Shimon – Fifth Tribe / Av - Fifth Month
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Over the course of the last two thousand or so years, the Hebrew sages have developed a beautiful understanding about the correlation of the twelve tribes of Israel to the twelve Hebrew festival months that begins with Nisan in the spring. First of all, the correlation is done purposely with the festival calendar which starts in the spring instead of the civil calendar which begins in the fall. Why is that?
Well, it was in the spring time that Israel left Egypt and became a nation. It was at that time that the tribes learned to assemble in their camping order (or marshal array) as outlined in Numbers 2 and again in Numbers 10. Thus it becomes natural for the correlation to be with the festival calendar. It is a matter of simply putting the months together with the tribes based on the position of the month in the calendar (such as Nisan is the first month) to the position of a tribe in their camping order (such as Judah is the first tribe in the camping order).
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But the sages go yet another step and have developed an understanding that goes beyond simply determining which month and which tribe go together. There is a spiritual correlation that determines the attribute of the tribe and the month. Each month’s attribute has been established by the mothers of the twelve sons through the naming of the boys.
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Last month we learned that the month of Tammuz is correlated with the tribe of Reuben and that sight becomes the attribute to focus on for that month. We learned that Leah set the tone for this attribute by naming her son Reuben which means “… “Because the LORD has SEEN my affliction; surely now my husband will love me.”” Genesis 29:32. (emphasis mine).
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Now we will learn what attribute Leah has set for the next month – the fifth month which is Av. Leah gives birth to her second son, Shimon (Simeon), naming his thusly, “… “Because the LORD has HEARD that I was hated, he has therefore given me this son also”” Genesis 29:33. (emphasis mine).
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We are now at the start of Av, the fifth month. It is associated with Shimon, and by what Leah does (when she named her son), this month has the spiritual attribute of hearing, listening, or as is known in the Hebrew language, “Shema”. But we also must consider the opposite or negative side to the attributes associated with each month; for Av, the opposite of hearing is NOT hearing.
This month is a heavy month. We have a very powerful fast day in this month called Tisha B’Av. This day is also known as the 9th of Av and is a day of great mourning for all the tragedies that have happened between Tammuz 17 to Av 9.
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One of the events mourned during Tisha B’Av is how the children of Israel responded to the report from the spies who went into The Land to scout it out for the children of Israel. Last month we learned that ten of the men used what they saw with their eyes as the basis for their bad report. These men sinned by their sight. During Av, we look at the response by the children of Israel who sinned by their wailing and fear of what they heard from the ten spies. Their sin goes deeper because they would not listen to the good report from the other two spies, to the point that they considered stoning them.
Now, let’s take a look at Shimon. He was one of the older half brothers to Joseph. The sages say that it was Shimon who came up with the plan to kill Joseph while they were in the fields tending the flocks. They say it was Shimon who literally threw Joseph into the pit and set up the sale to the caravan into Egypt. And the brothers listened to him and did as he said while conversely not listening to Joseph, who took note about that while he called out to them to help him. Many years later, Joseph put Shimon in jail in Egypt, not necessarily for revenge, but more so to keep Shimon from speaking words of fiery influence (as he had done the many years earlier). Joseph knew that his brothers would listen to Shimon’s words, which could alter the outcome of events that he knew had to happen as noted in Genesis 42:9 when he remembered his dreams of Genesis 37:5-11.
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These are two of many events that we can learn from about hearing and not hearing. Israel heard the ten spies bad report and would not hear the good report from the two other spies. Their hearing and lack of hearing took place at this month. As well, Joseph’s brothers heard their brother Shimon but would not hear their brother Joseph. We can now see how this month and Shimon are tied together and that the hearing attribute is important to focus on for this month. In what way are we to focus on hearing? It’s so we do not fall into the negative attribute of not hearing.
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Now here is something else to consider. But how does hearing or not listening tie in with a father’s compassion or mercy as hinted at by the name of the month – Av (Abba, Father)? In Psalms 103:13 we discover the following: “Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.” Destruction, yet compassion, how do these tie in with the attribute of hearing or not hearing?
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It is an interesting item which the sages have noted about this. Here is the connection; the day of the week which Passover falls on in Nisan is the same day of the week that Tisha B’Av falls on in Av! If Passover occurs on a Tuesday evening into Wednesday, that is what happens for Tisha B’Av. And this happens each and every year. The sages have picked up on this connection and consider it a strong bond between these two days, literally offering great hope. Passover is about redemption and our future while Tisha B’Av is about mourning our past. Having Tisha B’Av connected to Passover means that the mourning of disastrous events is something we can be lifted from by the redemption hope we have with Yeshua when He died on the tree/cross/stake.
How does this redemptive hope come to us? It is our Father in heaven Who sent Yeshua to us so we could have that redemption. Our Father has been merciful and compassionate to us all through the ages. He has given us this promise of redemption from all the trials and troubles that befall us. So, when we do experience a trial, remember the compassion of our Father in heaven and know that we will be lifted out of it, just as Joseph was lifted out of the pit and eventually established as the second in command of the whole nation of Egypt.
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One more item to note about hearing, which Joseph is an excellent example for us today, he heard and obeyed Yah. As a young boy, he had the dreams of the sun, moon and stars bowing to him. Many years later in Egypt, he REMEMBERED those dreams and acted accordingly with his brothers to bring about the outcome of those dreams – dreams that our great Yah gave him.
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We also have the example of Moses, who remembered the covenant that Yah made with Abraham and reminded Yah when (in His anger) Yah told Moses that He would make a great nation from him (Exodus 32:10). This spared a nation and lifted up the Name of Yah. We can do that today through the instructions that Yah gives us, such as the commands given in the scriptures – Numbers 15:40 “That you may remember and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.” We can hear and obey our great Yah.
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The month of Av and the tribe of Shimon – attests to the powerful attribute of hearing. When we choose not to hear a good report (the 12 spies event) or choose not hear the cries of distress of a brother (Joseph in the pit), trials and tragedies happen – thus we have the three weeks of Dire Straits and thus the first half of the month of Av is a time of mourning.
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There is great hope – as mentioned with the redemption connection of Passover to the 9th of Av. As well, the last half of Av is a time of joy, for we will have survived the trials and tragedies through the compassion of our Father (Av/Abba) in heaven.
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HEAR O Israel, Adonai our Elohim, Adonai echad (is One/United).
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Next: Gad - Sixth Tribe / Elul - Sixth Month
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