Iyar

Iyar is a month in the Hebrew calendar. It is the second month of the civil year, which begins in Tishrei, and the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year, which begins with Nisan. The month follows Nisan and precedes Sivan.

Iyar has 29 days and typically falls in April and May on the Gregorian calendar. Its exact placement shifts year to year because the Hebrew calendar is lunisolar, but the month consistently contains 29 days. In common usage, Iyar is associated with the spring season in the northern hemisphere.

The name Iyar is of Hebrew origin and is derived from the traditional Babylonian calendar. In the biblical and later Jewish calendar, Iyar is the modern form of the ancient month name that appeared in various forms in Mesopotamian records. The month’s placement and length are fixed within the structure of the Hebrew calendar, even as other months vary with leap year adjustments.

Observances in Iyar include Lag BaOmer, which falls on the 18th day of the month and is noted for celebrations and bonfires in many communities. The counting of the Omer—the period between Passover and Shavuot—continues during Iyar, with the intermediate days marking successive counts toward the holiday of Shavuot. In Israel and Jewish communities worldwide, Iyar is thus a transitional month linking Passover to the late-spring festival season.

In summary, Iyar is a 29-day month bridging Nisan and Sivan, with its own distinctive place in religious observance and the annual cycle of the Hebrew calendar.