Shebaṭ (A. V. "Sebat"; Hebrew, ; Greek, Σαβάτ; Assyrian, "Shabaṭu"):

By: Cyrus Adler , M. Seligsohn

Eleventh ecclesiastical and fifth civil month of the Jewish year (Zech. i. 7); I Macc. xvi.), corresponding to January-February, and always consisting of thirty days. The 1st of Shebaṭ, according to the school of Shammai, or the 15th, according to the school of Hillel, is the New-Year for Trees with respect to the tithe (R. H. i. 1). This month was chosen because most of the annual rains occur before Shebaṭ; so that the trees which blossom afterward are considered as belonging to another year ( ib. 14a). As the school of Hillel is the standard authority, the 15th of Shebaṭ has continued to be observed as a semiholy day. When a community institutes a fast for Mondays and Thursdays, it must not be observed if one of those days falls on the 15th of Shebaṭ ("Mordekai" on R. H., beginning).

There is a tradition that when a goose is killed in Shebaṭ the shoḥeṭ must eat its heart; otherwise he will die. According to another tradition, a goose should not be eaten on the 8th of Shebaṭ (Isserles in Shulḥan 'Aruk, Yoreh De'ah, 11, 4; Simeon Duran, "Tashbeẓ," No. 101). The reason given in the "Sefer ha-Ḳanah" is that in Shebaṭ the demons prevail; so that he who slaughters a goose in that month is likely to die himself ("Be'er Heṭeb" on Shulḥan 'Aruk, l.c. ).