The three bold-faced festival names are known as Shalosh Regalim, the three 'Pilgrim Festivals' (Exod. 23:14), that focus on key national events in Israel's history (i.e., the Exodus). These festivals mark the three times in the yearly liturgical cycle when all Jews are required to go up to Jerusalem to pray and sacrifice. Today, Jews mark these times with extended worship and prayer, study, distinctive prayer melodies, and festive meals.
The Jewish High Holidays run from the ten days from Rosh HaShanah to Yom Kippur and focus on individual repentance (teshuvah).
The date of Jewish holidays does not change from year to year. However, since the Jewish year is not the same length as the solar year on the Gregorian calendar, the date will appear to 'shift' when viewed from the perspective of the Gregorian calendar.
Four Jewish New Years
You might be surprised to discover that by the time the Mishnah was compiled (200 AD), the Jewish sages had identified four separate new-year dates for every lunar-solar year (the modern Jewish calendar was ratified by Hillel the Elder in the 3rd century AD):
- Nisan 1 (i.e., Rosh Chodashim) marks the start of the month of the Exodus from Egypt and the beginning of Jewish national history. As such, it represents the start of the Biblical year for counting the festivals (Exod. 12:2). Note that the month of Nisan is also called Aviv since it marks the official start of spring.
- Elul 1 marks the start of the year from the point of view of tithing cattle for Temple sacrifices. Since the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 AD, the rabbis decreed that this date should mark the time of Selichot, or preparation for repentance before Rosh Hashanah. Elul 1 marks the start of the last month of summer.
- Tishri 1 was originally associated with the agricultural 'Feast of Ingathering' at the 'end of the year' (Exod. 23:16, 34:22), though after the destruction of the Second Temple, the sages decided it would mark the start of the civil year in the fall. Tishri 1 was therefore called Rosh Hashanah ('the head of the year') which begins a ten-day 'trial' of humanity climaxing on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).
- Shevat 15 (i.e., Tu B'Shevat) originally marked the date for calculating the tithes of the harvest (ma'aserot) that farmers would pledge to the priests of Israel. This was the start of the year from the point of view of tithing of fruit trees. Today Tu B'Shevat represents a national Arbor Day in Israel, with tree planting ceremonies in Israel. Unlike the other three 'new years,' Tu B'Shevat begins in the middle of the month, during a full moon in winter.
Jewish Calendar Year
The Jewish calendar follows a pattern called the metonic cycle. In every 19-year cycle, 12 years are regular years, and 7 years are leap years. Unlike leap years on the Gregorian calendar, where we add 1 day every 4 years, the Jewish calendar adds one month in each of the leap years. Alina baraz urban flora flac. So a leap year has 13 months in it!
In practical terms, however, there are two 'New Years' in Jewish tradition. The first occurs two weeks before Passover (Nisan 1) and the second occurs ten days before Yom Kippur (the other two 'new years' are not regularly observed, except by the Ultra Orthodox). The first New Year is Biblical and is called Rosh Chodashim(seeExod. 12:2). This is the month of the redemption of the Jewish people -- and it is also the month in which Yeshua was sacrificed upon the cross at Moriah for our sins. Oddly enough for most Christians, 'New Years Day' should be really celebrated in the Spring..
The 'Dual Aspect' Calendar
In this connection, notice that the calendar is divided into two equal parts of exactly six lunar months each, both of which center on redemptive rituals and end with harvests. The first half of the divine calendar begins on Rosh Chodashim (i.e., Nisan 1; Exod. 12:2), which is followed by the instruction to select the Passover lamb on Nisan 10 (Exod. 12:3), slaughter it in the late afternoon of 14th (Exod. 12:6-7) and eat it on the 15th (Exod. 12:8). The Passover itself initiated the seven day period of unleavened bread (from Nisan 15-22), wherein no leaven was to be consumed (Exod. 12:15-20). On an agricultural level, Passover represents spring, the season of the firstfruit harvests (i.e., chag ha-katzir:חַג הַקָּצִיר), and so on. On the 'other side of the calendar,' Yom Teruah (or Rosh Hashanah) marks the start of the second half of the year (Exod. 23:16, Lev. 23:24), which is followed by the Yom Kippur sacrifice ten days later, on Tishri 10 (Lev. 23:27), followed by the weeklong festival of Sukkot ('Tabernacles') that occurs from Tishri 15-22 (Lev. 23:34-36). On an agricultural level, Sukkot represents the reaping of the the fall harvest (i.e., chag ha'asif:חַג הָאָסִף) at the 'end of the year' (Exod. 23:16). In other words, in some respects the fall holidays 'mirror' the spring holidays on the divine calendar, and indeed, both sides of the calendar represent different aspects of God's redemptive plan for the world. As I've written about elsewhere, the spring holidays represent the first advent of Yeshua (i.e., Yeshua as Suffering Servant, Lamb of God, Messiah ben Yosef), whereas the fall holidays represent His second advent (Yeshua as Conquering Lord, Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Messiah ben David).
Cycles of Time..
As mentioned above, instead of thinking of time as a linear sequence of events (i.e., the measurement of motion), Jewish thinking tends to regard it in terms of a spiral or 'helix,' with a forward progression delimited by an overarching (and divine) pattern that recurs cyclically throughout the weeks, months, and years of life. This can be seen in the Hebrew language itself. Some of the sages note that the Hebrew word for 'year' - shanah (שָׁנָה) - shares the same root as both the word 'repeat' (שָׁנָה) and the word 'change' (שִׁנָּה). In other words, the idea of the 'Jewish year' implies ongoing 'repetition' - mishnah (מִשְׁנָה) - or an enduring 'review' of the key prophetic events of redemptive history as they relived in our present experiences.. (The idea that the events of the fathers were 'parables' for us is expressed in the maxim: מַעֲשֵׂה אֲבוֹת סִימָן לַבָּנִים / ma'aseh avot siman labanim: 'The deeds of the fathers are signs for the children.') The Jewish year then repeats itself thematically, but it also changes from year to year as we progress closer to the coming Day of Redemption.. We see this very tension (i.e., constancy-change), for example, in the 'dual aspect' of the ministry of Yeshua our Messiah. In His first advent Yeshua came as our Suffering Servant and thereby fulfilled the latent meaning of the spring holidays, and in His second advent He will fulfill the latent meaning of the fall holidays. Nonetheless, we still commemorate both the 'type and its fulfillment' every year during Passover by extending the ritual of the Seder to express the reality of Yeshua as the world's 'Lamb of God,' just as we commemorate the fall holidays in expectation of His rule and reign as our King..
None of this is meant to suggest, by the way, that there isn't an 'end point' in the process - a Day in which we will be with God and enjoy His Presence forever.. The idea of the 'cycles' of time, or 'timeless patterns within time,' suggests, however, that the 'seed' for our eternal life with God has already been sown - and was indeed foreknown even from the Garden of Eden - despite the fact that we presently groan while awaiting the glory of heaven..
How to calculate the Jewish Year
The year number on the Jewish calendar represents the number of years since creation, calculated by adding up the ages of people in the Tanakh back to the time of creation. To calculate the Jewish Year from our Gregorian calendar, you subtract 1,240 and then add 5,000. For example, if the year is 2005, subtract 1,240 to get 765. Then add 5,000 to obtain the Jewish year of 5765. Note that this works only up to Rosh Hashanah of the current Gregoraian calendar: after Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) add one more year (e.g., 5766). For information about how to write the Hebrew year, click here.
How to determine Jewish Leap Years
A year is a Jewish 'leap year' if the number year mod 19 is one of the following: 0, 3, 6, 8, 11, 14, or 17. Use a scientific calculator with the mod function to determine the result. For example, 5771(mod)19 = 14, indicating that it is a leap year.
What is the true Jewish Year?
Some have said that the Jewish Year counts from creation but excludes the various years of the captivities, while Rabbinical tradition states there are about 165 'missing years' from the date of the destruction of the First Temple to the date of the destruction of the Second Temple. Others suggest that there are some missing years in the Hebrew calendar due to a corruption in the accounting of the years of the Persian monarchies, and that these years were consciously suppressed in order to disguise the fact that Daniel's prophecy of the 70 weeks pointed to Yeshua as the true Mashiach of Israel. In short, educated uncertainty exists regarding the exact year we are living in since the Creation of the Universe by God..
Jewish Calendar 2024
- The Hebrew lunar calendar (i.e., luach ha'yare'ach ha'ivri: לוח הירח העברי) is 'set' differently than the solar calendar. The day begins at sundown; the climactic day of the week is Shabbat - the seventh day of the week; the moon and its phases in the night sky are the timepiece for the months, and the seasons of the year are marked.
- History of the Jewish Calendar. Beginning of Night. Three Periods of History. The history of a Jewish Calendar is divided into three periods: the Biblical, the Talmudic, and the post Talmudic.
- Free Printable Jewish Calendar 2020 Template. Good Jewish 2020 Calendar Template will also include an explanation of all of the Jewish Holidays.As there are many people who are interested but do not attend Jewish church, these explanations allow for anyone to be able to pay respects as needed without requiring the background that many Jews already have.
- The Hebrew lunar calendar (i.e., luach ha'yare'ach ha'ivri: לוח הירח העברי) is 'set' differently than the solar calendar. The day begins at sundown; the climactic day of the week is Shabbat - the seventh day of the week; the moon and its phases in the night sky are the timepiece for the months, and the seasons of the year are marked.
- History of the Jewish Calendar. Beginning of Night. Three Periods of History. The history of a Jewish Calendar is divided into three periods: the Biblical, the Talmudic, and the post Talmudic.
- Free Printable Jewish Calendar 2020 Template. Good Jewish 2020 Calendar Template will also include an explanation of all of the Jewish Holidays.As there are many people who are interested but do not attend Jewish church, these explanations allow for anyone to be able to pay respects as needed without requiring the background that many Jews already have.
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