshayhu\/Isaiah 33:6, the first being Emunat. <\/em>The reason the tractate of Zera’im\/Seeds is related to Emunah\/faithfullness, is because a person much have faith in the world when planting. I heard a quote from a Yerushalmi which I could not find, which takes this further. I’m paraphrasing: “G-d says: have Emunah<\/em> when you plant, because I too had Emunah<\/em> in the world when I created it”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Night is a time for faithfulness. In the day, when everything is clear and certain, faithfulness<\/p>\n\n\n\n

doesn\u2019t prove as much. It could be a convenience. It is in the darkness that we are tested. Chanukah and Purim are those festivals which deal with darkness, doubt and uncertainty. In this short newsletter I would like to update you about the winter programs I have in store for you in Jerusalem and New York, from now through January, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n