Kislev (Hebrew: כִּסְלֵו, Standard Kislev Tiberian Kislēw; also Chislev) 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.
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 an autumn month which occurs in November–December on the Gregorian calendar and is sometimes known as the month of dreams. The Archangel Gabriel is the overseer of the dream world and, as attested by the Quran and the New Testament, the conveyer of messages from the worlds beyond.Gabriel holds the quadrant of the West which is revered at this time of year, so in certain ways the month of Chislev is dedicated to him as well.
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 whose totem is the Wolf.
"Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; In the morning he devours the prey, And in the evening he divides the spoil." Moses Blessing - Deuteronomy 33:12 "Of Benjamin he said, 'May the beloved of the Lord dwell in security by Him, Who shields him all the day, And he dwells between His shoulders."
Genesis 49:27
*I am indebted to Wikipedia for the initial information in this article.
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