Quick question:

When are you all celebrating Passover this year?

Can someone explain the question regarding the dates, taken from Paleotimes.org?

Abib
Abib will be one of two dates this year. The dates will be updated accordingly as Abib is verified in Jerusalem, Israel. The Abib new moon date will be either March 12 or April 10. The dates listed below correspond to March 12 or April 10 respectively.

Some are keeping Passover early and some are keeping it late, and some are still undecided, sort of like Paleotimes.org. I heard those in Rocheport, MO. were going to keep the feast early but when they looked at the calendar again, they couldn't decide. So, they are going to wait to see if green ears are found near the early Passover time. If not, they will go with the later date.

Myself, I'm really not sure which one is correct and may go with the later.

You wrote:

quote:

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When are you all celebrating Passover this year?

Can someone explain the question regarding the dates, taken from Paleotimes.org?

Abib
Abib will be one of two dates this year. The dates will be updated accordingly as Abib is verified in Jerusalem, Israel. The Abib new moon date will be either March 12 or April 10. The dates listed below correspond to March 12 or April 10 respectively.

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I reply: For me, this year will contain 13 months and I'll be keeping Passover in April.

The reason for the two dates is that some people choose to go by the barley in the land of Israel. I've heard that the Karaites are not sure whether the barley will be ready in time for the new moon in March or not, so they are waiting it out.

As for me, I take the new moon after the spring equinox to determine the year, so the barley crop in Israel doesn't really factor in as a primary determiner; although I do believe the wave-sheaf of Leviticus 23:11 is to be barley.

There is one very good study concerning the beginning of the year, and I think you may can find it on the internet entitled "The Hail Plague and the First Biblical Month" by Herb Solinsky. I think he shows some pretty conclusive evidence in that paper that the first month of the year is not dependant on watching the barley in Israel, but rather the spring equinox.

Your friend,

Matthew Janzen

quote:

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Originally posted by Sojourners:

Quick question:

When are you all celebrating Passover this year?

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I'm observing Passover on April 22 (after sunset on April 21), with the New Moon of Abib being April 9. This is based on the lunar conjunction, Jerusalem time.

Q: Doesn't Genesis 1:14 show that the Vernal Equinox, not the barley, determine the holy day seasons?

We read in Gen 1,14:

"And YHWH said, Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven, to divide between the day and the night and they will be for signs and for times (Moedim) and for days and for years."

From this verse it is not clear what is dependent on what. Certainly no mention of the Vernal Equinox is made. Perhaps the year is dependent on the moon or the stars? If the year is dependent on the sun, then what about the sun effects the beginning of the year? Gen 1,14 does not specify these things and we must turn to other Biblical passages to get a more precise understanding of the Biblical calendar. In Dt 16,1 we read:

"Keep the month of the Abib and make the Passover (sacrifice) to YHWH your God at night, because in the month of Abib YHWH your God took you out of Egypt"

Similarly we read:

"You will keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread; seven days you will eat unleavened bread, as have I commanded you, at the time of the month of the Abib, because in the month of the Abib you went out of Egypt." (Ex 34,18)

The word "Abib" refers to barley which has reached a certain stage in its development. This meaning of Abib is preserved in the verse:

"And the flax and the barley were smitten, because the barley was Abib and the flax was Giv'ol. And the wheat and the spelt were not smitten because they were dark (Afilot)." (Ex 9,31-32)

To keep the Passover Sacrifice in the Month of the Abib requires taking the Abib (ripening barley) as an indicator of the beginning of the year. This is entirely consistent with Gen 1,14, for the ripening of the barley is dependent on the seasons of the year and therefore indirectly is controlled by the sun. Central factors, which cause the barley to ripen, are the lengthening of the days and the increasing sunlight, changes in humidity, and other factors which affect the environment. Therefore, it is the sun, which indirectly causes the barley to ripen, and thereby acts as an indicator of years. It is this indirect effect which causes the barley to become Abib which Gen 1,14 is referring to when it says the sun and moon will be for years.

It should be noted that the equinox is never mentioned in the entire Hebrew Bible. Gen 1,14, which has often been cited as proof of the equinox theory, does not mention the equinox either. On the contrary, the use of astronomical calculations for determining the time of the equinox, was in this period synonymous with the idolatrous practice of fortune telling and was certainly not practiced in ancient Israel (Isa 47,13).

Q: Isn't the equinox (Tekufah) mentioned in the Tanach (Hebrew Bible)?

No. In Post-Biblical Hebrew "Tekufah" is the word for equinox. While this word appears in the Hebrew Bible four times, it never has the meaning of "equinox". Instead, Tekufah in Biblical Hebrew retains its literal meaning of "circuit", that is something which returns to the same point in time or space [from the root Nun.Quf.Pe. meaning "to go around"].

Tekufah in Exodus 34,22

The first appearance of Tekufah is in the list of Pilgrimage-Feasts (Hagim) in Ex 34,22 which refers to the agricultural character of the Feast of Booths (Sukkot):

"And the Feast of Ingathering at the circuit of the year (Tekufat HaShannah)."

Being mislead by the Post-Biblical Hebrew meaning of Tekufah, some students of the Bible have recently interpreted "circuit of the year" anachronistically to refer to the Autumnal Equinox (it is doubtful whether the ancient Israelites even knew of the equinox and they certainly had no way of calculating when it would be). This anachronistic reading leads to the suggestion of fixing the beginning of the year so that Sukkot (The Feast of Ingathering) falls out at the time of the Autumnal Equinox. However, a closer investigation shows that "circuit of the year" has nothing to do with the equinox. The list of Pilgrimage-Feasts also appears in a parallel passage in Ex 23,16 which describes Sukkot as follows:

"And the Feast of Ingathering at the going out of the year (Tzet HaShannah), when you have gathered in your work from the field."

Looking at Ex 34,22 and Ex 23,16 together, it is clear that the "going out of the year" and the "circuit of the year" refer to the same time. The "going out/ circuit" of the year is described in Ex 23,16 as "when you have gathered in your work from the field". This agricultural ingathering is also described in Dt 16,13:

"You shall keep the Feast of Booths for seven days, when you have gathered in from your threshing floors and from your wine presses."

The Feast of Booths/ Ingathering is described as the "going out of the year" because it takes place at the end of the yearly agricultural cycle of planting, harvest, threshing, and ingathering. At the same time, Sukkot is described as taking place at the "circuit of the year" because once the agricultural cycle ends it then immediately recommences (making a circuit, returning to the same point in time) with the planting of the fields after the first rains (sometimes during Sukkot itself).

Tekufah in Psalms 19,7

The term Tekufah (circuit) appears in Psalm 19 in reference to the sun, but here too it has nothing to do with the equinox. Psalm 19 describes the heavens and sun, which from their unique vantage point are witness to all things in creation, and thus (metaphorically) testify to the incomparable glory of God. Verses 5-7 describes the sun:

"(5)... He [YHWH] placed a tent among them [the heavens] for the sun. (6) Which is as a bridegroom going out of his chamber, and which rejoices as a strong man running a race. (7) From the end of the heavens is its [the sun's] going out and its circuit (Tekufato) is to their [the heavens] ends, and none is hidden from its heat"

Verse 6 describes the sun as a bridegroom that bursts forth out of his chamber and as a hero that runs along a path. Verse 7 then describes the "going out" of the sun at one end of the heavens and the "circuit" (Tekufato) of the sun at the other end. Clearly what is being described is the daily path of the sun which rises at one end of the heaven (its going out) and sets at the other end (its return), "and none is hidden from its heat" during the course of the day. What has confused some readers is that the going out or exiting of the sun refers to sunrise, but this unusual terminology is used throughout the Tanach. For example, we read in Judges 5,31:

"Thus shall all the enemies of YHWH be destroyed; and all those whom he loves shall be as the going out of the sun (KeTzet HaShemesh) in its might". (Jud 5,31)

Those loyal to YHWH shall shine forth with glory as the "going out of the sun", that is sunrise. It may seem strange that sunrise is referred to as the "going out" of the sun. After all, in Exodus we saw that the going out of the year was the end of the year, whereas the going out of the sun seems to be the beginning of the day. However, this is consistent with Biblical usage and in fact the common Biblical way of saying sunset is the coming in or entering of the sun. This is related to the ancient Israelite conception of the sun which at night they thought of as dwelling in a celestial chamber (Ps 19,5). At dawn the sun goes out of the chamber and the earth is lit while at night the sun comes into the chamber and it is dark (this is also the thought behind the comparison of sunrise to a bridegroom coming forth from his chamber). Ps 19,7 refers to the going out of the sun (sunrise) at one end of heaven and its circuit (return to the same place, to its nightly chamber) at the other end, that is sunset (for a similar thought see Ecc. 1,5). We see that here too Tekufah (circuit) has nothing to do with the equinox.

Tekufah in 2Chronicles 24:23

As seen above the "Tekufah (circuit) of the year" in Exodus referred to events in the autumn (the time of the ingathering). The same expression (circuit of the year) is also used to refer to events which take place in spring as we see in 2Chr 24:23:

"And it was at the circuit (Tekufah) of the year that the army of Aram went up and they came to Judah and Jerusalem..."

In this instance the "Circuit (Tekufah) of the year" comes in place of the common expression "Return (Teshuvah) of the year" which appears several times in the Tanach as "the time when kings go out [to war]" as in:

"And it was at the return (Teshuvah) of the year, and Ben-Haddad counted Aram and went up to Afek to war with Israel." (1Ki 20,26).

"And it was at the return (Teshuvah) of the year, at the time the kings go out [to war] and David sent Yoav... and they smote the Amonites and besieged Rabbah..."

The time that the kings went out to war was the spring, since before the spring the mud roads in the Land of Israel were impassable. We see here that Tekufah (circuit) of the year is used interchangeably with the more common Teshuvah (return) of the year. Spring is referred to as the "Return/ Circuit" of the year because the Festival Year recommences (making a circuit, returning to the same point in time) in spring with the First day of the First Month (Nissan) (see Ex 12,2; Lev 23; Nu 28; Dt 16,1).

Tekufah in 1Samuel 1,20

The term Tekufah (circuit) also appears in 1Sam 1,20 which says:

"And it was at the circuits (Tekufot) of the days, and Hannah conceived and bore a son..."

Here the "circuits" of the days apparently refers to "the same time the following year" [or possibly to the completion of the term of pregnancy?].

None of the four appearances of Tekufah in the Hebrew Scripture have anything to do with the equinox. Instead, this term is used in Biblical Hebrew in its primary sense of a "circuit", that is a return to the same point in space or time. Only in Post-Biblical Hebrew did Tekufah come to mean "equinox" and to read this meaning into the Tanach would be an anachronism.

The Karaites are the ones which kept the feast a month later because they did not find any verifiable or reliable witnesses that had found the first fruits of the barley for the first fruits offering with the new moon nearest to the equinox.

I do not relly on the Karaites for proper exegesus of a topic. Ruach Ha Kadosh/the Distinct Breath/the Holy Spirit is to lead into all truth not those that reject the Anionted and His Anointing.

I use the Karaites much as I use commentaries by anyone(Rabbis, Karaites, Nazarenes, Christians ect....)but the Holy Breath breathing in me is the one I relly on the most when discerning Truth.

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David ben Yacob

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Originally posted by david_ben_yacob:
The tequfah are the circuits of the sun. These curcuits divide the calandar into thier seasons and we call them solstices and equinoxes. To me the creation itself bears witness to this as Psalms 19 clearly declares. Some things are obvious and don't need a detailed word study to prove them. There is nothing in the Scriptures by doing this word study that is in conflict with this leading of the Living Breath of Yahueh even though the commentary of Nehemiah Gordon an honorable man would come to different conclusions based on his own conclusions based on Rabbinical writings.

The Karaites are the ones which kept the feast a month later because they did not find any verifiable or reliable witnesses that had found the first fruits of the barley for the first fruits offering with the new moon nearest to the equinox.

I do not relly on the Karaites for proper exegesus of a topic. Ruach Ha Kadosh/the Distinct Breath/the Holy Spirit is to lead into all truth not those that reject the Anionted and His Anointing.

I use the Karaites much as I use commentaries by anyone(Rabbis, Karaites, Nazarenes, Christians ect....)but the Holy Breath breathing in me is the one I relly on the most when discerning Truth.

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Shalom David,

I assume by keeping the feast a month later, you are referring to 1999, when the Karaite Korner advocated the latter month feast based on a lack of barley.

While it is certainly true that the Bible says "the anointing will teach you all things" it is also true that on matters of doubtful disputations, everyone thinks that they have the anointing and are being led of the spirit in matters.

For example, I've had contact with sabbath keepers who were "led of the Spirit" to keep the feasts, others to not keep the feasts. Some were told to wear tsitsith, others not. One minister claimed that while he was studying on the new moon in Psalm 81, his wife, who had dozed off, woke up saying, "It's the conjunction!" Others can claim similar things about the cresent moon, full moon, lunar sabbath, etc. The truth of the matter is that these people studied the matter out and came to the conclusion they did based on the information they had available. Since they felt good about it they labled it the "unction of the Holy Spirit".

You wouldn't happen to have any historical evidence for an after the equinox intercalation in the second temple period would you?

My two cents,

Maybe Shlomoh knows more would you share it please as your photographic memory is much better than mine and I know you are aware of these references if I am correct as to your true name and identity.

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David ben Yacob

quote:

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Originally posted by Shlomoh:
Shalom David,

.. While it is certainly true that the Bible says "the anointing will teach you all things" it is also true that on matters of doubtful disputations, everyone thinks that they have the anointing and are being led of the spirit in matters.

... The truth of the matter is that these people studied the matter out and came to the conclusion they did based on the information they had available. Since they felt good about it they labled it the "unction of the Holy Spirit".

... My two cents,

Shlomoh

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Greetings, Shlomoh.

I and many more on this forum are guilty as charged! If more people would truly understand that fact and then be more patient with one another we wouldn't appear as aggressive to those of lesser understanding who may visit this forum from time to time. (I am by no means pointing a finger at you or anyone else in particular. This just came to mind as I read the factual statements above.)

Shalom to all,
Arkie

Because of some previous heated discussions that I have been involved in regarding calendar issues, I had purposely avoided contributing any postings to this particular thread. However, a very dear friend suggested that I might have something to share, so with all due respect to those who disagree with the method my wife and I use, here goes:

Based upon all the historical data I can find, ancient Judaism reckoned the beginning of the year from the appearance of the new moon crescent on or after the vernal equinox. I realize this flies in the face of many doctrinal positions on this issue, and even I was once known to refer to the vernal equinox as the "infernal equinox." However, in view of all the evidence I have since come across over the years, I am now persuaded to believe that the sun is not only one of the "great lights" for determining the day, but also the beginning point of the year.

There is certainly no disputing the fact that there were green ears of barley when YHWH told Mosheh the moon of Abib was to be "the beginning of months" (Ex. 9:31, 12:2). However, this cannot be established as a command to first look for the green ears of barley and then watch for the next new moon.

The bottom line is, they had to have ripe barley in time for the wave sheaf offering of Lev. 23:10-11. The question is, "Can this be achieved by any means other than watching for green ears of barley?"

The answer is yes. By employing the ancient Jewish method of reckoning the start of the year by the first visible new moon crescent following the vernal equinox, you will always have ripe barley by Passover. According to Solomon Gandz in his book Studies in Hebrew Astronomy and Mathematics, p. xii, this is true:

The instant of the midway point on the northern trip is called the vernal equinox. (It is called equinox because the day and night are of equal length at this time of year.) It comes at approximately the time of the ripening of the barley and the flowering of the vines.

Many people equate the reckoning by the equinox as a system that was borrowed from "heathen worship." This is a part of the indoctrination that June and I received while associating with a certain Sacred Name assembly. However, it is clear that a sun dial was in use during the days of King Hezekiah, when Isaiah entreated YHWH to cause the sun's "shadow" to return backward ten degrees (2 Kings 20:8-11). The sun dial can also be used in determining the vernal equinox.

I am aware that there are historical records documenting the fact that ancient Judaism determined the first month by the first visible crescent after the vernal equinox, but all I have at my disposal at the moment is a quote from The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, Vol. 1, p. 484:

The year. It is fairly certain that in historical times the Israelites determined their year, not by the fluctuating agricultural and pastoral cycles, even though these natural phenomena must have influenced them deeply, but by observing the annual circuit of the stars and the sun. We have little evidence concerning the method they might have used for determining the completion of this circuit, but we do know that the new year began at one of the equinoxes, at the dividing point between winter and summer or between summer and winter.

For additional information regarding the ancient Jewish calendar, you may wish to consult the International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia article, which may be accessed at the following URL: http://www.bible-history.com/jewishyear/jewishyear_international_standard_bi ble_encyclopaedia.html

Another factor that I believe is worthy of consideration is the Jews' borrowing the names of their months from the Babylonians. For example, the first month of the year, prior to the Babylonian Captivity, was known as Abib. However, upon their return from Babylon, it was referred to as Nisan. What makes this significant is the fact this proves that the two cultures observed identical calendars. In other words, the month Abib had to overlay perfectly with the month Nisan, or else they would have never applied that term to the first month of the year.

To further illustrate my point, I will use a modern-day example: It is pretty much a "given" that no one will ever refer to the first month of YHWH's calendar as "April." It is highly unlikely that a serious Bible expert will ever teach that Passover falls on April 14th, with the Feast of Unleavened Bread occurring from April 15 - 21. This would definitely be a misnomer, for the secular month "April" does not in any way match up with the Scriptural month "Abib." Similarly, if the Babylonian "Nisan" had not matched up with the Hebrew "Abib," its name would never have been interchanged with "Abib." This, then, is a solid clue that ancient Judaism observed the same monthly calendar as ancient Babylon.

Of course, this begs the question as to when and how ancient Babylon determined the start of the year. The answer: The first visible new moon crescent following the vernal equinox, as attested to by The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, Vol. 1, p. 484:

A lunar-solar calendar was adopted by the first Babylonian dynasty (ca. 1830-1550 B.C.), and became effective in Assyria during the first millennium B.C. The Babylonians gave Semitic names to the months, but in most other respects this calendar was substantially the Sumerian calendar of Nippur as observed in the third dynasty of Ur (ca. 2180-1960). This calendar reckoned the year from one vernal equinox to the next, while counting months from new moon to new moon, with an added month when this was needed to make up the discrepancy. These lunar months were of thirty days' length except when a new moon occurred on the thirtieth day, in which case this would become the first day of the new month. Until the Persian era astronomical observation was the primary means of determining calendrical periods, but thereafter mathematical calculation became a sufficiently dependable method of determination.

For additional information regarding the ancient Babylonian calendar, you may wish to consult the Friesian School website, located at the following URL:
http://www.friesian.com/calendar.htm

In view of this understanding, here is when my wife and I plan on observing Abib, as well as Passover/Unleavened Bread this year:

The new moon is expected to be sighted over Israel the evening of April 9, 2005, making the day portion of April 10th "Abib 1" for us. Passover, then, will fall on April 23rd, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread will begin on April 24th (April 23rd at sunset).

While we respect the views of those who have differing views, this is the one we personally recognize at this time.

Yours in Messiah,
Larry

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