MARCHESVAN, ntOrm, commonly called Chesvan by the Jews, is the second month of the Jewish year, and it coincides with our October or November, according to the variations of length required to make each month commence with the appearance of the new moon. In the present year (1860) it begins on the 17th of October. The origin of the name uncertain ; the Jews naturally look for it in the Hebrew root, tenri, to "boil up," or pour forth." Benfey quotes Hyde, who proposes with more probability the Persian Haute, the autumn. We find the name Markazana on the monument of Darius at Behistun, but the season in which this month occurred is at present unknown. The word is not found in the Bible, but it was known to Josephus, who writes it Mapeeeav, or Mapuoudrs, Antiq. 1. i. c. 3, § 3. The Syrian months named Tisrin, which occupy the same period of the year, will account for the names of Eioiev and Oiceinv in the calendars of Heliopolis (Balbek). This month has either twenty-nine
or thirty days, a variation which is applicable to the following month Chisleu also. In ordinary years Marchesvan has twenty-nine days and Chisleu thirty; when an additional day is required the two, months have thirty days each ; when it is necessary to have a ehort year both months have twenty-nine days. This variation is required for tho purpose of applying a rule by which the month of Nisan could not begin on either Monday, Wednesday, or Friday; nor Tisri on Sunday, Wednesday, or Friday. No fasts or festivals of general observance occur in this month, though some mention is made of a fast on the 6th, in commemoration of the blinding of Zedekiah by order of Nebu chadnezzar (2 Kings, xxv. 7); and persons who have committed any excess on the Feast of Tabernacles in the preceding month may feel bound to a fast in Marchesvau.