AV - From Destruction to Repair

After the month of Tammuz — associated with the shattering caused by the sin of the golden calf — we enter the month of Av, one of the most emotionally charged times in the Hebrew calendar. Yet this month is part of a sacred progression: Tammuz – Av – Elul, a journey from rupture to reconciliation.

A part of Av is marked by mourning: on Tisha b’Av (9th day), we remember the destruction of both Temples. But then comes a turning point — Tu b’Av, the 15th day, the full moon — a day of sacred connection, where historically new unions were formed as it was called the day of love where women would dance in white dresses in the fields and find themselves a partner. From destruction to love. From distance to deeper proximity. The eternal dance, like the shape of a vibration, a wave, the movement of life.

Just as the spiritual heights of Nissan–Iyar–Sivan brought a revelation from above (freedom, healing, Torah), this trio — Tammuz–Av–Elul — invites us into the power of our work: to repair, to transform, to choose love again. It’s about the sacredness of our imperfections made holy through intention and action. This is the true alchemy of the heart.

Av can be understood literally as « the father » which is kindness, wisdom and abundance. Also we can notice the letters אב made of Aleph - faith Emuna אמונה ; and Beit - Trust Bitachon ביטחון. This month we build this faith and trust in ourselves, in life, in the divine, in HaShem, in others, in our partner, in our children… and that is made through the opening of our heart, that we can call love. From that, we feel meaning in our lives, we feel empowered, we feel free and in charge.

Letter of the Month: ט (Tet)

The letter Tet is curved inward, like a vessel containing potential. It’s the first letter of the word טוב (tov) - not just « good » as the opposite of « bad », but « complete » as the opposite is written in Bereshit as לא טוב « not Tov » not complete. But Tet also appears for the first time in the Torah in reference to “Tohu”, the primordial chaos. Tet is the letter that was missing in the first tablets that Moses breaks after the golden calf event, and appears in the second tablets.

Tet reminds us that hidden within the chaos and the mistakes actually lies the possibility for deeper good, for the real connection and meaning — the kind of good or should I say « completion » that can only emerge through effort, humility, and truth. The mistake is « necessary » for this inner work to occur, for deeper true love to be created.

In the month of Av, after a collective fall, our task is not to stay broken — but to seek the repair that comes from the heart. There is nothing to do but first to be. This is not naïve optimism; it’s spiritual maturity. Like the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi, or the idea of tikkun, true wholeness is born from imperfection transformed with love.

Organ of the Month: Left Kidney

The kidneys, according to Jewish tradition, are not just physical filters — they are seen as organs of inner counsel, the place where divine guidance whispers into the soul. The left kidney, specifically, is associated with the quality of Gevurah — discernment, boundary, self-restraint.

This placement is not random. In a month connected to sin, consequence, and transformation, we are reminded of the importance of limits — not to restrict us, but to channel our energy with precision. Just as the golden calf revealed what happens when energy is uncontained (their intention was good, but the action was not what the Life expected of them), Av teaches us the beauty of sacred boundaries that allow divine light to manifest in a grounded, embodied way.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the kidneys are linked to fear — and overcoming fear requires clarity, faith and trust. So this month, tune into that quiet voice within. The left kidney teaches us: Choose your steps with awareness. Boundaries are the womb of freedom.

Sense of the Month: Hearing (שמע)

Hearing is the first sense to develop in the womb, and here it represents not just physical sound but the capacity for inner listening — to ourselves, to others, to the Divine.

The tribe associated with this month is Shimon, whose name comes from the root Shema — to listen. And indeed, in moments of destruction, the first step toward healing is to listen deeply. Not to speak. Not to fix. But to create this space with the heart. Not to do anything, just to be.

Crying is also part of hearing. This month is associated with tears — not as weakness, but as sacred water. Tears are salty because they carry emotion bound in water, allowing it to exit the body (it’s the alchemy principle of the salt for those who are familiar with that concept). Whether tears of grief or tears of joy, they are part of a holy process. We’re taught that sincere tears of teshuvah, of yearning, water the seeds of redemption. They are not wasted — they are what will one day nourish the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash.

So this month, practice listening — not just with your ears, but with your whole being.

Mazal of the Month: Leo (אריה)

The astrological sign of Av is Leo — the lion, a creature of majesty, strength, and inner fire. In Jewish tradition, the lion is associated with the energy of kingship and power — the same lion that guards the entrance to the Holy Temple and represents the tribe of Judah, from which Mashiach is destined to come.

This month holds the memory of destruction, but also the seeds of rebuilding. It is not a paradox — it is the art of transmutation. Av teaches us that sometimes, breaking precedes wholeness, the chaos before the order, and descent allows for a deeper ascent. From 9bAv, the day of the Temple’s fall, we move toward Tu b’Av, the day of love and reunification. Individually and collectively, we’re invited to walk through the fire of truth and come out with more heart, more clarity, more unity.

Like the lion, our task is not to hide from intensity — but to harness it with awareness, and let it become a force of loving leadership.

And I’ll end this article with a funny quote from a lion turtle, from the cartoon Avatar:

« The true mind can weather all the lies and illusions without being lost. The true heart can touch the poison of hatred without being harmed. Since beginning less time, darkness thrives in the void, but always yields to purifying light. »

Hodesh Tov everyone ! May it be meaningful 🫶