As the festive whirlwind of Tishrei fades — filled with the influential moments of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah — we transition into the Hebrew month of Cheshvan, often called Mar Cheshvan, or “bitter Cheshvan.” While the name might sound somber, reflecting its lack of holidays or significant celebrations, Cheshvan is far from empty. Instead, it offers us a rare and precious gift: a month of quiet potential where we can find space to breathe, reflect, and reset.
Cheshvan can be a gift for anyone balancing school, work, friendships, and life’s demands — an invitation to breathe, slow down, and reset. Although unadorned by festivals, let’s explore how this month holds its unique beauty and purpose.
1. Rediscovering Balance After Tishrei’s Festivities
Tishrei is packed with meaningful moments and ceremonies, but let’s be honest — it’s a busy month! We’ve spent weeks celebrating, reflecting, and reconnecting with family, community, and faith. After all this activity, Cheshvan provides a natural pause, giving us a chance to recharge. It’s a month for us to ease back into our daily lives and absorb everything we experienced during the high holidays.
Cheshvan allows us to take what we learned in Tishrei and weave it into our daily routines. It reminds us that Judaism isn’t just about special occasions; it’s about living our values in every moment, even in the quieter times. This month offers a unique opportunity to bring all the inspiration, growth, and joy from the holidays into our personal lives in a grounded and sustainable way.
2. Embracing the Quiet: The Power of Reflection
In our fast-paced, always-on culture, we don’t often get a month like Cheshvan — one without distractions or significant events where we can focus inward. For some, the absence of holidays might feel anticlimactic, but it’s precisely in this quietness that we can discover a profound opportunity for reflection.
Without the festivities and obligations, we have space to check in with ourselves. What did we learn about our goals, beliefs, and relationships during the High Holidays? How can we carry the spirit of renewal we felt during Yom Kippur or the joy of connection from Sukkot into our daily lives? Cheshvan is a great time to think about these questions and make small changes that align our lives with our values. It’s a chance to move forward with intention.
This reflective energy of Cheshvan can lead to a more profound sense of self-understanding. We can journal, meditate, or even take long walks and allow our minds to process our inner thoughts. This downtime to focus on personal growth can be precisely what we need to head into the rest of the year with clarity.
3. Finding the Sweetness in “Bitter” Cheshvan
Cheshvan’s nickname, Mar Cheshvan, refers to its lack of holidays but can also be seen as an open canvas. With fewer obligations, it’s up to us to bring meaning and sweetness to the month. What would make this month feel memorable and fulfilling?
Think of Cheshvan as a month for setting personal goals, nurturing relationships, or exploring new interests. Without the busyness of holidays, we can focus on the things that make us feel whole, whether that’s cooking new recipes, reconnecting with old friends, or starting a new book. For students, Cheshvan can be a month to refocus on studies or dive into personal projects. For everyone, it’s a time to do something enriching that may get pushed aside during the holiday season.
When we bring our sweetness into Cheshvan, we can reclaim it as a month that’s just as meaningful as any other on the Jewish calendar. It’s a time when we create our own experiences.
4. Rebuilding Routine with Renewed Intention
The holidays can throw us off our usual schedules, which isn’t necessarily bad. They force us to pause, reflect, and sometimes even question what’s important in life. But once we’re through, something is grounding about returning to our routines. In Cheshvan, we can return to our daily lives with a refreshed perspective.
A routine doesn’t have to mean monotony. Think of it as a steady foundation upon which you can build the habits and practices to help you achieve your goals. This month can be a time to focus on those daily actions that may seem small but add up over time — like setting aside a few minutes for gratitude each day, making time for friends, or practicing mindfulness. Cheshvan’s quiet consistency can give us the stability we need to make real progress in the areas that matter most to us.
5. Preparing for Kislev and the Light Ahead
Finally, Cheshvan serves as a bridge to Kislev, the month of Hanukkah. In Kislev, we’ll celebrate the miracle of light in darkness, a festival that brings warmth and joy to the winter months. Cheshvan, with its reflective calm, can be a period of preparation for this season of hope and illumination.
As we approach Hanukkah, we can use Cheshvan to mentally, emotionally, and spiritually prepare ourselves. By taking this time to reflect and ground ourselves, we’ll be ready to appreciate the light of Hanukkah all the more.
Embracing the Quiet Magic of Cheshvan
While Cheshvan might seem empty at first glance, it’s full of potential. It invites us to find meaning and purpose in our own ways, to bring sweetness to the “bitter” month, and to lay the foundation for a balanced, fulfilling year.
Cheshvan can remind us that every moment in life has value, not just the big, festive ones. In the quiet, we find clarity. In the routine, we find rhythm. And in this “empty” month, we can find an opportunity to make our own meaning, which can be one of the most empowering gifts.
Photo credit: Lázaro Revoledo
