Month: Sivan

Sign: Teumim - Gemini

Planet: Mercury

Element: Wind

Gender: Male

Human Atribute: Travel

Tribe: Zevulun

Movement: Change

Forefather: Jacob

Hebrew Letter: Zayin

Sivan - Nothing is an accident

The astrological sign of this month is Gemini, the twins. Each of the signs of the zodiac has a connection with its month according to Jewish tradition. Nothing is an accident. The Almighty has many ways of getting His point across to us, and the stars and planets are known to be particularly loyal servants in this respect. As King David says in Psalms 8:4 "I look up to the heavens and I
see your handiwork, the moon and stars you arranged."

Since Sivan is the month in which God stood us on Mount Sinai and taught us the Ten Commandments, the most obvious thing that Gemini symbolizes is the two tablets on which was carved those ten commandments. Why did God use two tablets instead of one? To emphasize the two categories of commandments: one set relating to how to connect to God; one set relating to how to treat your fellow man. A person is not "whole" if they only focus on one area of holiness. You can be the kindest, most caring person in the world but
you're not complete if you have no relationship with God. Conversely, you can pray all day but if you don't treat your neighbor with love and respect you're only fulfilling fifty percent of your obligation. What grade do they give in school for 50%? We need both areas in order to be complete.

This completeness or oneness of two areas is paralleled in another duality. There are two opposing forces that function in the universe God created: Justice and Kindness. Everything in existence depends upon, and exists because of these two qualities. Abraham is our symbol of Kindness. Isaac is a symbol of Justice. The Jewish people are solidified in Jacob because he is the proper combination of both traits. These three symbols are part of the metaphysical structure of life. Because they are underneath it all they are seen everywhere. Even in places like Chapters of Our Fathers the threesome is expressed in the fact that each sage typically makes a three-part statement. The attributes Chochma, Bina, and Daas (Wisdom, Understanding, and
Knowledge) are three of the ten sefiros that express these three ideas. Getting back to the twosome, the two main names of God express the two traits as well. The four-letter name is an expression of kindness. The name Elohim represents justice. These are two traits that are ladders for us to climb towards God and spirituality.

Sivan is a month to focus on these two traits, and to look for the way in which the Torah blends them together into a healthy homogenous whole.