The cover story
The Hebrew calendarA different rhythm of time.
Follow the moon, find the seasons, and discover the stories held in the Hebrew calendar.
A Mazalogy publication
The journal
Old wisdom. New perspectives.
A place to read slowly. Explore Hebrew letters, the rhythms of the calendar and thoughtful ways to bring tradition into everyday life.
LETTERS · TRADITION · EVERYDAY MEANING
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26 articles
The Hebrew calendar
How the Hebrew calendar works: months, years and seasons
Understand the Hebrew calendar’s lunar months, leap years and changing month lengths, with a worked example you can use.
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Letters & meaning
The Hebrew alphabet: a practical guide to 22 letters
Learn the Hebrew alphabet in a useful order: letter shapes, reading direction, vowel marks and five final forms, with a simple practice plan.
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Living tradition
What does mazal mean? Fortune, constellations and context
Mazal can refer to fortune or celestial influence, depending on context. Learn why mazal tov and a Talmudic debate need different readings.
Read the storyThe Hebrew calendar
Hebrew months in order: Nisan, Tishrei and the two Adars
A clear table of Hebrew months, their lengths and alternate spellings, plus the difference between Nisan order and a Tishrei year.
Read the storyLetters & meaning
Standard, ordinal and reduced gematria: the same word, three totals
Calculate שלום step by step with three gematria methods, check final letters and vowel points, and understand what the totals can tell you.
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Everyday practice
A Pirkei Avot reflection practice: study, action and limits
Read Pirkei Avot 1:15 and 2:16 in context, then build a small notebook practice around commitments, action, and unfinished work.
Read the storyThe Hebrew calendar
Hebrew leap years explained: the 19-year cycle
Learn which Hebrew years have thirteen months, why an extra Adar is added and how to check a year with a simple worked calculation.
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Why is Rosh Hashanah in Tishrei if Nisan is first?
Nisan begins the count of months; Tishrei begins the numbered year. Explore the textual sources behind these different beginnings.
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How to read a Hebrew date: day, month and year
Read Hebrew date labels step by step, including letter numerals, the special forms for 15 and 16 and the often omitted thousands.
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Hebrew vs Gregorian calendar: a practical comparison
Compare month lengths, leap years, year boundaries and anniversaries, then learn how to keep both dates clear in everyday planning.
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A Hebrew birthday on the 30th: when the date is missing
What happens when 30 Cheshvan, 30 Kislev or 30 Adar I is absent? Learn Hebcal’s stated birthday rule and why anniversary types matter.
Read the storyLetters & meaning
Hebrew final letters: when a familiar letter changes shape
Understand the five Hebrew final forms, recognize them in words, and see why a gematria calculator must state its final-letter convention.
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Hebrew vowels and nikkud: a guide to the small marks
Learn what Hebrew vowel points do, how they differ from consonant dots and cantillation, and why the pronunciation tradition matters.
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Chai and the number 18: why a small gift can say “to life”
See why חי adds up to 18, how multiples of 18 became a Jewish giving custom, and how to keep the wish for life connected to real care.
Read the storyLetters & meaning
How to spell your name in Hebrew without chasing a number
Start with the spoken name, check an established Hebrew spelling, and distinguish transliteration from choosing a Hebrew name for Jewish use.
Read the storyLiving tradition
An introduction to Sefer Yetzirah: letters, numbers and a world of relationships
Read Sefer Yetzirah with a clear starting point: its letter groups, symbolic correspondences, distinct versions and a careful approach to study.
Read the storyThe Hebrew calendar
Counting the Omer: 49 days between Passover and Shavuot
Understand the 49-day Omer count, its harvest origins, and a thoughtful way to connect daily attention with the season.
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Why Passover dates change on the civil calendar
Passover always begins on 15 Nisan. Learn why its civil date moves, how leap months keep it in spring, and how to check a calendar.
Read the storyThe Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh: what the beginning of a Hebrew month means
Explore the meaning of Rosh Chodesh, why it sometimes lasts two days, and how a monthly boundary can invite careful reflection.
Read the storyLiving tradition
How to read Jewish sources online without losing the context
A practical method for reading Jewish texts online: keep the reference, identify the translation, distinguish commentary, and follow context.
Read the storyLetters & meaning
A calendar of letters and constellations
What happens when a month becomes a letter? A closer look at the symbolic world of Sefer Yetzirah—and a thoughtful way to read it today.
Read the storyLiving tradition
Jewish astrology is a conversation
Celestial influence, human choice and a tradition that preserves disagreement. Reading the debate is part of understanding the symbols.
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Your Hebrew birthday after sunset
One civil date can hold two Hebrew dates. Understanding the evening boundary makes a birthday conversion more honest and more useful.
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Two Adars, one birthday
A leap year adds a second Adar. The date you were born and the date you celebrate answer two different questions.
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Gematria: reading numbers with care
Hebrew letters can carry numerical values. Begin with the spelling, name the method and leave room for meaning beyond the total.
Read the storyEveryday practice
From a reading to a daily practice
A useful reflection ends with something small enough to do. Three simple steps for turning a symbolic theme into everyday attention.
Read the storyA different starting point
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