IYAR - A Month of Healing
- Hannah Nesher
- Apr 29
- 7 min read
The Biblical Hebrew month of Iyar is sandwiched between the deliverance from Egypt at Passover during the month of Nissan and the coming revelation of Shavuot (Pentecost) in the month of Sivan.
Iyar is not an exit nor an arrival but an 'in between month' —a time of journeying, refining, and healing. After leaving Egypt, the people of Israel needed to learn to trust in God to provide for their every need in the wilderness. Prophetically, the month of Iyar is considered an appointed time for divine healing.
🌿 The Hebrew Word for Iyar (אִיָּר)
The Hebrew name, Iyar (אִיָּר), is an acronym for '“Ani Yehovah Rophecha— אֲנִי יְהוָה רֹפְאֶךָ “I am the Lord your Healer.” This word, 'rophe' is used today as the Hebrew word for doctor or physician. God is the Great Physician who knows where we need healing.
The Israelites had been delivered from Egypt where they had suffered abuse, cruelty, mistreatment, injustice and enslavement for generations. Their souls had become so bitter that they couldn't even receive the good news that God had sent Moses to deliverer them from bondage. They needed healing from the trauma of their past in order to receive God's Torah as a free nation.
Many of us were delivered from the Kingdom of Darkness where we were enslaved to sin and went through terrible suffering. For some, only God knows all that we've been through and how deeply it has wounded our soul. We are also in need of divine healing - physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Healing at the Waters of Mara מָּרָה (Bitterness)
It's interesting where and when God revealed Himself as our Healer - it was at the Waters of Mara (Bitterness). The Israelites had just been delivered from Egypt and were in need of water but when they found water, it was too bitter to drink. God instructed Moses to throw a stick into the water and it became sweet.
📜 Exodus 15:23–25
“When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.)So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, ‘What are we to drink? ’Then Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.”
Prophetically, the wood represents the cross where Yeshua gave his life. As he drew his last breath, he said, "Father forgive them..." This is the cure for bitterness - forgiveness - and the key to our healing.
Many of our ailments come from a root of bitterness over the traumas and injustices we have suffered in life. Healing comes when we look up at the cross and speak forgiveness, releasing the offense, the pain, and the anger to the Lord, as it is written:
📜 Leviticus 19:17–18
“You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.”
Healing also comes through obedience. The promise of healing was not unconditional. God said, "“If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.” (Exodus 15:26)
Is it any wonder, since many in Israel are in flagrant disobedience towards God and His commandments, that lice is still a 'plague' on Israeli children in schools and daycares? Abortions are still performed in Israel and even this month, Israel is planning to host one of the largest gatherings of homosexuals in the world at the Dead Sea. And yet God is faithful; and He will not abandon His people, Israel, despite their sin.
"For Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah, By his God, the LORD of hosts, Though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel." (Jeremiah 51:5)
God also promises that He will never leave or forsake us; but in order to receive healing, we need wisdom and understanding to know the root cause of our pain and how to deal with it.
Iyyar: Healing with Understanding
Discerning the Season of God’s Restoration
Each of the Hebrew months of the year are associated with one of the tribes of Israel; and Iyar is represented with the tribe of Issachar, who had understanding of the times and knew what to do. 📖 1 Chronicles 12:32
“…men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do…”
May God give us the wisdom and understanding we need to discern the root of our brokenness and how to walk on a path of healing. The tribe of Issachar is also represented by a donkey.
“Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between the burdens…” (Genesis 49:14-15)
The Word of God warns us not to be stubborn like a mule who has to be forced into obedience. 📖 Psalm 32:9
“Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding, which must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not obey you.”
God doesn't want to have to force us into obedience - He desires a soft, willing heart. But even our stubbornness can be transformed in the hands of the Potter into admirable Kingdom traits of determination, steadiness and endurance.
So many are broken today - broken in our bodies, in our hearts and our soul - broken in our families and finances.... who can bear it? As it is written, "Who can bear a broken spirit?" (Proverbs 18:14) The pain of grief, despair and hopelessness can be a heavier burden than physical infirmity.
You may feel deeply disheartened, as did Nehemiah, when he witnessed the broken down condition of the walls of Jerusalem. You may also feel overwhelmed and want to just sit and weep, but the first step to rebuilding is to refuse to accept that the brokenness is permanent - or that restoration is impossible - for with God all things are possible.
Healing begins with declaring, "I will no longer tolerate the rubble."
The month of Iyar is time to rise up in obedience to rebuild our lives with discipline, faithfulness, wisdom and understanding to start the process of healing and restoration. It may not happen overnight - but we can be patient and trust the process.
Let us ask God for healing in this month of Iyar and believe that we will be restored to wholeness as we surrender our brokenness into His hands.
God is our Healer - our 'rophe' - He heals the broken-hearted and binds up our wounds. (Psalm 147:3)
Yeshua did not come for the healthy but for the sick - in body, heart and soul. He stood up in a synagogue in Nazareth on the Sabbath and proclaimed his mission on earth from the scroll of Isaiah:
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good news to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; (Isaiah 61:1, Luke 4:18)
The month of Iyar invites us, as we count the Omer day after day, to rise up each morning in the strength God gives us and start rebuilding that which has been broken.
🙏 Closing Prayer
Abba Father,
We thank You for this season of Iyar, a time set apart for healing, restoration, and drawing closer to Your heart. Thank You that You reveal Yourself as our Healer—the One who takes what is bitter and makes it sweet.
Lord, where there has been brokenness in our lives—places of pain, disappointment, or weariness—we ask that You would gently come and bring Your healing touch. Just as You showed Moses the tree that made the waters sweet, show us Your ways and lead us into Your truth.
Give us the heart of Issachar—to understand the times and to walk in wisdom and discernment. Remove any stubbornness within us, and replace it with a willing and responsive spirit that listens to Your voice.
Father, we ask that You would make us rebuilders of the ruins—restoring what has been torn down, both in our own lives and in the lives of others. Use us as vessels of Your love, Your peace, and Your healing in a hurting world.
May this month be marked by Your presence, Your restoration, and Your grace.We trust You, we follow You, and we receive Your healing.
In Yeshua’s name, Amen. 🙏
✨ Go Deeper in Your Journey
If this message about Iyar, healing, and the waters of Marah has touched your heart, I’d love to invite you to continue exploring these truths together.
📖 In my book, Hidden Secrets in the Hebrew, I share deeper insights into the Hebrew language and the Scriptures—including a special chapter on Healing at the Waters of Marah, where we discover how God transforms bitterness into sweetness.
🌿 Learn & Grow in Community
If you’re longing not just to learn—but to grow in a deeper, ongoing way—I invite you to join our Hebrew Word of the Week Discipleship Program.
Each week, we explore a new Hebrew word together—uncovering its meaning, biblical depth, and spiritual application. You’ll also be part of a learning community with a monthly live Zoom gathering where we connect, ask questions, and grow together.
👉 For more information or to subscribe :https://mailchi.mp/28113cc388dc/hebrewwordoftheweek
💛 A Final Blessing
May this season of Iyar be a time of healing, restoration, and renewed strength in your life—as the Lord reveals Himself to you as your Healer.
🙏 Shalom & blessings from Israel 🇮🇱
Written by Hannah Nesher
April 29th, 2026
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