When Yose'f son Ephraim (from the root "pri" - fruit) was born he declared, "G-d made me fruitful in a desert." The sense of this month is "tashmish" meaning intercourse, not only on a sexual level but all levels of interaction between people. This is the month in which we are given the ability to rectify our relationships through uncovering the essential points of contact between each other. Only when we are able to see each otehr for who we really are can we bring the most productive energy into the world, accomlishing the purpose of our interactions.

The background landscape of this painting, which depicts Ephraim's inheritance north of the Dead Sea, itself tells the story of this dimension. The desert mountains penetrated by fingerlike crevice valleys reaching towards the foreground and each other, hint at the sense of this month. These crevices resemble enticies straining forward and outward, attempting to make the proper connection.

In the foreground are the fruits, the greenery sprouting out of the desert. They are the results of the proper connection between any two people. Yose'f incredulous proclamation, stated above, is also illustrated in the landscape. This hints to the reality that, in spite of our own efforts, Hashem is ultimately responsible for the fruits that come through us. These fruits may take the form of children, good deeds, or work projects.

Juxtaposed on this painting is the letter LAMED which is the tallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. It signifies the sould reaching upwards. "LAMED" itself means learning. Only through the proper learning may our relationships become healthy, meaningful and fruitful. The ultimate relationship of uion and fruitfulness comes from the marriage between a man and a woman which is also a parable for the relationship between Israel and G-d. the exiled soul lives in uprooted fantasies. Relationships in exile are based more on thoughts and feelings rather than existing in physical reality with total consiousness of who we really are to each other.