Jewish Calendar Sacred and Civil Years
The present Jewish calendar
consists of two basic types of years, the sacred and the civil year (Figure
3). Jewish calendar month names are shown in the far-left column. Old
Testament scriptures that specifically reference Jewish months are
given. All Hebrew months are lunar
months, assigning 29-days, or 30-days each within both kinds of years. The sacred year is based
on the 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 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 "Veador"
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.
An approximated 209-days of lunar/solar
separation time are accumulated through close observation of the moon, sun, and
stars during the 19-year cycle. The
extra 209-days are divided 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 Veador
month is inserted seven different times during
19-years. The Veador
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 Veador, also called Second Adar, is added between the months of Adar, and Nisan. Second Adar is inserted
by adding it to the end of the 12-lunar-month year.
The Jewish calendar year has six
possible lengths. The 12-month lunar
year is 353-days, 354-days, or 355-days long.
The Jewish calendar Veador Year (Jewish Leap
Year) adds one-lunar-month. Jewish leap
years have either 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.
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-know 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, these celebrations are observed the world over by Judaism. 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 amounting 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, which is generally
celebrated as a two-day festival on the 6 and 7 th 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
The Jewish calendar (figure 2) 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 approximated 209-days of lunar/solar separation time were accumulated through close observation of the moon, sun, and stars during a 19-year cycle. These extra 209-days are divided 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 Veador month is inserted seven different times during 19-years. The Veador month is added every two or three years.
The Magen David (Shield of David) is an
accepted symbol that recognizes Jewish character. The symbol is used
on the state flag for the nation of
Dating from 3,761 B.C.E., the Jewish
year is calculated to be one of six different lengths
of days. A common year may contain 353,
354, or 355-days. Every 2 or 3 years,
the Jewish calendar has 13-lunar-months.
Intercalary months are added to 354-days or
355-days to give 383, 384, or 385-days in the Jewish leap year (Eqn.
4a-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 Veador Intercalary Month
+ 354 Days per Jewish Lunar Year
= 383 Days per Jewish calendar Leap Year
b. 29 Days per Jewish Veador Intercalary Month
+ 355 Days per Jewish Lunar Year
= 384 Days per Jewish calendar Leap Year
c. 30 Days per Jewish Veador Intercalary Month
+ 354 Days per Jewish Lunar Year
= 384 Days per Jewish calendar Leap Year
d. 30 Days per Jewish Veador Intercalary Month
+ 355 Days per Jewish Lunar Year
= 385 Days per Jewish calendar Leap Year
Holy Bible Sacred Festival Calendar Figure 3
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Holy Bible Jewish Sacred
Festival Calendar Feasts and
Festivals Calendar Reference |
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Jewish Name of Month TISHRI 1 Kings 8:2 HESHVAN or BUL 1 Kings KISLEV Ezra 10:9 TEBETH Esther 2:16 SHEBAT Zech 1:7 ADAR Esther 3:7 NISAN - ABIB Ex. 13:4 IVAR or ZIF 1 Kings 6:1 SIVAN Esther 8:9 TAMMUZ Jer. 39:2 AB Num. 33:38 ELUL Neh. 6:15 |
Modern Month Name Sept. - Oct. Oct. - Nov. Nov. - Dec. Dec. - Jan. Jan. - Feb. Feb. - Mar. Mar. - Apr. Apr. - May May - June June - July July - Aug. Aug. - Sept. |
Days per Month 30 29 - 30 29 - 30 29 30 29 - 30 30 29 30 29 30 29 |
Civil Year Month 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th |
Sacred Year Month of Festival Calendar 7th 10th Atonement 15-22nd Sukkoth Tabernacles 8th 9th 25th Hanukkah 8 Day Feast 10th 11th 12th 14-15th Purim 1st 14 - 21st Passover 2nd 3rd 6th – 7th Shavu'ot 4th Feast of Weeks 5th 6th |
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VEADOR, or Second ADAR, is known as an "Intercalary Month." |
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