Holidays in Shevat

Shevat in Jewish history

1 Shevat - Moses repeats the Torah

• On the first of Shevat of the Hebrew year 2488, according to the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses convened the Jewish people and began the 37-day "review of the Torah" , 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 Sadducee and an enemy of the Pharisees, died on this date. Known as a ruthlessness leader, he persecuted the Pharisees and those loyal to them (approximately 50,000 were killed in the years 82-76 BCE). As a result, the day of his death was declared a holiday in Talmudic times.

2 Shevat - (1800) - Death of Rabbi Zusha of Anipoli

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

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

• Shevat 3 is the yahrtzeit (anniversary of the death) of Rabbi Yosef ben Rabbi Menachem Kalish zt"l, the Amshinover Rebbe, who died in 1935.

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

• Rabbi Israel Abuchatzera (1890-1984), known as "Baba Sali," was born in Tafillalt, Morocco to the Abuchatzera family. He was considered a sage, miracle maker and master kabbalist. In 1964 he moved to the Holy Land, eventually settling in the southern development town that became famous from him, Netivot. He died in 1984 on the 4th of Shevat. His graveside in Netivot has become a holy site visited by thousands annually.

4 Shevat - (1807) - Death of 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 Nikolsburg, died on the 4th of Shevat of the Hebrew year 5567 (1807). He was succeeded by his son, Rabbi Yekusiel Shmelke Erblich.

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

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

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

• On the seventh of Shevat, Chasidic Rabbi Dovid Biederman of Lelov (1746-1814) died. He was a disciple of the Seer of Lublin. Rabbi Dovid was known for his Ahavat Yisrael (love of his fellow Jew). It is said he was 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.

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), Chassidic leader, and forerunner of the Chassidic 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. This was a war which nearly brought about the extinction of the Benjaminites, detailed in the Book of Judges, chapters 19-21).

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

• According to Zechariah 1:7-16, "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 God 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''" 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 of Salanter

• Death of Rabbi Israel Lipkin of Salant (1810-1883)," the 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 Halachic authority, known as Taz after his work Turei Zahav ("Rows of Gold"), which is a commentary on Rabbi Yosef Caro's Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law

28 Shevat - (second 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)

Other uses

• "Shebat" (Arabic: ﺷﺒﺎﻂ) and Şubat is the name for the month of February in Arabic and Turkish.
• In the story of Xenogears, "Shevat" is the name of a country, named after the Hebrew month.

References

• This Month in Jewish History