LETTER SAMECH
Letter Samech, month of Kislev, month of the festival of lights: Hanukkah
Samech is the letter corresponding to the month of Kislev, which this year begins on November 25. Hanukkah, the festival of lights, is celebrated in Kislev. Hanukkah commemorates the liberation of the Sanctuary from the Hellenes who wanted to erase Jewish specificity by prohibiting the practice of Jewish laws. An armed revolt led by an elderly priest of the ancient Hasmonean family, Mattathias, allowed the victory of spirit over force. The holiday commemorates the miracle of how the candlestick lasted eight days with very little oil. This would have been enough for one day of illumination. It also symbolizes the gradual awakening of light which allows us to fulfill the soul's will.
According to the Sefer Yetzirah, the Book of Formation, the letter Samech dwelt in sleep before it was used in Creation. Sleep is beneficial when it is restorative. However, if it drags us into oblivion and inoperativeness, it can represent a state of unconsciousness, a seed within the earth that sleeps and does not bear fruit. The letter Samech spurs us to wake up from our slumber, to move toward the light. It is the light that awakens and helps life to break its shell and express itself in all its fullness. Samech represents the dream world, a vision that, if not understood, is like an unread letter. One-sixtieth of the prophecy is said to be contained in the dream. The dream vision takes us to the root of the secret, to understand the truth behind things. It is the initiatory experience at the root of the spiritual path.
Each letter, Ot, sign, has a shape, a number, and a name. The Samekh has a closed circular shape; it is the geometric shape of the circle where the center is by its property equidistant from all points on the circumference. The circular shape resembles that of a clock, according to which humans traditionally mark time. The numerical value of the Samekh is 60, the unit of time. The name Samech means to support (somech).
Rather, it is the support for the next letter Nun, the letter of the fall, which represents difficulties in our lives. The Samech after the Nun, in its roundness, suggests to us that we need to know how to fall but also that we have a foothold. This foothold is divine protection. The two letters together form the word Nes, a miracle. The Samech shows us that we are surrounded by miracles in our lives, if we can see them. We are surrounded by a circle of people who can help us and by the enveloping presence of the Creator in our midst.
Procaccia Jewelry, with its luster, was created to transmit this light into our world; it is the materialization of infinite light alchemically transformed into 18K gold and precious stones. Wearing bracelets, earrings, or necklaces with the letter Samech reminds us to pay attention to the miracles present in our lives, and our dreams. It also reminds us to feel that we are surrounded by divine protection. In particular, the ring, with its circular shape, teaches us that we can fall without hurting ourselves, as being too stiff can break us. The letter Samech declined in Procaccia jewelry is accompanied by the radiant Orange Flame from the orange Tourmaline and the Padparadscha Sapphire, also orange. All Tourmalines, which are strongly electric, promote the recovery of vital energy while Sapphire, a stone mentioned several times in the Bible, is considered a spiritual stone. “Sapphir” is a Hebrew term used for the infinite light that descends into the material world directly from the divine source. It symbolizes heavenly purity. It is the stone most chosen by wise people and enlightened civilizations as a precious vehicle for wisdom. It aids and supports the creation of personal reality.
