Cheshvan

Cheshvan
TheGreat Flood,which according to theBiblewiped out the world, started in Marcheshvan.
Native name	מַרְחֶשְׁוָן‎(Hebrew)
Calendar	Hebrew calendar
Month number	8
Number of days	29 or 30
Season	Autumn (Northern Hemisphere)
Gregorian equivalent	October–November

Marcheshvan(Hebrew:מַרְחֶשְׁוָן‎,StandardMarḥešvan,TiberianMarḥešwān;fromAkkadianwaraḫsamnu,literally, 'eighth month'), sometimes shortened toCheshvan(חֶשְׁוָן‎,StandardḤešvanTiberianḤešwān), is the second month of the civil year (which starts on 1Tishrei), and the eighth month of the ecclesiastical year (which starts on 1Nisan) on theHebrew calendar.

In a regular (kesidran) year, Marcheshvan has 29 days, but because of theRosh Hashanah postponement rules,in some years, an additional day is added to Marcheshvan to make the year a "full" (maleh) year. Marcheshvan occurs in October–November in theGregorian calendar.

TheHebrew Bible,before theBabylonian Exile,refers to the month asBul(1 Kings 6:38). In Sidon, the reference toBulis also made on theSarcophagus of Eshmunazar IIdated to the early 5th century BC.

Etymology

Compared to its Akkadianetymonwaraḫsamnu,the nameMarḥešvandisplays the samelenitionof ungeminatedמ‎/m/toו‎/v/found in other month names (Tammuztraditionally contains mem withdagesh). Uniquely to this name the initialו‎ has also changed toמ‎, giving the overall effect of ametathesis. In the modern form, with the connection to therootsw-r-ḥ('moon', 'month') andš-m-n('eight') no longer apparent, the first two lettersמַר(mar) have been re-interpreted as the Hebrew word for 'bitter', alluding to the fact that the month has no holidays or fasts.In other contexts, the wordמַר‎ is attributed to meandroplet,associating this month with therainyseason.

Events

• 7 Marcheshvan: The prayerV'tein tal u-matar('deliver dew and rain') is added to theShemoneh Esreiprayers inIsrael.If no rain has fallen by the 17th of the month, special prayers are added for rain.
• Fast of Behav:According to the custom of most Eastern Ashkenazic communities, on the firstSabbathafter Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan, a prayer is recited on behalf of all those who are going to fast on Bahab. Bahab, or in Hebrewבה "ב‎, stands for 2, 5, 2, i.e., Monday (2nd day of the week), Thursday (5th day), and another Monday. On the Monday, Thursday, and second Monday after the Sabbath, it is customary in many communities (mostly Ashkenazic, although there were some Sephardic communities who adopted this custom as well) to fast and/or to recite penitential prayers calledSelichot.According to the Western Ashkenazic rite, as well as some Eastern Ashkenazic communities (especially Hungarian communities), the second Monday of Bahab is the Monday beforeRosh ChodeshKislev,the Thursday is the Thursday preceding that, the first Monday is the Monday preceding that, and the Sabbath in which the prayer is recited is the Sabbath preceding that. Bahab is also observed at the beginning ofIyar;in Iyar it is observed at the beginning of the month in both Eastern and Western Ashkenazic rites.
• Sigd: TheEthiopian Jewishcommunity celebratesSigdon the 29th day of Marcheshvan, 50 days fromYom Kippur,analogous to counting 50 days fromPesachtoShavuot.Israel officially recognized Sigd as a national holiday in 2008, and it is observed annually on 29 Cheshvan.

In Jewish history and tradition

• 8 Marcheshvan(A.D.66) – Jewish nationalists defeat the Romans at the famous Beth Horon Pass, killing 5,300 footmen and 380 horsemen
• 11 Marcheshvan(circa2105 BCE) – Methuselah dies at age 969
• 11 Marcheshvan(circa1553 BCE) – Death ofRachelwhile giving birth toBenjamin
• 12 Marcheshvan(1995) –Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin;now a national memorial day
• 15 Marcheshvan– KingJeroboam's alternative feast ofSukkotfor the people of thenorthern Kingdom(1 Kings 12:32–33)
• 15 Marcheshvan(165 BCE) – Death ofMatityahu(Mattathias), who began theMaccabeanrevolt in the city ofModiin
• 16 Marcheshvan(1938) –Kristallnacht/Pogromnacht: 1,400 synagogues and numerous copies of the Tanakh are purposefully and systematically set on fire and allowed to burn in Nazi Germany
• 16 Marcheshvan(1994) – Death ofReb Shlomo Carlebach
• 17 Marcheshvan(circa960 BCE) – FirstTemplecompleted by KingSolomon(it was not inaugurated until the followingTishreihowever)
• 20 Marcheshvan(1860) - Birth of RabbiSholom Dovber Schneersohn,the 5thChabadRebbe.
• 23 Marcheshvan(164 BCE) – Hasmonean holiday commemorating the removal from theHoly Templeof altar stones which were defiled by theGreeks

See also

• Jewish astrology

External links

• Resources on the Month of Cheshvan
• Chabad: This Month in Jewish History
• Cheshvan and Its Message