Torah Calendar
11-24 Marcheshvan
October 17-30, 2021
For this week's study schedule & classes, CLICK HERE
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).
Saturday night-Sunday
October 16-17 /
11 Marcheshvan
Hilula d'Rachel Immenu
Today is the Yahrzeit of Rachel Immenu, our mother Rachel, and also of her son Benjamin son of Jacob. In Israel enormous numbers of people visit Kever Rachel -- her gravesite -- on the road to Ephrat-Bethlehem.
Monday October 18 / 12
Marcheshvan
Third fast of BeHaB
Today is the third of the three optional daytime fasts of BeHaB (days 2, 5 & 2, i.e. "Monday-Thursday-Monday") of the first two weeks following the end of the festival month of Tishri. The fast is observed from dawn to nightfall. Even for those who do not fast, today is an auspicious day for Teshuvah.
Wednesday night-Thursday October 20-21 / 15 Marcheshvan
On this
day 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 the kings of 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.
Thursday night-Friday October 21-22 / 16 Marcheshvan
Today is the Yahrzeit of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach (1925-94) the very loving and greatly beloved "singing rabbi" of our time.
Friday night-Saturday
October 22-23 / 17 Marcheshvan
Shabbat VAYEIRA
Torah Reading: Gen. 18.1-22.24. Haftara II Kings 4.1-37 (Sephardi ritual: II Kings 4.1-23).
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 October 24 / 18 Marcheshan
Today is the Yahrzeit of Rabbi Meir David Kahane (1932-90, HY"D) and of Rabbi Yisroel Dov Ber Odesser (1888-1994), originator of the Na Nach movement of Breslover Chassidim, and known as the "Sabba" (grandfather) because of his exceptionally long life.
Friday night-Saturday
October 29-30 / 24 Marcheshvan
Shabbat CHAYEY SARAH
SHABBAT MEVARCHIN Blessing the coming month of KISLEV
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.
Today is Shabbat Mevarachin, when we bless the coming month
of Kislev following the synagogue Torah reading. Rosh
Chodesh will be on Thursday night-Friday November 4-5.
The molad (junction of the sun and the moon) is on Friday
November 5 at 12:55 & 13 chalakim A.M.