The teaching that each each month of the Hebrew calendar is created through a Hebrew letter is to guide us to meditate upon this letter and its significance for this time of the year. This month of Kislev (Kaf-Samech-Lamed-Vav), the physically darkest , reveals light in our kindling the Menorah on Chanukah.

We mentioned previously that in addition to the Gematria of Samech =60, Samech is also associated with the fraction 1/60 which is the measure of nullification ( eg. a measure of milk falls into a meat dish and if its quantity is no more than 1 in 60 -milk to meat- the milk is absorbed and nullified in the meat ). In a sense the smaller amount is "hidden" in the larger amount. Conversely, a small amount (the hidden potential) can be revealed as in the " smaller" Macabees being victorious and the small amount of oil lasting for eight days.

There are some interesting connections with the letter Samech and this week's Torah portion that seem to also have to do with the hidden being revealed. This is one direction to pursue. Please share with us your ideas as you reflect on the Samech and the direction it takes you.

Joseph (Yosef) and the Dreams

In this week's Torah reading we find Yosef, the "dreamer" interpreting the dreams of the royal baker and "bartender" of the Pharoh (in next week's reading Yosef will be called upon to interpret Pharoh's dreams). Are dreams not the carriers of hidden thoughts and feelings as well as revelations of purpose and destiny. The entire story of Yosef's descent into Egypt (Beresheet, Chapters 39-40) is saturated with the letter Samech! There are close to sixty Samechs, an unusually high number, and in many roots other than the often repeated name of Yosef. [Patrice Matelon shared last week that the letter Samech is the last of the twenty two letters to appear from the beginning of Beresheet. It is the 2210th letter from the Beit of Beresheet. For him this was an indication of the Samech representing completion, coming full circle. For our present theme, the end or completion may be what is hidden at the start].

Do you remember the story behind the dreams of the baker and the "bartender"? A fly was discovered in the drink given to Pharoh and a pebble was found in the bread Pharoh was eating. The vessels that are in their dreams , the Cos, cup, (Kaf-Vav-Samech) and the bread basket, Sol (Samech-Lamed) are containers that contain a Samech.