Every Hebrew month has a Tribe, Constellation and Hebrew letter associated with it. These hold keys to our promises for that month and help us to pray in line with God’s timing and to get our lives into time with His specific appointed times.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 tells us ‘to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven’. Ecclesiastes 3:15 reads, ‘That which is has already been, and what is to be has already been; and God requires an account of what is past.’ From these verses we get an understanding of cycles and how history repeats itself. Just as our ‘seasons’ repeat themselves naturally (ie, Gulf experiencing hurricane season), things spiritually repeat themselves and we can learn from history. Not superstitously, but seeking God in specific times.
Av (or Ab) is known as the ‘fifth month’ in the Bible according to the Biblical Calendar and is the ‘eleventh month’on the civil calendar. The number 5 carries the meaning of GRACE. In EW Bullinger’s book Numbers in Scripture, he states, “Favour shown to the miserable we call mercy; favour shown to the poor we call pity; favour shown to the suffering we call compassion; favour shown to the obstinate we call patience; but favor shown to the unworthy we call GRACE.” On the 5th day God began to replenish the earth with birds and fish, preparing provision for man. The number 11 carries the meaning of disorder, disorganization, imperfection and disintegration. Both 10 & 12 are perfect numbers and 11 either adds to it or subtracts from perfection. In 5 & 11 we see God’s grace in times of our imperfection and disorder. Also, this is the only month that is not mentioned by name in the Bible.
The first mention of the fifth month is found in Numbers 33:38, “Then Aaron the priest went up to Mount Hor at the command of the LORD, and died there in the fortieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, on the first day of the fifth month.” In Numbers 20:22-29 we get an understanding that Aaron was not allowed into the Promised Land because of rebellion. The Chumash says Aaron died through “death by a kiss of God“, the most exalted form of death- his soul becoming united with the Shechinah, the soul left the body without resistance- no effort, no regret, and no pain when the soul is reunited with its Godly source. Aaron was 123 years old and the people mourned the entire 30 days of the fifth month.
The Talmud states that “when we enter [the month of] Av, our joy is diminished.” This is because this month has historically been a time of disaster and great sadness for the Jewish people. It seems to have the ‘worst of times’ (Av 9) and the ‘best of times’ (Av 15) in one month.”
This month is also known as Menachem Av. Av (Ab) means ‘father’ and menachem means ‘comforter‘ together saying “The One Who comforts, the Av“. This is interesting to me because the Jewish people are always called the ‘children’ of Abraham and the ‘servants’ of HaShem, but from this we see them looking to HaShem for comfort & help as a child would look to their earthly father in times of trouble) Special prayers are prayed before Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh Av and following Tisha B’Av, seeking God for comfort.
The Hebrew month of Av begins this year July 12, 2010 and ends August 10, 2010 on our solar calendar.
TRIBE- Simeon, (pronounced Shi-mown) Simeon’s weakness was his cruelty, self will and anger. When teamed with Judah (praise) Simeon is redeemed and lives up to his name “to hear “. When Leah bore Simeon she praised God for hearing her because she was hated (Genesis 29:33). When they become praisers they can hear God clearly, divine revelation is imparted to them. Simon Peter is a perfect example. Simon Peter received grace and mercy from Jesus who he denied 3 times and went on to become one of the greatest church leaders.
CONSTELLATION/MAZAL- Aryeh- Leo, The Lion The lion is the king of the jungle, demands to rule alone, represents pride. The 12 spies returned from the Promised Land, 10 with an evil report and 2 with a good report on Av 9. Because of PRIDE and self will, the nation decided they did not want to go God’s way and wanted to believe a false report instead of believing God. Because of that they wandered in the wilderness 40 years. The roar of a lion brings great fear to people just as our adversary roars like a lion, walking about, seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8).
LETTER- Tet (pronounced tate). Tet is the 9th letter of the Hebrew Aleph Bet with a numerical value of 9. It corresponds with the 9 months of pregnancy and resembles a womb. The early pictograph of Tet is a snake and means ‘to surround’ or ‘to twist’. Tet is also an Arabic word for snake. The word Satan in Zechariah 3:1 is made up of 3 Hebrew letters- Shin (teeth, devour), Tet (surround, snake), Nun (action, life). The word picture is telling us that our adversary is like the snake that devours life. Jesus said the thief has come to steal, kill and destroy. (John 10:10). He can only do that if we believe his lies and do not believe God who cannot lie (Titus 1:2)
SPECIAL DATES IN AV:
- Av 1, (July 12, 2010) Death of Aaron on Mt Hor- nation mourned for 30 days
- Av 1, Ezra and company returned to Jerusalem after 70 years in Babylon captivity, “..the good hand of the Lord was upon him, for Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances to Israel.” (Ez 7:9-10)
- Av 4, (July 15, 2010) Nehemiah began the work on rebuilding the gates & walls of Jerusalem
- Av 9, Tisha B’Av, (July 20, 2010) Fast Day 25 hours- end of the Three Weeks of Sorrow (‘Dire Straits’, ‘Between the Straights’)- Saddest Day on the Jewish Calendar
- Av 10, (July 21, 2010), Ezekiel 20, Elders came to Ezekiel to find out fate of Israel- Chapter of her sin and rebellion (5-32) & God’s restoration (33-44)
- Av 15, Tu B’Av, (July 26, 2010) Holiday of Romance and Love, marking the end of the ‘desert generation’. This is the Jewish version of Valentine’s Day- The Happiest Day on the Jewish Calendar
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