Connecting to the Letter Samech

Welcome to the month of Sagittarius (Kislev). The ruling planet for this month is Jupiter, the planet of growth and expansion. In Roman mythology, Jupiter is the ruler of skies, and therefore it is no surprise that the largest and most dominant planet in our solar system goes by this name.

The great Psalmist, King David, said, “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made.” In other words, the letters of the Alef Bet created the planets and constellations in the universe and themselves are the portals through which the Divine energy flows into this world. Each month of the Hebrew calendar is governed by two letters: One is the letter of the constellation governing the month, and the other is the letter of the ruling planet for the month. The letter that created the constellation of Sagittarius is the Samech, and the letter Gimel created the planet Jupiter.

If you take a look at the letter Samech, you will notice that its shape is a full circle, symbolizing unity, completion and circuitry, all of which we can strive for in this month.

Consider the following examples: Who is always right in an argument? I am, of course. Otherwise, there would not be an argument. To create a space where the Samech can exist in our framework, we need to learn to step back and to be open to the ideas of others, and to understand that there is always another side to an argument, even though that side is not normally what we are interested in dealing with.

In business, we often look only for what benefits “me” right here, right now. The only issue is that when we don’t consider the other person, when we don’t leave any room for some aspect of sharing, then there is no completed circuit. There is just “me” within the confines of my Desire to Receive for the Self Alone.

If we have been hurt in a personal relationship, we may hold fast to the position of “I have been hurt; I have been wronged; I have been neglected.” The problem here is that if we remain in this position for too long, then we block the circle of energy that exists in Jupiter and the Samech. Yes, perhaps guy or the girl I am with has terrible character flaws, but I need to understand that if I had been born into their vessel, then I, too, would have the same flaws. This does not mean I have to stay in the relationship, but it does mean that I need to be open to considering that there is another side to things. It is this openness that connects us to the flow of creative energy of the universe that exists in the Samech.

The Samech is a circle, and a circle represents the infinite power of the Light of the Creator, which has no beginning and no end. By aligning ourselves and our consciousness with this circuitry, by resisting the ego-driven lure of our Desire to Receive for the Self Alone, we can tap into the miracles that are available during this month.