The 13-month controversy, and the calculation for the 1st moon

     This article concerns interpretation, not rebellion or condemnation.   About every third year, we encounter some level of disagreement within Yahusha's body (Covenant people, Israel) over the necessary adjustment of the number of moons for that year  -- and the recent year of 2005 CE was one of those years.   The “intercalating” (adding) of an extra month is sometimes needed to keep the seasons balanced with the months, so about 7 out of every 19 years needs to have 13 months.  The last sitting Sanhedrin set up the standardized method for the calendar, so the only authority to overrule this would be the entire Body of Mashiach.   The added moon (13th month) has to be done sometime, so why not just acknowledge it and do it in unity?   Otherwise, we'll each be doing whatever is right in our OWN eyes, and observing the moedim (appointed High Sabbaths) at diverse times from one another.   As you may know, there are divisions over this, concerning the sighting of the barley in Israel.    A small quantity of some species of uncultivated barley is often noticeable, and some of this becomes almost ripe BEFORE winter ends, however the harvest of cultivated barley is certainly not ready.  It is still winter when some proclaim the discovery of ripening wild barley.    The equinox (Hebrew, tekufah, #8622, meaning circuit) is used in the calculation of the arrival of springtime; this is simply because we use a lunar/solar calendar (not strictly a lunar one as the Islamic world does).   Permit me to point out how Scripture describes the "year", and how Ex. 12:2 tells us that the arrival of the "first moon" of the year is in the SPRING/SUMMER cycle, not the fall/winter.   Also, the barley doesn't determine when to watch for anything;   we are simply told to bring a sheaf of the harvest (the cultivated crop planted) to the priest  (SEE LEV. 23:10)  --  and the whole crop is ready to be harvested, not just a patch of barley that is ripening that you had to go out and hunt down   (the barley taken to the priest is a cultivated crop of barley, not some wild growth blundered into --  it's "harvested").   If each one of us privately interprets how and when to do things  -- as it seems some do  -- people are going to be very divided.   That's why we must search out the TRUTH of every matter carefully  --  and it's not hard to do.

Important to note:  the BODY OF MASHIACH is to be our critic.   For example, the majority of Karaites are not currently believers in Yahusha.   So, let no one outside the body of Mashiach judge you in new moons, Sabbaths, food, drink, or a festival, BUT the body of Messiah.  (Col. 2:16).   The Karaites may set the appointments differently than some Natsarim, and we all work out the setting of the moed'im as well as we can possibly do it.   Some started out this year while it was still winter  -  seemingly ignoring the fact that the sun determines the days and YEARS for us, and unless Earth crosses the point of the spring equinox, it's still winter.   If Scripture says to look for the "GREEN EARS", and then to watch for the next new moon, my only question is, WHERE does it say this?  Seeing it spelled-out in Scripture will easily convince everyone of how to do things properly.   I'm sure that none of us, on either side of this issue, are being willfully rebellious in the least. 

ABIB  -  SPRING :   THE FIRST MOON OF THE YEAR  (SPRING, EX. 12:2)

     "Abib" means ear, or grain, but not a green ear.   The sun, moon, and stars are all used together for days, years, signs, and moedim (called "seasons", or appointments).   Torah doesn't come out and actually say "equinox", but uses the word tekufah (CIRCUIT); this is because the SUN (and Earth's rotation, tilt, & orbit around it) determines days and years.   It's not spring until the equinox arrives.   If we begin before the equinox, then our feast in the fall will begin at the end of summer, dragging everything earlier by a month.  While other places on Earth may have more pronounced seasonal variations producing 4 distinct seasons, the land of Israel has mainly 2:  summer & winter.   Both begin with a marked increase in rain, giving us the "early" and "latter" rains (Dt. 11:14).    So, first we are to look for the arrival of the spring and its obvious "early rains", then watch for the ripening of the barley grains  -- the WHOLE crop  --  and when we harvest this crop, the "first-fruits" of this harvest are to be taken before the High Priest, Who now is Yahusha, for Him to wave it before YHWH.   So, "ABIB" would pertain to the ripe grain, harvested and taken from the planted crops to be waved by the High Priest.  The barley plays no role presently, because there is no operating priesthood conducting any of the waving of the first-fruits aspects of the instructions in Torah;    we Natsarim know that Yahusha fulfilled this first fruits offering when He resurrected and presented Himself before YHWH.   Yahusha is the sheaf, and He ascended to wave Himself on the day of His Resurrection  -  and it was NOT Abib 16 (the first High Sabbath of Matsah).  He performed this wave sheaf/omer during the feast of Matsah, on the day after the weekly Sabbath, as prescribed at Lev. 23.  There has been a change in the priesthood - see Hebrews 8.  Without an operational Temple with priests performing daily duties, and a high priest to physically satisfy the prescribed offerings, it becomes difficult to take a Nazirite vow, or bring barley, or do anything but seek out the lost sheep -- which is our duty now as priests according to the order of Melckizedek.   If anyone tells you they waved barley or took a Nazirite vow, ask them where they are hiding their time machine!   Only the High Priest is to wave the sheaf, and that's Yahusha (He's both the sheaf and the High Priest).   So, the unbelieving Karaites don't agree with us on every point.   Ultimately, it's not BARLEY, but it's Yahusha they should have been watching for.   The barley was a metaphor or allegory which pointed to Yahusha, and His resurrection.   Now, when we see the full barley crop ready to be harvested, we can better appreciate what Torah was pointing at.   Yahusha is the first harvest, and we His qodeshim (saints) are part of a group of the first-fruits;  the larger wheat harvest in the fall are those who respond to our planting and watering work.   See?  It's all about "shadows" of meaning -- we need to be more concerned about the meaning behind the actual grains growing in the ground.   Many Messianics (Natsarim) have been taught that we are to watch for "green ears", then watch for the next new moon;  but this is not what is to be done according to Scripture.  It's a delusion intended to deceive, and has succeeded marvelously.  We not told to look for anything "green", but rather to reap the first-fruits of the crop  -  a ripened crop in the head.  Yahusha is the wave-sheaf Himself, and His resurrection is pictured in the reaping of the first OMER of barley, and He waved HIMSELF before Yahuah on the first day of the week, long ago.

     As Rob Miller explained it so well,  "Since the discrepancy between the solar and lunar years amounts to 207 days every 19 years, the "leap month" of Adar Sheni is added to the third, sixth, eight, eleventh, fourteenth, seventeenth and nineteenth year of every nineteen year period, that is, seven times in a 19-year lunar cycle."   In other words, 7 years out of every 19 years must have 13 months   --   so the last sitting Sanhedrin ordained that a month is to be added, or "intercalated", making those years have an ADAR I and an ADAR II.   A month is added (making 13 moons) in 7 out of every 19 years.   The WHOLE barley harvest must be ready to harvest, and ready to reap:  "When you come into the land which I give you, and shall reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest to the priest." Lev. 23:10.   The barley plays an important part, but it still is the "finger" pointing to Yahusha, our true "first-fruits offering", Who offered Himself to the Father.   To keep looking at the finger (barley) is a very foolish thing to do  -- it signifies the Mashiach, who "waved" (was dead, then came back to life) before the Father, Yahuah.  The morning after His resurrection, Yahusha would not allow Miryam of Migdal to touch Him, because He had not yet ascended to present Himself as the first-fruits wave offering.   Later that same day, He appeared to His talmidim and allowed them to touch Him. 

   The first High Sabbath of the year is the "full moon" of Yahuah's first month, and is exactly the 15th of the moon.   If you begin your "count" from the sighting of the sliver moon at sunset to begin the first day of the moon, instead of sighting the sliver just before the sunrise and waiting a day, your High Sabbath (feast) will more than likely be one day later, so the moon will not be exactly "full" when you count to the 15th, and observe your first day of Matsah.   The orthodox use the conjunction (dark moon), not the sliver sighting.   Many believe two witnesses must go out and "see" the new moon, and report it to the elders.   Sorry, there's no Scripture on that, only Talmudic sources (human tradition).   Always check to see if the moon is FULL on your feast, since it states at Ps. 81:3:  "Blow the ram's horn at the time of the new moon, at the full moon, on our festival day."   So, the evidence is strongly leaning toward the 15th being the full moon, testing whether your starting point is correct.   It doesn't say "the day after the full moon, on our festival day",  so the moon can definitely clue us into whether we're on time.   This is being mentioned in kindness, not to be severe or judgmental at all.   All we can do is our best, and where we all fall short of perfection, Yahusha can take care of --  He knows we can be "wrong", but not in rebellion.   We still love all those who observe with a different understanding — the moed'im are “shadows” . . . our family of believers, — and the love between us all — is our biggest test of faithfulness.   That love for one another is the how the world will know we are Yahusha's talmidim.

TEQUFAH  (Hebrew for "circuit")

In the Scriptures, there are only TWO SEASONS:  summer and winter.  Western cultures have made things more complex, dividing the 52 weeks of the year into four groups of 13 weeks each.  If we simply realized that the EQUATOR and the sun's position relative to it was all that mattered, then we can better interpret the meaning of the Scriptures.  When the sun reaches the equator, the length of the night and day become "equal", so we express this with the word Latin word, "equinox", meaning "equal night".   This occurrence is known as a "tequfah" (Hebrew), the point at which a "circuit" comes to a close.  When winter ends for the northern hemisphere, it is because the sun is directly over the equator.  There are 26 weeks of summer (what we would call spring + summer), and 26 weeks of winter (what we would call fall + winter).

The "equinox" actually spans several days  -  the sun is directly over the Earth's equator for a period of days.  It is not a precise moment, but is 

blurred over a period of several DAYS before and after a "center-point".

To be truly accurate, we need to make sure our data is based on the arrival of the equinox and

the new moon from the proper frame of reference:  Yerushalyim, and realize that whatever "center-point" for the equinox we may determine, the "equinox" spans several days before AND after that event.

If we use the data posted for New York or Hong Kong, we could be 12 hours off our "center-point".  

"Equinox" means "equal night"

 

The U.S. Naval Observatory explains what we call the March and September equinoxes:

"Day and night are not exactly of equal length at the time of the March and September equinoxes.

The dates on which day and night are each 12 hours occur a few days before and after the equinoxes.

The specific dates of this occurrence are different for different latitudes.  (note the word "dates" for this occurrence).

On the day of an equinox, the geometric center of the Sun's disk crosses the equator, and this point is above the horizon for 12 hours everywhere on the Earth.  However, the Sun is not simply a geometric point.  Sunrise is defined as the instant when the leading edge of the Sun's disk becomes visible on the horizon, whereas sunset is the instant when the trailing edge of the disk disappears below the horizon. These are the moments of first and last direct sunlight. At these times the center of the disk is below the horizon. Furthermore, atmospheric refraction causes the Sun's disk to appear higher in the sky than it would if the Earth had no atmosphere. Thus, in the morning the upper edge of the disk is visible for several minutes before the geometric edge of the disk reaches the horizon.  Similarly, in the evening the upper edge of the disk disappears several minutes after the geometric disk has passed below the horizon.  The times of sunrise and sunset in almanacs are calculated for the normal atmospheric refraction of 34 minutes of arc and a semidiameter of 16 minutes of arc for the disk. Therefore, at the tabulated time the geometric center of the Sun is actually 50 minutes of arc below a regular and unobstructed horizon for an observer on the surface of the Earth in a level region.

For observers within a couple of degrees of the equator, the period from sunrise to sunset is always several minutes longer than the night. At higher latitudes in the northern hemisphere, the date of equal day and night occurs before the March equinox.  Daytime continues to be longer than nighttime until after the September equinox.  In the southern hemisphere, the dates of equal day and night occur before the September equinox and after the March equinox."

At the equinoxes, Earth's tilt places the sun directly above the equator.  The equinox spans several days, as this statement correctly expresses it: 

"The dates on which day and night are each 12 hours occur a few days before and after the equinoxes."  (U.S. Naval Observatory quoted above).

 The Naval Observatory concedes that the equinox is really spread over a period of days, and our position on the Earth causes geometric variables in observed data.  There is some "approximating" going on with whatever set of data one goes on, however if everyone separately analyzes what appears right to them, as we see commonly done anyway, some will be right and the others wrong.  

 

Voy Wilks of the Assembly of Yahweh (Cisco, TX) has this to say about the equinox topic:

Equinox  -  A tekufah 

(parenthesis are corrections made by Lew White.  Voy had expressed that there were four seasons, not two)

The equinox occurs because of the (apparent) action of the sun. The earth, which is tilted 23.5 degrees, circles the sun, creating our (two) seasons (spring/summer, fall/winter). The equinox occurs when the sun "crosses" the equator. The Hebrew word is tekufah, and refers to the equinoxes.

Tekufot (plural) means "seasons;" literally, "circuit, to go round." The (two) seasons in the year are called tekufot. More accurately, tekufot is the beginning of the (two) seasons. ... tekufah stands for the true, not the mean, equinox.

	The first tekufah of Nisan denotes the sun at the vernal equinox.
	The second tekufah denotes the fall equinox. .

Tekufah appears in the Scriptures four times, and relates to the calendar at least three times.

"And it came to pass at the end [tekufah] of the year, that the Syrians came up against him: .." (2Chr. 24:23).

This refers to the end and, therefore, the beginning of another year, demarcated by the spring equinox and the new moon.

"And you shall observe the feast of weeks, even the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the years end [tekufah]"  (Ex. 34:22).

This refers to the fall equinox, the end of the summer growing season.

"In them [the heavens] he has set a tent for the sun, which comes forth like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and like a strong man runs it's course with joy. It's rising is from the end of the heavens and it's circuit [tekufah] to the end of them, and there is nothing hid from it's heat." (Ps. 19:4,5 RSV).

This speaks of the sun's daily course, or it's yearly circuit through the equinoxes

"And it came to pass, when the time was come [tekufah] about, that Hannah conceived, and bore a son; ..." (1Sam. 1:20).

     This may indirectly allude to the calendar year. In any case, the above Scriptures indicate that the saints of old understood the equinox and it's place in the calendar.  (end of Voy Wilks quote)

YAHUAH’S REDEMPTION PLAN FOR HIS WIFE, ISRAEL

THE SEVEN ANNUAL SABBATHS

Moed’im: This Hebrew word means “appointed times”.  Many of them are “festivals” or feasts, and commemorate or “shadow” how Mashiach Yahusha redeems His wife, Israel. 

They are given at Lev. 23, and again at Dt. 16. 

HERE IS A BETTER TRANSLATION OF A FAMILIAR TEXT THAT APPLIES TO THIS SUBJECT:

"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a festival, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days which are a shadow of things to come for the body of Mashiach."  Col 2:16-17

 

THE SEVEN ANNUAL SABBATHS

YAHUAH’S REDEMPTION PLAN FOR HIS WIFE, ISRAEL

 

The first moon is called ABIB 

(This means grain, and is referring to the moon when barley ripens for the first-fruits harvest)

1st day of the new year begins:   For more info on the equinox, click here:  TEQUFAH

MOEDIM (APPOINTED TIMES)  Set according to the first new moon of the year, in the spring for the northern hemisphere (winter must be over in the northern hemisphere for the appearance of this 1st day of the new moon, so the first moon will be at or after the spring “equinox”, when the Earth-orbit reaches the point where the sun is directly over the equator).  The 7 annual MOEDIM consist of very special days through the year, and each is a “shadow” of the redemption plan for Israel.   Yahusha's redemption of Israel cannot be understood without them (see Lev. 23, Dt. 16).

(NOTE:  the “Gregorian” calendar ignores the real moon entirely, and is strictly “solar”.  The Hebrew calendar is lunar/solar.  The “year” begins with the first new moon in the spring in the northern hemisphere, and this applies to the whole Earth  -  Ex. 12:2.  It is the beginning of moons, so the festivals are all established by the first moon.  To properly understand the Hebrew calendar, remember that each day begins at sunset, not midnight as the Roman paradigm).

The whole 7-day festival of Unleavened Bread (Matsah) is often called "Pesach", or Passover.

Moed’im: This Hebrew word means “appointed times”.  Many of them are “festivals” or feasts, and commemorate or “shadow” how Mashiach Yahusha redeems His wife, Israel. 

They are given at Lev. 23, and again at Dt. 16. 

HERE IS A BETTER TRANSLATION OF A FAMILIAR TEXT THAT APPLIES TO THIS SUBJECT:

"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a festival, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days which are a shadow of things to come for the body of Mashiach."  Col 2:16-17

 

Moed’im: This Hebrew word means “appointed times”.  Many of them are “festivals” or feasts, and commemorate or “shadow” how Mashiach Yahusha redeems His wife, Israel.  THE SHADOWS PICTURE  REDEMPTION.

They are given at Lev. 23, and again at Dt. 16.

MANY BEGIN THE MOON AT THE SIGHTING OF THE CRESCENT, HOWEVER THIS IS AN ISLAMIC PRACTICE.  THE TRUE RENEWED MOON IS DARK AND CANNOT BE SEEN IN THE BRILLIANCE OF THE SUN.  THE FIRST DAY IS “BUILDS” FROM THE ZERO-POINT, WHEN THE MOON IS CENTERED BETWEEN THE EARTH & SUN.  IF YOU DON’T BEGIN AT “ZERO”, THE MOON WILL BE WANING ON YOUR COUNT TO THE FEASTS, WHICH OCCUR ON THE 15TH DAY OF THE 1ST AND 7TH MOONS.

"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a festival, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days which are a shadow of things to come for the body of Mashiach."  Col 2:16-17

 

2010 APPOINTED TIMES:

ABIB  (ripe grain harvest) 1st moon of year

Sunset Mar 15 through sunset Mar 16 

This is not a day of rest, but only the 1st day of the 1st moon, in SPRING of the new year. it’s past the equinox, and not in winter.

 

PESACH  -  Memorial of Yahusha’s death(Passover Lamb) 14th day at evening of 1st moon: Sunset March 28.  MAR 29 IS A PREPARATION DAY FOR THE ANNUAL SABBATH (ON THE 15TH DAY) OF THE FIRST MOON.

Yahusha was impaled during the “day” part of the 14th of the first moon, but He observed Pesach with His talmidim the evening before, at the arrival of the 14th.

 

Matsah (Unleavened Bread)   (REST DAY ON 1ST & 7TH DAY)  

THIS SHADOW-PICTURE DEPICTS CLEANING OUT THE “LEAVEN” FROM OUR HEARTS, PREPARING US TO RECEIVE THE “GOOD SEED” OF TORAH, 50 DAYS LATER AT SHABUOTH.  COMMEMORATES ISRAEL BEING DELIVERED FROM EGYPTIAN SLAVERY AFTER JUDGMENT OF ALL FIRST-BORN MALES IN LAND.

15th day of 1st moon (full moon)

Sunset Mar 29 through sunset Mar 30 

For 7 days, all Israel is to abstain from leavened bread.  This applies to all believers.

 

The Wave-sheaf (omer, bundle) offering is traditionally thought of as being Abib 16, however Yahusha IS the omer, and ascended to perform this on the morrow after the weekly Sabbath.  The count to Shabuoth (7 x 7 complete weeks) is determined by getting this correct.  This offering, called the first-fruits, was fulfilled by Yahusha when He resurrected.  During the festival of Matsah (Unleavened Bread), the High Priest would “wave” the first-fruits of the barley harvest on the “morrow after the Sabbath”.  Yahusha became the “wave-sheaf” offering because the resurrection was the object, and the wave sheaf was the “shadow.”

 

7th day of Matsah:  21st day of 1st moon;

Sunset Apr 4 through sunset Apr 5  (REST DAY)  LAST DAY OF MATSAH COMMEMORATES THE PASSING THROUGH WATER OF ISRAEL (IMMERSION INTO MOSHEH), AND DROWNING OF THE ARMIES OF PHARAOH.

 

Shabuoth (Hebrew, “weeks”) 50th day  (REST DAY)

Sunset May 22 to sunset May 23, 2010

Calculated from the weekly Sabbath during Matsah, counting 7 Sabbaths to the morrow after the 7th Sabbath, being the 50th day.

THE YAHUDIM WRONGLY CALCULATE FROM ABIB 16 IN THEIR COUNT TO SHABUOTH, YET WE KNOW YAHUSHA WAS IN THE TOMB ON ABIB 16, AND WAS NOT YET RESURRECTED AS FIRST-FRUITS (WAVE SHEAF) ON THE 16 OF ABIB. 

Shabuoth commemorates the giving of Torah at Sinai, the wedding anniversary of Yahuah and Israel.  Torah means “instructions”.

The “Covenant” is a marriage.  TRADITIONALLY CALLED “PENTECOST”, GREEK FOR “COUNT 50”.  FULFILLED AS RECORDED AT ACTS 2, WHEN TORAH WAS WRITTEN ON HEARTS OF NATSARIM, RENEWING THE COVENANT, RESTORING ISRAEL TO YAHUAH THROUGH INDWELLING OF YAHUSHA’S SPIRIT.  IT IS NOT A “BIRTHDAY”, IT IS A WEDDING ANNIVERSARY.

 

Yom Teruah (REST DAY)  1st day of 7th moon:

Sunset Sept. 8 through sunset Sept 9

YOM TERUAH (DAY OF SHOUT) - WE HEAR A SHOFAR BLOWN, REMINDING US OF THE COMING DAY OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD WHEN THE VOICE OF A GREAT MESSENGER WILL “SHOUT” LIKE A TRUMPET—THE “LAST TRUMP”  - STILL UNFULLFILLED, A FORE-SHADOW OF THINGS TO COME.

 

Yom Kaphar (REST DAY)  10th day of 7th moon:

Sunset Sept. 17 through sunset Sept 18

YOM KAPHAR, DAY OF COVERING;  REMINDS US OF SCROLL OF LIFE, AND THE REDEMPTION OF THE LIVING FOLLOWING THE RAISING OF THE DEAD.  THE FIRST-FRUITS GROUP WHO ARE ALIVE WILL BE CHANGED IN THE WINK OF AN EYE, CLOTHED WITH IMMORTALITY.

 

Sukkoth (REST DAY):   15th day of 7th moon:

Sunset Sept. 22 through sunset Sept. 23

TENTS OR BOOTHS  -  REMINDS US OF ISRAEL LIVING IN TENTS 40 YEARS, BUT LOOKS FORWARD (SHADOW OF) THE WEDDING FEAST, AND RETURN OF YAHUSHA HA’MASHIACH ON THE DAY OF YAHUAH, FOLLOWING THE GREAT TRIBULATION AND JUDGMENT OF THE UNRIGHTEOUS.

 

Sukkoth Closing day of festival (REST DAY), "SIMCHAT TORAH" (JOY OF TORAH): 

22nd day of 7th moon: (Last Great Day)

Sunset Sept. 29 through sunset Sept. 30

 

Chanukah:  A 8-day national (secular) commemoration of deliverance from the Greek ruler Antiochus Epiphanes in 168 BCE, mentioned at “John” 10:22.  The Roman dates for Chanukah will be:

sunset Dec 1 through sunset Dec 8, 2010

 

Please confirm these dates with the actual moon!  The 15th of the real moon should be a FULL moon.  The best place to check the arrival of the full moon (the day of our feast, Ps. 81:3) is the U.S. Naval Observatory web site. The current appearance of the moon may be seen at this link:

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/idltemp/current_moon.html

NOTE:  If you use the "crescent sighting" for a new moon, then on your count to the 15th day, the moon will be one day PAST full.  The day of our feast is ON the full moon, so beginning your count correctly is of utmost importance.  If you can see the crescent moon at sunset, that means it's the END of the first day, not the beginning.

LUNAR  SABBATH  SYSTEM     Appointed times and the Sabbath

HEBREW CALENDARS:

MUGS, MENORAHS:

Ten Commandments Lithograph,  w/Los Lunas Stone:

The Hebrew calendar is lunar-solar;

not just lunar!