The Biblical New Moon: A Great Light Ruling the Night and the Calendar of Seasons

In Genesis 1:14-19, God not only brings forth the sun and the moon but also establishes a natural calendar. The biblical new moon serves as a powerful light that rules the night, alongside the sun governing the day. This article delves into the significance of the new moon in the biblical calendar and its role in marking the beginning of seasons and years.

The Significance of the New Moon in the Bible

The new moon is explicitly mentioned in several biblical verses. For instance, in Exodus 12:2 and Numbers 10:10, the new moon plays a crucial role in the religious and festive practices of the Jewish people. Similarly, in Psalms 81:3 (King James Version), God instructs to blow the trumpets on the new moon and during the appointed feasts. These biblical verses form the foundation of a natural calendar based on the sighting of the new moon.

The Natural Calendar and the Seasons

The biblical natural calendar starts with the spring, marking the vernal equinox when the sun rises exactly in the East. This phenomenon repeats at the autumnal equinox. The months begin with the sighting of the new moon, observed by two or more reliable witnesses. This sighting occurs a day or so after the dark moon, when the moon sets shortly after the sun. In Jerusalem, this period is about 45 minutes to one and a half hours after sunset, during which the lower limb of the moon shows a sliver of illumination, known as the first visibility of the new moon.

While the new moon often does not coincide with the vernal equinox, it can be later by a few days without causing issues. However, the challenge lies in the fact that there are 29 or 30 days between new moons, amounting to 2953 days. Meanwhile, the time between two vernal equinoxes is 365.242 days. Dividing this by 2953, we get approximately 123.685 months, or roughly 12 months with 11 days added. Without intervention, the calendar would eventually drift out of alignment with the seasons. A sophisticated 19-year cycle was devised to resolve this, ensuring that the calendar always aligns with the seasons and Passover remains in spring.

Additional Considerations: Sabbath and Sabbath Years

The new moon also plays a significant role in determining the Sabbath days and festivals. In the early New Testament times, the Pharisees had established numerous rules surrounding the Sabbath, such as the prohibition against even kicking a stone that left a slight furrow or preparing food. However, another challenge emerged during the tenth day of the seventh month, when the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, could fall on a Friday or Sunday, causing a conflict with the Sabbath.

To address this issue, Hillel II established a calculated calendar in 385 AD. This calendar, based on the 19-year cycle, added a 13th month (a leap month) every 19 years to keep the calendar in sync with the seasons. This solution ensured that Passover remained in spring and that Yom Kippur would not fall on the eve of or the day after a Sabbath. The modern Jewish calendar, largely based on Hillel’s calculations, is no longer a purely natural calendar but a hybrid that combines natural and calculated elements.

Conclusion

The biblical new moon holds a significant place in the history of calendars and religious practices. From the vernal equinox to the sighting of the new moon, the calendar aligns with the natural cycles of the sun and the moon, providing a framework for determining the seasons and important days in the Jewish calendar.

The knowledge of the new moon and its role in the biblical calendar offers valuable insights into the historical and religious practices of ancient civilizations, emphasizing the interconnectedness of astronomy, culture, and religion.