One will find that this year (2007) as with many years before it will not be without controversy concerning the beginning of the year. This article is not meant to disprove other reckonings of the new year rather it is just written to explain what I have found in Scripture concerning the beginning of the year. I pray that it is edifying to the body of messiah and that it would be something that you would be willing to share with brethren of like faith for a better understanding of this topic.
Why a 13th Month?
The secular calendar we know to be 12 months long every year without succession. The months of the secular calendar are 30 and 31 days with February as the exception with 28 days normally however adding a 29th day on leap years. The reason I mention this is because we are accustomed to a calendar that is strictly solar. One could say that the divisions of months are a reflection of where the calendar originated with the moon providing the divisions of the year.
The lunar cycle is almost exactly 29.5 days so as one could figure a 30 and 31 day month would be longer than the lunar cycle in most cases. In fact, the solar calendar is 365 days meaning that every four years a day is added to keep the calendar in sequence with the solar phases. A leap year is a year where the additional day is added. The Scriptural calendar is similar in that to keep the calendar in the correct agricultural season a month called an intercalary month is added.
The lunar cycle is approximately 354 days long when it is 12 months. The difference means that every 12 months there are 11 days less or 33 less every three 12 month periods in the lunar cycle. For this reason, almost every 3 years (2 in some cases) there is an additional month added called the 13th month. The determination of when to add a 13th month is not specifically spelled out in Scripture.
Scripture
Scripture even though not specific in this area does provide evidence concerning how the priests determined the start of the Scriptural year. Elohims creation in seven days provides the first example of Yahwehs calendar in Genesis 1:14. Note that Elohim sets lights in the sky to serve as signs to mark seasons, days, and years.
Gen 1:14 And Elohim said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16 Elohim made two great lights–the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 Elohim set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And Elohim saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening, and there was morning–the fourth day.
Signs in Hebrew is pronounced otot probably where we get the word oath in the English but it means an agreement and also a beacon likely a sign of our agreement. These lights in the heavens are a beacon for us to recognize when we are to observe our agreement with Yahweh and Messiah Yahshua. These observations cannot be taken lightly as we are sanctified before Yahweh in obedience. Seasons is a Hebrew word pronounced moedim which means a time or an appointment.
A note for this utilization of moedim; it is not equivalent to the English definition that equates to summer, fall, winter, and spring rather it would probably be better translated as appointed time. This understanding is clear in the definition and through the Scriptures that contain moedim. The Scripture in effect states that the beacons in the sky are given to determine the appointed times, days, and years.
We do not find instruction in Genesis 1:14 on how to practically use these beacons to determine appointed times, days, and years. We must utilize later Scripture that gives examples of how the priests determined the calendar. Exodus 12:2 is the next place in Scripture that explains a feast to be kept in the first month of the year. Exodus 12:2, This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year.
We find in Exodus 12:2 that Passover and Matzah are to be kept in the first month of the year. Additionally, we find in Exodus 13:4 the new moon of the first month is of Abib. Exodus 13:4, Today, in the month of Abib, you are leaving. The first month of the year is not necessary meant to be named Abib but Abib is important for the new moon. Literally, the Hebrew says, in new moon the Abib. Today we tend to call this month Abib or Nissan.
Abib
Abib is not used many times in Scripture, only eight times but each context helps us understand the meaning of Abib. The first use of Abib in Scripture is found in Exodus 9:31. The word headed in Exodus 9:31 provides a suggestion of the maturity of the barley because a plague of hail destroyed the barley and flax.
Exodus 9:31 The flax and barley were destroyed, since the barley had headed and the flax was in bloom. 32 The wheat and spelt, however, were not destroyed, because they ripen later.
The barley would have been mature enough to have pushed heads but not ripe enough to harvest. If it was ripe enough to be harvested, the grain could have been threshed without the crop being lost. This seems to indicate that the barley was in a stage of growth so that either the ears of grain or the stalk were damaged not allowing the grain to fully mature.
Additional evidence of the maturity can be found in the example of the omer offering given during the Feast of Matzah. The omer offering was the first offering of the new barley. The grain could not be harvested before the omer offering was given to Yahweh. Clarification of this can be found in Leviticus 23 and Deuteronomy 16.
Leviticus 23:10 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest. 11 He is to wave the omer before Yahweh so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath.
Leviticus 23:14 You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain, until the very day you bring this offering to your Elohim. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.
Deuteronomy 16:9 Count off seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain. 10 Then celebrate the Feast of Weeks to Yahweh your Elohim by giving a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings Yahweh your Elohim has given you.
The omer offering of new grain had to be mature enough to offer on the 16th of Abib. The omer offering is recorded to be parched grain, as Leviticus 2:14 specifies that the Abib is to be dried by fire. It is often pointed out that the growing season in Egypt and Israel differed but that difference appeared not to matter because the offering was tied to thankfulness of the blessings found in the fields.
Barley had to mature to the hard dough stage before it would have been acceptable for the omer offering. In the hard dough stage it could have been damaged on the stalks not allowing it to mature to harvest in Egypt. The remaining Scriptures concerning Abib are Exodus 23:15, 34:18 (twice), and Deuteronomy 16:1 (twice).
Methodology
There are in general a few different methodologies for determining the start of the year. These methodologies are based on the vernal equinox, constellations, and agriculture (Abib) either in combination or individually. The vernal equinox is not directly discussed in Scripture but comes from inference based on the sun specified as a sign in Genesis 1:14 for moedim, days, and years. Constellations similarly are not directly specified practically but a method is deduced from the specification for stars to be part of the determination of moedim, days, and years.
Finally, Abib is not specifically mentioned in Genesis but is found through example in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. The example of the Abib seems clear as a sign because it was required before the priest could make the omer offering and without the omer offering grain could not be harvested. Grain had to be harvested as quickly as possible once it was ripe meaning that Abib if picked too late could result in the loss of a crop.
Historically, a combination of the mentioned components seems to be what the Sanhedrin utilized during Yahshuas time. The Jewish Encyclopedia under the topic History of the Calendar, If the month of Nisan arrived and the sun was at such a distance from the vernal equinox that it could not reach it by the 16th of the month, then this month was not called Nisan, but Adar Sheni (second).
The Sanhedrin decided that three factors should be utilized to determine whether or not a 13th month is necessary with the principle factor being the Abib. (San. 11 and 13) The Romans put an end to the Sanhedrin by requiring a calendar be made based on calculations. Todays Jewish calendar reflects those calculations which can be traced back to Babylonian exile and the 19 year cycle that the Babylonians used during their empire.
Conclusion
The result is that I look for verification of the Abib from Jerusalem to be near the vernal equinox and consider that the 16th of Abib has to be after the vernal equinox. Near the end of the 12th month, Abib is determined by looking for the Abib barley in Israel. Reports come in from Brethren that accompany Nehemia Gordon in Israel. The presence of a significant amount of Abib barley is important as a primary sign of the first month of the year.
The vernal equinox is a secondary sign of the correct timing of Abib. In drought years, only the vernal equinox may be available and then it is the new moon closest to the vernal equinox. The determination of the new year is important because I want so dearly to please Yahweh and Messiah Yahshua. We ask Yahweh for mercy because we are working off the perceived calendar that had not been observed for more than 1800 years.
P.M. Anderson, E.A. Oelke, and S.R. Simmons. 1995. Growth and Development Guide for Spring Barley. University of Minnesota Agricultural Extension Folder AG-FO-2548
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/cropsystems/DC2548.html
Babylonian Talmud: Sanhedrin 11 and 13