Will reap in joy, will reap in joy
The month of Tammuz means “heating” (Rashi to Ezekiel 8:14), warning us of the intense, hot days ahead in the northern hemisphere. Tammuz is a month in which emotions heat. This month and the next, Av, are known as the “two weeping eyes,” because we start the grief period for Tisha B’Av, the day when we commemorate the destruction of the temple, three weeks earlier on the 17th of Tammuz, when the Temple walls were breached. That day also has a fast, though only a daytime one, and the period of three weeks in between them is considered a mourning period for the Jewish people. This intense time of the year encourages us to be present with our suffering. As you encounter difficult feelings, remember you are not alone — call upon the support of your loved ones, or ancestors, to comfort you.
The Hebrew calendar makes space not just for the good, but for all human emotions. As we read in Ecclesiastes: “For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under the sky... a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance... a time for war and a time for peace” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). Since October 7th, we have found ourselves in a time of war and mourning. These past nine months have seen intense suffering, disconnection, and despair. Tammuz is the month to fully embrace sorrow and anger. Only when we allow ourselves to break down and cry can we imagine emerging into peace and dancing. As we read in sacred poetry, “those who sow in tears will reap in joy” (Psalms 126:5).
The Sages of the Talmud remind us how the Temple was destroyed due to “baseless hatred” (Gittin 55b–57a)— which means it can be symbolically rebuilt with baseless love. Through abundant love and awareness of the Divine Presence, we can rebuild this broken world. As it says in Psalm 89:3, "Olam Chesed Yibaneh — Let us build this world in love.”
Excerpted and adapted from the At the Well Moon Manual
(א) שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת בְּשׁ֣וּב ה׳ אֶת־שִׁיבַ֣ת צִיּ֑וֹן הָ֝יִ֗ינוּ כְּחֹלְמִֽים׃ (ב) אָ֤ז יִמָּלֵ֪א שְׂח֡וֹק פִּינוּ֮ וּלְשׁוֹנֵ֢נוּ רִ֫נָּ֥ה אָ֭ז יֹאמְר֣וּ בַגּוֹיִ֑ם הִגְדִּ֥יל ה׳ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת עִם־אֵֽלֶּה׃ (ג) הִגְדִּ֣יל ה׳ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת עִמָּ֗נוּ הָיִ֥ינוּ שְׂמֵחִֽים׃ (ד) שׁוּבָ֣ה ה׳ אֶת־[שְׁבִיתֵ֑נוּ] כַּאֲפִיקִ֥ים בַּנֶּֽגֶב׃ (ה) הַזֹּרְעִ֥ים בְּדִמְעָ֗ה בְּרִנָּ֥ה יִקְצֹֽרוּ׃ (ו) הָ֘ל֤וֹךְ יֵלֵ֨ךְ ׀ וּבָכֹה֮ נֹשֵׂ֢א מֶשֶׁךְ־הַ֫זָּ֥רַע בֹּא־יָבֹ֥א בְרִנָּ֑ה נֹ֝שֵׂ֗א אֲלֻמֹּתָֽיו׃ {פ}
(1) A song of ascents. When the LORD restores the fortunes of Zion —we see it as in a dream— (2) our mouths shall be filled with laughter, our tongues, with songs of joy. Then shall they say among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them!” (3) The LORD will do great things for us and we shall rejoice. (4) Restore our fortunes, Oh Source of Life, like water courses in the Negeb. (5) They who sow in tears shall reap with songs of joy. (6) Though he goes along weeping, carrying the seed-bag, he shall come back with songs of joy, carrying his sheaves.
- How do the words "they who sow in tears shall reap with songs of joy" sit with you?
- If you were to expand the text, write a midrash, or a poem that would make this text true to your values and experience, what would you write?
Will reap in joy, will reap in joy!
Those who sow, who sow in tears
Will reap, will reap in joy!
It’s the song of the dreamer
From the dark place it grows
Like a flower in the desert
The oasis of our souls
Come back, come back where we belong
You who hear our longing sighs (or "cries")
Our mouths, our lips are filled with song
You can see our tear-filled eyes!
-Debbie Friedman
(ז) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר ה׳ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (ח) קַ֣ח אֶת־הַמַּטֶּ֗ה וְהַקְהֵ֤ל אֶת־הָעֵדָה֙ אַתָּה֙ וְאַהֲרֹ֣ן אָחִ֔יךָ וְדִבַּרְתֶּ֧ם אֶל־הַסֶּ֛לַע לְעֵינֵיהֶ֖ם וְנָתַ֣ן מֵימָ֑יו וְהוֹצֵאתָ֨ לָהֶ֥ם מַ֙יִם֙ מִן־הַסֶּ֔לַע וְהִשְׁקִיתָ֥ אֶת־הָעֵדָ֖ה וְאֶת־בְּעִירָֽם׃ (ט) וַיִּקַּ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־הַמַּטֶּ֖ה מִלִּפְנֵ֣י ה׳ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּֽהוּ׃ (י) וַיַּקְהִ֜לוּ מֹשֶׁ֧ה וְאַהֲרֹ֛ן אֶת־הַקָּהָ֖ל אֶל־פְּנֵ֣י הַסָּ֑לַע וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֗ם שִׁמְעוּ־נָא֙ הַמֹּרִ֔ים הֲמִן־הַסֶּ֣לַע הַזֶּ֔ה נוֹצִ֥יא לָכֶ֖ם מָֽיִם׃ (יא) וַיָּ֨רֶם מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־יָד֗וֹ וַיַּ֧ךְ אֶת־הַסֶּ֛לַע בְּמַטֵּ֖הוּ פַּעֲמָ֑יִם וַיֵּצְאוּ֙ מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֔ים וַתֵּ֥שְׁתְּ הָעֵדָ֖ה וּבְעִירָֽם׃ {ס} (יב) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה׳ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן֒ יַ֚עַן לֹא־הֶאֱמַנְתֶּ֣ם בִּ֔י לְהַ֨קְדִּישֵׁ֔נִי לְעֵינֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לָכֵ֗ן לֹ֤א תָבִ֙יאוּ֙ אֶת־הַקָּהָ֣ל הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תִּי לָהֶֽם׃ (יג) הֵ֚מָּה מֵ֣י מְרִיבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־רָב֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶת־ה׳ וַיִּקָּדֵ֖שׁ בָּֽם׃ {ס}
(2) The community was without water, and they joined against Moses and Aaron. (3) The people quarreled with Moses, saying, “If only we had perished when our brothers perished at the instance of ה׳ ! (4) Why have you brought God's congregation into this wilderness for us and our beasts to die there? (5) Why did you make us leave Egypt to bring us to this wretched place, a place with no grain or figs or vines or pomegranates? There is not even water to drink!” (6) Moses and Aaron came away from the congregation to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and fell on their faces. The Presence of ה׳ appeared to them, (7) and ה׳ spoke to Moses, saying, (8) “You and your brother Aaron take the rod and assemble the community, and before their very eyes order the rock to yield its water. Thus you shall produce water for them from the rock and provide drink for the congregation and their beasts.” (9) Moses took the rod from before ה׳, as he had been commanded. (10) Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation in front of the rock; and he said to them, “Listen, you rebels, shall we get water for you out of this rock?” (11) And Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod. Out came copious water, and the community and their beasts drank. (12) But ה׳ said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me enough to affirm My sanctity in the sight of the Israelite people, therefore you shall not lead this congregation into the land that I have given them.” (13) Those are the Waters of Meribah [I.e., “Quarrel”] —meaning that the Israelites quarrelled with ה׳ —whose sanctity was affirmed through them.
- Why might Moses have reacted the way that he did?
- Why do you think Moses responded with anger to the people, but not to God?
- What purpose did Moses' anger serve him, before God's punishment?
- What purpose does your righteous anger serve?