Shalom Mishpocha!
August is the eighth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. In the Southern Hemisphere, August is the seasonal equivalent of February in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, August falls in summer. In the Southern Hemisphere, the month falls during winter. In many European countries, August is the holiday month for most workers.
Certain meteor showers take place in August. The Kappa Cygnids occur in August, with yearly dates varying. The Alpha Capricornids meteor shower occurs as early as July 10 and ends around August 10. The Perseids, a major meteor shower, typically takes place between July 17 and August 24, with the peak days varying yearly.
The month was originally named Sextilis in Latin because it was the 6th month in the original ten-month Roman calendar under Romulus in 753 BC, with March being the first month of the year. About 700 BC, it became the eighth month when January and February were added to the year before March by King Numa Pompilius, who also gave it 29 days. Julius Caesar added two days when he created the Julian calendar in 46 BC (AUC 708), giving it its modern length of 31 days.
In 8 BC, the month was renamed in honor of Emperor Augustus. According to a Senatus consultum quoted by Macrobius, he chose this month because it was the time of several of his great triumphs, including the conquest of Egypt.
Saturday, August 2nd, 2025, at sunset begins Tisha B’av (the 9th of Av). Av is the fifth month of the Hebrew calendar which falls in July/August on the Gregorian calendar. The 9th of Av is a traditional day of fasting and mourning by the Orthodox Jewish community in Israel due to numerous, national catastrophic events that have occurred against Israel and our people through the span of History. The main focus of this day is the destruction of both Solomon’s Temple and Herod’s Temple accompanied by the expulsion of our people from the Land of Israel into Exile or Diaspora.
Historically the 9th of Av is not a good time frame for us as a people and as a nation! Let us pause on Sunday August 3rd, 2025, and pray for the protection, restoration, and salvation of the land and people of Israel!
Sunday, August 24th at sunset begins the month of Elul. The 1st of Elul begins a time of repentance in preparation for the High Holy Days, 30 days until Yom Teruah and 40 days till Yom Kippur. Elul is seen as a time to search one's heart and draw close to God in preparation for the coming Day of Judgement when the Sefer HaChaim, the Book of Life is opened, Yom Kippur, The Day of Purging. The month of Elul is likened to a king visiting his subjects in the field before returning to his palace.
Elul is an Akkadian word for "harvest". The Jewish names of months came from our captivity in Babylon. Scripture refers to the months by their numerical order except for the first month of the new year, Aviv. Elul is a time to search one's heart to draw closer to Adonai. It is customary to recite Psalm 27 every day during this 40-day period of seeking God’s mercy and forgiveness. The 27th Psalm is one of trust, the psalmist has no fear of enemies while in the Lord’s protection. This Psalm is extremely relevant today:
Psalm 27. By David: ADONAI is my light (Ori) and salvation (Yeshua); whom do I need to fear? ADONAI is the stronghold of my life; of whom should I be afraid? 2 When evildoers assailed me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and foes, they stumbled and fell. 3 If an army encamps against me, my heart will not fear; if war breaks out against me, even then I will keep trusting. 4 Just one thing have I asked of ADONAI; only this will I seek: to live in the house of ADONAI all the days of my life, to see the beauty of ADONAI and visit in his temple. 5 For he will conceal me in his shelter (Sukkah) on the day of trouble, he will hide me in the folds of his tent, he will set me high on a rock. 6 Then my head will be lifted up above my surrounding foes, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, sing praises to ADONAI. 7 Listen, ADONAI, to my voice when I cry; show favor to me; and answer me. 8 "My heart said of you, 'Seek my face.' "Your face, ADONAI, I will seek. 9 Do not hide your face from me, don't turn your servant away in anger. You are my help; don't abandon me; don't leave me, God my savior. 10 Even though my father and mother have left me, ADONAI will care for me. 11 Teach me your way, ADONAI; lead me on a level path because of my enemies 12 don't give me up to the whims of my foes; for false witnesses have risen against me, also those who are breathing violence. 13 If I hadn't believed that I would see ADONAI's goodness in the land of the living, 14 Put your hope in ADONAI, be strong, and let your heart take courage! Yes, put your hope in ADONAI!
This reason this Psalm is fundamental to this period of T’Shuvah (repentance) is that it contains references to all three fall feasts: "my light," ori in Hebrew refers to Yom Teruah as the shofar announces the arrival of Adonai, the “or”, the light! My Salvation, Yeshua refers to the atonement He gave us for Yom Kippur. Then David states Adonai would hide him in his sukkah in the times of trouble, referring to the holiday of Sukkot in verse 5. Let us search ourselves, removing everything that is not of God, and prepare ourselves the coming Fall Feast Days!
Blessings and Shalom,
Rabbi and Rebbetzin Carlson
August is the eighth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. In the Southern Hemisphere, August is the seasonal equivalent of February in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, August falls in summer. In the Southern Hemisphere, the month falls during winter. In many European countries, August is the holiday month for most workers.
Certain meteor showers take place in August. The Kappa Cygnids occur in August, with yearly dates varying. The Alpha Capricornids meteor shower occurs as early as July 10 and ends around August 10. The Perseids, a major meteor shower, typically takes place between July 17 and August 24, with the peak days varying yearly.
The month was originally named Sextilis in Latin because it was the 6th month in the original ten-month Roman calendar under Romulus in 753 BC, with March being the first month of the year. About 700 BC, it became the eighth month when January and February were added to the year before March by King Numa Pompilius, who also gave it 29 days. Julius Caesar added two days when he created the Julian calendar in 46 BC (AUC 708), giving it its modern length of 31 days.
In 8 BC, the month was renamed in honor of Emperor Augustus. According to a Senatus consultum quoted by Macrobius, he chose this month because it was the time of several of his great triumphs, including the conquest of Egypt.
Saturday, August 2nd, 2025, at sunset begins Tisha B’av (the 9th of Av). Av is the fifth month of the Hebrew calendar which falls in July/August on the Gregorian calendar. The 9th of Av is a traditional day of fasting and mourning by the Orthodox Jewish community in Israel due to numerous, national catastrophic events that have occurred against Israel and our people through the span of History. The main focus of this day is the destruction of both Solomon’s Temple and Herod’s Temple accompanied by the expulsion of our people from the Land of Israel into Exile or Diaspora.
Historically the 9th of Av is not a good time frame for us as a people and as a nation! Let us pause on Sunday August 3rd, 2025, and pray for the protection, restoration, and salvation of the land and people of Israel!
Sunday, August 24th at sunset begins the month of Elul. The 1st of Elul begins a time of repentance in preparation for the High Holy Days, 30 days until Yom Teruah and 40 days till Yom Kippur. Elul is seen as a time to search one's heart and draw close to God in preparation for the coming Day of Judgement when the Sefer HaChaim, the Book of Life is opened, Yom Kippur, The Day of Purging. The month of Elul is likened to a king visiting his subjects in the field before returning to his palace.
Elul is an Akkadian word for "harvest". The Jewish names of months came from our captivity in Babylon. Scripture refers to the months by their numerical order except for the first month of the new year, Aviv. Elul is a time to search one's heart to draw closer to Adonai. It is customary to recite Psalm 27 every day during this 40-day period of seeking God’s mercy and forgiveness. The 27th Psalm is one of trust, the psalmist has no fear of enemies while in the Lord’s protection. This Psalm is extremely relevant today:
Psalm 27. By David: ADONAI is my light (Ori) and salvation (Yeshua); whom do I need to fear? ADONAI is the stronghold of my life; of whom should I be afraid? 2 When evildoers assailed me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and foes, they stumbled and fell. 3 If an army encamps against me, my heart will not fear; if war breaks out against me, even then I will keep trusting. 4 Just one thing have I asked of ADONAI; only this will I seek: to live in the house of ADONAI all the days of my life, to see the beauty of ADONAI and visit in his temple. 5 For he will conceal me in his shelter (Sukkah) on the day of trouble, he will hide me in the folds of his tent, he will set me high on a rock. 6 Then my head will be lifted up above my surrounding foes, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, sing praises to ADONAI. 7 Listen, ADONAI, to my voice when I cry; show favor to me; and answer me. 8 "My heart said of you, 'Seek my face.' "Your face, ADONAI, I will seek. 9 Do not hide your face from me, don't turn your servant away in anger. You are my help; don't abandon me; don't leave me, God my savior. 10 Even though my father and mother have left me, ADONAI will care for me. 11 Teach me your way, ADONAI; lead me on a level path because of my enemies 12 don't give me up to the whims of my foes; for false witnesses have risen against me, also those who are breathing violence. 13 If I hadn't believed that I would see ADONAI's goodness in the land of the living, 14 Put your hope in ADONAI, be strong, and let your heart take courage! Yes, put your hope in ADONAI!
This reason this Psalm is fundamental to this period of T’Shuvah (repentance) is that it contains references to all three fall feasts: "my light," ori in Hebrew refers to Yom Teruah as the shofar announces the arrival of Adonai, the “or”, the light! My Salvation, Yeshua refers to the atonement He gave us for Yom Kippur. Then David states Adonai would hide him in his sukkah in the times of trouble, referring to the holiday of Sukkot in verse 5. Let us search ourselves, removing everything that is not of God, and prepare ourselves the coming Fall Feast Days!
Blessings and Shalom,
Rabbi and Rebbetzin Carlson
Posted in August 2025
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