KislevorChislev (Hebrew: כִּסְלֵו, Standard Kīslev Tiberian Kīslēw),[1] also 'Chisleu' in the King James (authorized English) Bible, is the third month of the civil year and the ninth month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar. In the Babylonian calendar its name was Araḫ Kislimu.
| Kislev | |
|---|---|
Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights,
begins on the 25th of Kislev. | |
| Native name | כִּסְלֵו (Hebrew) |
| Calendar | Hebrew calendar |
| Month number | 9 |
| Number of days | 29 or 30 |
| Season | Autumn (Northern Hemisphere) |
| Gregorian equivalent | November–December |
| Significant days | Hanukkah |
← Cheshvan
Tevet →
| |
In a regular (kesidran) year Kislev has 30 days, but because of the Rosh Hashanah postponement rules, in some years it can lose a day to make the year a "short" (chaser) year. Kislev is a month which occurs in November–December on the Gregorian calendar and is sometimes known as the month of dreams. The name of the month derives from Akkadian kislimu. But some popular etymologies connect it to the Hebrew root K-S-L as in the words "kesel, kisla" (hope, positiveness) or "ksil" (Orion, a constellation that shines especially in this month) because of the expectation and hope for rains.
In Jewish Rabbinic literature, the month of Kislev is believed to correspond to the Tribe of Benjamin.[2]
25 Kislev – 2 Tevet – Hanukkah – ends 3 Tevet if Kislev is short