The year is divided into three periods called zmanim ("times" or "semesters"). Elul zman starts from the beginning of the Hebrew month of Elul and extends until the end of Yom Kippur. This is the shortest (approx. six weeks), but most intense semester as it comes before the high holydays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Winter zman starts after Sukkot ("Tabernacles") and lasts until just before Passover, a duration of six months (seven in a Jewish leap year). Summer semester starts after Passover and lasts until either the middle of the month of Tammuz or the beginning of the Jewish month ...

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Yeshiva, Yeshiva - History, Yeshiva - Pre-1800s, Yeshiva - Chaim Volozhin, Yeshiva - Types of yeshivot, Yeshiva - Prominent yeshivot, Yeshiva - In the United States, Yeshiva - In Israel, Yeshiva - Academic year, Yeshiva - Typical schedule, Yeshiva - Method of study, Yeshiva - Talmud study, Yeshiva - Jewish law, Yeshiva - Ethics, Yeshiva - Weekly Torah portion

Read more here: » Yeshiva: Encyclopedia II - Yeshiva - Academic year

Bacchus (Ancient Greek). Exoterically and superficially the god of wine and the vintage, and of licentiousness and joy; but the esoteric meaning of this personification is more abstruse and philosophical.

He is the Osiris of Egypt, and his life and significance belong to the same group as the other solar deities, all "sin-bearing," killed and resurrected; e.g., as Dionysos or Atys of Phrygia (Adonis, or the Syrian Tammuz), as Ausonius, Baldur (q.v.), &c., &c. All these were put to death, mourned for, and restored to life. The rejoicings for Atys took place at the Hilaria on the "pagan" Easter, March 15. Ausonius, a form of Bacchus, was slain "at the vernal equinox, March 21st, and rose in three days". Tammuz, the double of Adonis and Atys, was mourned by the women at the "grove" of his name "over Bethlehem, where the infant Jesus cried", says St. Jerome.

Bacchus is murdered and his mother collects the fragments of his lacerated body as Isis does those of Osiris, and so on. Dionysos Iacchus, torn to shreds by the Titans, Osiris, Krishna, all descended into Hades and returned again.

Astronomically, they all represent the Sun ; psychically they are all emblems of the ever-resurrecting " Soul" (the Ego in its re-incarnation) ; spiritually, all the innocent scape-goats, atoning for the sins of mortals, their own earthly envelopes, and in truth, the poeticized image of DIVINE MAN, the form of clay informed by its God.

(See also: Bacchus, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

When he was 17 years old, Odesser came into possession of a document later known as The Letter from Heaven. He had felt so ill during the fast of the Seventeenth of Tammuz that he was forced to eat and drink, and was distraught as a result. He went into his room to learn, chose a volume at random, and found a letter tucked inside the book. Besides its words of greeting and encouragement, this letter contained a mantra in the Hebrew language based on the four letters of the name Nachman (i.e., Rebbe Nachman of Breslov). Later Od ...

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Yisroel Ber Odesser, Yisroel Ber Odesser - Introduction to Breslov, Yisroel Ber Odesser - Correspondence with Zalman Shazar, Yisroel Ber Odesser - Discovering the mantra, Yisroel Ber Odesser - Outside Links

Read more here: » Yisroel Ber Odesser: Encyclopedia II - Yisroel Ber Odesser - Discovering the mantra

In the autumn of 1643 Heller received an invitation to the rabbinate of Kraków, which he gladly accepted. Joshua Heschel, the author of Maginne Shelomoh, was head of the yeshiva there. Four years later Heschel died, and Heller succeeded him in the direction of the yeshiva. At Kraków Heller relaxed the Jewish marriage laws, because, owing to the persecutions which the Jews had suffered at the hands of the Cossacks, many women did not know whether their husbands were still alive or not. He established the 5th of Tammuz, the day on whi ...

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Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller, Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller - Education, Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller - Chief Rabbi of Prague, Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller - Imprisonment, Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller - Rabbi at Kraków, Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller - Knowledge and Works, Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller - Article References

Read more here: » Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller: Encyclopedia II - Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller - Rabbi at Kraków

Joseph occupies a very important place in Rabbinical literature, and no patriarch was the subject of so many Midrashic traditional narratives. As Rachel was visited by the Lord on Rosh ha-Shanah (Talmud, Tractate Rosh Hashana. 10b), Joseph was born in due course on the 1st of Tammuz, 2199 (Book of Jubilees, xxviii. 32). Joseph is represented as a perfectly righteous man (tzadik gamur) and as the counterpart of his father; not only did Joseph resemble his father in appearance and in having been born circumcised, but the m ...

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Joseph Hebrew Bible, Joseph Hebrew Bible - The Genesis story of Joseph, Joseph Hebrew Bible - Joseph in rabbinical literature, Joseph Hebrew Bible - Sent to brothers, Joseph Hebrew Bible - Joseph in captivity, Joseph Hebrew Bible - Joseph's temptation, Joseph Hebrew Bible - Joseph in prison, Joseph Hebrew Bible - Joseph as ruler, Joseph Hebrew Bible - Joseph and his brethren, Joseph Hebrew Bible - Why he died before his brothers, Joseph Hebrew Bible - Critical view, Joseph Hebrew Bible - In Arabic literature, Joseph Hebrew Bible - Joseph and Zulaikha, Joseph Hebrew Bible - Differences of tradition, Joseph Hebrew Bible - House of Joseph, Joseph Hebrew Bible - Other versions

Read more here: » Joseph Hebrew Bible: Encyclopedia II - Joseph Hebrew Bible - Joseph in rabbinical literature

Ishtar (Chald.). The Babylonian Venus, called "the eldest of heaven and earth", and daughter of Anu, the god of heaven. She is the goddess of love and beauty. The planet Venus, as the evening star, is identified with Ishtar, and as the morning star with Anunit, the goddess of the Akkads. There exists a most remarkable story of her descent into Hades, on the sixth and seventh Assyrian tiles or tablets deciphered by the late G. Smith. Any Occultist who reads of her love for Tammuz, his assassination by Izdubar, the despair of the goddess and her descent in search of her beloved through the seven gates of Hades, and finally her liberation from the dark realm, will recognise the beautiful allegory of the soul in search of the Spirit.

(See also: Ishtar, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

The days between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av are days of mourning, on account of the collapse of Jerusalem during the Roman occupation which occurred during this time framework. Weddings and other joyful occasions are traditionally not held during this period. A further element is added within the three weeks, during the nine days between the 1st and 9th day of Av— the pious refrain from e ...

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Jewish holiday, Jewish holiday - Rosh Hashanah - The Jewish New Year, Jewish holiday - Aseret Yemei Teshuva - Ten Days of Repentance, Jewish holiday - Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement, Jewish holiday - Sukkot - Festival of Booths, Jewish holiday - Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah - Rejoicing with the Law, Jewish holiday - Hanukkah - Festival of Lights, Jewish holiday - Tu Bishvat - New year of the trees, Jewish holiday - Purim - Festival of Lots, Jewish holiday - New Year for Kings, Jewish holiday - Pesach - Passover, Jewish holiday - Sefirah - Counting of the Omer, Jewish holiday - Lag Ba'omer, Jewish holiday - New Israeli/Jewish national holidays, Jewish holiday - Yom Ha'Shoah - Holocaust Remembrance day, Jewish holiday - Yom Hazikaron - Memorial Day, Jewish holiday - Yom Ha'atzma'ut - Israel Independence Day, Jewish holiday - Yom Yerushalayim - Jerusalem Day, Jewish holiday - Shavuot - Pentecost, Jewish holiday - The Three Weeks and the Nine Days, Jewish holiday - Tisha B'av - Ninth of Av, Jewish holiday - Tithe of animals, Jewish holiday - Rosh Chodesh - the New Month, Jewish holiday - Shabbat - The Sabbath יום השבת, Jewish holiday - Variances in observances

Read more here: » Jewish holiday: Encyclopedia II - Jewish holiday - The Three Weeks and the Nine Days

Disk-worship. This was very common in Egypt but not till later times, as it began with Amenoph III., a Dravidian, who brought it from Southern India and Ceylon. It was Sun-worship under another form, the Aten-Nephru, Aten-Ra being identical with the Adonai of the Jews, the " Lord of Heaven" or the Sun.

The winged disk was the emblem of the Soul. The Sun was at one time the symbol of Universal Deity shining on the whole world and all creatures; the Sabeans regarded the Sun as the Demiurge and a Universal Deity, as did also the Hindus, and as do the Zoroastrians to this day.

The Sun is undeniably the one creator of physical nature. Lenormant was obliged, notwithstanding his orthodox Christianity, to denounce the resemblance between disk and Jewish worship. "Aten represents the Adonai or Lord, the Assyrian Tammuz, and the Syrian Adonis"(The Gr. Dionys. Myth.)

(See also: Disk-worship, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Happy Fields. The name given by the Assyrio-Chaldeans to their Elysian Fields, which were intermingled with their Hades. As Mr. Boscawen tells his readers -

"The Kingdom of the underworld was the realm of the god Hea, and the Hades of the Assyrian legends was placed in the underworld, and was ruled over by a goddess, Nin-Kigal, or ‘the Lady of the Great Land’.

She is also called Allat." A translated inscription states: - "After the gifts of these present days, in the feasts of the land of the silver sky, the resplendent courts, the abode of blessedness, and in the light of the Happy Fields, may he dwell in life eternal, holy, in the presence of the gods who inhabit Assyria".

This is worthy of a Christian tumulary inscription. Ishtar, the beautiful goddess, descended into Hades after her beloved Tammuz, and found that this dark place of the shades had seven spheres and seven gates, at each of which she had to leave something belonging to her.

(See also: Happy Fields, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Enkidu is the quintessential savage man in the beginning of the epic: "The whole of his body was hairy and his (uncut) locks were like a woman's or the hair of the goddess of grain. Moreover, he knew nothing of settled fields or human beings and was clothed (in skins) like a deity of flocks." Enkidu roamed with the beasts of the wilderness. He protected the animals, destroying the hunters' traps, and lurked around the watering holes to protect the game. These actions were much to the chagrin of a local trapp ...

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Enkidu, Enkidu - First Tablet, Enkidu - Enkidu later in the Epic of Gilgamesh, Enkidu - Historical Analysis, Enkidu - Literary Analysis, Enkidu - Popular Cultural References, Enkidu - Themes of Existentialism, Enkidu - Bibliography

Read more here: » Enkidu: Encyclopedia II - Enkidu - First Tablet

Adonis (Hebrew) (from 'adon lord)

Title of the Babylonian god Tammuz, whose cult was imported into Asiatic Greece. A beautiful youth beloved of Aphrodite, he was killed by a boar. Aphrodite was so grief-stricken that the gods of the lower world allowed him to spend half of every year with her on earth. His death and resurrection were symbolized in annual festivals.

He is one of many symbols of the mystic Christ, the God made man. Though the son of Father and Mother, he is identical with the Father. Adonis is identified with both Osiris and Horus; with the Semitic Thammuz in Ezekiel, Athamaz, Tamaz, and 'Adam Qadmon (SD 2:43-4); with the Indian Aditi; and the Hebrew Adon or 'Adonai. Adonis is spoken of as both a lunar and solar god, since what is solar from one point of view may be lunar from another -- for instance, he may represent the sun in a lunar system. Adonis is connected with the solar year, as shown in the allegory of his six-months alternation.

(See also: Adonis, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Yggdrasil (Scandianvian Norse). The "World Tree of the Norse Cosmogony; the ash Yggdrasil ; the tree of the Universe, of time and of life".

It has three roots, which reach down to cold Hel, and spread thence to Jotun heim, the land of the Hrimthurses, or " Frost Giants ", and to Midgard, the earth and dwelling of the children of men. Its upper boughs stretch out into heaven, and its highest branch overshadows Waihalla, the Devachan of the fallen heroes.

The Yggdrasil is ever fresh and green, as it is daily sprinkled by the Norns, the three fateful sisters, the Past, the Present, and the Future, with the waters of life from the fountain of Urd that flows on our earth. It will wither and disappear only on the day when the last battle between good and evil is fought ; when, the former prevailing, life, time and space pass out of life and space and time. Every ancient people had their world-tree.

The Babylonians had their "tree of life", which was the world-tree, whose roots penetrated into the great lower deep or Hades, whose trunk was on the earth, and whose upper boughs reached Zikum, the highest heaven above. Instead of in Walhalla, they placed its upper foliage in the holy house of Davkina, the "great mother" of Tammuz, the Saviour of the world - the Sun-god put to death by the enemies of light.

(See also: Yggdrasil, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

In the second millennium BCE, the king of Aleppo, or Halab, received a statue of Ishtar from the king of Mari, as a sign of deference, to be displayed in the temple of Hadad in Kilasou. The god "Adad" is called on a stele of the Assyrian king Shalmaneser I "the god of Aleppo". The name Hadad appears in the name of Hadadezer 'Hadad-is-help', the Aramean king defeated by David. Later Aramean kings of Damascus seem to have habitually assumed the title of Benhadad, or son of Hadad, just as a series of Egyptian monarchs are known to have ...

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Hadad, Hadad - Hadad in Ugarit, Hadad - Sanchuniathon, Hadad - Hadad in Aram and Israel

Read more here: » Hadad: Encyclopedia II - Hadad - Hadad in Aram and Israel

Enkidu acts as a foil to Gilgamesh in the beginning of the story, and as a sidekick in the remainder. (The author expressly states to the reader that the main character of the epic is Gilgamesh rather than Enkidu.) Enkidu also acts as a form of balance and dialogue opportunity for Gilgamesh. Enkidu's status as a beloved companion makes his death serve as a sufficient motive for Gilgamesh to pursue an apparently imp ...

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Enkidu, Enkidu - First Tablet, Enkidu - Enkidu later in the Epic of Gilgamesh, Enkidu - Historical Analysis, Enkidu - Literary Analysis, Enkidu - Popular Cultural References, Enkidu - Themes of Existentialism, Enkidu - Bibliography

Read more here: » Enkidu: Encyclopedia II - Enkidu - Literary Analysis

The earliest Sumerian versions of the epic date from as early as the Third dynasty of Ur (2100 BC-2000 BC), or to about 400 years after the supposed reign of Gilgamesh, who is now thought to have been historical, following the discovery of artifacts definitively associated with Agga and Enmebaragesi of Kish, two other kings named in the stories. The earliest Akkadian versions are known, from the incipit (opening words), as "Surpassing all other kings", and are dated to ca. 2000-1500 BC. The "standard" version, composed by Sin-liqe-unn ...

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Epic of Gilgamesh, Epic of Gilgamesh - History, Epic of Gilgamesh - Contents of the eleven clay tablets, Epic of Gilgamesh - Bibliography

Read more here: » Epic of Gilgamesh: Encyclopedia II - Epic of Gilgamesh - History

A Christian theological definition of False Gods according to CARM - The Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry:

"

False Gods

See also: False Gods, Christianity, Body Mind and Soul)

Both characters suffer ennui — primarily Gilgamesh. He and Enkidu journey to prove that they are not just mere mortals, but god-men. This leads to the conflict involving the other deities who believe the pair have overstepped their bounds. Enkidu, at the moment of his death and vision of a bleak afterlife, relates the wish that he had never coupled with Shamhat or adventured with Gilgamesh. This could be interpreted as a form of angst. ...

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Enkidu, Enkidu - First Tablet, Enkidu - Enkidu later in the Epic of Gilgamesh, Enkidu - Historical Analysis, Enkidu - Literary Analysis, Enkidu - Popular Cultural References, Enkidu - Themes of Existentialism, Enkidu - Bibliography

Read more here: » Enkidu: Encyclopedia II - Enkidu - Themes of Existentialism

Although Na Nach Nachma is based on the name of Rebbe Nachman, he himself did not use it, and it was unknown in his day. However, he did say that repeating one word over and over was an effective form of meditation (Likutei Moharan Tinyana #96). His own personal mantra was Ribono shel Olam (Master of the Universe) which he pronounced with the Yiddish intonation as: Ree-BOY-noy shell OY-lahm.See also:

Na Nach Nachma, Na Nach Nachma - History of the mantra, Na Nach Nachma - Pronuciation and meaning of the phrase, Na Nach Nachma - Controversies, Na Nach Nachma - Popularity of the mantra today, Na Nach Nachma - Outside links, Na Nach Nachma - See Also, Na Nach Nachma - Sources

Read more here: » Na Nach Nachma: Encyclopedia II - Na Nach Nachma - History of the mantra

Apsû is depicted as a deity only in the Babylonian creation epic, the Enûma Elish. In this story, he was a primal monster made of fresh water and a lover to another primal deity, Tiamat, who was a creature of salt water. After Ea killed Apsû, he began to dwell inside of the dead god. This is considered as the origin of the apsû where Ea lives in myths set during later time periods. Marduk, though called "firstborn son of the apsû," is actually Ea's son, not Apsû's; the title is m ...

See also:

Apsû, Apsû - As a deity

Read more here: » Apsû: Encyclopedia II - Apsû - As a deity

In 1627 Heller was called to the chief rabbinate of Prague. On account of the Thirty Years' War the government imposed heavy taxes on the Jewish communities of Bohemia, including that of Prague, which had to pay a yearly tax of 40,000 thalers. As Heller was the chief rabbi he was compelled, against his will, to preside over the commission which had the task of apportioning that sum among the members of his communities. Although he acted with the greatest conscientiousness, some complained of unfair allotment. They accused Heller and the elders of the commission before the civil authorities of having spar ...

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Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller, Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller - Education, Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller - Chief Rabbi of Prague, Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller - Imprisonment, Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller - Rabbi at Kraków, Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller - Knowledge and Works, Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller - Article References

Read more here: » Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller: Encyclopedia II - Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller - Chief Rabbi of Prague

Herodotus was told by the euhemeristic Pontic Greeks that Zalmoxis was really a man, formerly a slave (or disciple) of Pythagoras, who taught him the "sciences of the skies" at Samos. Zalmoxis was manumitted and amassed great wealth, returned to his country and instructed his people, the Getae, about the immortality of the soul. Zenon also records that Zamolxis was Pythagoras' slave. At one point, Zalmoxis traveled to Egypt and brought the people mystic knowledge about the immortality of the soul, teaching them that they would pass at death to a certain place where they would enjoy all ...

See also:

Zalmoxis, Zalmoxis - Etymology, Zalmoxis - The man, Zalmoxis - The god

Read more here: » Zalmoxis: Encyclopedia II - Zalmoxis - The man

In many ways, Enkidu's transformation may represent the seductive power of the Mesopotamian city-states. His origins upon the steppe and his life as a companion of the wild beast suggests the hunter-gatherers living on the fringes of the territory of southern Iraq's early farmers. His subsequent transformation and acceptance of life in Uruk becomes a mythologized account of their slow approach to and assimilation within ...

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Enkidu, Enkidu - First Tablet, Enkidu - Enkidu later in the Epic of Gilgamesh, Enkidu - Historical Analysis, Enkidu - Literary Analysis, Enkidu - Popular Cultural References, Enkidu - Themes of Existentialism, Enkidu - Bibliography

Read more here: » Enkidu: Encyclopedia II - Enkidu - Historical Analysis