מרחשוון

• חשוון / חֶשְׁוָן

Metathesis from Akkadian 𒌗𒀳 (^itiwaraḫsamnu, literally “the eighth month”). Folk etymology popularly but incorrectly derives it from מר (mar, “bitter”) +‎ חשוון (ḥeshvan, “Cheshvan”), on account of its lack of holidays.

מרחשוון / מַרְחֶשְׁוָן • (marḥeshván) m

1. Marcheshvan (eighth month)

   Synonym: בול (Bul)

   • a. 217 C.E., Mishnah, Ta'anit 1:4:

     הִגִּיעַ שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר בְּמַרְחֶשְׁוָן וְלֹא יָרְדוּ גְשָׁמִים, הִתְחִילוּ הַיְחִידִים מִתְעַנִּין שָׁלשׁ תַּעֲנִיּוֹת.

     Higía' shiv'á 'asár b-Marḥeshvan v-lo yardú g'shamím, hitḥilú ha-yḥidím mit'annín shalósh ta'aniyyót.

     If the seventeenth of Marcheshvan has arrived and no rain has fallen, individuals would begin to fast three fasts.