Cheshvan

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Cheshvan (Hebrew: חֶשְׁוָן, Standard Ḥešvan Tiberian Ḥešwān), short for Marcheshvan (Hebrew: מַרְחֶשְׁוָן, Standard Marḥešvan Tiberian Marḥešwān; from Akkadian waraḫsamnu, literally "eighth month") is the second month of the ecclesiastical year and the eighth month of the civil year on the Hebrew calendar. In the Bible it is called Bul. It is an autumn month of 29 days, except in "complete" years, in which it has 30 days (see Hebrew calendar: Modern calendar). Cheshvan usually occurs in October–November on the Gregorian calendar.

Given the Akkadian etymology, it seems likely the מ and the ו were switched at some point in time. Since then, the first two letters מַר (mar) have been reinterpreted as the Hebrew word for bitter, alluding to the fact that the month has no holidays or fasts. However, the Ethiopian Jewish community celebrate Sigd on the 29th day of Cheshvan.

Marheshvan is also believed to be derived from to the Assyrian word Arahsammu, which means "eighth month."

[edit] Events in Cheshvan

On the 7th day of Cheshvan, the prayer, V'tein tal u-matar ("deliver dew and rain") is added to the Shemoneh Esrei prayers in Israel. If no rain has fallen by the 17th of the month, special prayers are added for rain [1]
On the 17th of Cheshvan, the Biblical Flood began
On the 17th of Cheshvan, King Solomon completed the building of the First Temple (it was not inaugurated until the following Tishrei)