Q. Dear Rabbi. My Hebrew birthday is on the coming up Rosh Chodesh Shevat. I heard that the day is of great importance and has an influence on those born on that day. Could you please explain. Thanks.
A. The name of the month Shevat originated from the Akkadian language during the Babylonian Captivity. The assumed Akkadian origin of the month is Šabātu meaning ‘to strike’ that refers to the heavy rains of the season. In Biblical sources, the month is first mentioned by this name in the book of prophet Zechariah (1:7).
The worldly sign for the month of Shevat is Aquarius, the waterbearer. This further ties Shevat to the rainy season, reflecting the posuk, “Water will flow from his wells.” Water, is also a symbol for Torah learning.
The month of Shevat was when Moshe Rabenu prepared for his passing in the following month on 7 Adar. He took from then on the opportunity to rebuke, morally fortify and strengthen the B’nei Yisrael, as recorded in Chumash Devorim. Out of honor and respect for the Jewish people, Moshe saved these words of rebuke and heartfelt criticism until right before he passed away.
Midrash explains that Moshe Rabenu spent the month of Shevat translating the entire Torah into the 70 major languages spoken.
Moshe Rabenu taught us on that day an incredibly important lesson: Every Jew has a connection to the Torah, even the ones who can not read it in its original tongue or have, like we all do, limitations in understanding it properly. It is, as some Gedolim mention, a day tantamount to Kabolas Hatorah.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller and Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu Shlit'a.
Important Numbers
