Rabbi's Blog

Dear OZ family,

The month of Iyar is one of two months that are named in early Biblical narratives. It is named “Ziv” at Melachim Aleph 6:1, in a reference to this very day, 2,853 years ago. The names we give months today appear much later in the Bible, in the post-exilic books, such as Esther, Chaggai, Zecharia, Ezra and Nechemia. “Ziv” refers to the agricultural setting in Israel at this time. Grains and fruits are beginning to fully bloom, as the glow of these new blooms begins to be noticeable throughout the land. The blossom blessing made in Nissan can still be made in Iyar, if the blooms emerge late. “Ziv” means a glow and that is what Iyar brings.

The event that took place on this day  is the beginning of the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Sefer Melachim refers to the month of “Ziv”, and we are supplemented with the date in the parallel source of Divrei Hayamim II 3:2. The Israelites waited 440 years to build the Temple and the beginning of the month of Iyar was the perfect time to begin. The heavy rains are now safely behind us. It’s not yet too hot, and Shlomo built on his father’s preparations to have a full completed structure within 7 years. It all happened on this day a long time ago. May we merit God’s Divine presence to descend upon Israel and Jerusalem.

Please join me in wishing Mazel Tov to Daphne and Neil Herskowitz on the engagement of their son, Max, to Joilee Levart of Teaneck.

Stay safe.   Be healthy.   Be excellent.

Rabbi Allen Schwartz  

Rabbi Allen Schwartz

Congregation Ohab Zedek

118 West 95^th Street | New York, NY  10025-6604

Phone 212.749-5150, ext 200 | Fax 212.663-3635

E-mail ras@ozny.org

Website:  www.ozny.org