TISHREI:
Month 7 | Tishrei: “Behold, I am making all things new.” Revelation 21:5 (TLV)
- Prayer Request
- Praise Report
Focus: Forgiveness & Redemption
Letter: Lamed (ל)
Tribe: Ephraim
Sense: Touch (Contact, Marriage)
“All the men of Israel assembled themselves to King Solomon at the Feast in the month of Ethanim, which is the seventh month” (1 Kings 8:2).
This month has three names:
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- the Seventh month, first mentioned in Leviticus 23:24,
- Ethanim (meaning “strong”), and
- Tishrei, which is the name we brought back from the Babylonian exile.
God renews His creation at Tishrei. The Jewish sages write, “All sevenths are beloved above… and among months, the seventh—>Tishrei—is most precious” (Yalkut Shimoni, Parashat Yitro 276). This month includes more commandments and holy days than any other month. It is the month that the Jewish Sages teach that God renews creation (Babylonian Talmud Rosh Hashannah 11a). This month’s festivals all focus on the person praying, waiting, and relying upon the Lord. Consequently, this month’s other name (Ethanim >meaning “strong”) makes perfect sense, as “they who wait for Adonai will renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31.
Major Jewish and Biblical Events in History in Tishrei:
01 Tishrei:
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- Rosh Hashanah
- Adam and Eve created
- The Fall (humanity’s first sin)
- Isaac’s Binding (Mount Moriah) and Sarah’s Passing
08 Tishrei: Dedication of Solomon’s Temple
10 Tishrei:
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- Yom Kippur: the Day of Atonement
- Rebekah’s birthday
- Moses returned with 2nd Tablets
- Ezekiel’s Vision of the Third Temple (410 BCE)
- Start of the Yom Kippur War
14 Tishrei: Sukkot begins
21 Tishrei: Prophecy of Haggai Encouraging the Building of the Second Temple
22 Tishrei: Nation returns home after Temple Dedication (1 Kgs 8:66)
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Tishrei: The Month of Renewal in the Hebrew Calendar
God renews creation. Tishrei’s festivals all focus on the person praying, waiting, and relying upon the Lord. Consequently, this month’s other name (Ethanim meaning “strong”) makes perfect sense, as “they who wait for Adonai will renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31).
Elul: The Month of Repentance, Returning, and Spiritual Intimacy in the Hebrew Calendar
Each day of the month of Elul (except for Shabbat and the last day of Elul), the Jewish people sound the shofar (ram’s horn) as a call to repentance. The Jewish people teach that the “King is in the Field” during Elul—God is readily accessible, willing to hear our requests and listen to our fervent prayers for the coming new year.
Kislev: The Month of Trust and Dedication in the Hebrew Calendar
Kislev is often playfully re-written as Kis-Lev (Purse of the Heart). Kislev is a time to examine what is in our hearts. It’s also time to fill them with reminders of the goodness of God. These concepts are most evident during the holiday that falls during this month: Chanukah, the Festival of Lights.