We, like the trees
Bear fruits entirely new
Plucking off dead branches and old blossoms
Giving way for new creations
Please help our fruits shine forth light
Guiding others in their search for You

Please give us the strength to not be afraid of life
To truly be alive
All potential pulsating into actuality
The budding trees, the sea
are so beautiful
Perhaps I cry because they are not forever
Help me to let go and flow with life
To change - to grow
Knowing that there is nothing in this world to hold on to
Except for our search for You

Asher was born to Zilpa, the handmaid of Leah. Unlike Sarah and Rachel, Leah had already given birth to her four sons when she offered Zilpa, her handmaid, to Yaakov. It was only for the sake of bringing new life into the household that Leah was willing to sacrifice her own position in relationship to her husband. For Leah, life itself was most important. She exercised the ability to let go and just be and instrument of a birth that was not her own and that would not cause her to have any more of her own children. Not only was she able to sacrifice her position with Yaakov in order to facilitate this new life, but she was able to able to do it with the utmost joy as she declared, "Ashrani!" - how happy am I - as she named him Asher. This was the beginning of the tribe which served as a nurturer (food provider) for all of Israel.

In the month of Kislev we developed the vision, in Teves we tapped the strength to fight the negative forces that were keeping us from realizing the vision. During that time the seed was being guarded, preparing to sprout forth in Sh'vat. This month we receive the guidance for bringing the vision down to the reality of this world - to real life. This requires a lot of strength. It is a time of storms and struggles.

The background of this painting depicts the coastal land inheritance of Asher during the month of Sh'vat when the rays of sun are beginning to shine through the storm and the green blossoms are budding from the snarled dark bush on the right. The tree depicted in the foreground bears the fruit of all of the seven indigenous species of Israel reflecting the several opinions regarding the type of tree from which Adam and Hava first ate. The trunk of the tree is a scroll, a tree of life which according to our sages, is the other side of the tree of knowledge. The roots of the tree are flowing with oil which is the wealth which Asher's land was blessed with. An ephemeral-like figure, hinting to the soul, is clinging to the trunk of the tree of life, represented by the Torah scroll.

Juxtaposed on the pointing is the letter tzaddik which itself means a person who is a living example of his wisdom and beliefs. "A tzaddik eats in order to satiate his/her soul." The people of Asher never grew old because they cultivated the discipline of nurturing only that which was eternal within. In order to bear the fruits of life in this world we must refine the sense of eating, the meditation of this dimension.

Not only must we discriminate what we must take in on a physical level through food, but also we must use discretion with what we take in on all other levels. We must be in touch with what it is we need to blossom. It is time to come to terms with what we honestly need materially and what is a healthy balance of intake on the level of senses. It is time to quantify our intake. A person or a substance which provides nurturing and nourishment, if they give excessive input in your life, may serve the opposite function. When one receives only what is necessary to satiate one's soul he or she becomes happy with their lot - the secret of real wealth.