[Avodah] How Bitter Can A Month Be? Bittersweet.

[Zev Sero]

R Wolberg wrote:
> The month of Cheshvan is also referred to as "Mar-Cheshvan." Mar means 
> "bitter" — because there are no holidays this month, we allude to it as 
> ‘bitter’.

Unfortunately, that piece of folk etymology has about as much truth as
most such.  Merach-Shevan simply means "eighth month"; the mem and resh
are an integral part of the name, not a prefix, and there is no such
thing as plain "Cheshvan".

-- 
Zev Sero               Something has gone seriously awry with this Court's
zev at sero.name          interpretation of the Constitution.
                       	                          - Clarence Thomas