“And G-d said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to separate the day from the night; and let them be for the signs and for the seasons and for the days and years.”
“Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November . . . “
The Gregorian Calendar was established by Pope Gregory the XIII in 1582 and was reckoned from the first day of January because it was felt there was a need for a historical and civil calendar. It was not accepted by most English speaking people until 1753. It is based on the fact that it takes 365.25 days to go around the sun. Each month has anywhere from 29 to 30 days and every fourth year we add a day to make up for the quarter revolution we would otherwise miss. This is the calendar used by most of the world for all secular matters.
The Ecclesiastical year starts with the first Sunday of Advent. This day is chosen by finding the feast of St. Andrew and then going to the nearest Sunday, either before or after that feast day. The feast of St. Andrew falls on the thirtieth of November. Easter is the only feast that is reckoned from both the sun and the moon (although Pentecost is reckoned from Easter). It is the first Sunday after the full moon, after the 21st of March. If the full moon happens on a Sunday then it’s next Sunday. There is even a rule you can use to find it if you were so inclined.
The Hebrew calendar is reckoned by both the sun and the moon. Each month has either 29 or 30 days. Because Passover must fall in the spring and Sukkoth in the Fall, the Sod Ha-ibar (secret of the calendar intercalculation) or a special calendar council created a leap month, much like the leap day that comes ever four years in February, only this month makes up a 11 day discrepancy. It falls every two to three years and has the name Adar II.
Before 359 CE the Sanhedrin figured out when each month or holiday happened and set news of a new month by building fires on the top of hills throughout the country to announce the new month. These bonfires traveled to as far as Babylon. They required witnesses to attest that they had seen the crescent of the new moon. If they agree with these witnesses they would set about proving it mathematically although these calculations are now lost.
Eventually they relayed the message by messenger instead of torches because the Samaritans would purposely try to confuse the issue by setting up their own bonfires. The Samaritans did this because they did not believe the authority of the Pharisees and wished to undermine it. In time, the Romans outlawed the practice as well, so they had to use messengers alone. When the Romans outlawed the practice all together Hillel II made the first published calendar. After this there was no need of the testimony of witnesses, messengers or the bonfires.
The Jewish calendar has twelve to thirteen months. Our calendar starts in Tishrei with Rosh Hashanah (which is actually the seventh month). Then we have Khevan, Kislev, Tevet, Shevat, Adar I (Adar II) Nisan (Passover and the first month), Iyar, Sivan, Tammuz, Av and Elul. Originally these months had no names but when our people came back from Babylon they gave the months names and their name means nothing more than their number. That is Nisan is 1, Iyar is 2, Sivan is 3 and so on. These are Babylonian numbers, not Hebrew.
Another point to mention is why some Jews celebrate the holidays for two days and others for only one. This tradition dates back to the time that when the messengers would come later than the first day. Because the first day was so uncertain they began to celebrate two days instead of one to make sure they got the right day. Now we have calendars so the uncertainty is not there but people still celebrate two days instead of one.
Have you ever noticed that the Jews define their days from dusk to dusk? This is based from Genesis 1.2-3, "The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of G-d was moving over the face of the waters. And G-d said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light." As we have read, there was first darkness then the light, therefore we define our days dusk to dusk.
The "day" is a conerstone of understanding the plans of our L-rd. In Genesis 2.1-2 , the L-rd G-d finished the heavens and the earth and on the seventh day He rested and He blessed the seventh day and hallowed it. Now if we jump to Exodus 20.8-11, we have G-d giving His commandment to the Israelites to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. For six days you shall labor and on the seventh you shall rest. How does all this reveal plans of the L-rd? Remember the phrase, "a thousand years is but a day to the L-rd". This tells us there will be six thousand years of life and after this there will one thousand years of intimacy with our L-rd (the Millenial Kingdom). That is what the Sabbath is all about- a break from our routine and time to spend as a family and in reflection upon our Creator (our intimacy). Also the studies of the rabbis as shown in the Talmud reveal more details- that there will be six thousand years of life; the first two thousand is sin and void; the next two thousand is the Law; and the third two thousand is the time of the Messiah.
The plans of the L-rd our G-d is shown through His days and calendar. If we truly desire to know the deep meaning (called the 'sod') of G-d's eternal plan for us and the events to happen, we need to watch the calendar set up by G-d Himself, not that of man.
Copyright @1998 
