Following the announcement of the new month this past Shabbos, a lively discussion ensued as to the true name for this month. Is it Marcheshvan or merely Cheshvan? For most practical and halachic purposes, we write Marcheshvan. However, the seemingly added letters of Mar call for an explanation. I will share three possible explanations and hopefully offer a spiritual message as well. The traditional explanation is that the word ‘mar’ implies bitterness. Because there are no Yomim Tovim in the month of Cheshvan, it is resentful. This is a difficult concept to accept. Firstly, there are other months without holidays, and we don’t describe them as bitter. Additionally, despite missing a chag, a Hebrew month should nevertheless be content. In fact, why should any day of the year be considered contrary unless something unpleasant occurred on that day? We see this in the passuk ואחריתו כיום מר , which refers to a specific nasty day and is discussed in the second perek of Maseches Sukkah.
The second explanation for the addition of the word Mar is a scholarly one. I heard this from an expert and real scholar, Dr. Yehoshua Zelig Tobias z"l, who noted the following: The name Marcheshvan is really a construct of two Greek words--marach shvan, which means the eighth month. Marach means month, and shvan means eighth.
The third explanation is based on a passuk that many recited daily during the time of Korbanos. הן גויי כמר מדלי ה (the non-Jews are like a drop in the bucket). The word מר means a drop of water (see Rashi and Radak). The addition of the word Mar to Cheshvan is a reminder that this is the beginning of the rainy season. Rain is something we spend much time praying for, especially during the holidays of Sukkos and Shmini Atzeres, because it is during this time that we are judged as to how much rain we will receive in the coming year.
As we mentioned in the past from Rav Avigdor Miller z”l, a person can spend two hours screaming hoshanos on Hashana Rabbah and then walk out of shul into the pouring rain and exclaim, “What a miserable day it is.” The poor man doesn’t even realize the contradiction of his statement. The truth is that it is difficult for us non-farmers living far from the sweat and toil of the soil to fully appreciate the gift of water. Probably the most powerful reminder of our dependency on water occurs when we are sitting in a room and the AC suddenly stops or after jogging a few miles in the heat of the day and our body cries out to be quenched. That’s when we truly appreciate this precious gift.
I think the name Marcheshvan and our dependency on water provide us with an even deeper message. Chazal teach us in many ways (see Kesuovs 111) regarding the dew of resurrection and the mefarshim regarding the illusion to Torah that water is like the Torah. Just as we cannot survive without water, so too, we cannot live without Torah. This month is all about rain. However, rain needs to be appreciated physically and spiritually. Furthermore, as the Bnai Yissaschar reveals to us, the third Bais Hamikdash will be dedicated during the month of Cheshvan. This adds to the powerful spiritual and physical potential that awaits us in this month. The key is to take advantage of the possibilities that await us. How do we do this? By guaranteeing that the rain – geshem -- is focused mainly on spiritual growth. When a person uses gashmiyus - physical gifts -- for sacred purposes such as supporting Torah learning or mitzvos, it ensures that the path of rain will be a spiritual one and will lead to positive results.
May this month be filled with many blessings. Good Shabbos.
RABBI DANIEL COREN
