Shevat (, , ; from ) is the fifth month of the civil year starting in
Tishre (or Tishri) and the eleventh month of the ecclesiastical year on the
Hebrew calendar
The Hebrew calendar (), also called the Jewish calendar, is a lunisolar calendar used today for Jewish religious observance and as an official calendar of Israel. It determines the dates of Jewish holidays and other rituals, such as '' yahrze ...
starting in
Nisan
Nisan (or Nissan; from ) in the Babylonian and Hebrew calendars is the month of the barley ripening and first month of spring. The name of the month is an Akkadian language borrowing, although it ultimately originates in Sumerian ''nisag' ...
. It is a month of 30 days. Shevat usually occurs in January–February on the
Gregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It went into effect in October 1582 following the papal bull issued by Pope Gregory XIII, which introduced it as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian cale ...
.
The name of the month was taken from the
Akkadian language
Akkadian ( ; )John Huehnergard & Christopher Woods, "Akkadian and Eblaite", ''The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the World's Ancient Languages''. Ed. Roger D. Woodard (2004, Cambridge) Pages 218–280 was an East Semitic language that is attested ...
during the Babylonian Captivity. The assumed Akkadian origin of the month is , meaning "strike", that refers to the heavy rains of the season.
In Biblical sources, the month is first mentioned by this name in the book of prophet
Zechariah (
Zechariah 1:7).
Holidays
* 15 Shevat –
Tu Bishvat
In Jewish history and tradition
*1 Shevat –
Moses
In Abrahamic religions, Moses was the Hebrews, Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites out of slavery in the The Exodus, Exodus from ancient Egypt, Egypt. He is considered the most important Prophets in Judaism, prophet in Judaism and Samaritani ...
repeats the
Torah
The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () ...
(
Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy (; ) is the fifth book of the Torah (in Judaism), where it is called () which makes it the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament.
Chapters 1–30 of the book consist of three sermons or speeches delivered to ...
1:3)
*2 Shevat (
circa
Circa is a Latin word meaning "around, approximately". Circa or CIRCA may also refer to:
* CIRCA (art platform), in London
* Circa (band), a progressive rock supergroup
* Circa (company), an American skateboard footwear company
* Circa (contempora ...
1628 BC) –
Asher
Asher ( ''’Āšēr''), in the Book of Genesis, was the younger of the two sons of Jacob and Zilpah, and Jacob's eighth son overall. He was the founder of the Israelite Tribe of Asher.
Name
The text of the Torah states that the name אָ� ...
born
*10 Shevat (1950) - Death of the
Previous Rebbe, the 6th Chabad Rebbe.
*10 Shevat (1951) the
Lubavitcher Rebbe formally accepts the leadership of the
Chabad-Lubavitch movement by reciting the discourse "Bati Legani".
*17-18 Shevat — the minor Purim of Saragossa, where the Jews of Saragossa were saved from destruction at the hand of an informant.
*22 Shevat (1988) - Death of Rebbetzin
Chaya Mushka Schneerson, who was married to Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the seventh Rebbe
*24 Shevat (517 BC) –
Zechariah's prophecy (
Zechariah 1:7–16)
*28 Shevat (
circa
Circa is a Latin word meaning "around, approximately". Circa or CIRCA may also refer to:
* CIRCA (art platform), in London
* Circa (band), a progressive rock supergroup
* Circa (company), an American skateboard footwear company
* Circa (contempora ...
134 BC) –
Antiochus V abandoned his siege of
Jerusalem
Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
and his plans for the city's destruction. This day was observed as a holiday in Hasmonean times.
(Megilat Taanit)
See also
*
Babylonian calendar
The Babylonian calendar was a lunisolar calendar used in Mesopotamia from around the 2nd millennium BC until the Seleucid Era ( 294 BC), and it was specifically used in Babylon from the Old Babylonian Period ( 1780s BC) until the Seleucid Era. ...
, where the month's name was Araḫ Šabaṭu
*
Jewish astrology
* ''Šubāṭ'' () and ''Şubat'' is the name for the month of February in
Arabic
Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
and
Turkish.
*
Magha is the name of the equivalent month in the
Hindu Calendar
The Hindu calendar, also called Panchangam, Panchanga (), is one of various lunisolar calendars that are traditionally used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with further regional variations for social and Hindu religious purposes ...
References
External links
This Month in Jewish HistoryResources on the Month of Shevat
{{Jewish and Israeli holidays
Months of the Hebrew calendar