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The month of Sivan is the ninth month in the Hebrew calendar that begins in Tishrei, and is distinguished by the fact that in it occurred the event of Mount Sinai and the reception of the Torah in it – in Sivan, it is Shavuot.
In the biblical calendar – referring to the month of Nissan as “the first month” – Sivan is the third month.
Our sages of blessed memory note that the number 3 characterizes very much the event of giving the Torah to the people of Israel by Moses our teacher, which occurred in this month:
- God granted his people a “triple Torah”: the Tanakh is divided into 3 parts – Torah, Prophets, and Writings.
- The triple Torah was given to a “triple people”: the people of Israel, which is also divided into 3 types – Kohanim (priests), Levites, and Israelites.
- And it was given in the “third month”: as said – the month of Sivan, the third from Nissan.
- “By the third one”: the Torah was passed on by Moses our teacher, who was the third child in his family, after Aaron and Miriam.
Blessing Shabbat
The Shabbat before every new month is called “Blessing Shabbat”, because in it we say a special prayer dedicated to the coming new month, and in it we ask God for a blessing that it will be a month of life, peace, joy, and salvation. Unlike every other Shabbat – on the “Blessing Shabbat” of Sivan, before the “Musaf” prayer, we say the section “Av Harachamim”, a prayer of remembrance for the saints who were killed in the ‘Crusades’, many of whom were killed in the riots that occurred at this time of year.
We do not say the parts of the “Tachanun” in prayer, from the beginning of the month until the date of 12 Sivan.
“Three Days of Restriction”
As preparation for Mount Sinai, God commanded Moses to prepare the people of Israel for the reception of the Torah. It was on the 3rd of Sivan, and Moses instructed the people to prepare well because in three more days God would descend on Mount Sinai and give them the Torah.
These three days of preparation are called: “Three Days of Restriction”, named after the prohibitions and ‘restrictions’ that were commanded then: not to approach Mount Sinai during these three days and to purify themselves from all impurity.
Today, these days fall on the dates 3rd, 4th, and 5th of Sivan. They are called “Days of Restriction” after these days in the past, but the prohibitions that were practiced then do not apply to them.
As with all the days of the “Counting of the Omer”, one still does not get a haircut until the eve of Shavuot itself. On the other hand, it is permissible to hold weddings during these three days.
