“What is 312?”
Shalom & Blessings,
The beginning of the lunar calendar month in Hebrew is called Rosh Chodesh or “head” of the month. The great kabbalist of Tsfat, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria explains the reason the Torah uses this expression. ‘Head” of the month is because, like the head controls the body, the head of the month controls the month. How we behave on this day affects all the coming days of the month. If we go beyond our usual limitations, we are promised a month of successes.
The Chassidic Rebbe, Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech Shapiro, in his classic book, Bnei Yissaschar, explains that just like the moon appears anew on Rosh Chodesh, a new light also enters the world on that day, giving each person access to new strengths and abilities. A hint to this is in G-d’s most powerful name that He shared with us, the Tetragrammaton, Yud-Hai-Vav-Hai .
Any four letters have 24 different permutations. The formula is like this, 1x2x3x4=24. But since the letter hai is repeated, it cuts the permutations in half to 12.
Yes, that is right. Each of the 12 hours of the day and the 12 hours of the night, each of the 12 tribes and each of the 12 months has a special new energy. The Torah even reminds us about this from the Hebrew word for “month” mentioned above, chodesh . [The root means “new”]. The numerical value of the word chodesh is 312.
What is 312?
Take the numerical value of the Tetragrammaton – yud=10 + hai=5 + vav=6 + hai=5 = 26.
Multiply 26 (the gematria [numerical value] of G-d’s name) x (the number of lunar months) 12 equals 312.
So start thinking now about what type of behaviors and attitudes we want to exhibit on Rosh Chodesh, [Monday and Tuesday, June 19-20] for a bright coming month.
In the Chabad community, this is especially important because there are two important Chabad dates in Tammuz. The 3rd of Tammuz is the day of the passing of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. And the 12th and 13th of Tammuz was when the Rebbe’s predecessor (and father in law) Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn was released from prison in Russia and allowed to emigrate to the United States where he established the new center of the Chabad chasidic community.
The days of the beginning of Tammuz are days of hitkashrut, growing our connection to the Rebbes.
May it be a wonderful month for everyone.
Warm regards, Shaul Leiter
Rabbi Yitzchak HaLevi Luria. The Ari HaKadosh – The Holy Lion. 1534-1572. Universally known as the AriZal – acronym for “The G-dly Yitzchak of blessed memory” in Hebrew. The foremost rabbi and mystic of Tsfat, considered to be the father of modern Kabbalah.