Ab (2)
The Month of Ab
Ab is the fifth month of the Hebrew civil calendar (or the eleventh month of the ecclesiastical calendar). It falls during the hottest part of summer in the Near East, corresponding approximately to mid-July through mid-August. While the name Ab does not appear directly in the biblical text, it is well established in post-biblical Jewish tradition and was used by the historian Josephus.
The Death of Aaron
The primary biblical event associated with the month of Ab is the death of Aaron, Israel's first high priest. Numbers 33:38 records: "Aaron the priest went up Mount Hor at the command of the Lord and died there, in the fortieth year after the people of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, on the first day of the fifth month." Josephus identifies this fifth month as Ab (Antiquities IV.iv.6), providing the traditional name for the month in which this solemn event occurred.
Aaron's Death on Mount Hor
The death of Aaron was a significant moment in Israel's wilderness journey. God instructed Moses to take Aaron and his son Eleazar up Mount Hor, where Aaron's priestly garments were transferred to Eleazar, symbolizing the succession of the high priesthood (Numbers 20:25-28). Aaron died on the mountain, and the entire congregation mourned him for thirty days (Numbers 20:29). This event occurred near the end of the forty years of wandering, as Israel was preparing to enter the Promised Land.
The Hebrew Calendar
The Hebrew calendar consists of twelve lunar months, with an occasional thirteenth month added to keep the calendar aligned with the solar year. The months are: Nisan (1st), Iyyar (2nd), Sivan (3rd), Tammuz (4th), Ab (5th), Elul (6th), Tishri (7th), Marcheshvan (8th), Kislev (9th), Tebeth (10th), Shebat (11th), and Adar (12th). Several of these month names, including Ab, are not found in the Bible but were adopted during the Babylonian exile and became standard in Jewish usage.
Tisha B'Av
In later Jewish tradition, the ninth day of Ab (Tisha B'Av) became one of the most solemn days in the Jewish calendar. It commemorates the destruction of both the First Temple by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC and the Second Temple by the Romans in AD 70. Other national calamities were also associated with this date, including the decree that the Exodus generation could not enter the Promised Land (Numbers 14:29-34) and the fall of Betar during the Bar Kokhba revolt in AD 135. The month of Ab thus became associated with mourning and disaster in Jewish consciousness.
Significance
The month of Ab, though unnamed in Scripture, holds deep significance in Jewish history and practice. From Aaron's death to the destruction of the temples, it represents a season of mourning and reflection on loss. Yet the Jewish tradition also teaches that the Messiah will be born on Tisha B'Av, turning the day of deepest sorrow into one of ultimate hope.
Biblical Context
The name Ab does not appear in the biblical text, but Numbers 33:38 records Aaron's death on the first day of the fifth month, which Josephus identifies as Ab. The month is associated with mourning in Jewish tradition, particularly the destruction of the First and Second Temples on the ninth of Ab.
Theological Significance
The month of Ab connects to themes of priestly succession, divine judgment, and national mourning. Aaron's death on the first of Ab marked the transition of the high priesthood to Eleazar, while the later destruction of the temples on the ninth of Ab became symbols of God's judgment on unfaithfulness. Jewish tradition also associates Ab with messianic hope.
Historical Background
The Hebrew month names used today, including Ab, were adopted during the Babylonian exile, replacing the older Canaanite month names. The Babylonian calendar used similar lunar months, and the Jewish community adopted the Babylonian nomenclature while retaining their own religious observances. The fast of Tisha B'Av developed in the post-exilic period and remains one of the most significant observances in Judaism.