Rosh Chodesh Bet
The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month...
Veterans Day was initially known as Armistice Day and celebrated the end of World War I. The armistice, or call for peace, by the Germans was signed on Nov. 11, 1918, at the “eleventh hour” and ended the fighting between Allied forces and Germany. President Woodrow Wilson established Armistice Day one year later to honor those who served in WWI and celebrate the peace that followed.After World War II and the Korean War, veterans service organizations urged the U.S. Congress to amend the holiday to be more inclusive of all veterans. Thus, Veterans Day was officially born in 1954 to honor American veterans, past and present. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was responsible for formally changing the name.Veterans Day is recognized in other countries but may have a different name. In Canada, Nov. 11 is Remembrance Day (or Poppy Day). While it also acknowledges veterans, the day's emphasis is on remembrance and paying tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. People often wear remembrance poppies are often worn to honor those who died in war.Great Britain also calls it Remembrance Day but observes it on the Sunday closest to Nov. 11. They hold parades and services, in addition to moments of silence for the fallen.
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Significance of the Number 11 in Judaism, Kabbalah and the 9/11 attacksIn Hebrew thought, numerology (Gematria), and Jewish tradition, the number 11 carries dual and multi-layered meanings, typically representing what lies one step beyond natural order (represented by 10) or, conversely, excess, disorder, and transition.1. Beyond Natural Order (Kabbalah & Judaism)• Completeness vs. Transcendence: The number 10 represents completeness and natural order in Jewish tradition (such as the 10 Sefirot—divine attributes, the 10 Commandments, or a Minyan of 10 men).• The 11th Dimension: The number 11 steps outside this natural limit. In Kabbalistic and Hasidic teachings, 11 symbolizes that which transcends the physical laws of nature and touches the infinite Divine Essence.• The Incense (Ketoret): In the Torah, the sacred Temple incense (Ketoret) was composed of 11 ingredients (including the pungent galbanum). Tradition teaches that the 11th ingredient had the unique power to sweeten and elevate even negative or recalcitrant forces.2. Excess, Disorder, or Transition (Biblical Numerology)• Stepping Out of Bounds: In general biblical numerology, 11 can represent an excess that breaks the harmony or law of 10, leaning toward chaos, testing, or judgment (such as the confusion of languages at the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11).• A State of In-Between: It acts as a number of transition—sitting between the divine completion of 10 and the governmental perfection/order of 12 (like the 12 tribes of Israel).3. Hebrew Letters and Gematria• In Hebrew, numbers are represented by letters (Gematria). While the number 11 itself is written as י״א (combining Yud = 10 and Aleph = 1):• Yud (י): Valued at 10, pictographically representing an open hand or the spark of divine action.• Aleph (א): Valued at 1, representing the unity and primacy of God.• Together (י״א), they blend divine sovereignty (10) with singular unity (1).The number 11 became associated with the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks (9/11) because several numerical coincidences involving the number 11 were noticed after the attacks. These became widely circulated in emails, articles, and discussions about numerology and possible symbolism.Here are some of the most frequently mentioned:
- September 11: The date is written 9/11 in the American date format.
- Flight 11: American Airlines Flight 11 was the first plane to strike the World Trade Center.
- Flight 11's passengers: It carried 92 people (11 crew members and 81 passengers).
- New York City: Some numerology discussions point out that the name New York City has 11 letters if written without spaces.
- September 11, 2001: Written numerically as 9/11/01, the date contains several numbers that were incorporated into numerological calculations.
- The World Trade Center: The Twin Towers were often described as resembling the number 11.
One particularly interesting detail...September 11, 2001, was the 254th day of the year: 2 + 5 + 4 = 11.There were also 111 days remaining in the year.
Only Hashem could have arranged all these things in order to leave His "fingerprint" on it. Perhaps something similarly significant will occur over the course of this day. The Geulah seems to need a little push to move it along.
