As we ushered in last week the new month of MarCheshvan I would like to share a thought about the name of the month. Over the years we would share with the olam three different explanation to the name MarChesvan it would seem that the letters mar were added to the actual name Cheshvan.
One explanation is that because there are no Yomim Tovim in this month it therefore has a certain bitterness hence the addition of Mar which means bitter. Another explanation is that Mar means rain as the Pasuk says in Yeshaya הן גוים כמר מדלי the nations are like water in a bucket. According this explanation, the additional word Mar simply means rain which is quite appropriate for the month that usually ushers in rain.
There is another more scholarly explanation based on the Greek language that the word Marach means 8th and hence it’s the translation of the word the eight month which is Marach Shvan - Marach meaning month and Shvan meaning month. We would like to share a fourth Pshat from the Chidusha Harim who explains that the word Marach comes from the wording of מרחשן שפתתיה which means one’s lips are whispering. The idea that after such an incredible month of Tishrei where we are engaged in singing and praises and prayers to Hashem are lips are still feeling the effect and are whispering the songs and prayers of the high holidays and Sukkos.
This idea can be an inspiration to keep with us the special connection that we developed over Yom Tov. It also can remind us that as we mentioned all the way back at Kol Nidrei that the reason we begin Yom Kippur with the topic of nedarim is due to the powerful effect our words have that they can create an object of kedusha so to we can create and have an effect on the world with our words much more than with our physical actions.
One example we can connect to in this week’s parsha is the power of blessing. We’re not even talking about brachos from a tzaddik or a mekubal but simply every person who blesses another Jew even without him knowing – even if just passing by his large home instead of thinking why did he need such a big house you say with your children this person should be blessed – the outcome is that not only will the other Jew be blessed but the blesser will be blessed too. All his is learnt from one Passuk ואברכה מברכך Hashem says to Avraham “I will bless those who bless you” this is an easy source of blessing that we may easily miss.
