Our year begins with burnished leaves,
That flame in frost and rime,
With purple grapes and golden sheaves
In harvest time.
Our year begins with biting cold,
With winds and storms and rain;
The new year of the Jew grows old
In strife and pain.
When others say the year has died,
We say the year is new,
And we arise with power and pride
To prove it true.
For we begin where others end,
And fight where others yield;
And all the year we work and tend
Our harvest field.
And after days of stormy rain
And days of drought and heat,
When those that toiled have reaped their grain,
And all’s complete.
Oh then, when God has kept his word,
In peace we end our year.
Our fruit is certain from the Lord.
We shall not fear.
Jessie E. Sampter
Sacha Stern, Calendar and Community A History of the Jewish Calendar, Second Century BCE–Tenth Century CE
J. B. Segal, Intercalation and the Hebrew Calendar
- Intercalate: To insert (something, such as a day) in a calendar
- Nasi: President, Leader of the Jewish community (Nesi’im is the plural)
- Embolismic: A leap year, in Hebrew Me’u’beret, literally ‘pregnant’
Inscription: "The (two) months of harvest; the (two) months of sowing; the (two) months of late planting; the month of reaping flax; the month of reaping barley; the month of reaping and measuring; the (two) months of (vine-)tending, the month of summer(-fruit)."
The Hebrew months always begin with the new moon and the holidays always occur in a prescribed season. Passover is always in the spring, Rosh Hashanah always in the fall, and Hanukkah is always in the winter. Therefore, from this calendric perspective, Judaism and Christianity share the love of holidays occurring in prescribed seasons. In the winter, while Christians celebrate Christmas, Jews celebrate Hanukkah. In the spring when Christians celebrate Easter, Jews celebrate Passover. Likewise from this calendric perspective, Judaism and Islam share an appreciation of the moon's phases. For Jews and Muslims, looking at the moon is like looking at a calendar. If it's a full moon, it's always the 15th of the month…Like the Passover Seder.
Rabbi Shaul Marshall Praver, Hebrew calendar is one of the most accurate on earth
Aramaic Translation/I Chronicles 12:33
צוה (א) הקב״ה את בית דין שיקדשו את החדש דכתיב בפרשת בא אל פרעה החדש הזה לכם ראש חדשים ותניא במכילתיה [פרשת בא פרק א] משה הראה להם לישראל כזה וכזה היו רואין וקובעין לדורות ובתלמוד שלנו [בפרק הקומץ רבה דף כ״ט] אמרי׳ שנתקשה משה במולד הלבנה ואמר לו כזה ראה וקדש ומצוה זו מסורה לבית דין כדתניא בראש השנה בפ׳ שני [דף כ״ד] אחר שנחקרו העדים שראו את החדש ראש בית דין אומר מקודש שנא׳ וידבר משה את מועדי ה׳ וכל העם עונין אחריו מקודש
The Blessed Holy One commanded the High Court that it sanctify the month, as it’s written (Exodus 12) “This month shall be unto you the beginning of the months.” And it’s taught in the Midrash (Mechilta), “Moses showed the people of Israel what the moon should look - like this, and like this.” They would see the new moon and set the calendar from then onwards for generations to come… And the mitzvah of declaring the new month is given to the High Court, as it says in the Talmud (Rosh HaShanah 24), “after the witnesses would examine the moon and see that it was new, the head of the High Court says, “It is sanctified”...and the nation responds after them, “It is sanctified.”
Sefer Mitzvot Gadol, Positive Commandments 46:1
דְּמוּת צוּרוֹת לְבָנוֹת הָיוּ לוֹ לְרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל בַּטַּבְלָא וּבַכֹּתֶל בַּעֲלִיָּתוֹ, שֶׁבָּהֶן מַרְאֶה אֶת הַהֶדְיוֹטוֹת וְאוֹמֵר, הֲכָזֶה רָאִיתָ אוֹ כָזֶה. מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁבָּאוּ שְׁנַיִם וְאָמְרוּ, רְאִינוּהוּ שַׁחֲרִית בַּמִּזְרָח וְעַרְבִית בַּמַּעֲרָב. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן נוּרִי, עֵדֵי שֶׁקֶר הֵם. כְּשֶׁבָּאוּ לְיַבְנֶה קִבְּלָן רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל. וְעוֹד בָּאוּ שְׁנַיִם וְאָמְרוּ, רְאִינוּהוּ בִזְמַנּוֹ, וּבְלֵיל עִבּוּרוֹ לֹא נִרְאָה, וְקִבְּלָן רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל. אָמַר רַבִּי דוֹסָא בֶּן הַרְכִּינָס, עֵדֵי שֶׁקֶר הֵן, הֵיאָךְ מְעִידִין עַל הָאִשָּׁה שֶׁיָּלְדָה, וּלְמָחָר כְּרֵסָהּ בֵּין שִׁנֶּיהָ. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, רוֹאֶה אֲנִי אֶת דְּבָרֶיךָ: שָׁלַח לוֹ רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל, גּוֹזְרַנִי עָלֶיךָ שֶׁתָּבֹא אֶצְלִי בְּמַקֶּלְךָ וּבִמְעוֹתֶיךָ בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹנְךָ. הָלַךְ וּמְצָאוֹ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא מֵצֵר, אָמַר לוֹ, יֶשׁ לִי לִלְמוֹד שֶׁכָּל מַה שֶּׁעָשָׂה רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל עָשׂוּי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כג), אֵלֶּה מוֹעֲדֵי יְיָ מִקְרָאֵי קֹדֶשׁ, אֲשֶׁר תִּקְרְאוּ אֹתָם, בֵּין בִּזְמַנָּן בֵּין שֶׁלֹּא בִזְמַנָּן, אֵין לִי מוֹעֲדוֹת אֶלָּא אֵלּוּ. בָּא לוֹ אֵצֶל רַבִּי דוֹסָא בֶּן הַרְכִּינָס, אָמַר לוֹ, אִם בָּאִין אָנוּ לָדוּן אַחַר בֵּית דִּינוֹ שֶׁל רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל, צְרִיכִין אָנוּ לָדוּן אַחַר כָּל בֵּית דִּין וּבֵית דִּין שֶׁעָמַד מִימוֹת משֶׁה וְעַד עַכְשָׁיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כד), וַיַּעַל משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא וְשִׁבְעִים מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְלָמָּה לֹא נִתְפָּרְשׁוּ שְׁמוֹתָן שֶׁל זְקֵנִים, אֶלָּא לְלַמֵּד, שֶׁכָּל שְׁלשָׁה וּשְׁלשָׁה שֶׁעָמְדוּ בֵית דִּין עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, הֲרֵי הוּא כְבֵית דִּינוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה. נָטַל מַקְלוֹ וּמְעוֹתָיו בְּיָדוֹ, וְהָלַךְ לְיַבְנֶה אֵצֶל רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל בְּיוֹם שֶׁחָל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים לִהְיוֹת בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹ. עָמַד רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל וּנְשָׁקוֹ עַל רֹאשׁוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ, בֹּא בְשָׁלוֹם, רַבִּי וְתַלְמִידִי, רַבִּי בְחָכְמָה, וְתַלְמִידִי שֶׁקִּבַּלְתָּ דְּבָרָי:
Rabban Gamliel had a diagram of the different forms of the moon drawn on a tablet that hung on the wall of his attic, which he would show to the laymen who came to testify about the new moon but were unable to describe adequately what they had seen. And he would say to them: Did you see a form like this or like this?
Rabban Gamliel had a diagram of the different forms of the moon drawn on a tablet that hung on the wall of his attic,
which he would show to the laymen who came to testify about the new moon but were unable to describe adequately
what they had seen. And he would say to them: Did you see a form like this or like this?
There was an incident in which two witnesses came to testify about the new moon, and they said: We saw the waning
moon in the morning in the east, and that same day we saw the new moon in the evening in the west. Rabbi Yoḥanan
ben Nuri said: They are false witnesses. However, when they arrived in Yavne, Rabban Gamliel accepted them. And
another incident: two witnesses came and said: We saw the new moon at its anticipated time, but on the following
night, it was not seen. And Rabban Gamliel accepted them. Rabbi Dosa ben Horkinas argued: They are false
witnesses; how can you testify that a woman gave birth and the next day her belly is still full? Rabbi Yehoshua said
to him: I see your statement; the New Moon must be established a day later.
Rabban Gamliel sent to him: I decree that you appear before me with your rod and your purse on Yom Kippur as it
occurs according to your calculation; Rabbi Akiva went and found Rabbi Yehoshua distressed and said to him: I can
learn from a Torah verse that everything that Rabban Gamliel did is valid. As it is stated: “These are the appointed
seasons of God, sacred convocations, which you shall proclaim.” (Leviticus 23:4). This verse indicates that whether at
their proper time or whether you have declared them not at their proper time, I have only these Festivals. Rabbi
Yehoshua then came to Rabbi Dosa ben Horkinas, who said to him: If we come to debate and question the rulings of
the court of Rabban Gamliel, we must debate and question the rulings of every court that has stood from the days of
Moses until now. He took his rod and purse in his hand, and went to Yavne to Rabban Gamliel on the day on which
Yom Kippur occurred according to his own calculation. Rabban Gamliel stood up and kissed him on his head. He said
to him: Come in peace, my teacher and my student. My teacher in wisdom, and my student, as you accepted my
statement.
…The origins of the 364-day calendar are much debated. Some see it as the original, cultic calendar of ancient Israel , but this theory is not supported by evidence.
After the first century CE, the 364-day calendar fell into oblivion, while the lunar calendar remained dominant among all Jews.
Sacha Stern, Ancient and Medieval Jewish Calendars
(לה) וראשי חודשי הראשון הרביעי השביעי והעשירי המה ימי הזיכרון וימי חג בארבע תקופות השנה:
(לו) כתובים וחקוקים המה לעדות מימים ימימה:
(לז) וישם אותם נוח לו למועדים לדורות עולם להיות לו בהם חג זיכרון:
(לח) בראש החודש הראשון נאמר אליו לעשות את התיבה ובו יבשה הארץ ויפתח וירא את הארץ:
(לט) בראש החודש הרביעי נכלא פי מעינות התהום בארץ:
(מ) ובראש החודש השביעי נבקעו כל מעינות תהום רבה והמים החלו לרדת אל קרבנה:
(מא) ובראש החודש העשירי נראו ראשי ההרים ונוח היה שמח:
(מב) לכן עשה אותם לו למועדי זיכרון עולם וככה יסדו:
(מג) ונחרתו על לוחות השמים שתים עשרה שבתות לכל אחד ואחד מן האחד ועד השני בוא יבוא זכרונם:
(מד) מן הראשון עד השני מן השני עד השלישי מן השלישי עד הרביעי:
(מה) וכל הימים אשר נועדו הם שתים וחמישים שבתות ימים עד מלאת שנה תמימה:
(מו) ככה חרות וחקוק על לוחות השמים חוק שנה בשנה ולא יעבור:
(מז) ואתה צו את בני ישראל ושמרו את השנים על פי המספר הזה ארבעה ושישים יום ושלוש מאות יום:
(מח) והיה שנה תמימה ומספר מפקד ימי השנה ומועדיה לא ישחת:
(מט) כי הכל בוא יבוא בה כפי אשר הועד עליו ולא יעברו כל יום ולא יחללו כל מועד:
(35) And on the new moon of the first month, and on the new moon of the fourth month, and on the new moon of the seventh month, and on the new moon of the tenth month are the days of remembrance, and the days of the seasons in the four divisions of the year.
(36) These are written and ordained as a testimony for ever.
(37) And Noah ordained them for himself as feasts for the generations for ever, so that they have become thereby a memorial unto him.
(38) And on the new moon of the first month he was bidden to make for himself an ark, and on that (day) the earth became dry and he opened (the ark) and saw the earth.
(39) And on the new moon of the fourth month the mouths of the depths of the abysses beneath were closed.
(40) And on the new moon of the seventh month all the mouths of the abysses of the earth were opened, and the waters began to descend into them.
(41) And on the new moon of the tenth month the tops of the mountains were seen, and Noah was glad.
(42) And on this account he ordained them for himself as feasts for a memorial for ever, and thus are they ordained.
(43) And they placed them on the heavenly tables, each had thirteen weeks; from one to another (passed) their memorial,
(44) from the first to the second, and from the second to the third, and from the third to the fourth.
(45) And all the days of the commandment will be two and fifty weeks of days, and (these will make) the entire year complete.
(46) Thus it is engraven and ordained on the heavenly tables. And there is no neglecting (this commandment) for a single -year or from year to year.
(47) And command thou the children of Israel that they observe the years according to this reckoning-three hundred and sixty-four days,
(48) and (these) will constitute a complete year, and they will not disturb its time from its days and from its feasts;
(49) for everything will fall out in them according to their testimony, and they will not leave out any day nor disturb any feasts.
Ida Frohlich, Magical Healing at Qumran and the Question of the Calendar
The conclusion of the R’ Saadia Gaon-Ben Meir controversy at the advantage of the Babylonians had a tremendous consequence at the level of the unity of the Jewish people. Before 922 C.E, the Jewish calendar was communicated by the Palestinian Gaon on an annual or multi-annual basis. It appears that from about 838 onwards, the Babylonians were able to make their own calculations and during the period of about eighty years preceding 922 C.E. they always agreed with the ruling/keviyah sent from Palestine.... Only after the end of the dispute, did the rules of the calendar and the Four Gates Table became universally known and only then was the complete unity of the Jewish communities of the Diaspora achieved in the celebration of their festivals...
It is interesting to note that this important event of 922-924 remained unknown until the beginning of the twentieth century, until the discovery and the study of the documents of the Cairo Geniza. It is a fact that R’ Sherira Gaon and R’ Hai Gaon did not mention the event at all. At first glance we could think that the leaders of the Babylonian community did not want to leave a remembrance of this schism for posterity; it could have thrown a shadow on the authority of the Jewish calendar and on the doctrine of its Sinaïtic origin taught by R’ Sa’adia Gaon. This, however, is not the case. We know that R’ Sa’adia Gaon wrote two books: הזיכרון ספר and המועדים ספר .The first book was intended to be read publicly in order to recall the event. The second book was probably a treatise on the festivals and the Jewish calendar and it probably also mentioned the events of the famous dispute of 922- 924 in order to prevent the possibility of a new schism in the future. It was the fear of maḥaloquet that prompted him to write the first and probably the second book. R’ Sa’adia’s works on the calendar are lost, although they appear to have been well known in the middle ages (Rashi, R’ Tam and R’ Jacob ben Shimshon refer to it). It is a mystery why these two books did not survive.
By contrast, it is evident that the Palestinian side was not interested to speak about this event and indeed they never did mention this dispute again... The present day calendar was the calendar of the Babylonians since about 838 C.E. that emerged after the dispute of 922-924. This calendar did not change any more.
Currently: The Jewish calendar is a lunisolar calendar consisting of 12 months annually of 29 or 30 days. An extra leap month of 30 days is added every 2 or 3 years (7 leap months in 19 years) for a total of 235 lunar months in 19 years. This 19-year cycle is called the Metonic cycle and results in the 19 Jewish years approximating 19 solar years. In this way, the Jewish holidays are always in the same season and vary by less than a month in the solar calendar.
The Beginning of the Jewish Calendar By Bernard Dickman
the shape women assume when we come together that echoes ours, the flower, the mouth,
breast, opening, pool, the source.
We greet the moon that is not gone but only hidden, unreflecting, inturned and introspective,
gathering strength to grow as we greet the first slim nail paring of her returning light.
Don’t we understand the strength that wells out of retreat?
Can we not learn to turn in to our circle,
To sink into the caves of our silence, to drink lingering by those cold wells,
To dive into the darkness of the hearts’ storm
Until under the crashing surge of waves it is still except for our slow roaring breath?
We need a large pattern of how things change
That shows us not a straight eight-lane tearing through hills blasted into bedrock; not stairs
mounting to the sacrificial pyramid where hearts are torn out to feed the gods of power, but the coil of the moon, that epicycling wheel that grows fat and skinny, advances and withers, four steps forward and three back, and yet nothing remains the same, for the mountains are piled up and worn down, for the rivers eat into the stone and the fields blow away and the sea makes sand spits and islands and carries off the dune.
Let the half day festival of the new moon remind us how to retreat and grow strong, how to reflect and learn, how to push our bellies forward, how to roll and turn and pull the tides up, up when we need them, how to come back each time we look dead, making a new season shine.
Marge Piercy Rosh Hodesh: At the New Moon