Torah Calendar
9-22 Marcheshvan
5785
November 10-23, 2024
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Attributes of the month of Marcheshvan: Ruling permutation of the letters of HAVAYAH: VAV KEH KEH YOD, contained in the initial Hebrew letters of the words of the verse OOd'vash Hayom Hazeh YKVK, "and honey. This day HaShem..." (Deut 26:15-16). The month's corresponding letter is: NUN; Human attribute: SMELL; Body Part: INTESTINE; Tribe: LEVY; Constellation: AKRAV (Scorpio, the Scorpion).
Monday November 11 / 10 Marcheshvan
Today is the third of the BeHaB fasts that are observed following the festival of Succot on the first Monday-Thursday-Monday of the month of Marcheshvan. The fast is observed from dawn to nightfall. Even for those who do not fast, today is an auspicious day for Teshuvah.
Friday night-Saturday 14-15 November / 15 Marcheshvan
Shabbat VAYEIRA
Torah Reading: Genesis 18:1-22:24. Haftara II Kings 4:1-37 (Sephardi ritual: II Kings 4:1-23).
On this day in 782 B.C.E. the rebel king of the Ten Tribes, Yerav'am (Jeraboam) son of Nevat, instituted a new festival celebrating his inauguration of the idolatrous altar of Beth El, with the intention of deflecting the Israelites' attention from the Temple in Jerusalem and its kings, the House of David.
On the night following the same Hebrew date in 1938 (9-10 November), the Nazi oppressors perpetrated the Kristallnacht atrocities across the whole of Germany.
The sum of the mathematical value of the Hebrew letters of Marcheshvan (Mem 40 + Reish 200 + Chet 8 + Shin 300 + Vav 6 + Nun 50 + 1 for the kolel + 6 units for each of the Hebrew letters of the name) is 611, the same as that of the letters of the word Torah (Tav 400 + Vav 6 + Reish 200 + Heh 5 = 611). This is a sign that we should increase our Torah study during the long nights of the winter. |
Saturday night-Sunday November 16-17 / 16 Marcheshvan
Today is the Yahrzeit of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach (1925-94) the greatly loved original "singing rabbi".
Monday night-Tuesday November 18-19 / 18 Marcheshvan
Today is the Yahrzeit of Rabbi Meir David Kahane (1932-90, HY"D) and of Rabbi Yisroel Dov Ber Odesser (1888-1994), known as the "Sabba" (elder) because of his exceptionally long life. He originated the "Na Nach" movement of Breslover Chassidim and founded Keren Yisroel Dov Odesser for printing and distributing the books of Rebbe Nachman at subsidized prices.
Friday night-Saturday November 22-23 / 22 Marcheshvan
Shabbat CHAYEY SARAH
Torah Reading: Gen. 23:1-25:18. Haftara I Kings 1, 1-31. Since today's parshah records Abraham's purchase of the Cave of Machpelah in Hebron from the Canaanites, many in Israel have the custom of spending this Shabbat in Hebron.