Last night, the Hebrew month of Cheshvan began. In a Jewish calendar filled with holidays, fasts, and special observances, Cheshvan is the only month with none of these days. For this reason, it has the unfortunate nickname of Mar Cheshvan, or “bitter Cheshvan.” For those who seek to put their faith at the center of daily life, Cheshvan feels different from the other months of the Hebrew year.
The nickname of Mar Cheshvan is a bit of a historical anomaly, unknown to many Jews. The month’s original name is not Cheshvan, but Marcheshvan, which probably derives from the ancient Akkadian for “the eighth month.” Because this first syllable “mar” also means “bitter” in Hebrew, over time it was separated from the rest of the name. Today, many incorrectly think that the full name of the month is just “Cheshvan.”
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