KISLEV:
Month 9 | Kislev: A month of goodness and rest.
- Prayer Request
- Praise Report
Focus: Trust, Consecration / Dedication, Dreams / Dreaming
Letter: Samech (ס)
Tribe: Benjamin
Sense: Dreaming / sleep / rest
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.
The only biblical reference to Chanukah is in John’s Gospel. Shortly before coming to the Temple during Chanukah, Yeshua had declared Himself the light of the world (John 8:12) and healed a man blind since birth (John 9:1–7). He was the one who would be “a light to the Nations, by opening blind eyes, bringing prisoners out of the dungeon, and those sitting in darkness out of the prison house” (Isaiah 42:6–7).
Major Jewish and Biblical Events in History in Kislev:
07 Kislev: Death of Herod (“the Great”), King of Judea
14 Kislev: date of Reuben’s birth and death (125 years later)
15 Kislev: Greeks set up the “Abomination of Desolation” in the Temple (167 BC)
20 Kislev: Ezra made a historic address to a three-day assemblage of Jews
25 Kislev:
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- Cain killed Abel (3720 BC)
- Tabernacle’s vessels, tapestries, wall sections, and other items completed
- Chanukah: miracle of the oil (139 BC)
26 Kislev: Oldest standing synagogue in US “Touro Synagogue” dedicated (1763)
27 Kislev: Flood rains ceased
DON'T MISS THE CALENDAR
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.