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Kislew

The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia

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The ninth month of the Jewish calendar, corresponding to December. It has either twenty-nine or thirty days. In the Septuagint Kislew is called Xασελεῦ; in the Macedonian, 'Aπελ λαιοç; on Palmyrene inscriptions, and in Assyro-Babylonian, "Kislivu." Kislew is twice mentioned in the Old Testament; namely, in Zechariah 7:1 and Nehemiah 1:1. On the twenty-fifth of Kislew the Ḥanukkah festival (the 'Eγκαίνια of the New Testament, see John 10:22) commences. According to II Macc. 10:6, the festival was celebrated in the manner of the Feast of Tabernacles; viz., by carrying branches and singing songs of praise; indeed, in II Macc. 1:9 the festival is specifically mentioned as "the feast of tabernacles in the month Casleu [Kislew]." According to the Mishnah (R. H. 1:3) the month of Kislew belongs to those six months in which messengers were sent out. See also I Mace. 4:36-59; Josephus, "Ant." 12:7, §§ 6-7.