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VOL.
XXIX
ALLEGHENY,
P
A.,
FEBRUARY
1,
1908
No.3
1st
day
of
Passover
are
the
fasts
of
Tamuz
and
Ab.
2nd
day
of
Passover
is
the
first
day
of
Sebuot
and
Hosana
Raba.
3rd
day
of
Passover
is
the
first
day
of
New
Year
and
Taber
nacle.
4th
day
of
Passover
is
the
Rejoicing
of
the
Law.
5th
day
of
Passover
is
the
Kippur,
the
day
of
Atonement.
THE
PASSOVER
IN
THE
FIRST
MONTH
one
month
29
and
the
following
30
days.
When
a
month
has
30
days,
the
last
day
of
the
month
and
the
following
day
ar~
both
kept
as
New
Moon,
on
the
principle
that
a
holiday
can·
not
be
kept
part
of
a
day.
The
30th
day
being
half
in
the
preceding
month
and
half
in
the
new
moon,
the
whole
day
is
made
a
holiday,
and
the
following
as
a
matter
of
course,
trom
its
being
the
first
whole
day
of
the
new
moon.
That
this
rule
was
followed
in
ancient
times,
is
to
be
seen
in
1
Sam.
20
:5,
27.
"It
will
have
been
seen
that
by
this
arrangement
there
is
yet
a
deficiency
every
month
of
44
min.,
3*
sec.,
making
nearly
9
hours
in
years
of
12
months.
To
make
up
this
de
ficiency
one
day
is
added
to
Hesvan
every
second
or
third
year,
by
which
that
month
then
consists
of
30
days.
When
Hesvan
has
30
days,
Kislev
invariably
has
the
same.
Without
Hesvan
having
30
days,
Kislev
is
sometimes
made
30,
which
is
done
to
prevent
Passover
happening
on
Monday,
Wednesday
or
Friday,
for
as
that
festival
regulates
all
the
other
holidays,
it
is
ar
ranged
that
none
may
fall
on
days
on
which
they
could
not
be
properly
observed.
On
the
same
day
of
the
week
as
the
Considerable
difficulty
is
experienced
by
many
in
harmoniz·
ing
our
solar
calendar
with
that
of
the
Jews,
which
is
built
upon
an
association
of
lunar
and
solar
time.
We
tender
assistance
to
such
by
quoting
an
extract
from
Smith's
Bible
Dictionary
on
the
subject-followed
by
an
extract
from
the
Hebrew
chronologist.
Lindo
on
the
same
subject.
Smith's
Bible
Dictionary
says:-
,
'The
characteristics
of
the
year
instituted
at
the
Exodus
can
be
clearly
determined,
though
we
cannot
absolutely
fix
those
of
any
certain
year.
There
can
be
no
doubt
that
it
was
essentially
tropical,
since
certain
observances
connected
with
the
produce
of
the
land
were
fixed
to
particular
days.
It
is
equally
clear
that
the
months
were
lunar,
each
commencing
with
a
new
moon.
It
would
appear,
therefore,
that
there
must
have
been
some
mode
of
adjustment.
To
decide
what
this
was,
it
was
necessary
first
to
ascertain
when
the
year
commenced.
On
the
16th
of
Abib
ripe
ears
of
corn
were
to
be
offered
as
first
fruits
of
the
harvest.
(Lev.
2:14;
23:10,
11.)
The
rel&ping
of
the
barley
commenced
the
harvest
(2
Sam.
21:9),
the
wheat
following.
(Ruth
2
:23.)
It
is
therefore
necessary
to
find
when
the
barley
becomes
ripe
in
Palestine.
According
to
the
ob·
servation
of
travelers,
the
barley
is
ripe,
in
the
warmest
parts
of
the
country,
in
the
first
days
of
April.
The
barley
harvest,
then,
commences
about
half
a
month
after
the
vernal
equinox,
so
that
the
year
would
begin
at
about
that
tropical
point,
were
it
not
divided
into
lunar
months.
We
may
conclude
that
the
nearest
new
moon
about
or
after
the
equinox,
but
not
much
before,
was
chosen
as
the
commencement
of
the
year.
The
method
of
intercalation
can
only
have
been
that
which
obtained
after
the
Captivity-the
addition
of
a
thirteenth
month
when·
ever
the
twelfth
ended
too
long
before
the
equinox
for
the
first·
fruits
of
the
harvest
to
be
offered
in
the
middle
of
the
month
following,
and
the
similar
offerings
at
the
times
appointed."
Extracts
from
IAndo:
"The
Jewish
year
is
luni·solar,
for
although
the
months
are
lunar,
our
calculations
being
founded
on
the
lunar
cycle,
every
19th
year
we
come
to
the
same
date
in
the
solar
year.
The
cycle
contains
235
lunations,
which
we
divide
into
twelve
years
of
12
months,
and
seven
(termed
Embolismic)
of
13
months.
"The
celebrated
mathematician
Meton
of
Athens,
who
flourished
B.
C.
432,
which
was
in
the
reign
of
Zedekiah.
A.M.
3328,
made
the
same
division
of
time,
but
by
making
every
third
year
embolismic,
the
18th
and
19th
were
both
of
13
months;
by
our
arrangement
the
solar
and
lunar
years
are
better
equalized.
"Consequently,
were
the
first
day
on
Monday,
Purim
would
be
on
Saturday
and
Kippur
on
Friday,
days
on
which
neither
could
be
observed.
If
it
were
on
Wednesday,
Kippur
would
be
on
Sunday,
on
which
it
could
not
be
kept;
the
reason
is
that
as
Kippur
has
the
same
strict
ordinances
as
Sabbath,
it
cannot
precede
or
follow
the
Sabbath.
If
it
were
on
Friday,
Hosana
Raba
would
be
on
Saturday,
a
day
on
which
the
cere·
monies
of
it
could
not
be
observed.
By
the
above
regulation,
it
will
be
seen
that
Rosh
Ashana
can
never
fall
on
Sunday,
Wednesday
or
Friday.
"This
holiday
is
to
be
observed
on
the
day
of
the
con
junction,
with
the
following
exceptions:-
"1.
If
the
conjunction
takes
place
on
Sunday
,
Wednesday
or
Friday,
the
holiday
is
to
be
kept
on
the
following
day,
as
in
5604.
"2.
If
the
conjunction
should
happen
after
noon,
the
fol
lowing
day
is
to
be
observed,
and
if
that
should
happen
to
be
D
H
M
·
S
Sunday,
Wednesday
or
Friday,
the
next
is
to
be
kept,
as
in
ays
rs.
m.
ec.
5601.
19
years,
according
to
Rab
Ada
,
.•.
6939
16
33
3%
"3.
If
the
conjunction
takes
place
in
an
ordinary
year
on
235
lunar
months
6939
16
33
3%
Tuesday,
on
or
after
9h.,
11m.,
20s.
A.M.,
it
is
not
to
be
ob-
"The
year
is
of
three
kinds,
perfect,
common
and
imperfect.
served
thereon,
and
as
it
may
not
be
kept
on
Wednesday,
it
The
perfect
has
355
days,
and
is
when
the
months
of
Hesvan
will
be
observed
on
Thursday,
as
in
5616.
An
objection
may
and
Kislev
have
each
30
days.
The
common,
354
days,
when
be
made
to
this,
as
New
Year
should
be
observed
on
the
day
Hesvan
has
29
and
Kislev
30.
The
imperfect,
353
days,
when
of
conjunction,
but
were
it
to
be
so
kept,
the
preceding
month
both
have
only
29.
The
embolismic
year
is
formed
by
the
intro·
of
Elul
would
only
be
of
27
or
28
days,
and
a
month
can
never
duction
of
an
intercalary
month,
immediately
after
Adar,
which
be
less
than
29.
is
called
Ve-adar,
or
Second
Adar.
The
year
then
consists
"4.
The
conjunction
being
on
Monday,
on
or
after
3:30:52
of
385,
384,
or
383
days,
according
to
the
rule
above.
The
P.M.,
in
a
year
immediately
following
an
embolismic,
the
holi
reason
of
the
introduction
at
that
period
is
that
the
Passover
day
is
to
be
kept
on
Tuesday,
as
in
5617.
This
occurs
but
may
be
kept
in
its
proper
season,
which
is
the
full
moon
of
seldom.
the
vernal
equinox,
or
after
the
sun
has
entered
Aries;
it
is
"Our
embolismic
years
are
Nos.
3,
6,
8,
11,
14,
17,
19
of
indifferent
at
what
period
of
it
the
full
moon
happens,
but
each
cycle.
it
must
be
kept
while
the
sun
is
in
that
sign.
That
a
time
"Although
the
Gregorian
calculations
have
been
made
with
was
fixed
for
its
observance
is
shown
in
Numbers
9
:2,
'Let
great
nicety
they
are
still
imperfect,
and
other
alterations
the
children
of
Israel
also
keep
the
Passover
at
its
appointed
must
take
place
in
future
ages.
As
a
proof
the
Council
season.
'
of
Nice
ordered
that
Easter
should
not
be
kept
on
the
same
"That
our
months
have
always
been
lunar
is
shown
by
1
day
as
the
first
day
of
Passover,
in
order
that
there
might
Kings
6
:38,
'And
the
eleventh
year
in
the
month
Bul,
which
is
be
no
appearance
of
Judaism
in
it;
'Ne
videantur
Judaizare,
'
the
eighth
month,'
etc.
By
a
reference
to
the
Hebrew
text
to
prevent
which
they
ordered
its
observance
on
the
Sunday
it
will
be
seen
that
the
two
words
translated
month
are
dif-
after
the
full
moon,
Passover
being
always
kept
on
the
day
ferent,
the
first
being
derived
from
the
word'
moon,'
the
latter
of
the
full
moon;
and
yet
in
1825
both
were
kept
on
the
same
from
'innovation.'
Our
months
are
the
following:-
day."
*
*
*
~isri
29"
.~~
~ays
-W.
isan
30
days
From
the
foregoing
it
will
be
seen
that,
with
every
en.
esvan
or
ays
lar
29
days
deavor
to
reach
exactly
the
date
specified
in
their
Law
for
the
Kislev
29
or
30
days
Sivan
30
days
Passover,
the
Jews
have
difficulty,
and
often
there
is
of
neces-
Tebet
-
29
days
Tamuz
29
days
sity
a
choice
between
two
days
equally
appropriate.
However,
Sebat
30
days
Ab
30
days
they
follow
the
guidance
of
their
leaders
in
this
matter
and
Adar
29
days
Elul
29
days
h
'
f
'
t
f
I
b
t'
.
t
d
f
h
.
ave
a
um
orml
y
0
ce
e
ra
lOn,
ms
ea
0
eac
one
trymg
"In
the
embolismic
years,
Adar
has
30,
and
the
inter·
to
fix
the
date
and
celebrating
according
to
his
personal
knowl-
calary
month
Ve-adar
29.
edge,
convenience
or
preference.
And
this
measure
of
sub·
"As
a
lunation
from
one
conjunction
to
another,
termed
serviency
to
leaders
was
endorsed
by
our
Lord,
who
said,
"The
a
synodical
month,
has
29:12:44:3%,
being
29%
days
and
Scribes
and
Pharisees
sit
in
Moses'
seat;
whatsoever
there
about
%,
hour,
it
could
not
be
better
arranged
than
by
making
fore
they
bid
you
observe,
that
observe
and
do."
(Matt.
23
:3.)
[4127]
(35-3
6)
Vou. XXIX ALLEGHENY, PA., FEBRUARY 1, 1908 No. 3 THE PASSOVER IN THE FIRST MONTH Considerable difficulty is experienced by many in harmonizing our solar calendar with that of the Jews, which is built upon an association of lunar and solar time. We tender assistance to such by quoting an extract from Smith’s Bible Dictionary on the subject—followed by an extract from the Hebrew chronologist. Lindo on the same subject. Smith’s Bible Dictionary says:— “The characteristics of the year instituted at the Exodus can be clearly determined, though we cannot absolutely fix those of any certain year. There can be no doubt that it was essentially tropical, since certain observances connected with the produce of the land were fixed to particular days. It is equally clear that the months were lunar, each commencing with anew moon. It would appear, therefore, that there must have been some mode of adjustment. To decide what this was, it was necessary first to ascertain when the year commenced. On the 16th of Abib ripe ears of corn were to be offered as firstfruits of the harvest. (Lev. 2:14; 23:10, 11.) The reaping of the barley commenced the harvest (2 Sam. 21:9), the wheat following. (Ruth 2:23.) It is therefore necessary to find when the barley becomes ripe in Palestine. According to the observation of travelers, the barley is ripe, in the warmest parts of the country, in the first days of April. The barley harvest, then, commences about half a month after the vernal equinox, so that the year would begin at about that tropical point, were it not divided into lunar months. We may conclude that the nearest new moon about or after the equinox, but not much before, was chosen as the commencement of the year. The method of intercalation can only have been that which obtained after the Captivity—the addition of a thirteenth month whenever the twelfth ended too long before the equinox for the firstfruits of the harvest to be offered in the middle of the month following, and the similar offerings at the times appointed.’’ Extracts from Lindo: ‘‘The Jewish year is luni-solar, for although the months are lunar, our calculations being founded on the lunar cyele, every 19th year we come to the same date in the solar year. The cycle contains 235 lunations, which we divide into twelve years of 12 months, and seven (termed Embolismic) of 13 months, ‘‘The celebrated mathematician Meton of Athens, who flourished B. C. 432, which was in the reign of Zedekiah, a.m. 3328, made the same division of time, but by making every third year embolismic, the 18th and 19th were both of 13 months; by our arrangement the solar and lunar years are better equalized. Days Hrs. Min. See. 19 years, according to Rab Ada..... -- 6989 16 33 38% 235 lunar months.............0.005- 6939 16 33 3% ‘*The year is of three kinds, perfect, common and imperfect. The perfect has 355 days, and is when the months of Hesvan and Kislev have each 30 days. The common, 354 days, when Hesvan has 29 and Kislev 30. The imperfect, 353 days, when both have only 29. The embolismic year is formed by the introduction of an intercalary month, immediately after Adar, which is called Ve-adar, or Second Adar. The year then consists of 385, 384, or 383 days, according to the rule above. The reason of the introduction at that period is that the Passover may be kept in its proper season, which is the full moon of the vernal equinox, or after the sun has entered Aries; it is indifferent at what period of it the full moon happens, but it must be kept while the sun is in that sign. That a time was fixed for its observance is shown in Numbers 9:2, ‘Let the children of Israel also keep the Passover at its appointed season.’ ‘*That our months have always been lunar is shown by 1 Kings 6:38, ‘And the eleventh year in the month Bul, which is the eighth month,’ etc. By a reference to the Hebrew text it will be seen that the two words translated mouth are different, the first being derived from the word ‘moon,’ the latter from ‘innovation.’ Our months are the following:— Tisri .......e eae, 30 days Nisan ............ 30 days Hesvan ...... 29or30 days Yiar .............. 29 days Kislev ....... 29 or 30 days Sivan ............. 30 days Tebet ..........6.- 29 days Tamuz ............ 29 days Sebat ............- 30 days Ab ............... 30 days Adar ....c.ceeeaee 29 days HElul .............. 29 days ‘In the embolismie years, Adar has 30, and the intercalary month Ve-adar 29. ‘As a lunation from one conjunction to another, termed & synodical month, has 29:12:44:314, being 2914 days and about % hour, it could not be better arranged than by making [4127] one month 29 and the following 30 days. When a month has 30 days, the last day of the month and the following day are both kept as New Moon, on the principle that a holiday cannot be kept part of a day. The 30th day being half in the preceding month and half in the new moon, the whole day is made a holiday, and the following as a matter of course, from its being the first whole day of the new moon. That this rule was followed in ancient times, is to be seen in 1 Sam. 20:5, 27. “‘It will have been seen that by this arrangement there is yet a deficiency every month of 44 min., 344 sec., making nearly 9 hours in years of 12 months. To make up this deficiency one day is added to Hesvan every second or third year, by which that month then consists of 30 days. When Hesvan has 30 days, Kislev invariably has the same. Without Hesvan having 30 days, Kislev is sometimes made 30, which is done to prevent Passover happening on Monday, Wednesday or Friday, for as that festival regulates all the other holidays, it is arranged that none may fall on days on which they could not be properly observed. On the same day of the week as the 1st day of Passover are the fasts of Tamuz and Ab. 2nd day of Passover is the first day of Sebuot and Hosana Raba. 3rd day of Passover is the first day of New Year and Tabernacle. 4th day of Passover is the Rejoicing of the Law. 5th day of Passover is the Kippur, the day of Atonement. ‘*Consequently, were the first day on Monday, Purim would be on Saturday and Kippur on Friday, days on which neither could be observed. If it were on Wednesday, Kippur would be on Sunday, on which it could not be kept; the reason is that as Kippur has the same strict ordinances as Sabbath, it cannot precede or follow the Sabbath. If it were on Friday, Hosana Raba would be on Saturday, a day on which the ceremonies of it could not be observed. By the above regulation, it will be seen that Rosh Ashana can never fall on Sunday, Wednesday or Friday. ‘«Phis holiday is to be observed on the day of the conjunction, with the following exceptions:— ‘*1. If the conjunction takes place on Sunday, Wednesday or Friday, the holiday is to be kept on the following day, as in 5604. *¢2, If the conjunction should happen after noon, the following day is to be observed, and if that should happen to be Sunday, Wednesday or Friday, the next is to be kept, as in 5601. **3, If the conjunction takes place in an ordinary year on Tuesday, on or after 9h., 1lm., 20s. A.M., it is not to be observed thereon, and as it may not be kept on Wednesday, it will be observed on Thursday, as in 5616. An objection may be made to this, as New Year should be observed on the day of conjunction, but were it to be so kept, the preceding month of Elul would only be of 27 or 28 days, and a month can never be less than 29. *¢4, The conjunction being on Monday, on or after 3:30:52 P.M., in a year immediately following an embolismie, the holiday is to be kept on Tuesday, as in 5617. This occurs but seldom. “Our embolismie years are Nos. 3, 6, 8, 11, 14, 17, 19 of each cycle. ‘Although the Gregorian calculations have been made with great nicety they are still imperfect, and other alterations must take place in future ages. As a proof the Council of Nice ordered that Easter should not be kept on the same day as the first day of Passover, in order that there might be no appearance of Judaism in it; ‘Ne videantur Judaizare,’ to prevent which they ordered its observance on the Sunday after the full moon, Passover being always kept on the day of the full moon; and yet in 1825 both were kept on the same ? day. s 8 From the foregoing it will be seen that, with every endeavor to reach exactly the date specified in their Law for the Passover, the Jews have difficulty, and often there is of necessity a choice between two days equally appropriate. However, they follow the guidance of their leaders in this matter and have a uniformity of celebration, instead of each one trying to fix the date and celebrating according to his personal knowledge, convenience or preference. And this measure of subserviency to leaders was endorsed by our Lord, who said, ‘‘ The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat; whatsoever therefore they bid you observe, that observe and do.’’ (Matt. 23:3.) (35-36)
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