The Month of MarCheshvan

Why was Noah so resistant to leaving the ark?

Within this month exists the potential for bountiful blessings.

The call comes from a baby. The call comes from a small child. The call continues to come, doesn’t it? Even into adulthood and beyond.

As human beings, we have compassion and can be empathic. We see someone in pain and want to help. But only very few righteous and holy people are at the level where they would be willing, if they could, to take away that pain and feel it themselves. Yet this is how a mother (or father) feels any time her child is hurt.

In contrast to such a luminous month, Tishrei is followed by the month of Cheshvan, a month where the soul feels like it is permanently seeing behind darkened sunglasses. How should the soul cope with the grind of daily life, without the spiritual heights and inspiration of the holiday season?