Cheshvan

It's the first day of Cheshvan - the only Hebrew month no holidays, major or minor in the year. Often this month is called: 'Mar' Cheshvan - some think this means, bitter (like Maror) because it has no holidays. Others say, mar (as in Modern Hebrew) means "sir/mister," a symbol of respect. As I wrote in my last post, after all the holidays it's time to breath and get back to normal.
This month makes us think about the resolutions we made during the High Holidays. Are we taking the thoughts and plans which we reflected upon and started to implement those sacred intentions? Have we taken all the energy we invested in seeking to transform our lives and actualized the activity we envisioned? This is the first part of turning the High Holidays into daily holiness.
What I enjoy most about this time though is finding the sacred in the daily mundane aspects of living. I like davening at home in the morning and at minyan in the evening. I enjoy having a little more time for study and more important for people who call or want to meet with me. I guess (and I have for a long time) I do believe in what Max Kadushin taught many years ago: we believe in "normal mysticism." Yes, God can be found in special holidays, wonders of nature and sacred moments of the cycle. But God is also found in every aspect of this world if we would just open our minds and hearts and souls to the wonder and the Presence.