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

Kabbalists Kabbalah ( he, קַבָּלָה ''Qabbālā'', literally "reception, tradition") is an esoteric method, discipline and school of thought in Jewish mysticism. A traditional Kabbalist is called a Mekubbal ( ''Məqūbbāl'' "receiver"). The defin ...

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

acronym An acronym is a word or name formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase. Acronyms are usually formed from the initial letters of words, as in ''NATO'' (''North Atlantic Treaty Organization''), but sometimes use syllables, as ...

for the Jewish parshioth (

Torah The Torah (; hbo, ''Tōrā'', "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. In that sense, Torah means the s ...

portions) of " Shemot", " Va'era", " Bo", " B'Shallach", "

Yitro Yitro, Yithro, Yisroi, Yisrau, or Yisro (, Hebrew for the name " Jethro," the second word and first distinctive word in the parashah) is the seventeenth weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the ...

" and "

Mishpatim Mishpatim (—Hebrew for "laws," the second word of the parashah) is the eighteenth weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the sixth in the Book of Exodus. The parashah sets out a series of laws, whic ...

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

Tevet Tevet ( he, טֵבֵת, ''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 occ ...

Shevat Shevat (Hebrew: שְׁבָט, Standard ''Šəvaṭ'', Tiberian ''Šeḇāṭ''; from Akkadian ''Šabātu'') is the fifth month of the civil year starting in Tishre (or Tishri) and the eleventh month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calend ...

in the

Hebrew calendar The Hebrew calendar ( he, הַלּוּחַ הָעִבְרִי, translit=HaLuah HaIvri), also called the Jewish calendar, is a lunisolar calendar used today for Jewish religious observance, and as an official calendar of the state of Israel. I ...

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

Terumah A ''terumah'' ( he, תְּרוּמָה) or heave offering is a type of sacrifice in Judaism. The word is generally used for an offering to God, although it is also sometimes used as in ''ish teramot'', a "judge who loves gifts". The word ''teru ...

''" and "''

Tetzaveh Tetzaveh, Tetsaveh, T'tzaveh, or T'tzavveh (—Hebrew for " oushall command," 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 eight ...

''", to the list. The acronym ''shovavim'' also forms a Hebrew word, meaning "mischief-makers." This word appears in Jeremiah 3:22, which begins: "Return oh mischief makers" (). Thus the name ''shovavim'' is 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 brought by Rabbi Joseph Yuzpa Ostreicher in Leket Yosher, where he says that his teacher, Rabbi

Israel Isserlein Israel Isserlin (ישראל איסרלן; Israel Isserlein ben Petachia; 1390 in Maribor, Duchy of Styria – 1460 in Wiener Neustadt, Lower Austria) was a Talmudist, and Halakhist, best known for his ''Terumat HaDeshen'', which served as one ...

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 Rabbi Isaac Tyrnau (יצחק אייזיק מטירנא or יצחק טירנאו; also Isaak Tyrnau) was an Austrian (or Hungarian) rabbi, born in the late 14th century and active in the 15th century; he is most famous for his ''Sefer haMinhagim'' ( ...

. In the times of the Kabbalists, these practices took on a new meaning. Firstly, it was expanded to include every year (albeit only six weeks) rather than only in a leap year. In this season, the kabbalists teach that it is auspicious to repent for sins ("mischief"), especially for sexually-related transgressions. A comprehensive Kuntres dedicated to the spiritual work of Shovavim (By Rav Zerach Eidlitz 1725-1780) called 'Or LaYishraim' was recently redone (available at shovavim.com). With addition from later Torah greats as to the proper path one should take for the Teshuva process. 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,

fasting Fasting is the abstention from eating and sometimes drinking. From a purely physiological context, "fasting" may refer to the metabolic status of a person who has not eaten overnight (see " Breakfast"), or to the metabolic state achieved after ...

and giving extra ''

tzedakah ''Tzedakah'' or ''Ṣedaqah'' ( he, צדקה ) 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 un ...

'' (charity) during this time, and of reciting

Selichot Selichot ( he, סְלִיחוֹת, səlīḥōt, singular: , ''səlīḥā'') 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 ...

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

Shabbat Shabbat (, , or ; he, שַׁבָּת, Šabbāṯ, , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the week—i.e., Saturday. On this day, religious Jews remember the biblical storie ...

ot (Saturdays, the Jewish Sabbath) 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 these customs were popularized by Jewish

Kabbalistic Kabbalah ( he, קַבָּלָה ''Qabbālā'', literally "reception, tradition") is an esoteric method, discipline and Jewish theology, school of thought in Jewish mysticism. A traditional Kabbalist is called a Mekubbal ( ''Məqūbbāl'' "rece ...

teachings,

Sephardic Sephardic (or Sephardi) Jews (, ; lad, Djudíos Sefardíes), also ''Sepharadim'' , Modern Hebrew: ''Sfaradim'', Tiberian Hebrew, Tiberian: Səp̄āraddîm, also , ''Ye'hude Sepharad'', lit. "The Jews of Spain", es, Judíos sefardíes (or ), ...

and

Hassidic Hasidism, sometimes spelled Chassidism, and also known as Hasidic Judaism (Ashkenazi Hebrew: חסידות ''Ḥăsīdus'', ; originally, "piety"), is a Jewish religious group that arose as a spiritual revival movement in the territory of contem ...

Jews are more likely to follow them than their

Ashkenazic Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...

counterparts. Nevertheless, certain very traditional Eastern Ashkenazic communities, such as Golders Green Beth Hamedrash and

Wien en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

(in the Wien communities that preserve

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 rite p ...

) follow the original custom to recite the

for these days in a leap-year only, and there may be individuals in these communities who 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 (the eve of

) until the afternoon.

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''

A special type of fast called a ''ta'anit dibbur'' is observed by some 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), between sunrise and dusk, one refrains from superfluous speech. Speaking words of prayer and Torah is permitted. Some Jewish congregations gather on the Shabbat when these speech fasts are held, to read the entire book of Psalms 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 Hebrew names of Jewish holy days Jewish fast days {{Judaism-stub