Thursday, August 11: Full Moon in Aquarius, ( מזל דלי ) "D'li", the bucket of water, the last of 2022's "Super" Moons, and high tide/flood warnings for coastal areas in the news.
Sun in Leo, Moon, and Saturn in Aquarius, Uranus and the Lunar North Node (the "T'li" of the Sefer Yetzirah) in Taurus, and the South Lunar Node in Scorpio form a Grand Cross in all four of the Fixed Signs.
In "regular" astrology, a Grand Cross in the Fixed Signs often results in feeling "stuck" or unable to move forward, and depending on one's own natal chart, a sense of imbalance where one of the four signs dominate.
In Jewish astrology, the Fixed Signs are analogous to the Four Faces of Ezekiel's vision - "a lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle". Leo the lion, Taurus the "ox" (bull), Aquarius the man (holding the water bucket and pouring it out on the earth), and Scorpio the eagle (the highest permutation of the sign).
A Fixed Grand Cross on Tu b'Av, the holiday some think of as the "Jewish Valentine's Day"? The truth is SO much deeper than that!
Tu b'Av is the Full Moon holiday opposite Tu b'Shevat on the Jewish Calendar. Tu b'Av is (usually, given the variables of the 19 year cycle of the Jewish calendar) when the Sun is in Leo and the Full Moon is in Aquarius (Tu b'Shevat is the flip side: Sun in Aquarius, Moon in Leo). Leo is ruled by the Sun, Aquarius was ruled by Saturn / Shabbtai in classical astrology (modern astrological ruler is Uranus) but our ancestors would see Saturn as a "Second Sun", the planetary ruler of the Jewish People, and Sun/Saturn contacts are always about the maturation process, "growing up", taking on adulthood, the development of wisdom, and coming into one's personal sovereignty.
Perhaps the initiative shown by the young woman of antiquity who know themselves ready to take a mate is illustrative of why our current generation is so ambivalent about mating, and even then, hardly know themselves well enough to know what they want. Tu b'Av asks us to really KNOW ourselves as women; The Full Saturn-ruled Aquarius Moon deeply desires to know and be known; opposite the Sun in Leo, known and appreciated, admired, desired, and cherished.
The tradition of the daughters of Jerusalem trading their white garments one with another so nobody would know who came from a rich or poor family is reflective of the egalitarian, humanitarian, "People's" sign of Aquarius - dancing in the moonlight clothed in white is 100% Leo, the performer. It's also interesting to note that the other Full Moon holidays of Pesach & Sukkot are Mars/Venus and Venus/Mars holidays respectively (Sun in Aries, Moon in Libra for Pesach; Sun in Libra Full Moon in Aries for Sukkot). You'd think Venus and Mars would be all about the romance / matchmaking, but no. Consciously seeking one's zivug is a Sun/Saturn job.
So in the sense that Tu b’Av is thought of as the “Jewish Valentine’s Day”, the day is about seeking unity of souls - not just in zivugim / couples, but in the Jewish People ourselves.
Tu b'Av is the day we focus on TRIBAL UNITY. It's the day that the civil war between the 12 Tribes ended, with the Tribe of Benyamin restored and reunified.
This points to the coming (G*d willing) reunification of all Jews during the Messianic Era. Ezekiel's Vision is read as the Haftarah on the first day of Shavuot. And "everybody knows" Shavuot is when we came together "as one person with one heart" to receive the Torah. It's our "birthday" as a Nation.
During this very intense and powerful Super Full Moon let's remember we were never meant to be divided. All our sects, cultural identities, theological rivalries, etc. were simply coping mechanisms.
Wishing everybody everywhere a strong inner sense of unity, an overwhelming desire for achdut among our people, and hearts overflowing with compassion and love for one another.
Happy Tu b'Av!
