Shovavim () is a period of six to eight weeks each year, in which some

Kabbalists Kabbalah or Qabalah ( ; , ; ) is an esoteric method, discipline and school of thought in Jewish mysticism. It forms the foundation of mystical religious interpretations within Judaism. A traditional Kabbalist is called a Mekubbal (). Jewi ...

teach one should focus on repenting for one's sins, particularly sexual sins. The term ''shovavim'' is a Hebrew

acronym An acronym is a type of abbreviation consisting of a phrase whose only pronounced elements are the initial letters or initial sounds of words inside that phrase. Acronyms are often spelled with the initial Letter (alphabet), letter of each wor ...

consisting of the initial letters of the parshioth (

Torah The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () ...

portions) of " Shemot", " Va'era", " Bo", " Beshalach", "

Yitro Yitro, Yithro, Yisroi, Yithre, Yisrau, or Yisro (, Hebrew language, Hebrew for the name "Jethro (Bible), Jethro," the second word and incipit, first distinctive word in the parashah) is the seventeenth weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in th ...

" and " Mishpatim". The period in which these portions are read typically falls around

Tevet Tevet (Hebrew: , ''Ṭevet''; ; from Akkadian ) is the fourth month of the civil year and the tenth month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar. It follows Kislev and precedes Shevat. It is a month of 29 days. Tevet usually occurs ...

Shevat Shevat (, , ; from ) is the fifth month of the civil year starting in Tishre (or Tishri) and the eleventh month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar starting in Nisan. It is a month of 30 days. Shevat usually occurs in January– ...

in the

Hebrew calendar The Hebrew calendar (), also called the Jewish calendar, is a lunisolar calendar used today for Jewish religious observance and as an official calendar of Israel. It determines the dates of Jewish holidays and other rituals, such as '' yahrze ...

(corresponding to January–February). During a Hebrew calendrical leap year, this period is extended to an eight-week sequence called "''Shovavim Tat''", derived by adding the next two portions, "''

Terumah A ''terumah'' (), the priestly dues or heave offering, is a type of offering in Judaism. The word is generally used for offerings to God, but can also refer to gifts to a human. The word ''terumah'' refers to various types of offerings, but mos ...

''" and "''

Tetzaveh Tetzaveh, Tetsaveh, T'tzaveh, or T'tzavveh (, the second word and first distinctive word in the parashah) is the 20th weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the eighth in the Book of Exodus. The para ...

''", to the list. When read as a Hebrew word, ''shovavim'' means "mischief-makers." This word appears in Jeremiah 3:22, which begins: "Return, mischief makers" (). The name ''shovavim'' is thus symbolic of the repentance which one is exhorted to do in this period.

History

There are several early sources for the fasting eight times in a leap year; the observance in a non-leap year is much later. The earliest source for Shovevim appears in '' Leket Yosher'', where Joseph ben Isaac (c. 1420–1488) says that his teacher, Israel Isserlein would fast on the Thursday of these weeks in a leap year. The custom of fasting in a leap year is also mentioned in Sefer Haminhagim of Isaac Tyrnau. The early Kabbalists' practices took on a new meaning. First, they were expanded to include every year (albeit only six weeks) rather than only in a leap year. In this season, Kabbalists teach that repenting for sins ("mischief") is auspicious, especially sexually related transgressions. During these weeks, it is customary to be more careful not to violate any of the sexually-related transgressions commanded in the

. Some have the customs of studying laws relating to such transgressions,

ta'anit A ta'anit or taynis (Biblical Hebrew ''taʿaniṯ'' or צוֹם ''ṣom'') is a fast in Judaism in which one abstains from all food and drink, including water. Purposes A Jewish fast may have one or more purposes, including: * Atonement for si ...

(fasting), and giving extra

tzedakah ''Tzedakah'' ( ''ṣədāqā'', ) is a Hebrew word meaning "righteousness", but commonly used to signify ''charity''. This concept of "charity" differs from the modern Western understanding of "charity". The latter is typically understood as ...

(charity) during this time, and of reciting

Selichot Selichot (, singular: , ''səliḥā'') are Jewish penitential poems and prayers, especially those said in the period leading up to the High Holidays, and on fast days. The Thirteen Attributes of Mercy are a central theme throughout these pra ...

and other ''tikkunim'' (Kabbalistic prayers or meditations) designed to counteract their harmful effects. On the

Shabbat Shabbat (, , or ; , , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazi Hebrew, Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the seven-day week, week—i.e., Friday prayer, Friday–Saturday. On this day, religious Jews ...

s, when these weekly portions of the Torah are read, some take upon themselves to refrain from speaking, except words of prayer and

. This type of fast is called a ''ta'anit dibbur'' (). Since Kabbalistic teachings popularized these customs,

Sephardic Sephardic Jews, also known as Sephardi Jews or Sephardim, and rarely as Iberian Peninsular Jews, are a Jewish diaspora population associated with the historic Jewish communities of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) and their descendant ...

and Hasidic Jews are more likely to follow them than their

Ashkenazi Ashkenazi Jews ( ; also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim) form a distinct subgroup of the Jewish diaspora, that Ethnogenesis, emerged in the Holy Roman Empire around the end of the first millennium Common era, CE. They traditionally spe ...

counterparts. Nevertheless, specific very traditional Eastern Ashkenazic communities, such as Golders Green Beth Hamedrash and Viyen (amongst Viyeners that preserve the

Nusach Ashkenaz Nusach Ashkenaz is a style of Jewish liturgy conducted by Ashkenazi Jews. It is primarily a way to order and include prayers, and differs from Nusach Sefard (as used by the Hasidim) and Baladi-rite prayer, and still more from the Sephardic rit ...

) follow the original custom to recite Selichot for these days in a leap-year only, individuals in these communities may fast as well.

Practices

Fasting

During the Shovavim period, some Jews have the custom to fast every Thursday - some do Monday and Thursday - from dawn until dusk. One custom is to fast only the first Monday and Thursday and the second Monday ("beit hey beit", or "BaHaB"). Some fast on Friday until

eve.

Prayer

There are extra prayers added called "''Tikkun Shovavim''" during these weeks. Some have the custom of praying more prayers and reading extra Psalms during this period.

''Ta'anit Dibbur''

Some observe a special type of fast called a ''ta'anit dibbur'' during the Shovavim period. This does not involve refraining from eating and drinking, but from speaking. During the entire day (usually Shabbat, when regular fasting is prohibited), one refrains from superfluous speech between sunrise and dusk. Speaking words of prayer and Torah is permitted. Some Jewish congregations gather on the Shabbat when these speech fasts are held, to read the

Psalms The Book of Psalms ( , ; ; ; ; , in Islam also called Zabur, ), also known as the Psalter, is the first book of the third section of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) called ('Writings'), and a book of the Old Testament. The book is an anthology of B ...

three times (a total of 450 psalms). At an average pace, this reading can take up to ten hours. This is usually accomplished between the Shabbat morning meal and the afternoon prayer.

References

External links

Yeshshem: Shovvavim Period
Acronyms Hebrew calendar Jewish fast days {{Judaism-stub