Although the modern Hebrew words for the four seasons all occur in the Tanakh, they likely don’t correspond to the four seasons known today. Israel’s climate, in fact, only has two seasons: a dry one and a rainy one. But the Talmud does note four seasons (t’kufot) corresponding to ours, each one beginning with a solstice or an equinox, and named after the month during which it normally falls. Assaf Golan considers the history of an ancient custom connected to these periods:
During the transitions between these seasons, some communities traditionally abstain from drinking water, believing it could pose serious health risks. The practice’s origins trace to the geonic period over a thousand years ago, documented in responsa literature that offers two primary explanations: the changeover of guardian angels between seasons, and a symbolic avoidance of beginning new periods with water, considered an elemental substance.
Today, Golan notes, many non-hasidic Ashkenazi rabbis dismiss the custom, while many prominent Sephardi rabbis support adherence to it, although giving conflicting reasons:
Rabbi Meir Mazuz, citing his father Rabbi Matzliach Mazuz, suggests modern health issues might stem from disregarding this practice. Meanwhile, the kabbalist Rabbi Yitzchak Basri emphasizes its mystical significance, referencing the Zohar’s teaching about heightened divine judgment during these transitions.
More about: Sephardim, Superstition, Talmud