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A New Monthly Column for Boulder Jewish News for 5786 from Rabbi Charna Rosenholtz
Month One: Tishrei – The Tribe of Ephraim
Most of us live by the secular calendar. January to December, four seasons, twelve months. But in Jewish tradition, there’s another cycle quietly ticking underneath—one that doesn’t just mark time but tells a story. It’s the Hebrew calendar.
This column—Twelve Tribes, Twelve Months—is an exploration of that story. It’s designed for those of us who want to connect to the rhythm of Jewish time, to a deeper sense of self, and to the richness of our tradition—in order to weave spiritual time into our daily lives.
Each month, we’ll explore a different Hebrew month alongside one of the twelve tribes of Israel—the sons of Jacob—based on teachings found in the Torah and later interpretations. Whether you see these stories as mythology, psychology, history, or metaphor, they provide a useful structure for reflecting on identity, time, and transformation.
As a blueprint for life, these blessings have much to teach us. Each of the twelve tribes reflects a unique path in life. As the verse tells us at the conclusion of the blessings: All these are the twelve tribes of Israel… every one according to his blessing he blessed them. (Gen. 49:28). What is the meaning of the words “every one according to his blessing?” Every one of the tribes has his particular journey, his specific energy which he must manifest in this world. Indeed, our Sages teach that the Re[e]d sea split into twelve paths, providing a separate path for each of the twelve tribes. To understand these twelve paths we must study the different ways that the tribes are described in the Torah. Twelve tribes. Twelve paths. All necessary to reach our destination. And each one essential to understand what it means to stand under the banner “B’nei Yisrael”.
Let’s start where the Jewish New Year does: with Tishrei.
Tishrei: Beginnings, Balancing Acts, and Big Questions
Even though it’s the seventh month of the Hebrew year (starting from Nisan), Tishrei is treated as the spiritual New Year. It’s the month of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), Sukkot (the festival of booths), and Simchat Torah (celebrating the completion and restarting of the Torah reading cycle). If that sounds like a lot, it is. Tishrei is packed with themes of renewal, responsibility, joy, impermanence, forgiveness, community, and celebration. It’s a crash course in what it means to be human in relationship—to self, others, and the world.
The Tribe of Ephraim: Legacy, Leadership, and Adaptability
Tishrei is linkedto Ephraim, one of the sons of Joseph. Interestingly, Ephraim wasn’t one of Jacob’s twelve sons, but one of his grandsons. Late in life, Jacob “adopts” Joseph’s two sons—Ephraim and Menashe—into the tribal structure, giving Joseph a double portion and making both boys equal to their uncles. Ephraim represents a kind of next-generation energy—continuity through change. He’s part of a lineage, but he’s also a new branch. His name comes from the Hebrew root פרה (to be fruitful), and Joseph gives him the name because, he says, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.” (Gen. 41:52)
That’s a useful theme for Tishrei: growth after difficulty.
Ephraim is sometimes associated with leadership, especially in the northern tribes, and represents potential, innovation, and carrying forward legacy in new forms.
The Symbolism of the Month
According to the Sefer Yetzirah, a foundational kabbalistic text, the Hebrew months also have other associations—from letters and senses to elements and body parts. Some of the associations of Tishrei include:
Hebrew Letter: Lamed (ל) — the tallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet, symbolizing learning and aspiration. Its shape resembles a lightning bolt or a flame reaching upward. Think of it as a bolt of light coming down.
Astrological Sign: Libra — all about balance, weighing, and justice. Fitting for a month full of judgment, reflection, and rebalancing.
Element: Air — associated with intellect, breath, and communication.
Body Part: Gallbladder — in ancient thought, linked with decision-making and courage.
Sense: Touch — a reminder of physical presence and vulnerability, especially during Sukkot when we sit in open-air shelters.
How do we use this in our daily lives?
You don’t have to believe in divine judgment to reflect on how you’ve lived this past year.
You don’t have to fast on Yom Kippur to think about forgiveness or integrity.
You don’t have to dance with a Torah to celebrate your values and what grounds you.
We can learn from this inner dimension of our calendar in order to assist us with our growth.
Each month in this column, we’ll ask:
- What’s the character of this time? How can I use it for reflection?
- What tribe is it associated with?
- What qualities does it invite us to develop or notice?
- And how might this inform our modern lives?
The Hebrew calendar is not about being perfect. It’s about being in process. Tishrei, through the lens of Ephraim, invites us to begin again—not from scratch, but from experience. It asks us to be fruitful even in uncertain or difficult terrain. To learn. To re-balance. To renew.
Questions for Reflection
- Where in my life do I feel ready for a reset?
- What legacy (family, cultural, personal) am I carrying forward, and how am I shaping it in my own way?
- What does “balance” look like in my relationships, work, or self-care right now?
- How do I want to grow this year, not just accomplish?
Looking Ahead
Next month, we’ll explore Cheshvan, the only Hebrew month with no holidays. It’s associated with the tribe of Menashe, Ephraim’s brother, and the quieter work of integration. Until then, welcome to the journey through the Jewish year—not as a religious obligation, but as a cultural and personal invitation to live with more rhythm, reflection, and meaning.
Here is a list of Rabbi Charna’s monthly columns in the series:
