Life of Spud

Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan, which is also referred to as “MarCheshvan,” was on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. In conversation with a friend, I found out that there are actually a couple of different reasons for this nickname. In my Jewish education, I had learned that the prefix “Mar” was from the Hebrew word for “bitter” (like the “Maror” that we eat on Pesach to recall the bitterness of slavery in Egypt). It is applied to Cheshvan because, unlike the month of Tishrei before it and the month of Kislev that follows it, Cheshvan contains no Jewish holidays. As a result, either we – the Jewish people – or the month itself, are a bit more bitter than (in) those other months. But my friend shared with me the explanation that he had learned in his Jewish education. He had been taught that the word “Mar” is from the Hebrew word for “Mister” (like, “Hashchunah shel Mar Rogers” the Hebrew version of Mr. Roger’s Nieghborhood). It is applied to Cheshvan as a title of respect because, unlike