Table of Contents
Introduction
The Hebrew calendar is a lunisolar calendar, which means it is based on the cycles of both the sun and the moon. It is used primarily to determine the dates of Jewish holidays and special events. The Hebrew calendar has 12 months, which are named in Hebrew and follow a specific order.
The 12 Months of the Hebrew Calendar
Tishrei
Tishrei is the first month of the Hebrew calendar and usually falls in September or October. It is the month of the Jewish High Holy Days, including Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
Cheshvan
Cheshvan is the second month of the Hebrew calendar and usually falls in October or November. It is known as the “bitter month” because it is the only month in the Jewish calendar that does not have any special holidays or observances.
Kislev
Kislev is the third month of the Hebrew calendar and usually falls in November or December. It is the month of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights.
Tevet
Tevet is the fourth month of the Hebrew calendar and usually falls in December or January. It is the month in which the fast of the 10th of Tevet is observed.
Shevat
Shevat is the fifth month of the Hebrew calendar and usually falls in January or February. It is the month of Tu B’Shevat, the Jewish New Year for Trees.
Adar
Adar is the sixth month of the Hebrew calendar and usually falls in February or March. It is the month of Purim, the Jewish holiday that commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people from the evil Haman.
Nisan
Nisan is the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar and usually falls in March or April. It is the month of Passover, the Jewish holiday that commemorates the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt.
Iyar
Iyar is the eighth month of the Hebrew calendar and usually falls in April or May. It is the month in which the holiday of Lag Ba’Omer is observed.
Sivan
Sivan is the ninth month of the Hebrew calendar and usually falls in May or June. It is the month of Shavuot, the Jewish holiday that commemorates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.
Tammuz
Tammuz is the tenth month of the Hebrew calendar and usually falls in June or July. It is the month in which the fast of the 17th of Tammuz is observed.
Av
Av is the eleventh month of the Hebrew calendar and usually falls in July or August. It is the month of Tisha B’Av, the Jewish holiday that commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem.
Elul
Elul is the twelfth month of the Hebrew calendar and usually falls in August or September. It is the month that precedes the Jewish High Holy Days, and is a time of repentance and preparation for the upcoming holidays.
Question and Answer
Q: What is the Hebrew calendar?
A: The Hebrew calendar is a lunisolar calendar that is used primarily to determine the dates of Jewish holidays and special events.
Q: How many months are there in the Hebrew calendar?
A: There are 12 months in the Hebrew calendar.
Q: What is the first month of the Hebrew calendar?
A: The first month of the Hebrew calendar is Tishrei.
Q: What is the month of Passover?
A: The month of Passover is Nisan.
Q: When is the holiday of Hanukkah observed?
A: The holiday of Hanukkah is observed in the month of Kislev.
Conclusion
The Hebrew calendar has a rich history and is an important part of Jewish culture and tradition. Knowing the order of the months and the holidays and observances that are associated with each month is an important part of understanding Jewish culture and tradition.