Whispers of Winter and the Spirituality of Snow

Snow Through a Child’s Eyes

When I was a small child growing up in Southeast Texas, I felt that something significant was missing in my life: snow. Every winter, I was painfully aware that other kids around the world could watch the snow fall, go sledding, and have snowball fights. I wanted so desperately to lie in the snow, gaze at the night sky as the snowflakes danced their way to the ground. Not to mention the steady stream of holiday specials and songs about snow that constantly reminded me of what I was missing, the closest I could come to such winter bliss was an occasional frost. I had an overwhelming sense of deprivation, as if I were the only child on earth without snow in my life.

Then my parents shared the news: we were moving. On Halloween night, after my brother and I finished trick-or-treating, we all piled into our truck and headed to Illinois. My little brother was distraught; after all, we were leaving the only home we had ever known. I, however, was bubbling with excitement! Finally, I was going to experience snow, a dream come true that filled my heart with joy!

A few days after arriving in our new town, my family and I went to my aunt and uncle’s house. Before going inside, I giggled in delight when I noticed a small pile of snow on the sidewalk leading up to the house. I was mesmerized. It was the most snow I had ever seen. My dad chuckled and said, “Oh, just you wait!” And he was right. Soon, those small snow piles would turn into snow mountains, and my dreams of watching the snowflakes dance their way to earth had finally come true. And my little brother, who wanted nothing to do with moving to Illinois, came to love a good snowfall. We spent many a snow day building snowmen and trying to catch the snowflakes falling from the sky.

The Jewish and Kabbalistic Perspective on Snow

I never grew tired of the snow, and after years of reveling in its magic, I’ve come to realize that there is much more to it than my childhood dreams of snow gazing. There is a spiritual element to snow, and my belief in this has only grown with the passing years. It’s a stillness. A feeling that, for a moment in time, the world has slowed its chaotic spinning to a gentle, peaceful motion, calming the cacophony of noise into a soft, graceful lullaby. Following my conversion, I wanted to explore the spirituality of snow through a Jewish perspective. Some Jewish and Kabbalistic traditions hold that snow symbolizes spiritual purification and new beginnings.

“Be your sins like crimson, They can turn snow-white; Be they red as dyed wool, They can become like fleece.” ~ Isaiah 1:18

Among the many spiritually significant aspects of snow is the verse in Isaiah above, which says that after repentance, our sins will be white as snow. It’s a means by which the mistakes and regrets are washed clean, and we begin again. Snow represents a new beginning —a new chapter and a new opportunity to live our best life. For me, once the snow falls, it’s a time to plan for the next chapter. I do a lot of writing, fine-tuning my goals, and reading Jewish literature. One of my favorite authors is Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, who has written two of my favorite books, “Jewish Literacy” and “The Book of Jewish Values.”

Winter is the Time to Maintain Spiritual Growth

Similarly, in the article “Mystical White Snow” at Aish.com, Rabbi Baruch Leff discusses how spring and summer are times of spiritual growth, marked by all the Jewish Holidays. On the contrary, winter is a time to maintain that growth. “You can’t expect a baseball team to play every single game as if it’s the World Series. It’s just too hard to remain on that high level of intensity all the time. So too, in the spiritual realm God does not expect us to be growing constantly at a high, fast pace. Every day can’t be Yom Kippur. Therefore, God set aside half the year for strong spiritual growth, and the other half for maintenance of that spiritual growth.” Winter is our time to hunker down, stay warm, and watch the snow fall. It’s time to reflect on our growth and transformation. It’s also a good time to drink hot cocoa.

Snow and God’s Power

My spiritual interpretation of the snow is that it is divine evidence of God’s power. Our world is full of noise, both in reality and metaphorically. When you walk outside into a blanket of snow, it’s peaceful and calming, and the snow has a way of silencing the noise. It’s like a divine gift, a free pass to stop and enjoy the stillness. Many of my memories of growing up in Illinois are about snow and the quiet comfort it brings.

I’ll leave you with one last story. Years ago, I lived in an old apartment building in the city. There was a wide variety of characters living there, but one man in particular left a lasting memory. Often, when I walked my dogs, we ran into the man and would chat for a few minutes. He loved the dogs. He was difficult to understand, but he was constantly flashing his toothless grin. He was incredibly aged, but something told me he wasn’t as old as he looked. I could tell his life had been painful, yet our little encounters seemed to bring him joy.

One morning, the dogs and I headed out for our daily walk. Snowflakes were falling from the sky onto a thick blanket of snow on the ground. As we walked around the courtyard, something felt different. The snow made everything quiet and still, as expected. Not necessarily good or bad, just different. Like walking in a dream. Just minutes later, I found out that our neighbor across the hall had died of a drug overdose. I then knew what that strange feeling was about. It felt surreal, as though God held the world in his hands and stopped it just long enough for a soul to depart and finally find peace. Could the snow represent a new beginning for this man?

Thank you, dear readers. I hope you have a wonderful winter full of peaceful rest and lots of snow. I, for one, can’t wait to dance under a night sky full of falling snowflakes! If you aren’t a fan of winter, stick around; spring will provide plenty of inspiration! Shabbat Shalom!