Yin Yang

In traditional Chinese philosophy, Yin and Yang represent opposite sides of a certain person, energy or feeling. Everything and everyone has both Yin and Yang elements in it. When there is a good balance between these two elements, there is harmony. If one element is too strong, or not strong enough, there isn't balance and therefore, there is disharmony. For example, a person with too much Yin might feel sick, in his body or in his mind. This could also happen if there is too much Yang.

Yin literally means "the shady place". The shady side of a mountain, where there is no sunlight, symbolizes negative energy, night-time, femininity, feelings, emotions, coldness and heaven. Yin is considered a passive energy. Yang, on the other hand, is considered an active energy and literally means "the sunny place". This side of the mountain symbolizes positive energy, day-time, masculinity, practical thinking, rationality, heat and earth.

Yin and Yang interact in every aspect of our daily lives. When there isn't a good balance between coldness (Yin) and heat (Yang) we feel uncomfortable. If there weren't harmony between winter or fall (Yin) and summer or spring (Yang), people wouldn't be able to grow fruits and vegetables. If men (Yang) didn't interact with women (Yin), there would be no creation of new human life. When there are too many emotions (Yin) and not enough practical thinking (Yang), a family can't survive. The opposite is also true of course.

The philosophy of Yin Yang is an important part of traditional Chinese medicine (herbal medicine, acupuncture, etc.) and martial arts (Kungfu). Many people in the East use Chinese medicine exclusively and today many people in the West use it as an alternative to modern medicine. There are alternative doctors who are against modern medicine and there are Western doctors who are against alternative medicine. Maybe we need both kinds of medicine to be really healthy.
We need new and old, East and West, Yin and Yang.

Find the words in the text with the opposite meaning of the following words:

1. Yin ___________
2. East___________
3. Harmony_____________
4. Femininity____________
5. New_________________
6. Modern medicine____________
7. Passive______________
8. Negative_____________
9. Earth____________
10. Coldness____________
11. Day-time ____________ 
12. Comfortable__________
13. False___________
 

Connect the following words to their Hebrew translation:

Fill in the following sentences with words from the box:

1. God ______________  the world in 6 days.
2. It's important for children to _____________ with one another, in order to make friends.
3. Israeli diplomats _____________ Israel abroad (בחו"ל).
4. Mount Everest is the highest _____________ in the world.
5. Hydrogen (מימן) is a chemical _____________ .

6. "Shalom" _____________ means peace. 
7. We have to find the right _____________ between moral (מוסרי) and economic considerations (שיקולים).
8. I don't believe in ________________ medicine.
9. Let's sit under the tree, in the ____________ .
10. This song ______________ hope and love.
11. Yin is ______________ a passive energy.