“This month holds inside of it the whole process of taking responsibility and paying your dues, and then moving along and enjoying the flowering.”

— Idan Lumi

This episode of Living Jewishly is an instalment of Sacred Time, a podcast devoted to the healing art of the Hebrew calendar. In this episode, Ganga Devi, Bluth, and guest Idan Lumi explore love of self, love of others, and love of the divine as they delve into the significance of the month of Av.

Av is a complex month that begins in a time of heat, mourning, and destruction, guiding us from a period of grief to one of potential, renewal, and love. It’s a time during which we consider our own responsibility, in our lives and our history. As Idan says, “We all have different cards in life… I think part of the idea of Av is to see our cards and say ‘All right, how can I love this? How can I love where I came from and how can I use this to improve my life?”

Love plays a significant role in the month of Av. Tu B'Av, known as the “Jewish Valentine’s Day,” takes place on the 15th of the month. This is a holiday that has in the past been celebrated as a day of joy or matchmaking, but now takes on the role of a celebration of love, playfulness, and connection (both with ourselves and others). It’s been described as one of the happiest days of the year, along with Yom Kippur.

This episode of Sacred Time is a celebration and deep investigation of the concept and practice of love — the shapes that it can take, the process of becoming more loving, and the links between love, accountability, and grief.

“There’s a lot of struggle in love. It’s not an easy thing to do.”

— Idan Lumi

This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌

• What it means to take responsibility during the month of Av — and how that process may look in our lives
• The history of the holiday of Tu B'Av, known as the “Jewish Valentine’s Day”
• Rich and enriching definitions of what “love” truly means, and why it requires vulnerability and wilful action