Chodesh Teves
Mazel Teves Gedi - Goat
Excerpt from Sefer Ratz KaZvi
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Mazal Teves, "Gedi", goat.
Rav Yaakov from Amstislov writes. The characteristic of a goat it that it likes to jump. The Shem MiShmuel writes that there are two types of jumping. The usual crass type of jumping - from high to low - as the Gemara describes, "a dog and goat that jumps from a roof [downward]". There is also a virtuous type of jumping, jumping "up"; such as when one strives to reach high heights and levels. Such was the "jumping" of the Chashmonaim against the Greeks, who sought to jump against the tide, to battle the Greeks and their culture; a jump beyond the natural. They were a handful of Jews against the mighty Greek war machine. Their jumping surpassed all natural laws, handing the many into the hand of the few without weapons or strategy. Heaven approved their mission, and in creation it was implanted that the Mazal of the month is Teves which comes out during the dwindling days of Chanukah was branded Capricorn - goat. So it has remained throughout the generations: whoever accepts upon himself the service of H-shem with complete sincerity, even if he is not worthy and has not reached that level of mesiras nefesh, he will succeed in his climb to the top, even against all odds. |