“Majesty, Lion of Judah”

Elul   August/ September [12^th month of Civil calendar][6^th month of religious calendar]  Cooling weather and Olive harvest     29 days 

Ethanim, or (Tishri): Sept./October  [Start of Civil year][7^th month of Religious Calendar] Mild to moderate weather; time for plowing    30 days 

Heshvan, also called “ Marchesvan” or “But” ,  October/November  [2^nd month of Civil year] [8^th month of Religious Calendar]  Grain plating, cooling down ; “First rains”     29 or 30 days

 Chislev   November/December  [3^rd month of Civil year][9^th month of Religious calendar],  Dreary and overcast    29 days 

Tebeth, December/January   [4^th month of the Civil Year][10^th month of Religious Calendar]  Overcast and cloudy        29 days

 Shebat    January/February   [5^th month of Civil year][11^th month of Religious calendar] Life begins to pick up on the streets      30 days 

Adar   February/ March  [6^th month of Civil year][12^th month of Religious Calendar] “Latter rains”, Jeremiah 3:3      29 or 30 days

Four different New years are listed in the Mishna:  First of Abib [Nisan] for the religious calendar and dates and festivals,  First of Elul for tithing cattle, and the First of Ethanim [Tishri] for the civil calendar, and more recently the 15^th of Shebat [Shevat] as the New Year for trees.