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TABLE V.-CONTINUED.

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Jewish year of the World 5656, cor-Jewish year of the World 5657, cor-Jewish year of the World 5658, cor-||Jewish year of the World 5659, corresponding to A. D. 1895-1896. responding to A. D. 1896-1897. responding to A. D. 1897-1898.

responding to A. D. 1898-1899. Sabbaths Saturdays Fareshioth of the of the Gre- and HaphJewish year. gorian yr. taroth. 3 C 1 Tisri

Jewish year of the World 5660, cor-Jewish year of the World 5661, cor

responding to A. D. 1899-1900.

Sabbaths Saturdays Pareshioth

responding to A. D. 1900-1901.

of the

Jewish year.

1898 17 Sept.

2 E

of the Gre-and Haphgorian yr. 1899

taroth.

Sabbaths of the. Jewish year.

Saturdays Pareshioth of the Gre-and Haph

gorian yr.

taroth.

6 C

New yrs.

5 Tisri

9 Sept. 52

6 Tisri

1900 29 Sept.

52

53

13

9

53

8

24

53 [day 12

16

53

13

6 Oct.

53

17

5 Oct.

Succoth

19

26

Succoth

20

16

Succoth

15

1 Oct.

Succoth 19

23

Succoth

20

13

Succoth

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TABLE VI.

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EXPLANATION OF THE PRECEDING TABLES.

BEFORE the reader enters upon the particular uses of each of the preceding tables, it will be necessary to give a detailed account of the rabbinical computation of time upon which they have been constructed. The year used by the Jews contains twelve or thirteen lunations, which are so artificially disposed that its commencement constantly happens about the time of the autumnal equinox. In order to effect this, they have been obliged to have recourse to the sun's revolution through the twelve signs of the zodiac, or, to speak more properly, to the quantum of time which the earth takes up in making one complete periodic revolution round the sun. This period of time, according to the rabbins, (which is the same that is used in the construction of their calendar,) is 365 days, 5 hours, 997 chelakim, (points,) and 48 moments; which, reduced to our time, is equal to 365 days, 5 hours, 55 minutes, and 25 seconds-1080 chelakim being contained in one hour, and 76 moments in a chelek. See Bibl. Rabb., Part II., p. 407. The quantity of the synodical revolution of the moon, according to the rabbins, is 29 days, 12 hours, and 793 chelakim, which also reduced to our time, is equal to 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 3 seconds; and twelve times this quantity, or 354 days, 8 hours, 48 minutes, and 40 seconds, is equal to the Jewish common year, which is nearly 11 days short of the solar revolution; consequently, to keep the seasons of the year in their respective months, the rabbins employ an embolismic or leap year of 13 lunar months every second or third year, by means of which, with other corrections which will be hereafter noticed, their years are found to correspond so exactly with the Gregorian calendar as not to deviate from it materially through the course of

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In the lunar cycle of 19 years, which embraces the principal variations in the motion of the moon, they have 12 common years of 12 lunar months, and embolismic years of 13 lunar months; and in order that all their months may begin as nearly as possible with the day of the conjunction of the sun and moon, they have alternately, for the most part, 29 and 30 days. Thus Tisri, their first month, contains 30 days; Marchesvan, their second month, 29 or 30; Cisleu, 29 or 30; Tebet, 29; Sebat, 30; Adar, 29; Nisan, 30; Ijar, 29; Sivan, 30; Tammuz, 29; Ab, 30; and Elul, 29. In the embolismic year, Adar always consists of 30, and the thirteenth month, which is named Veadar, always of 29 days. The reason why an embolismic year for the most part succeeds two common years, is evident from the circumstance of the lunar year being nearly 11 days shorter than the solar, so that in three years the latter gains from the former not fewer than about 32 days, and as only a month of 30 days is intercalated in that time, at the commencement of the lunar cycle, it is manifest that two intercalary years must sometimes happen with only one common year between. Accordingly, the 3d, 6th, 8th, 11th, 14th, 17th, and 19th years of every lunar cycle are denominated embolismic; see Table I. If the lunar synodic revolution consisted precisely of 29 days, 12 hours, the assigning to the Jewish months 29 and 30 days alternately, would be sufficient to fix the commencement of the different months about the day of the conjunction, ad infinitum; but as the synodic revolution, according to Rabbi Adda, contains 44 minutes 3 seconds more than 294 days, it is demonstrable that the assignment of 29 and 30 days alternately to the months must be insufficient, and in the course of a few years must produce very sensible error.

Thus, in order to make this circumstance obvious to the lowest capacity, let the first paschal full moon in the lunar cycle be supposed to commence precisely at mid-day, then it is evident, from the quantity of a synodic revolution, as ascertained by the rabbins, that the nineteen paschal full moons which are contained in every cycle will, in this case, happen as in the following table; where the first column points out the year of the cycle; the second, the precise point of time in the lunar cycle of the respective paschal full moons; the third, the nearest corresponding day, omitting the fractional parts; and the fourth, the differences of the numbers in the third column, or in other words, the interval of time, expressed in whole numbers, which elapses between each successive paschal full moon.

From the last column of the preceding table, it is evident that the paschal full moons happen constantly after an interval of 354, 355, 383, or 384 days, omitting the fractional parts; but the length of the Jewish year may be either 353, 354, 355, 383, 384, or 385 days. The reason of this discordance between the length of the Jewish year, and the interval between two consecutive paschal full moons, arises chiefly

from the circumstance of never beginning the year on the first, fourth, or sixth day of the week. Hence, if the new moon, which regulates the commencement of the year, should happen on the 1st day of the week, the year does not begin till the following day; and if on the 4th or 6th, the commencement of the year is dated from the 5th or Sabbath. The reason why the Jews never begin their year on the first day of the week, is to prevent the occurrence of the celebration of the festival of Hosanna Rabba on the Sabbath day, as some parts of the week, is to prevent the occurrence of the great day of Atonement this festival are deemed by them incompatible with the strict obseron the 6th or Lord's day; for as the Jews are bound to keep this fast vance of the Sabbath enjoined on them by the fourth commandment. on the 10th of Tisri, and also to observe it as strictly as they would The reason why the year is never begun on the 4th or 6th days of and produce great inconvenience, as in their estimation it is not lawful to bury their dead or boil their food on either of these days. the Sabbath, in this case two Sabbaths as it were would come together time, an entire day to or from the mean length of the common or embolismic year, which correction is always made in the month MarchesHence arises the necessity of adding or subtracting, from time to Gregorian calendar is always attached to the end of February. and Cisleu, connected with the day of the week upon which the year van or Cisleu, just in the same manner as the intercalated day in the begins, are produced fourteen different kinds of years among the Jews, From the different varieties in the length of the months Marchesvan have each 30 days, and at other times Marchesvan has 29, and Cisleu 30 days; and the new year may commence with the Sabbath, or the seven of which are common years; and the other seven embolismic; for 2d, 3d, or 5th day of the week. sometimes these two months have each only 29 days, sometimes they

preceding tables are for the common years, 5 P 1, 5d 7,7 D1, 7P 3. 2 D 3, 2 P 5, and 3 d5; and for the embolismic, 5D1, 3d7, 2P7, 5 P3, 7 D 3, 7 P 5, and 2 D 5. The first figure of the index denotes The indexes by which these different years are distinguished in the the year to begin on the fifth day of the week or Thursday, 3 the third day of the week or Tuesday, &c., &c.; the letter of the index deterthe day of the week upon which the year commences, thus 5 denotes for perfect, i. e., these two months are both perfect, each containing 30 days; D stands for defective, i. e., each of these months contains only 29 days; and a small d denotes that one of these months is demines the length of the months Marchesvan and Cisleu; thus P stands fective, which in this case is always Marchesvan. The last figure of the index shows the day of the week upon which the passover happens, just in the same manner as the first figure denotes the day of the week upon which the year begins.

what day of the week the rabbinical year of the world 5570 begins; upon what day of the week the passover is held in that year; and also the length of the months Marchesvan and Cisleu. To solve this For a farther explanation of the index, let it be required to find upon question, we have only to refer to Table I., where we find the index of the year to be 2 D 5, i. e., the year commences on Tuesday, the passover is held upon Thursday, and the months Marchesvan and Cis leu are both defective, i. e., have only 29 days each.

preceding tables, which is to determine the order of reading the
Pareshioth and Haphtaroth, or Sections of the Law and the Prophets
Having premised thus much respecting the mode of constructing
for any given year. For this purpose Tables I., II., and V. are chiefly
the Jewish calendar, we now come to explain the chief object of the
constructed. In Table I. the index for every Jewish year of the world
from 5568 to 5814 (both inclusive) is given; and as these years cor-
respond to all the years of our Lord from 1807 to 2054, both inclusive,
it will be 242 years before this table, in its present form, will be en-
tirely antiquated; and it may be rendered perpetual by affixing the
same routine of indexes to the 247 years, beginning with A. D. 2055 and
ending with A. D. 2301; and to the 247 years subsequent to A. D
2301, &c., &c., ad infinitum. Table II. contains a calendar of Sabbaths
for the 14 different kinds of years made use of by the Jews, together
with the Pareshah or Pareshioth read on the different Sabbaths of each,
In the first column of the months the black circle or astronomical
sign of the conjunction of the sun and moon points out the figure an-
nexed to it to be the day of the week upon which the month begins,
and when two numbers are affixed, it is to show that the conjunction
of the luminaries corresponds to both days; the latter of which is al-
ways taken for the commencement of the month. All the other num-
bers in this column are the days of the month upon which the Sabbaths
happen, except sometimes in the month Tisri, where two numbers
occur together, the first of which is the day of the week and the latter
the corresponding day of the month. In order therefore to find what
Pareshah or Pareshioth are read on any given Sabbath, nothing more
is necessary than to look into Table I. for the index of the given year,
and with it to enter Table II., where against the given Sabbath, in
the column of Pareshioth, will be found the given Pareshah or Par-
eshioth required.

Example I. Required the Pareshah or Pareshioth appointed to be
read in the synagogue on the second Sabbath of the month Sivan, A.
M. 5572. In Table I. the index for the years 5 d 7, from which it ap-
pears by Table II. that it is the second Jewish common year, and the
second Sabbath of Sivan in this year is upon the 12th day of the month,
find that this section of the law commences with Num. iv. 21, and
over against which, in the column of Pareshioth, is 35, the number of
ends at vii. 89 of the same book. The Haphtara read on the Sabbath
the Pareshah required. By a reference to the list of Pareshioth given
appears by the same list to be the xiiith chapter of Judges from the
at the end of the commentary on the last chapter of Deuteronomy, we
same with the 23d of May, 1812.
2d to the 25th verse; in Table V. the 12th of Sivan, A. M. 5572, is the
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Explanation of the preceding Tables.

Example 2. Required the Pareshah or Pareshioth appointed to be read on the fourth Sabbath of Tammuz, A. M. 5584. In Table I. the index for the year is 7 D 3, which index corresponds to the fifth embolismic year in Table II., consequently the fourth Sabbath of Tammuz falls on the 28th of the month, and the Pareshioth for the given day are the 42d and 43d. The former commences at the second verse of the xxxth chapter of Numbers, and the latter is continued from it to the end of the book. By a reference to Table V., the 28th of Tammuz, A. M. 5581, answers to the 24th of July, 1824.

N. B. The figure and capital letter found in the first column of Table V. at the beginning of each Jewish year, show to which of the fourteen kinds of years, according to their disposition in Table II., the said year belongs, thus 1 C stands for the first common year; 5 E, the fifth embolismic year, &c., &c., &c.

When, in the column of Pareshioth and Haphtaroth in Tables II. and V., the word Chippur is affixed to any particular Sabbath, it points it out to be the great day of ATONEMENT, for which a particular service is appointed. The portion of the law read on that day begins with the 27th verse of the xxiiid chapter of Leviticus, and ends with the chapter. The Haphtorah for this day is the book of the prophet Jonah.

When the word Succoth is affixed to any particular Sabbath, if it be the 15th of Tisri, it is the day upon which the Feast of Tabernacles commences; the portion of the law for which occasion begins at the 34th verse of the xxiiid chapter of Leviticus. The Haphtorah is the xivth chapter of the prophet Zechariah; but on the Sabbath which follows the 15th of Tisri, if it be within the octave of the Feast of Tabernacles, the portion of the prophets which is read is the xxxviiith chapter of Ezekiel, according to the German Jews, but the other Jews read from Ezek. xxxviii. 18, to xxxix. 16.

The capital letters B. L., which are affixed to the fifty-fourth section of the law in the third column of Table V., stand for Book of the Law. This section is read on the 23d of Tisri, which is contrived so as never to happen on the Sabbath, as the day upon which it is read is a time of great festivity among the Jews for their having completed the reading of the fifty-four Pareshioth, which comprise the whole book of the law. The asterisk affixed to the 23d day of Tisri, in Ta. ble V., and its corresponding time in the Gregorian computation, is designed to show that this day happens on a week day and not on the Sabbath, as all the other days in the same columns do.

When 1 Pas. or 2 Pas. is affixed to any particular Sabbath, it is the first or second Sabbath of the passover, upon which, if the 15th of Nisan be the Sabbath day, the portion of the prophets read on the occa sion is the vth chapter of Joshua, all but the first verse. If there be only one Sabbath in the feast of the passover, the Haphtorah is the 14 first verses of the xxxviith chapter of Ezekiel, to which some add the three following. If there be two Sabbaths in the feast of the passover, the latter is termed the octave, upon which they read the whole of the Canticles, and also the prophet Isaiah, from the 32d verse of the xth chapter to the end of the xlith.

When Pent. is affixed to any particular Sabbath, it is the second day of the Feast of Pentecost, upon which occasion the iiid, ivth, vth, and with chapters of the prophet Habakkuk, together with the book of Ruth, are read.

Besides the 54 sections of the law which are regularly read through in the course of a Jewish year, whether it be common or embolismic, there are four minor PARESHIOTH which are generally read in the month Adar of a common, and in Veadar of an embolismic, year. These are Shekalim, Zachor, Para, and Hachodesk; and are marked down in Tables II. and V. by their initial letters S, Z, P, and H. The minor Pareshah, SHEKALIM, commences with the 11th verse of the xxxth chapter of Ezodus, and ends at the 16th verse of the same; ZACHOR begins with the 17th verse of the xxvth chapter of Deuteronomy, and contains the Divine malediction upon the Amalekites; PARA begins with the xixth chapter of Numbers, and ends with the chapter; and HACHODESH begins with the 10th verse of the xiíth chapter of Exodus, and ends at the 20th verse of the same chapter.

stance is noticed in the third column of Table V. whenever it occurs,) | Lev. xxiii. 24 and Num. xxix. 1-7 are read.

When the 25th of Cisleu falls on the Sabbath, the contraction En, for Encania, Dedication, is affixed to the number of the Pareshak in Tables II. and V., to show that it is the day to be held in commemora tion of the altar's being dedicated afresh to the service of God, after its purification from its pollutions by Antiochus.

Tables III, and IV. are constructed to determine the day of the week upon which the principal Jewish Fasts and Feasts are held for any given year. One example will be sufficient to illustrate these tables. Erample. Required the day of the week upon which the principal Jewish fasts and feasts happen in the Jewish year of the world 5573. By a reference to Table I. this year corresponds to A. D. 1813; and in Table III. in the same square with 1813 is the capital letter C, which shows that the numbers in column C of Table IV., over against the different fasts and festivals, are the days of the week required. Thus the commencement of Tisri is on the second and third days of the week; the Fast of Gedaliah on the 4th; the Fast of ATONEMENT on the 4th; the Feast of Tabernacles on the 2d; Hosanna Rabba on the 1st; the Latitia Legis, or Joy for the Law, on the 3d; the commencement of Marchesvan on the 3d and 4th, the commencement of Cisleu on the 5th; the Encama on the 1st: the commencement of Tebet on the 6th; the Fast of the 10th of Tebet on the 1st; the commencement of Sebat on the Sabbath; the commencement of Adar on the 1st and 2d; the commencement of Veadar on the 3d and 4th; the Fast of Esther on the 2d; the Feast of Purim on the 3d; the commencement of Nisan on the 5th; the Feast of the Passover on the 5th; the commencement of Ijar on the 6th and 7th; the 33 Omer on the 3d; the commencement of Stean on the 1st; the Feast of Pentecost on the 6th; the commencement of Tammuz on the 2d and 3d; the Fast of the 17th of Tammuz on the 5th; the commencement of Ab on the 4th; the Fast of the 9th of Ab on the 5th; and the commencement of Elul on the 5th and 6th days of the week.

Table VI. needs little explanation; the titles of its different columns being sufficient for this purpose. The first column shows the year of the world according to the Jewish reckoning. The second column, the year of our Lord; the letter B in the same column shows each Bissextile or Leap-year. The 3d and 4th columns contain the lunar cycle and golden numbers. The fifth column shows the month and day of the month on which the Jewish passover falls, from the year 1812 to the year 1900. The sixth column marks the day on which Easter falls during the same period. The seventh column shows the year of our Lord corresponding with the beginning of the Jewish year in the first column and also on what day of what month the Jewish year, according to the Gregorian calendar, commences. By the slightest inspection of these tables any person may at once see the day on which the Jewish passover and the Christian Easter falls for any year of the above period from 1812 to 1900.

On the subject of the preceding tables there will be doubtless various opinions among the readers of this work. Some may even think them useless, while others will judge them of considerable importance. The writer has only to say that no other part of the work has occasioned so much labour and so much expense. Nothing of this nature, nor does any other language afford a similar subject at once so exter on the same plan, has ever before met the eye of the English reader; sive in the plan, and so concise in the execution. Those who best understand the work will perceive that it required no common industry, to say nothing of other requisite qualifications, to construct such tables, even with the extensive work of Bartolocci's Bibliotheca Rabbinica before him, to which the present collection of tables acknowledges high obligations. The writer could not consider his comment on the Pentateuch as even tolerably complete without such an apparatus as is here produced, which it is hoped every minister of the word of God will find of the utmost use to him in various matters connected with Jewish affairs; but on this subject nothing need be added, as the tables and their uses have been already so largely explained. In his prospectus the author promised "every requisite table;" and had he not added these, he must have considered the pledge given to the pub

When the Jewish year commences on the Sabbath, (which circum-lic not redeemed.

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