The Six Seasons and Why Humanity Must Sow Each Year

"Seedtime and harvest" (Genesis 8:22). These are the six things mentioned in the passage, and each and every one is [two] months. And thus they said: half of Tishrei, and Marcheshvan, and half of Kislev are seedtime; half of Kislev, and Tevet, and half of Shevat are cold; half of Shevat, and Adar, and half of Nisan are winter; half of Nisan, and Iyyar, and half of Sivan are harvest; half of Sivan, and Tammuz, and half of Av are heat; half of Av, and Elul, and half of Tishrei are summer. Another interpretation: "Seedtime and harvest." The Holy One, blessed be He, said: what caused them to rebel against Me? That children did not die for them, and that sufferings did not come upon them. From here onward, what they sow they shall reap—these are their children, who shall die. "Cold and heat"—these are sufferings; for sometimes they shall have sufferings, and the cold is among the kinds of sufferings, and sometimes they shall have heat, and it is among the kinds of sufferings. Another interpretation: "Seedtime and harvest." The Holy One, blessed be He, said: what caused them to rebel against Me? That they used to sow and reap once in forty years. From here onward, every single year they will need to sow and to reap, so that they will need Me for rain and will call out before Me.