# 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Calendar/Hebrew Calendar

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​Hebrew Calendar.—In the construction of the Jewish calendar numerous details require attention. The calendar is dated from the Creation, which is considered to have taken place 3760 years and 3 months before the commencement of the Christian era. The year is luni-solar, and, according as it is ordinary or embolismic, consists of twelve or thirteen lunar months, each of which has 29 or 30 days. Thus the duration of the ordinary year is 354 days, and that of the embolismic is 384 days. In either case, it is sometimes made a day more, and sometimes a day less, in order that certain festivals may fall on proper days of the week for their due observance. The distribution of the embolismic years, in each cycle of 19 years, is determined according to the following rule:—
The number of the Hebrew year (Y) which has its commencement in a Gregorian year (x) is obtained by the addition of 3761 years; that is, Y = x + 3761. Divide the Hebrew year by 19; then the quotient is the number of the last completed cycle, and the remainder is the year of the current cycle. If the remainder be 3, 6, 8, 11, 14, 17 or 19 (0), the year is embolismic; if any other number, it is ordinary. Or, otherwise, if we find the remainder
R =(7Y + 1/19)$_r$
the year is embolismic when R < 7.
The calendar is constructed on the assumptions that the mean lunation is 29 days 12 hours 44 min. 31/3 sec., and that the year commences on, or immediately after, the new moon following the autumnal equinox. The mean solar year is also assumed to be 365 days 5 hours 55 min. 2525/57 sec., so that a cycle of nineteen of such years, containing 6939 days 16 hours 33 min. 31/3 sec., is the exact measure of 235 of the assumed lunations. The year 5606 was the first of a cycle, and the mean new moon, appertaining to the 1st of Tisri for that year, was 1845, October 1, 15 hours 42 min. 431/3 sec., as computed by Lindo, and adopting the civil mode of reckoning from the previous midnight. The times of all future new moons may consequently be deduced by successively adding 29 days 12 hours 44 min. 31/3 sec. to this date.
To compute the times of the new moons which determine the commencement of successive years, it must be observed that in passing from an ordinary year the new moon of the following year is deduced by subtracting the interval that twelve lunations fall short of the corresponding Gregorian year of 365 or 366 days; and that, in passing from an embolismic year, it is to be found by adding the excess of thirteen lunations over the Gregorian year. Thus to deduce the new moon of Tisri, for the year immediately following any given year (Y), when Y is
| $\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ | ordinary, subtract (10 11) days 15 hours 11 min. 20 sec., |
| $\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ | embolismic, add (18 17) days 21 hours 32 min. 431/2 sec. |
the second-mentioned number of days being used, in each case, whenever the following or new Gregorian year is bissextile.
Hence, knowing which of the years are embolismic, from their ordinal position in the cycle, according to the rule before stated, the times of the commencement of successive years may be thus carried on indefinitely without any difficulty. But some slight adjustments will occasionally be needed for the reasons before assigned, viz. to avoid certain festivals falling on incompatible days of the week. Whenever the computed conjunction falls on a Sunday, Wednesday or Friday, the new year is in such case to be fixed on the day after. It will also be requisite to attend to the following conditions:—
If the computed new moon be after 18 hours, the following day is to be taken, and if that happen to be Sunday, Wednesday or Friday, it must be further postponed one day. If, for an ordinary year, the new moon falls on a Tuesday, as late as 9 hours 11 min. 20 sec., it is not to be observed thereon; and as it may not be held on a Wednesday, it is in such case to be postponed to Thursday. If, for a year immediately following an embolismic year, the computed new moon is on Monday, as late as 15 hours 30 min. 52 sec., the new year is to be fixed on Tuesday.
After the dates of commencement of the successive Hebrew years are finally adjusted, conformably with the foregoing directions, an estimation of the consecutive intervals, by taking the differences, will show the duration and character of the years that respectively intervene. According to the number of days thus found to be comprised in the different years, the days of the several months are distributed as in Table VI.
The signs + and − are respectively annexed to Hesvan and Kislev to indicate that the former of these months may sometimes require to have one day more, and the latter sometimes one day less, than the number of days shown in the table—the result, in every case, being at once determined by the total number of days that the year may happen to contain. An ordinary year may comprise 353, 354 or 355 days; and an embolismic year 383, 384 or 385 days. In these cases respectively the year is said to be imperfect, common or perfect. The intercalary month, Veadar, is introduced in embolismic years in order that Passover, the 15th day of Nisan, may be kept at its proper season, which is the full moon of the vernal equinox, or that which takes place after the sun has entered the sign Aries. It always precedes the following new year by 163 days, or 23 weeks and 2 days; and Pentecost always precedes the new year by 113 days, or 16 weeks and 1 day.
The Gregorian epact being the age of the moon of Tebet at the beginning of the Gregorian year, it represents the day of Tebet which corresponds to January 1; and thus the approximate date of Tisri 1, the commencement of the Hebrew year, may be otherwise deduced by subtracting the epact from
| Sept. 24 | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ after an $\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ | ordinary | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$Hebrew year. |
| Oct. 24 | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ after an $\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ | embolismic | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$Hebrew year. |
​The result so obtained would in general be more accurate than the Jewish calculation, from which it may differ a day, as fractions of a day do not enter alike in these computations. Such difference may also in part be accounted for by the fact that the assumed duration of the solar year is 6 min. 3925/57 sec. in excess of the true astronomical value, which will cause the dates of commencement of future Jewish years, so calculated, to advance forward from the equinox a day in error in 216 years. The lunations are estimated with much greater precision.
The following table is extracted from Woolhouse’s Measures, Weights and Moneys of all Nations:—
Table VII.—Hebrew Years.
| 296 Cycle. Jewish Year Number of Days Commencement (1st of Tisri). 5606 354 Thur. 2 Oct. 1845 07 355 Mon. 21 Sept. 1846 08 383 Sat. 11 Sept. 1847 09 354 Thur. 28 Sept. 1848 10 355 Mon. 17 Sept. 1849 11 385 Sat. 7 Sept. 1850 12 353 Sat. 27 Sept. 1851 13 384 Tues. 14 Sept. 1852 14 355 Mon. 3 Oct. 1853 15 355 Sat. 23 Sept. 1854 16 383 Thur. 13 Sept. 1855 17 354 Tues. 30 Sept. 1856 18 355 Sat. 19 Sept. 1857 19 385 Thur. 9 Sept. 1858 20 354 Thur. 29 Sept. 1859 21 353 Mon. 17 Sept. 1860 22 385 Thur. 5 Sept. 1861 23 354 Thur. 25 Sept. 1862 24 383 Mon. 14 Sept. 1863 297 Cycle. 5625 355 Sat. 1 Oct. 1864 26 354 Thur. 21 Sept. 1865 27 385 Mon. 10 Sept. 1866 28 353 Mon. 30 Sept. 1867 29 354 Thur. 17 Sept. 1868 30 385 Mon. 6 Sept. 1869 31 355 Mon. 26 Sept. 1870 32 383 Sat. 16 Sept. 1871 33 354 Thur. 3 Oct. 1872 34 355 Mon. 22 Sept. 1873 35 383 Sat. 12 Sept. 1874 36 355 Thur. 30 Sept. 1875 37 354 Tues. 19 Sept. 1876 38 385 Sat. 8 Sept. 1877 39 355 Sat. 28 Sept. 1878 40 354 Thur. 18 Sept. 1879 41 383 Mon. 6 Sept. 1880 42 355 Sat. 24 Sept. 1881 43 383 Thur. 14 Sept. 1882 298 Cycle. 5644 354 Tues. 2 Oct. 1883 45 355 Sat. 20 Sept. 1884 46 385 Thur. 10 Sept. 1885 47 354 Thur. 30 Sept. 1886 48 353 Mon. 19 Sept. 1887 49 385 Thur. 6 Sept. 1888 50 354 Thur. 26 Sept. 1889 51 383 Mon. 15 Sept. 1890 52 355 Sat. 3 Oct. 1891 53 354 Thur. 22 Sept. 1892 54 385 Mon. 11 Sept. 1893 55 353 Mon. 1 Oct. 1894 56 355 Thur. 19 Sept. 1895 57 384 Tues. 8 Sept. 1896 58 355 Mon. 27 Sept. 1897 59 353 Sat. 17 Sept. 1898 60 384 Tues. 5 Sept. 1899 61 355 Mon. 24 Sept. 1900 62 383 Sat 14 Sept. 1901 299 Cycle. 5663 355 Thur. 2 Oct. 1902 64 354 Tues. 22 Sept. 1903 65 385 Sat. 10 Sept. 1904 66 355 Sat. 30 Sept. 1905 67 354 Thur. 20 Sept. 1906 68 383 Mon. 9 Sept. 1907 69 355 Sat. 26 Sept. 1908 70 383 Thur. 16 Sept. 1909 71 354 Tues. 4 Oct. 1910 72 355 Sat. 23 Sept. 1911 73 385 Thur. 12 Sept. 1912 74 354 Thur. 2 Oct. 1913 75 353 Mon. 21 Sept. 1914 76 385 Thur. 9 Sept. 1915 77 354 Thur. 28 Sept. 1916 78 355 Mon. 17 Sept. 1917 79 383 Sat. 7 Sept. 1918 80 354 Thur. 25 Sept. 1919 81 385 Mon. 13 Sept. 1920 | 300 Cycle. Jewish Year Number of Days Commencement (1st of Tisri). 5682 355 Mon. 3 Oct. 1921 83 353 Sat. 23 Sept. 1922 84 384 Tues. 11 Sept. 1923 85 355 Mon. 29 Sept. 1924 86 355 Sat. 19 Sept. 1925 87 383 Thur. 9 Sept. 1926 88 354 Tues. 27 Sept. 1927 89 385 Sat. 15 Sept. 1928 90 353 Sat. 5 Oct. 1929 91 354 Tues. 23 Sept. 1930 92 385 Sat. 12 Sept. 1931 93 355 Sat. 1 Oct. 1932 94 354 Thur. 21 Sept. 1933 95 383 Mon. 10 Sept. 1934 96 355 Sat. 28 Sept. 1935 97 354 Thur. 17 Sept. 1936 98 385 Mon. 6 Sept. 1937 99 353 Mon. 26 Sept. 1938 5700 385 Thur. 14 Sept. 1939 301 Cycle. 5701 354 Thur. 3 Oct. 1940 02 355 Mon. 22 Sept. 1941 03 383 Sat. 12 Sept. 1942 04 354 Thur. 30 Sept. 1943 05 355 Mon. 18 Sept. 1944 06 383 Sat. 8 Sept. 1945 07 354 Thur. 26 Sept. 1946 08 385 Mon. 15 Sept. 1947 09 355 Mon. 4 Oct. 1948 10 353 Sat. 24 Sept. 1949 11 384 Tues. 12 Sept. 1950 12 355 Mon. 1 Oct. 1951 13 355 Sat. 20 Sept. 1952 14 383 Thur. 10 Sept. 1953 15 354 Tues. 28 Sept. 1954 16 355 Sat. 17 Sept. 1955 17 385 Thur. 6 Sept. 1956 18 354 Thur. 26 Sept. 1957 19 383 Mon. 15 Sept. 1958 302 Cycle. 5720 355 Sat. 3 Oct. 1959 21 354 Thur. 22 Sept. 1960 22 383 Mon. 11 Sept. 1961 23 355 Sat. 29 Sept. 1962 24 354 Thur. 19 Sept. 1963 25 385 Mon. 7 Sept. 1964 26 353 Mon. 27 Sept. 1965 27 385 Thur. 15 Sept. 1966 28 354 Thur. 5 Oct. 1967 29 355 Mon. 23 Sept. 1968 30 383 Sat. 13 Sept. 1969 31 354 Thur. 1 Oct. 1970 32 355 Mon. 20 Sept. 1971 33 383 Sat. 9 Sept. 1972 34 355 Thur. 27 Sept. 1973 35 354 Tues. 17 Sept. 1974 36 385 Sat. 6 Sept. 1975 37 353 Sat. 25 Sept. 1976 38 384 Tues. 13 Sept. 1977 303 Cycle. 5739 355 Mon. 2 Oct. 1978 40 355 Sat. 22 Sept. 1979 41 383 Thur. 11 Sept. 1980 42 354 Tues. 29 Sept. 1981 43 355 Sat. 18 Sept. 1982 44 385 Thur. 8 Sept. 1983 45 354 Thur. 27 Sept. 1984 46 383 Mon. 16 Sept. 1985 47 355 Sat. 4 Oct. 1986 48 354 Thur. 24 Sept. 1987 49 383 Mon. 12 Sept. 1988 50 355 Sat. 30 Sept. 1989 51 354 Thur. 20 Sept. 1990 52 385 Mon. 9 Sept. 1991 53 353 Mon. 28 Sept. 1992 54 355 Thur. 16 Sept. 1993 55 384 Tues. 6 Sept. 1994 56 355 Mon. 25 Sept. 1995 57 383 Sat. 14 Sept. 1996 | 304 Cycle. Jewish Year Number of Days Commencement (1st of Tisri). 5758 354 Thur. 2 Oct. 1997 59 355 Mon. 21 Sept. 1998 60 385 Sat. 11 Sept. 1999 61 353 Sat. 30 Sept. 2000 62 354 Tues. 18 Sept. 2001 63 385 Sat. 7 Sept. 2002 64 355 Sat. 27 Sept. 2003 65 383 Thur. 16 Sept. 2004 66 354 Tues. 4 Oct. 2005 67 355 Sat. 23 Sept. 2006 68 383 Thur. 13 Sept. 2007 69 354 Tues. 30 Sept. 2008 70 355 Sat. 19 Sept. 2009 71 385 Thur. 8 Sept. 2010 72 354 Thur. 29 Sept. 2011 73 353 Mon. 17 Sept. 2012 74 385 Thur. 5 Sept. 2013 75 354 Thur. 25 Sept. 2014 76 385 Mon. 14 Sept. 2015 305 Cycle. 5777 353 Mon. 3 Oct. 2016 78 354 Thur. 21 Sept. 2017 79 385 Mon. 10 Sept. 2018 80 355 Mon. 30 Sept. 2019 81 353 Sat. 19 Sept. 2020 82 384 Tues. 7 Sept. 2021 83 355 Mon. 26 Sept. 2022 84 383 Sat. 16 Sept. 2023 85 355 Thur. 3 Oct. 2024 86 354 Tues. 23 Sept. 2025 87 385 Sat. 12 Sept. 2026 88 355 Sat. 2 Oct. 2027 89 354 Thur. 21 Sept. 2028 90 383 Mon. 10 Sept. 2029 91 355 Sat. 28 Sept. 2030 92 354 Thur. 18 Sept. 2031 93 383 Mon. 6 Sept. 2032 94 355 Sat. 24 Sept. 2033 95 385 Thur. 14 Sept. 2034 306 Cycle. 5796 354 Thur. 4 Oct. 2035 97 353 Mon. 22 Sept. 2036 98 385 Thur. 10 Sept. 2037 99 354 Thur. 30 Sept. 2038 5800 355 Mon. 19 Sept. 2039 01 383 Sat. 8 Sept. 2040 02 354 Thur. 26 Sept. 2041 03 385 Mon. 15 Sept. 2042 04 353 Mon. 5 Oct. 2043 05 355 Thur. 22 Sept. 2044 06 384 Tues. 12 Sept. 2045 07 355 Mon. 1 Oct. 2046 08 353 Sat. 21 Sept. 2047 09 384 Tues. 8 Sept. 2048 10 355 Mon. 27 Sept. 2049 11 355 Sat. 17 Sept. 2050 12 383 Thur. 7 Sept. 2051 13 354 Tues. 24 Sept. 2052 14 385 Sat. 13 Sept. 2053 307 Cycle. 5815 355 Sat. 3 Oct. 2054 16 354 Thur. 23 Sept. 2055 17 383 Mon. 11 Sept. 2056 18 355 Sat. 29 Sept. 2057 19 354 Thur. 19 Sept. 2058 20 383 Mon. 8 Sept. 2059 21 355 Sat. 25 Sept. 2060 22 385 Thur. 15 Sept. 2061 23 354 Thur. 5 Oct. 2062 24 353 Mon. 24 Sept. 2063 25 385 Thur. 11 Sept. 2064 26 354 Thur. 1 Oct. 2065 27 355 Mon. 20 Sept. 2066 28 383 Sat. 10 Sept. 2067 29 354 Thur. 27 Sept. 2068 30 355 Mon. 16 Sept. 2069 31 383 Sat. 6 Sept. 2070 32 355 Thur. 24 Sept. 2071 33 384 Tues. 13 Sept. 2072 |
Table X.—Principal Days of the Hebrew Calendar. :
| Tisri | 1, | New Year, Feast of Trumpets. | New Year, Feast of Trumpets. | New Year, Feast of Trumpets. |
| ” | 3, | Fast of Guedaliah. | Fast of Guedaliah. | Fast of Guedaliah. |
| ” | 10, | Fast of Expiation. | Fast of Expiation. | Fast of Expiation. |
| ” | 15, | Feast of Tabernacles. | Feast of Tabernacles. | Feast of Tabernacles. |
| ” | 21, | Last Day of the Festival. | Last Day of the Festival. | Last Day of the Festival. |
| ” | 22, | Feast of the 8th Day. | Feast of the 8th Day. | Feast of the 8th Day. |
| ” | 23, | Rejoicing of the Law. | Rejoicing of the Law. | Rejoicing of the Law. |
| Kislev | 25, | Dedication of the Temple. | Dedication of the Temple. | Dedication of the Temple. |
| Tebet | 10, | Fast, Siege of Jerusalem. | Fast, Siege of Jerusalem. | Fast, Siege of Jerusalem. |
| Adar | 13, | Fast of Esther, | $\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ | In embolismic |
| ” | 14, | Purim, | $\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ | years. Veadar. |
| Nisan | 15, | Passover. | Passover. | Passover. |
| Sivan | 6, | Pentecost. | Pentecost. | Pentecost. |
| Tamuz | 17, | Fast, Taking of Jerusalem. | Fast, Taking of Jerusalem. | Fast, Taking of Jerusalem. |
| Ab | 9, | Fast, Destruction of the Temple. | Fast, Destruction of the Temple. | Fast, Destruction of the Temple. |
* ↑ If Saturday, substitute Sunday immediately following.
* ↑ If Saturday, substitute Thursday immediately preceding.