Iyyar comes from an Akkadian word meaning "Blossom". Before the Babylonian Captivity we called it Ziv-- meaning light or glow. It's a month of increasing light and blossoming flowers (at least here in the northern hemisphere where the Hebrew calendar developed).
Iyyar is the second month of the Torah's calendar. We're out of slavery, so now what? The time between liberation and revelation can feel uncertain, but the month's two names remind us that this is still a time of celebration and happiness. This year, Iyyar also has 5 shabbatot, 3 of which feature double Torah portions-- a rare and impressive occurrence for a month that's only 29 days long. And its the only month that's fully part of the Omer period of mindfulness between Pesach and Shavuot. Enjoy these next four weeks, a time of introspection on the way from enslavement to Sinai.
Iyyar 5786 at a Glance:
1 Iyyar: Shabbat Tazria-Metzora, Yahrzeit of the hasidic sage Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk
8 Iyyar: Shabbat Achrei Mot-Kedoshim
10 Iyyar: Yahrzeit of Eli haKohen, mentor of Shmuel haNavi
14 Iyyar: Pesach Sheni, the makeup day for anybody who missed the korban pesach in Nisan
15 Iyyar: Shabbat Emor
16 Iyyar: HaShem responds to the newly delivered Israelites' complaints about their food supplies in the wilderness with the first manna
17 Iyyar: the beginning of the flood in Parashat Noach
18 Iyyar: Lag B'Omer- the 33rd day and 2/3 mark in the Omer Count, yahrzeit of the tannaitic sage and rebel Shimon bar Yochai
19 Iyyar: Yahrzeits of medieval Ashkenazi leader Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg, and hasidic sage Rabbi Menachem Mendl of Rimanov
22 Iyyar: Shabbat Behar-Bechukotai
26 Iyyar: Yahrzeits of the Saadia Gaon, foremost sage of the Jews of the Abbasid Caliphate, and the controversial Italian kabbalist and poet, Rabbi Moshe Luzzato
27 Iyyar: The day Noach and his family finally leave the ark and HaShem offers the Rainbow Covenant in Parashat Noach, a year and ten days after the flood began
28 Iyyar: Yahrzeit of Shmuel haNavi, last of the Shoftim (Judges) and reluctant initiator of the Israelite monarchy
29 Iyyar: Shabbat Bamidbar
(Okay, okay, you can have an Iyyar Eeyore. As a treat).
One Shabbat in the past few months my “Temple Mother,” who was sitting with me, said that even though I wasn’t dipped yet, I could include people I’ve lost in the yahrzeits. I told her that I didn’t feel ready yet, that I didn’t belong enough yet. I wasn’t sure, when I told her that, when I would feel Jewish enough and enough of a member of the congregation to do so.
Well, I’ve reached that point. I logged into shul membership database and entered in the two that mean the most to me, that I never fail to remember. I’ve lost a lot of friends and family members - I once counted over 30 funerals I’ve remember going to. I struggle with should I record them all? The ones that are “close” in terms of relation? Or just those who mean something to me? I chose the last option, partially to keep it simple and easy.
This felt like a milestone on the conversion process.
It's calendar time! Information for the year will be displayed on our web page calendar at www.newcityjc.org. If you prefer a hard copy, please contact the office and we will print one for you. As in years past, it will include the synagogue's calendar of events, information on the holidays, and other useful facts. We will also be listing birthdays, anniversaries, B'nai Mitzvah, weddings, and yahrzeits. The cost of the listings is as follows: Birthdays, anniversaries, and yahrzeits can be listed for $5 each (or four for $18). Bar/Bat Mitzvah or wedding celebrations occurring during the calendar year may be listed for $20 each. Please return the form on the separate page as soon as possible. The calendar deadline is September 9th .
