Asher – Eleventh Tribe / Shevet - Eleventh Month
We are now in the eleventh month of the Hebrew festival calendar, the month called Shevat. The tribe which corresponds to this month is the tribe of Asher.
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This is a very fascinating month with an equally fascinating tribe. And there is a significant historic event that happened in this month which brings the attributes of the tribe of Asher into further union with the attributes of this month. More on that further along.
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As with all twelve of the tribes, there were two blessings pronounced upon them. One blessing came from Jacob and the second given by Moses. For Asher, Genesis 49:20 describes Jacob’s blessing: “From Asher, his bread will have richness, and he will provide the kingly delicacies”. Deuteronomy 33:24 describes Moses’ blessing: “[Asher] will dip his feet in oil” Applying these two blessings together, sages believe that the land allotted to Asher provided an exceptional abundance of olives and olive oil. Oil from the olive tree has always been symbolic of ordination and lighting of the lamps – wisdom. Clearly, Asher is associated with olive oil and an abundance of it.
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As well, there is another aspect of understanding the correlation between a tribe and a month. That is done by knowing the constellation in the heavens that has center place in the sky during each specific month. For Shevat, that constellation is D’li (Aquarius). In Hebrew, it is best understood as “a bucket” or “pail”, while in English we know it as “the water bearer”. Water has always been symbolic of cleansing and quenching spiritual thirst – Torah (the word of Elohim). Clearly, Shevat is associated with water.
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Now we have a dilemma… oil and water do not mix. This brings up the question; how can these two elements that seem contradictory in nature describe in a unifying manner what are the attributes of both Shevat and the tribe of Asher? Is this to be a month of opposites, or is there unity and hope? What is the function we can take from this month and tribe to help us through this dark winter season?
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Let’s look at these elements of oil and water. We will begin with the water, focusing specifically on the function that is displayed in the constellation Aquarius - to hold water in a pail. Now, think about this function as a duty to be performed in service to Yah. Who serves and acts as the bucket for the Giver of the Water (Torah)? Who holds the word of Torah to serve that word to others? That would be the House of Israel! Genesis 22:18, “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” Quite literally, the Torah is the voice of Elohim.
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In order to properly fulfill this function, the House of Israel must understand the wisdom in the Torah. Knowing what is in the Torah is vital in order to properly serve The Word to others so they are blessed. Would you serve someone water without first knowing if it was good to drink? Of course not! Without wisdom of a specific topic (in this case the whole Torah), there cannot be the ability to serve that water to bless others.
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Enter the historical event alluded to earlier. Deuteronomy 1:3, 5, “And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month [Shevat], on the first day of the month, that Moses spoke unto the children of Israel, according to all that the LORD had given him in commandment to them:” Verse 5, “On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying,”
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It was on the first day of Shevat that Moses, knowing his death was near, began to earnestly speak and explain the Torah to Israel as his final teaching. For the last five weeks of his life, Moses spent this time conveying the wisdom (oil) of the words of Torah to the House of Israel, telling them how to carry the Torah (water) and be that blessing to the nations of the world.
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Interestingly, sages consider the first day of the month of Shevat to be of similar status as when the Torah was given on Shavuot by Yah from Mount Sinai – it is that profound of an event.
When we look back as Jacob’s blessing to Asher and his descendants - that he will provide the kingly delicacies – this tribe provides the oil (wisdom – a kingly delicacy as shown by Solomon) needed by the House of Israel to truly carry the Torah (water) to the nations as a blessing.
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Thus is it appropriate for the second giving of the Torah to happen on this eleventh month of Shevat under the constellation of the water bearer and with the blessings of kingly delicacies assigned to tribe of Asher.
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Next: Naphtali - Twelfth Tribe / Adar I - Twelfth Month
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