Shevat

Shevat, Shebat or Shvat (Hebrew: שְׁבָט, Standard Šəvat Tiberian Šəḇāṭ ; from Akkadian Šabātu) is the fifth month of the civil year and the eleventh month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar. It is a winter month of 30 days. Shevat usually occurs in January–February on the Gregorian calendar.

[edit] Holidays in Shevat

1 Shevat - Moses Repeats the Torah

On the first of Shevat of the year 2488 from creation Moses convened the Jewish people and began the 37-day "review of the Torah" contained in the Book of Deuteronomy, which he concluded on the day of his death on Adar 7 of that year.

2 Shevat - (76 BCE) - Alexander-Yannai's death celebrated

Hashmonean King Alexander-Yannai (Jannaeus), a strong Sadducee and avowed enemy of the Pharisees, died on this date. So great was his cruelty and the ruthlessness with which he persecuted the Pharisees and those loyal to them (some 50,000 were killed in the years 82-76 BCE), that the day of his death was declared a holiday in Talmudic times.

2 Shevat - (1800) - Death of R. Zusha of Anipoli

Shevat 2 is the yahrtzeit (anniversary of the death) of Chassidic Master Rabbi Meshulam Zusha of Anipoli (1718?-1800), a disciple of the 2nd leader of the Chassidic movement, Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezeritch.

3 Shevat - (1935) - Death of the Amshinover Rebbe

4 Shevat - (1984) - Death of Rabbi Israel Abuchatzera

Rabbi Israel Abuchatzera (1890-1984), known as "Baba Sali," was born in Tafillalt, Morocco to the llustrious Abuchatzera family. From a young age he was renowned as a sage, miracle maker and master kabbalist. In 1964 he moved to the Holy Land, eventually settling in the southern development town he made famous, Netivot. He passed away in 1984 on the 4th of Shevat. His graveside in Netivot has become a holy site visited by thousands annually.

4 Shevat - (1807) - Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Leib of Sasov

Rabbi Moshe Leib of Sasov (1745-1807), one of the early chasidic rebbes in Poland, and a disciple of Rebbe Shmelke of Nicolsburg, passed away on the 5th of Shevat of the year 5567 from creation (1807). He was succeeded by his son, Rabbi Yekusiel Shmelke Erblich.

5 Shevat - (1905) - Rabbi Yehudah Arye Leib Alter of Ger

Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter (1847-1905), the second rebbe in the chasidic dynasty of Ger -- known for his famed chasidic work "Sfas Emes" -- passed away on the 5th of Shevat of the year 5665 from creation (1905). He was succeeded by his son, Rabbi Avraham Mordechai.

7 Shevat - (1814) - Death of Rabbi Dovid of Lelov

Chasidic master Rabbi Dovid Biederman of Lelov (1746-1814) was a disciple of the Seer of Lublin. Rabbi Dovid was known for his extraordinary ahavat Yisrael (love of his fellow Jew); it was said of him that he was literally incapable of seeing faults in a fellow Jew. Two printed collections of stories about him are Migdal David and Kodesh Hillulim. Rabbi Dovid's main disciple was Rabbi Yitzchak of Vurke, whose son, Yaakov David, founded the Amshinover dynasty of chasidic rebbes.

14 Shevat - (1755) - Death of the Pnei Yehoshua

Shevat 14 is the anniversary of the death of Rabbi Yaakov Yehoshua Falk Katz (1680-1755), author of the Talmudic work "P'nei Yehoshua." He served as Rabbi of Lemberg (Lvov) in 1718, Berlin in 1730, Metz in 1734 and Frankfurt in 1740.

18 Shevat - (1990) - Death of the Mirrer rosh yeshiva, Rabbi Beinush Finkel

Death of Rabbi Binyomin Beinush Finkel, rosh yeshiva in the Mirrer Yeshiva, Jerusalem from 1965 to 1990.

22 Shevat - (1859) - Death of Kotzker Rebbe

Death of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk (1787-1859), renowned chasidic leader, and forerunner of the chasidic dynasties of Ger and Kotsk .

23 Shevat - (1188 BCE) - War on Benjamin

Armies of the Tribes of Israel converged upon the Tribe of Benjamin in the aftermath of the "Concubine at Givah" incident, in a war which nearly brought about the extinction of the Benjaminites (as related in the Book of Judges, chapters 19-21).

24 Shevat - (517 BCE) - Zechariah's prophecy

"On the 24th day of the 11th month, which is the month of Shevat, in the second year of the reign of Darius, the word of G-d came to Zachariah the son of Berechiah the son of Ido the prophet, saying: '...I will return to Jerusalem in mercy, my house will be built within her'" (Zechariah 1:7-16). This was two years before the completion of the Second Temple on the 3rd of Adar, 515 BCE.

25 Shevat - (1883) - Death of Rabbi Israel Salanter

Death of Rabbi Israel Lipkin (1810-1883), known as "Rabbi Israel Salanter," founder of the "Mussar" (ethicist) movement.

26 Shevat - (1667) - Death of the Taz

Shevat 26 is the yahrtzeit (anniversary of the death) of Rabbi Dovid ben Shmuel Halevi (1586-1667), a primary Halachic authority, known as Taz after his work Turei Zahav ("Rows of Gold") -- a commentary on Rabbi Yosef Caro's Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law

28 Shevat - (2nd century BCE) - Hasmonean holiday

On Shevat 28 (160 BCE?), Antiochus V abandoned his siege of Jerusalem and his plans for the city's destruction. This day was observed as a holiday in Hashmonean times. (Megilat Taanit)