Page 63 - Coincidences in the Bible and in Biblical Hebrew

COINCIDENCES IN THE BIBLE AND IN BIBLICAL HEBREW
42 42 COINCIDENCES IN THE BIBLE AND IN BIBLICAL HEBREW

on dividing the Hebrew year by 19. For example, on September 16, 2004, the
Jewish year 5765 has started. Divide by 19:

5765 / 19 = 303 and 8/19.

Since 8 is included in the set of numbers above, that year is a leap year.
Let us now explain why leap years are needed in the Jewish calendar. Jewish
festivities are tightly linked to the seasons (like Shavuot, the festivity of harvesting
and bringing the prime of the land produce to the temple in Jerusalem). The
added months in leap years ensure that the Jewish year also keeps pace with the
tropical (solar) year.
The corrections to the Jewish year follow the following scheme.
The difference between the lunar year and the solar year is

365.242 – 354.367 = 10.875 days

It can be easily realized that in a 19-year cycle the difference is 19*10.875 =
206.625 days, which, in terms of the lunar synodic month of 29.53059 days, is

206.625 / 29.53059 = 6.99698 ≈ 7 months.

Table 2.2. The Hebrew calendar.

Length in a Length in a Length in a

Name deficient year regular year complete year
Tishri 30 30 30
Heshvan 29 29 30
Kislev 29 30 30
Tevet 29 29 29
Shevat 30 30 30
Adar I 30 30 30)
Adar II 29 29 29
Nisan 30 30 30
Iyar 29 29 29
Sivan 30 30 30
Tammuz 29 29 29
Av 30 30 30
Elul 29 29 29
Total 353 or 383 354 or 384 355 or 385