Spring—Aviv

June 4, 2009

by: Teri Riddering, Coordinator, BFP Spanish Resource Center

However, literally speaking, aviv is not the name of a month, but denotes the season of the ripening of the barley. Aviv also referred
to the season of Passover. God showed His mighty hand in Egypt during the spring, opening the way for His people to escape from their harsh bondage to a new life. The Lord then commanded them to
celebrate the miraculous event of Passover every spring, in remembrance of the birthing of the new nation of Israel (Exodus 34:18, note that in most translations, aviv is written abib, probably because the Hebrew letter bet, ב, can be used for either the “v” or the “b” sound).

A year later, the tabernacle was erected in the wilderness on the first of Aviv (Exodus 40:17). On the tenth of Aviv, a generation later, the Israelites crossed the Jordan River to occupy the Promised Land. Thus, Passover is zeman herutenu, “the season of our freedom,” when Jewish people commemorate Israel’s redemption from slavery.

Photo Credit: www.israelimages.com