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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions

#7 - Why Does The Hebrew Calendar Need Periodic Adjustment ?

 

However, the problem which generates the requirement for adjusting the calendar is the astronomical fact that lunar cycles are out of sync with solar cycles. The calendar is adjusted because a solar year is 365 days long while a lunar year of 12 months is usually 354 days, 11 days shorter. In order to remain aligned with the solar year an extra month is added in certain years, this is a Hebrew leap year. (SEE: Table, at right.)

 

Every 19 years there are seven Hebrew leap years (the third, sixth, eighth, eleventh, fourteenth, seventeenth and nineteenth years). The 12th (last) Hebrew month is called Adar, but in a Hebrew leap year a 13th month is added called Adar Sheni (the second Adar).

 

The problem with strictly lunar calendars is that there are approximately 12.4 lunar months in every solar year, so a 12-month lunar calendar loses about 11 days every year and a 13-month lunar calendar gains about 19 days every year. The months on such a calendar "drift" relative to the solar year. On a 12 lunar month calendar, the month of Nisan, which is supposed to occur in the Spring, would occur 11 days earlier each year, eventually occurring in the Winter, the Fall, the Summer, and then the Spring again after about 33 years. To compensate for this drift, an extra month is occasionally added. The month of Nisan occurs 11 days earlier each year for two or three years, and then an extra month is added so that Nisan jumps backward 29 or 30 days on the calendar, balancing out the drift.


 

The current cycle of Hebrew / Jewish Leap-Years began in Jewish year 5758, the year that began on 1 Tishri, Rosh ha Shanah, October 2, 1997.

2000 --thru-- 2050:

Years CE
Year # In Cycle
Hebrew Year
2000
3rd
5760
2003
6th
5763
2005
8th
5765
2008
11th
5768
2011
14th
5771
2014
17th
5774
2016
19th
5776
2019
3rd
5779
2022
6th
5782
2024
8th
5784
2027
11th
5787
2030
14th
5790
2033
17th
5793
2035
19th
5795
2038
3rd
5798
2041
6th
5801
2043
8th
5803
2046
11th
5806
2049
14th
5809

Click Here - View The Current Hebrew Calendar

The Hebrew / Jewish calendar has the following months:

Hebrew In English Month
Number
Length
(Days)
Gregorian Equivalent
  Nisan 1 30 Mar/Apr
  Iyar 2 29 Apr/May
  Sivan 3 30 May/Jun
  Tammuz 4 29 Jun/Jul
  Av 5 30 Jul/Aug
  Elul 6 29 Aug/Sep
  Tishri 7 30 Sep/Oct
  Cheshvan 8 29/30 Oct/Nov
  Kislev 9 29/30 Nov/Dec
  Tevet 10 29 Dec/Jan
  Shevat 11 30 Jan/Feb
  Adar I (Leap years only) 12 (In a leap year) 30 Feb/Mar (In leap year)
  Adar (Called Adar II in leap years) 12 (#13 in a leap year) 29 Feb/Mar
(Mar/Apr in leap year)

 

 

The names of the months of the Jewish calendar were adopted during the times of Ezra / Nehemiah, after the return from the Babylonian exile. The names are actually Babylonian month names, brought back to Israel by the returning exiles. Note that the Bible refers to months by number almost all of the time, not by name.

 

In ancient times, this extra month was also added by direct observation: the Sanhedrin observed the conditions of the weather, the crops and the livestock, and if these were not sufficiently advanced to be considered "spring," then the Sanhedrin inserted an additional month into the calendar to make sure that Pesach (The Passover) would occur very early in the spring (The Passover is referred-to in Torah as "Chag ha-Aviv," the Festival of Spring!).

 

And this is what forces observant Hebrews to periodically adjust their calendar in order to remain in sync with the annual, solar-based, agricultural seasons. And, remaining in sync with the annual seasons is of utmost importance to observant Hebrews because their religious-based Feasts, Festivals, High Holy Days and Annual High Sabbaths are all determined, throughout the year, by exactly when the FIRST day of the FIRST month begins.


 

 

Click Here - View The Current Hebrew Calendar

 

In the Hebrew's first month, called Nisan (and also called Abib), falls
the Feast of Passover, at the beginning of the 14th day at sundown.

The spring wheat (barley) used in the offering MUST be ripe, not green and immature.

The High Priest will actually inspect the wheat (barley) while it is still in the fields
to insure that ONLY when the wheat (barley) is ripe, mature (Abib) and ready for harvest
is it gathered in small amounts for the God-ordained ceremony connected with the
religious feast / festival of Firstfruits.

This ceremonial, symbolic offering is
called the "Wave-Sheath Offering".


 

    And, for those who are interested...

  • Since Easter is capricious and occasionally occurs BEFORE The Passover...

  • No matter WHEN  Easter is celebrated, The Sunday FOLLOWING Passover is the
    same Sunday when one counts 50 days in order to determine the Sunday for Pentecost.

  • Christ Jesus was crucified on Passover; resurrected from the dead on the Feast of
    Firstfruits (the Sunday AFTER Passover); and the Holy Spirit descended upon the
    apostles, 50 days from THAT Sunday, on the Hebrew High Holy Day of Pentecost.

Click Here - View A Chart Of Easter, Passover and Pentecost Dates For Years 2000 -thru- 2050

Click Here - View The Current Hebrew Calendar

 

The wheat (barley) must be ABIB to be HOLY !

The Hebrew's calendar has to be periodically adjusted to accommodate
those specific requirements applicable to this situation.

In this case:
God's requirements!


 

 Sh'ma Yis'ra'eil Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad - Deu. 6:4 - CLICK HERE - Why Hebrews Refuse To Believe-In Christ Jesus








More Information About:

Rosh haShanah  |||  Yom Kippur  |||  Sukk'ot  |||  Shemini Atzeret  |||  Simchat Torah  |||  Hanukkah  |||  Purim  |||  Pesach

 

Prayers can be found in The Transliterated Siddur, a complete Shabbat liturgy
available online in English and transliterated Hebrew

The significance of Rosh Chodesh

Read The Talmud

 

Click Here - View A Chart Of Easter, Passover and Pentecost Dates
For Years 2000 -thru- 2050

Click Here - View The Current Hebrew Calendar




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