How we Jews

 

received

 

our Jewish Calendar

 

From Ha'Tora to

 

Sephardic Rabino Hillel.

איךאנחנויהודיםקיבלולוחהשנההיהודיתשלנו.מטורהלהלל.

 

Time- Ziman/ Season-Onah/Year-Shanah/Sign-Otot/ Appointments-Mikra Chodesh

 

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By Rabino Aminadav Hinton.

רבינו עמינדב הינטון

   

Contents:

Bereshith 1.14.Where Hashem gave us our Luach.

B'Midbar 10.10.Where Hashem gave us designated times, appointments thus dating.

Tehillim 104.19- Hashem gave the moon, the planets rotations to show the dating of our Jewish Calendar. Birchat Ha'Chodesh, Rosh Chodesh and the waxing crescent thus Shanah-year.

 

The History of where our modern Jewish Calendar came from as Luach is today.

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Bereshith 1.14 Where Hashem gave us our Luach

 

Hashem is He who gave mankind the need for dates, timing, seasons, appointments thus leading to Ha'Luach a calendar! We were first given Shabbat when Hashem rested after Creation-Bereshith2. 2. We were first given times when Hashem said In the beginning Elohim created (But is that what He really said?)- Bereshith Bara Elohim Et Ha'Shamayim, literally make creation, Elohim of Heaven.

   

But what and when was the beginning?

   

Tora states beginning as Bara, but Bara does not mean beginning. The Hebrew word for beginning is: Reshit- Beginning, Start, Source, Outset, Commencement. Hatchalah- Start, Beginning, Inception.

   

So what does Bara mean? From it's root word Bar- Chosen, Elected, Empty. Bara means: To create, form, make, produce. Gaining this from Hebara- To be created, to be made... Langenscheidt Hebrew/ English Dictionary.

   

Chumash Chumashi Tora. The Soncino Chumash states: In the beginning[ which we now know was not called beginning but when G-d made] R. Issac said: The Tora should have commenced with This month shall be unto you the beginning of months (Exodus 12. 2) which is the first precept, since the main purpose of Tora is the precepts it contains.

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But we are given times (Ziman), Otot (Signs-Crops growing certain seasons, fruit growing at certain seasons tells us what month it is by its growth), Seasons (Moedim- Festivals), Days (Yamim) and years (Shanim) in Bereshith 1.14 which is Hashem's Luach for the Jewish People. Thus Tishrei, Cheshvan, Kislev, Tevet, Shevat, Adar, Nisan, Iyar, Elul, Sivan, Tammuz, Av, Elul are dates, appointments which is why they are addressed as a time of the month (Chodesh). What does the text tell us:

   

Va'Omer(Sheaf, Barley, Grain, Sheaves) Elohim Yhi Ma'orot Berakiah Ha'Shamayim L'havdil Bein Ha'Yom Uvein Ha'lilah Vhaiu L'otot Ul'moedim Ulyamim V'shanim:

It does not mean: And G-d said as the English renders. It means: The barley, sheaf, grain, from G-d be seen, lit or seen from the light out of Heaven. Not understanding Hebrew limits and restricts people from understanding what the Tora is saying and I am not fluent myself in equal stance as an Israeli. But our first word in the verse is OMER and OMER means: Unit, Measurement, a volume for grains. Thus the first thing that we hear from Hashem in the verse relates to the growing of grains before Hashem from the light that comes out of Heaven- stated in the English as And Elohim said, Let there be lights, in the Raki'a of Heaven

   

For what purpose?

   

To divide the day from the night (Thus establishing times, dates, rotations, months); and let them be for OTOT(Signs), and for Moedim(Festival seasons), and for Yamim(Days- thus the counting of days, periods of time) and Shanim(years- Calendar-Luach).

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How is this timing, dating, seasons, years, crop growth and rotational development understand?

 

It takes 29. 5 days for the moon to orbit the earth. During each lunar orbit, the moon's appearance changes from not visibly illuminated (Rosh Chodesh) through partially illuminated a waxing crescent. To fully illuminated full moon then back through partially illuminated waning crescent. The first time that the waxing crescent of the moon is visible marks the beginning of a Jewish month called: Rosh Chodesh- Rosh- Head, Chodesh- Month. Twelve Chodashim makes a Shanah-year. However since 12 X 29.5 equals 354 days- but a solar year is 365 days. An extra month called Adar Sheni is added to the Hebrew Calendar every two or three years in order to keep the solar seasons aligned with the lunar calendar.

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B'Midbar 10.10 where Hashem gave us designated times, appointments, thus dating.

 

Ma'oivichem Uv'Yom Simcha'teichem Uv'modichem Uvrashi Hadshchem Utkateim Bachazozrot Al Olotichem Val Zevchi Shalmichem Vhaiu Lachem Lzicaron Lifni Eloheichem Ani Adonai Elohichem:

   

Also in the days of your Simcha(joys), and in your Moedim(Festival Jewish Seasons), and in your Rosh Chodesh(New months), you shall sound a blast on Ha'Tzotzerot(The Trumpets) over your Olot( burnt offerings), and over Ha'Zevakhim(The Sacrifices) of your Shelamim(Peace Offerings); that they may be to you FOR A MEMORIAL(Zicaron) REMINDER before Eloheichem(Your G-d)!

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So we gain from this that Hashem establishes days(Yamim) that are times, dates to rejoice, at these Festival seasons and times as well as on Rosh Chodesh which are new months, we Jews are to rejoice by blowing the Shofar or the Trumpet when the sacrifices were offered at the Temple and that these days, times, seasons, months are a memorial coming from the word Zicaron meaning: Commemoration and recollection. These dates, days, seasons, new months are perpetually to be throughout the Jewish generations ZICARONS. Thus G-d's Calendar timing.

   

This is further illustrated in Tehilim!

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Tehilim 104.19. Hashem created the moon, that planet by its night light to reveal His seasons.

   

Asah Yerei'cha L'moedim Shemesh Yadah M'voao.

He (Hashem) appointed Ha'Yarei'ach(The Moon) for Moedim(Festival Jewish Seasons); the Shemesh (Sun) knows the place of its going down.

   

So Hashem created that planet, the moon so that the casting of its light during the waxing crescent reveals the amount of light needed for days, dates, times and seasons to reveal to the Jew what time and date and season each festive time before Hashem we are to observe as indicated within the Tora passages per Ha'Moedimas Vayikra 23 is to take place.

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The History from where our modern Jewish Calendar came from as Luach is today.

 

Ha'Luach as indicated within this teaching already used Hashem's calendar which was used by the people of Yisrael from the time of Moshe until the destruction of the Temple in 70CE and the subsequent exile from the land. The Karaite Jews have carefully preserved and continued to use this method for centuries, and it contains no man made additions or changes. The Karaites do not, however, produce a complete yearly calendar, but only publish their tentative estimates for new moons and holy day dates as it was given from Tora. The Luach Ha'Tora is the visual sightings of the new crescent moon seen from Jerusalem, while the latter is calculated on a 19 year metatonic cycle. The calculated calendar that we have today was established by Hillel 2 in the 4^thcentury CE. To preserve unity among the Jewish people in exile until such time that they returned to the land and could resume using the ancient method as indicated in Tora of sightings of the new crescent as was done by their forefathers.

     

The Encyclopedia Britannica has the following to say under Jewish Calendar and Jewish religious year.

   

In the Jewish calendar, the commencement of the month was determined by the observation of the crescent new moon and the date of Passover was tied in with the ripening of barley. The actual witnessing of the new moon and observing of the standing crops in Judea were required for the functioning of the religious calendar. After the destruction of the Temple in CE70, Rabbinic leaders took over from the Priests the fixing of the religious calendar. Visual observation of the new moon was supplemented, and toward CE 200, in fact supplanted by secret astronomical calculation... To preserve the unity of Israel, the patriarch Hillel 2, in 358-359 CE, published the secret of calendar making, which essentially consisted of the use of the Babylonian 19 year cycle with some modifications required by the Jewish ritual.... The Karaites, a sect founded in the 8^thcentury refused, with some exceptions, to recognize the fixed calendar and re-introduced observation of the new moon. Leap years were determined by observing the maturation of the barley crops in Israel. Consequently Karaites often celebrate the festivals on dates different that those fixed by the Rabbis.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008.DVD.

   

The Scriptural evidence for observing the new crescent moon in order to determine the new month and holy days is quite clear. Bereshith 1. 14-16/ Tehilim 104. 19.

   

These are the appointed times of Hashem, holy gatherings which you are to proclaim at their appointed times.Vayikra 23.2

   

Sh'mot 12.1-2 Guard the month of Aviv, the barley.....

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Rabbi Tzvi Freemon on the Jewish Nucleus was right!

He said every society has that which bond's it: A common ancestry and a system of patriarchal linage or a common language or common borders or governing body. Usually, it is a combination of several factors that mold a mass of people into a single whole. The Jewish People are unique in that they have only a single nucleus and it is none of the above. All that bonds us is the Tora. Nothing has proven capable of holding us together for more than a generation or so aside from the Tora that made us a nation in the first place...

   

Well this is the basis of Ha'Luach from its Scriptural, Historical beginnings till common era. It would make for an interesting teaching class where discussion and dialogue was worth mentioning. I'd be interested in hearing or receiving questions from any students that have any or in need of further explanation... Sincerely Rabino Aminadav Hinton