Jewish Calendar Sacred and Civil Years highlights fundamental concepts involving the Jewish Calendar. The 19-year lunar/solar Metonic cycle adds a final Veadar lunar month or Second Adar, to intercalate some 209-days of lunar/solar separation time. Dating from 3,761 B.C.E., the Jewish year calculates to be one of six different lengths of days.
Jewish Calendar Sacred and Civil Years
Clark Nelson
1065 wds
Article URL: http://www.timeemits.com/AoA_Articles/Jewish_Calendar_Sacred_and_Civil_Years.htm
The Jewish calendar is the most widely known
lunar/solar calendar still in continuous use in our modern times. The Jewish Calendar applies the oldest
calendar mechanics in existence. The
present Jewish Calendar consists of two basic types of years, the sacred and
the civil year. The sacred year comes
from original directives given to Moses and is the official calendar year of
the religious festivals. The national
calendar at the time of Moses began in the spring or the month of Abib. The Star of
David or Shield of David is an accepted symbol that recognizes Jewish
character. National use of the Magen David sign reflects the supposition that it once
adorned the Shield of David. The symbol
appears on the state flag for the nation of
Old Testament scriptures specifically reference Hebrew months. The civil year is the later instituted version of the Jewish calendar. Both types of years contain twelve lunar months for 354-and-one-quarter days until the Jewish leap year adds a thirteenth "Veadar" intercalary month. There are seven leap years in every 19-year cycle. The focus of the Jewish calendar rests with the 19-year Metonic cycle. Developed in 432 B.C. and named after Athenian astronomer Meton, seven-extra-months are spread over 19-years. Approximately 209-days of lunar/solar separation time accumulate through close observation of the moon, sun and stars during the 19-year lunar/solar cycle. These extra 209-days divide into seven-intercalary-months to reinforce the sacred seven-day week and they usually alternate between 29-days and 30-days each in the Jewish calendar.
One extra Veadar
month inserts seven different times during 19-years. The Veadar intercalary
month is included seven different times and every two or three years within the
19-year lunar/solar Metonic cycle of the Jewish
calendar. The intercalary month of Veadar, also called Second Adar, adds between the months of
Adar and Nisan. Adar is the sixth month
of the civil year and the twelfth month of the sacred ecclesiastic year in the
Jewish calendar. Second Adar (Adar II)
adds to the end of the 12-lunar-month year.
Every two or three years, the Jewish calendar has 13-lunar-months. The Jewish Calendar year has six possible
lengths. The 12-month lunar year is
called a common year with 353-days, 354-days or 355-days. The Jewish calendar Veadar
Year (Jewish Leap Year) adds one-lunar-month.
Jewish leap years have 383, 384 or 385-days that furnish 13-months. Adjustment of the Jewish leap year within the
19-year Metonic cycle becomes complex. Seven times in a 19-year Metonic
cycle result in the required 209-days of lunar/solar separation time.
The Bible imparts the calendar's lengthy development in a kind of diary
fashion for the Jewish people.
Adjustments to Rosh Hashanah and the
resultant celebrations of the sacred festival year influence modern study of New Testament events. Perhaps the most well known tie between
contemporary Christianity and use of the Jewish calendar is the Passover
Sabbath. In celebration of the Exodus
from
The sacred feast and festival calendar year has origins dating from the Exodus. Leviticus 23 details when and how to observe the Day of Atonement, Passover, and the Feast of Weeks or Shavu’ot. Today, Judaism observes these celebrations the world over. Placement within the Jewish Calendar year held significance for the Holy Convocations. Feasts and festivals have served to sustain Jewish culture.
The Jubilee year is the Sabbatic Year that follows seven successive Sabbatic years (Leviticus 25:8-54). The numerical matching of seven days to seven years was elementary to counting the 50-year Jubilee cycle. After six years, the seventh year was a Sabbatic year. Seven multiples of seven years are 49 years that result in a 50-year Jubilee cycle. Culminating the fiftieth year of the l/s calendar as a Sabbatic year included Hebrew custom. The Jubilee year gave rest to the soil, reverted landed property back to original owners and freed Israelites that were formerly slaves. Traditions reinforce the appointed feasts of HaShem.
The Passover Sabbath begins a
50-day countdown to the feast of first fruits or feast of weeks. Seven multiples of a Sabbath was either 49
days or 49 years. The feast of weeks
closes the harvest with Shav’ot by usually
celebrating a two-day festival on the 6th and 7th of Sivan. Christians assign Pentecost to be 50-days
after Nisan 16, or the second day following Passover Sabbath. For many, the giving of the Law to
Dating from 3,761 B.C.E., the
Jewish year calculates to be one of six different lengths of days. Intercalary months add with 354-days or
355-days to give 383, 384 or 385-days in the Jewish leap year (Eqn. 1a-d). Precise calculations of Jewish calendar
science are elaborate. Other cultures
worldwide, such as the ancient Greek, Chinese, Babylonian and
Equations
1.
a-d.
a. 29 Days per Jewish Veadar Intercalary Month
+ 354 Days per Jewish Lunar Year
= 383 Days per Jewish calendar Leap Year
b. 29 Days per Jewish Veadar Intercalary Month
+ 355 Days per Jewish Lunar Year
= 384 Days per Jewish calendar Leap Year
c. 30 Days per Jewish Veadar Intercalary Month
+ 354 Days per Jewish Lunar Year
= 384 Days per Jewish calendar Leap Year
d. 30 Days per Jewish Veadar Intercalary Month
+ 355 Days per Jewish Lunar Year
= 385 Days per Jewish calendar Leap Year
Are you a pastor, educator or a student of the Holy Bible? Timeemits.com seeks anointed people to review and contribute to the Ages of Adam ministry. Ancient lunar/solar calendars like the Jewish and Mayan calendars provide the background to understanding early time. Ancient calendars of the Holy Bible use differences between the moon and sun, numerical matching and a 364-day calendar year to describe X-number of days that match with X-number of years. Ages of Adam is a free read at http://www.timeemits.com.
Clark Nelson is webmaster for www.timeemits.com and author of Ages of Adam and sequel, Holy of Holies. Contact article@timeemits.com for more information. © Copyright 2006 Clark Nelson and timeemits.com All Rights Reserved.
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