Jewish Calendar
Refers to the Northern Hemisphere.
the first day of the Hebrew Calendar corresponds to
Proleptic Julian: Monday, October 7, 3761 BCE
Two forms of calendar
1) one used prior to the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE
this requires a visual sighting of the moon to confirm whether a month has 29 or 30 days.
2) one developed from 70 CE until 1178 CE.
a rule-based lunisolar calendar, measuring lunar months & solar years.
repeats in a Metonic 19-year cycle of 235 lunar months
1 extra lunar month is added every 2 or 3 years
7 extra months every 19 years
365.2422 days = average Hebrew year length
leap years every 3rd, 6th, 8th, 11th, 14th, 17th & 19th year since the modern epoch.
14 patterns called keviyah (species) determined by the day of the week on which the New Year begins, and the year’s length.
353 or 383 = chaserah (deficient, incomplete) – Kislev = 29 days
354 or 384 = kesidrah (regular, in-order)
355 or 385 = shlemah (abundant, complete) – Cheshvan = 30 days
| Hebrew Month | Babylonian | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nisan, Nissan | Nisanu | 30 days |
| 2 | lyar | Ayaru | 29 days |
| 3 | Sivan | Simanu | 30 days |
| 4 | Tammuz | Du’uzu | 29 days |
| 5 | Av | Abu | 30 days |
| 6 | Elul | Ululu | 29 days |
| 7 | Tishrei | Tashritu | 30 days |
| 8 | Cheshvan | Arakhsamna | 29, 30 days |
| 9 | Kislev | Kislimu | 30, 29 days |
| 10 | Tevet | Tebetu | 29 days |
| 11 | Shevat | Shabatu | 30 days |
| 12 | Adar I* | Adaru | 30 days |
| 13 | Adar, Adar II | Adaru | 29 days |
*during leap years, Adar I counts as the extra month.
4 new years – although the year increases by 1 in Tishri at Rosh Hashana.
Nisan for civil purposes
Elul for agriculture
Tishri for religious purposes
Shevat for trees
