Torah Calendar
25 Nissan-8 Iyar, 5786
April 12-25, 2026
For this week's study schedule & classes, CLICK HERE
Attributes of the month of Nissan: Ruling permutation of the letters of HAVAYAH is the first in the order of permutations: YOD KEH VAV KEH, contained in the initial Hebrew letters of Yismechu Hashamayim Vetagel Ha'aretz -- "Let the heavens rejoice and the earth exult" (Psalms 96:11). The month's corresponding letter is: HEH; Human attribute: SPEECH; Body Part: RIGHT FOOT; Tribe: JUDAH; Constellation: RAM (Aries).
Sunday night-Monday April 12-13 / 26 Nissan
Yahrzeit of Joshua bin Nun.
Wednesday April 15 / 28 Nissan
Today is the anniversary of the collapse of the walls of Jericho in the time of Joshua marking the beginning of the conquest of the Land of Israel. It is good to devote special attention to the thrice-daily repeated Aleinu prayer, which was composed by Joshua after that miracle in the form of a backwards acrostic on his name. The recital of Alenu is a segulah (propitious remedy) against all troubles.
Thursday April 16 / 29 Nissan
Although today is the eve of Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) there is no custom of fasting or holding the usual Yom Kippur Katan (the "small" day of atonement) since we are still in Nissan, month of redemption, when fasting (except for the Fast of the Firstborn) is not appropriate.
Thursday night-Friday April 16-17 / 30 Nissan
First day of Rosh Chodesh Iyar
Today is the Yahrzeit of Rabbi Chaim Vital (1543-1620), leading student of Kabbalistic giant R. Yitzchak Luria ("ARI") and chief expositor of his system in the Tree of Life, Eight Gates etc.
Attributes of the month of Iyar: Ruling permutation of the letters of HAVAYAH: YOD KEH KEH VAV, contained in the initial Hebrew letters of Yithalel Hamithalel Haskeil Veyado'a -- "Let him that glories [glory in this, that] he knows and understands [Me]" (Jeremiah 9:23). The month's corresponding letter is: VAV; Human attribute: THOUGHT; Body Part: RIGHT KIDNEY; Tribe: ISSACHAR; Constellation: SHOR (Taurus, the Ox).
This month is particularly conducive to deep contemplation and understanding. It is also conducive to healing since all the sick among the Children of Israel who left Egypt were completely healed in this period in preparation for the Giving of the Torah. Thus the Hebrew name of the month of Iyar is made up of the letters Aleph-Yud-Reish, the initial letters of the Hebrew words Ani YKVK Rophecha, "I HaShem am your Healer" (Exodus 15:26).
Friday night-Saturday
April 17-18 / 1 Iyar:
Second day Rosh Chodesh Iyar
Today's Torah reading is the double parshah of TAZRIA setting forth the laws of "leprous" marks on the skin of the body and the head and METZORA (Leviticus 14:1-15:33) concluding the Biblical laws of Tzora'at ("leprous" marks on the human skin and head, garments and houses) and the purification ritual. Special additional reading for Rosh Chodesh: Numbers 28:9-15; Haftara: Isaiah chapter 66.
After the afternoon service we read the second chapter of Pirkey Avot.
Today is the anniversary of Moses' count of the Children of Israel in the Wilderness (Numbers 1:1) and the beginning of the building of the First Temple by King Solomon.
"All medicines come from the earth. Therefore during the season when the earth gives forth her bounty and puts strength into all the trees and plants, i.e. during the month of Iyar when the fruits ripen, all medicinal plants have greater power, because the earth then puts strength into them. However at other times, even if one were to take exactly the same medicines, they would not have the same power. This is why people take medicines in the month of Iyar - May."
Rabbi Nachman, Likutey Moharan I, 277
Monday night-Tuesday April 20-21 / 4 Iyar
Yom Hazikaron
Memorial day for Israel's fallen soldiers
Tuesday night-Wednesday
21-22 April / 5 Iyar
Yom Ha-atzma'ut
Today is Yom Ha-atzma'ut commemorating Israel's Declaration of Independence on 5 Iyar 5708 / May 14 1948. This is an occasion for giving thanks to the Almighty for His mercies and for careful thought and introspection about what should be our true pathway combined with earnest prayer that we should quickly find and pursue it.
Today is thirty days before the Festival of Shavuot, and it is customary to commence the study of the laws of the coming festival thirty days in advance.
"Any rains that fall during the month of Iyar are a great remedy for all sicknesses -- there is no remedy like them in all the drugstores. It is good to stand in the rain and bare one's head a little and open one's mouth to the rain"
The Ohev Yisrael of Apta
Friday night-Saturday
April 24-25 / 8 Iyar
Shabbat ACHAREY-KEDOSHIM
This
Shabbat we read the double portion of ACHAREI covering
the laws of Yom Kippur and the Torah
incest prohibitions, and KEDOSHIM giving
the essential "heart" of the
Torah code of law including the commandment
to love your neighbor as yourself. Haftara: Amos
9:7–15 (Ashkenazi custom) Ezekiel
20:2–20 (Sefardi custom).
Pirkey Avot chapter 3 is read after the Shabbat afternoon Minchah service.