As we enter the month of Tevet, we find ourselves in the middle of the darkest and coldest time of year. During the first few days, we celebrate the end of Hanukkah, a reminder that even in darkness there is light. Physically we may be more inclined to bundle up and stay at home, isolating ourselves waiting for the spring to come. Or perhaps we find ourselves cuddling with our loved ones, relishing in the warmth of community. This tea for Tevet, is designed to warm us, uplift us and move us. It's got cinnamon, orange peel, st. johns wort, milk thistle and dandelion root! The base is rooibos. I suggest having this tea with a dollop of milk or milk alternative and a bit of honey as it will bring out all of the other flavors!

St Johns Wort | Hypericum perforatum

We read, “Women are obligated regarding the Channukah light, for even they were part of that miracle (Shabbat 23 a:2).” What does it mean that even they were part of that miracle? According to some, it means that there was a Jewish heroine who helped facilitate the miracle - in this case Judith, a Jewish power house of a woman, who kills Holofernes, a Roman general who threatened to take over her city. Because of her bravery, there are some communities that celebrate a festival of the daughters, a time to honor Judith and all other heroines on the first of Tevet. St Johns Wort, our first herb in the Tevet Tea, is used for fear, depression, anxiety etc. When we feel like we don’t have the power to make a difference or even get out of bed, she is an ally. She, like Judith, rises up and fearlessly does what needs to be done.

How does fear impact going after your dreams and what are ways that you manage it?

Milk Thistle | Silybum marianum

According to the Sefer Yetzirah, the sense of this month is anger. “One who rends his garments in his anger or who breaks his vessels in his anger, or who scatters his money in his anger, should be like an idol worshipper in your eyes, as that is the craft of the evil inclination (Shabbat 105:b). ”In the Jewish tradition, anger is considered to be the source of idol worship. Why? Because in the heat of anger, we may do/say things that keep us from seeing the oneness of creation. Does that mean we should just bury our anger and pretend it does not exist? No! Definitely Not! Every feeling has a purpose, even anger. The real work is to learn how to understand, manage and transform our anger. As Rabbi Kook has said, “We have been taught that all qualities that G!d has engraved in the human’s nature and soul, not one of them is absolutely evil…it’s needed to use each one in the right time and measure.” Milk thistle is an herb commonly used for liver health. She is used to treat cirrhosis, jaundice, hepatitis, and gallbladder disorders. The liver in both Chinese Medicine and Jewish thought is associated with the feeling of anger which is why by caring for our liver we can help manage our anger.

What tools do you use to help process your anger?

Orange Peel | Citrus sinensis

“Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, in his royal palace, in the 10th month, which is the month of Tebeth (Tevet)…(Esther 2:16).” Why in Tevet? According to Rashi it is because Tevet is, “the cold season, when one body enjoys (the warmth of) another body.” By coming before the King during the season when we’ve got cuddle fever, her chances of winning him over were greater. And she did. What else happened on the 10th of the month? The walls of Jerusalem were breached which led to the destruction of the first and second temple. In winter we can tend towards isolation, anger and self destruction or seek community and warm embraces. Orange peel helps build and move energy in the body. She is perceived to have a pungent, bitter flavor and a warm property that helps keep things moving during a cold and stagnant season. The challenge for us is harnessing that movement for the good. Will we be like Esther, taking advantage of the season to win over the heart of a King? Or will the desolation of the season cause our walls to be breached, leaving us to be vulnerable to negativity?

Cinnamon | Cinnamomum verum

Rosh Chodesh Tevet begins on the 6th day of Hanukkah and falls right around the time of the winter solstice. Just when Adam thought the days would continue to get shorter and shorter, until there was nothing but darkness, they started to get longer. “Once he saw that the season of Tevet ie. the winter solstice had arrived, and saw that the day was progressively lengthening, he said: Clearly the days become shorter then longer, and this is the order of the world. He went an observed a festival for eight days…He, Adam, established these festivals for the sake of Heaven… (Avodah Zara 8a:8).” Cinnamon is pungent and warming and is a remedy for cold conditions: cramping, bloating, nausea etc. She tonifies but also gets things moving! Do you ever feel stuck or stagnant, like things just aren’t flowing right? Imagine how Adam must have felt when he observed the days getting shorter and shorter or how the Jewish people must have felt when the walls of Jerusalem were breached on the 10th of Tevet or how we feel when we read the last Torah Portion of the month recounting our slavery in Egypt. Trapped perhaps? Cinnamon keeps us strong while also moving us - she is our fire when it gets cold and our fuel when we are depleted.

What fuels you? How do you keep moving when the walls seem to be caving in?

Dandelion root | Taraxacum

The letter for the month of Tevet is ע (Ayin) which means eye. We read in Tehillim, “The mitzvah of Hashem is clear, enlightening the eyes.” When we talk about enlightening the eyes, we are not referring to literal sight rather we are referring to perception: How do we perceive the world? Our sages say that we have two eyes (flesh and blood) that record physical images and a third eye which takes what our physical eyes see and internalizes them with thought. The Ayin is the third eye. What is the relationship between the third eye and Hanukkah? Light. Just as the Hanukkah candles bring light to the darkness, so too must our third eye. We can choose to see the world through a lens of darkness or through a lens of light (Torah). Yalkut Shimoni teaches, “Rabbi Shimon Ben Elazar says: There is no part of the body that is beloved as the eye.” The way we see impacts how we see others, how we see ourselves and how we see G!d. Dandelion root, is another liver herb. According to Chinese Medicine, the liver is connected to the eyes and our visual ability relies mainly on the nourishment of liver blood. She is rich in vitamin A (dandelion leaves contain more vitamin A than carrots!), vitamin C, iron and calcium. They said carrots were good for your eyes…. dandelion root is your go to eye medicine.

How do you exercise your third eye to see the world in a positive light?