July 02nd, 2025

Rosh Chodesh Tammuz
A Biblical Invitation to Reflection and Renewal
The Month of Emotions and Sight

Rosh Chodesh Tammuz
A Biblical Invitation to Reflection and Renewal
The Month of Emotions and Sight

Last weekend, the month of Tammuz began. In the Hebrew calendar, each new month begins not with a calendar flip, but with the new moon, a subtle but sacred sign.

This starting point is called Rosh Chodesh (ראש חודש), the “head of the month,” a time marked in the Bible with music, offerings, and spiritual attention (Numbers 10:10; Psalm 81:3).

The month of Tammuz, now underway, invites us to pause, reflect, and reset, especially in the realm of our emotions, vision, and inner balance. Rooted in biblical events and Hebrew wisdom, this season challenges us to examine what we see, how we feel, and how we walk by faith in uncertain times.
🌊 Tammuz - A Month of Emotional Testing

Tammuz is the fourth month of the biblical year, counting from Nisan, the month of the Exodus (Exodus 12:2).

According to Jewish tradition, it is a time when emotions tend to run high, and imbalance is common, yet it also offers a powerful chance for spiritual growth.

One of the most sobering biblical moments took place during Tammuz. On the 17th of Tammuz, just 40 days after the giving of the Ten Commandments at Sinai, the Israelites built the golden calf (Exodus 32). Moses descended, saw the idolatry, and shattered the tablets, postponing a divine promise of unbroken communion.

That same date, centuries later, became known for the breach of Jerusalem’s walls, marking the beginning of the Three Weeks - a mourning period that ends with the 9th of Av, when both Temples were destroyed.

This history isn’t just about the past. It teaches us that when our vision falters and patience runs out, we risk missing what God is doing.
The Power of Sight and the Challenge of Perception

Tammuz is connected to the sense of sight. Not merely physical seeing, but spiritual perception, our ability to see with faith, not fear. The tragedy of the golden calf began when the people saw that Moses delayed (Exodus 32:1). What they saw was absence. What they lacked was trust.

We’re reminded: “We walk by faith, not by sight.” — 2 Corinthians 5:7

And yet, Yeshua also teaches us that our eyes shape our inner world: “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.” — Matthew 6:22

Tammuz is a call to look again, to lift our eyes from the distractions and distortions of the moment, and fix them on what is unseen, eternal, and true (2 Corinthians 4:18).
Did You Know?  Tav and Chet - Endings, Openings, and Redemption

Each Hebrew month is linked with two letters believed to represent the spiritual meaning of the season. For Tammuz, these are:
Tav (ת) - the final letter of the Hebrew alphabet, symbolizing endings, physicality, and limits.
Chet (ח) - often associated with both sin (chet) and life (chai). It carries the potential for both fall and restoration.

This reminds us: even in seasons marked by failure (like the golden calf), the door to life remains open through repentance, mercy, and covenant.

Romans 5:20 echoes this hope:
“Where sin increased, grace increased all the more.”
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🔥 How Can We Respond This Month?

Tammuz can stir restlessness, regret, and spiritual distraction. But it also calls us to:
🌿 Reflect on emotional patterns and spiritual sight
🙏 Return to God with patience, humility, and renewed trust
🤲 Reach out, counter emotional self-focus by sharing with others
📖 Revisit Scripture, especially stories of waiting, failure, and divine mercy
📖 Key Scriptures for Tammuz Reflection

Exodus 32 – The golden calf and broken tablets
Numbers 28:11–15 – Monthly offerings on Rosh Chodesh
2 Corinthians 4:18 – Fixing our eyes on what is unseen
Matthew 6:22 – The eye as the lamp of the body
Romans 5:20 – Grace in the face of sin
 
🙌 May this month of Tammuz be a time of insight, healing, and deeper walk with God.

If you’ve been feeling unsettled or emotionally stretched, you are not alone. The Hebrew calendar reminds us that even time itself has spiritual texture. And when we understand the patterns of Scripture, we find strength to endure, wisdom to grow, and hope that outlasts every shadow.