Introduction to the Jewish Calendar

Since Biblical times, various astronomical phenomena have been used to establish uniquely Jewish definitions for the day and its hours, the months and the year.

The length of days and hours vary by the season, controlled by the times of sunset, nightfall, dawn and sunrise. The months and years of the Jewish calendar are established by the cycles of the moon and the sun.

Though the months follow the lunar cycle, the lunar months must always align themselves with the seasons of the year, which are governed by the sun. Thus, the Jewish calendar is "Luni-Solar." The discrepancy between the solar year (365 days) and the lunar year (354 days) was resolved by every so often adding a thirteenth month to the year, to form a "leap year."

In the early times of our history, the High Court (Sanhedrin) in Jerusalem was assigned the tasks of determining the beginning of each month and the balancing of the solar with the lunar years. They relied on direct observation of the New Moon, astronomical data, and other considerations.

In the fourth century after the Temple's destruction, however, when oppression and persecution threatened the continued existence of the Court, a fixed calendar was instituted -- based on the Sanhedrin's closely guarded secrets of calendric calculation. This is the permanent calendar according to which the New Moons and festivals are calculated and celebrated today by Jews all over the world.

Like the original system of observation, it is based on the Luni-Solar principle. It also applies certain rules by which complex astronomical calculations are combined with the religious requirements into an amazingly precise system.

The following pages will provide a brief digest of the factors which control the determination of the Jewish hour, day, month and year.