{"id":4231,"date":"2016-10-06T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-10-06T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/themuseumguy.weblorenz.com\/?p=4231"},"modified":"2026-06-03T00:25:31","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T21:25:31","slug":"the-spiral-of-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themuseumguy.co.il\/he\/post\/the-spiral-of-time\/","title":{"rendered":"The Spiral of Time"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\n
\"\"
Beth Alpha Synagogue. Photo: Nachliel Selavan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"
Beth Alpha Zodiac mosaic, artistic reconstruction<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Spiral of Time has become a favorite talk and ice-breaker activity for different ages.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jews live by the calendar, and community life is driven by it, as are the consequent sermons, activities, gatherings and more controversial issues. Jews don’t see time as commemorative<\/em>, but rather as a reliving<\/em> of some spiritual essence that we meet in time, if you will (Mo’ed = Hebrew for “holiday” as well as “set meeting place\/time”).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is that essential ‘spiritual potential’ that is met, that enabled the events to take place in it. Passover is not commemorating the Exodus<\/strong>. Rather, the Exodus was possible because of the innate aspect of Freedom in the nature of Spring. The agricultural relates to the personal and the national? Interesting thought, that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we come “back” to the same meeting place in time, we have moved forward. Like our birthday, it’s the same time, but one year later. More experiences have accumulated, contributing to our sense of self and achievement, and those, in turn, to our identity. A spiral<\/strong> which is a manifestation of process, development and progress towards some ultimate goal, be it personal, spiritual, national or universal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The story of Rain and Grain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A beautiful example of how time was on the agenda, is the Bet Alpha Mosaic (image). A 6th century synagogue in the northern slopes of the Gilboa (near the final battle place of Saul and the Philistines). This image stresses the Zodiac, as well and the four seasons (tekufot), as written on its four corners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I show this to my students, I often ask “why would this be on the floor of a synagogue?” or “what does this have to do with going to synagogue?” Their answers are always interesting. This year, a sixth-grade girl suggested that “the nature of time affects the nature of your prayers”. True enough. The prayers are<\/em> related to the Temple service and the daily-monthly-holiday offerings, and the holiday services have much to do with agriculture:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The four new years are: On the first of Nisan, the new year for the kings and for the festivals<\/strong>; [Nisan is indeed the new year for kings, in Babylonian chronicles as well]<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the first of Elul, the new year for the tithing of animals<\/strong>; Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Shimon say, on the first of Tishrei.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the first of Tishrei, the new year for years, for the Sabbatical years<\/strong> and for the Jubilee years<\/strong> and for the planting<\/strong> and for the vegetables<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the first of Shevat, the new year for the trees<\/strong> according to the words of the House of Shammai; The House of Hillel says, on the fifteenth thereof.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Mishna, Rosh Hashana 1:1)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of these “new years” are corresponding to the four seasons. Furthermore, there are periods of judgement, which relate to agricultural aspects:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At four times the world is judged: On Pesach, for the crops<\/strong>. On Shavuot, for the fruits of the tree<\/strong>. On Rosh Hashnah, all the world passes before Him like sheep<\/strong>, as it says, “He that fashioneth the hearts of them all, that considereth all their doings.” (Psalms 33:15) And on Sukkot, they are judged for the water<\/strong>. (idib, 2)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even Rosh Hashana, which is not directly related to agriculture, uses an agrarian metaphor: sheep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this short and beautifully crafted video, the Israeli educational-bakery\u00a0Pat Bamelach<\/strong>\u00a0demonstrate the central role of agriculture in the Temple services, and consequently in the prayers which commemorate them. You can check out their website\u00a0here<\/a>, and their Facebook page\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\t\n\t\t\n\n\t<\/presto-player>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n

The Lion King and the Day of Memory<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Rosh Hashanah stands outside of this cycle, as does Yom Kippur. While Yom Kippur does relate to a more historical aspect of the Jewish year – as I will demonstrate – Rosh Hashanah still does not fit into that. I would like to briefly share a thought about this, which I hope you can use to engage your students or children in conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yom Kippur, as we know, is a day of Forgiveness<\/strong>. That is because some 3,000 years ago, the Israelites were graced with the Second set of Tablets, and forgiven for building the Golden Calf (Exodus, ch. 32). That is indeed a day of forgiveness, par-(Hebrew: Bull)-excellence!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet Rosh Hashanah does not fit, neither historically and agriculturally. Despite that, the Talmud has no problem looking at the (apparently arbitrary) ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur as a special time of closeness between God and the world, and Israel is no exception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This topic can (and has!) fill entire books, and I will not be delving into it now. I would like to address an essential aspect of Rosh Hashanah in its other name: The Day of Memory.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The metaphor I use for explaining Rosh Hashanah is from\u00a0The Lion King<\/strong>. Pay attention to the part that relates to memory, for that is the essence of this aspect of the day. It can be argued that most of the services of the day are supporting this one, straightforward issue. The Lion King definitely nailed it, integrating several key aspects of the holiday into one, short video:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\n\t\n\t\t\n
\n