Yeshua observed the Holy Days as set forth by the
Parushim (Pharisees) and he taught his disciples to as well
(Mt.23:2,3). This leads to several questions. What happened to the
Parushim after 70 C.E.? Was there a change made in how to determine
holy days by blinded Israelites? Were there burdensome rules placed
upon Yahweh's true lunar calendar after 70 C.E.? I believe there were
changes made that were not authorized by Yahweh, Yeshua, or the
Apostles.
The "Present Jewish Calendar" was introduced by Hillel ha-Nasi II in
358/59 C.E. This corresponds to the same time period in which many
false doctrines arose among believers. After the death of the
Apostles and the firstfruits of the Jews, the remaining Gentile
converts, who were not as strong in the faith, yielded to many of
these false doctrines. Any changes made in the determination of the
calendar would have gone unopposed by true believers.
Proponents of the Hebrew calendar say it was passed down through
Moses. If that is so, how did the Israelites back then reckon time so
accurately as to be able to follow Postponement Rules #3 & 4?
Rule 3: "Any time the molad of Tishri occurs in a common year, on a
Tuesday after 20 seconds past 3:11 A.M., the Feast of Trumpets is
postponed to Wednesday - and, by rule 2, again postponed to
Thursday."
Rule 4: "When the molad of Tishri - in a common year immediately
following an intercalary year - occurs on a Monday, on or after 43
1/3 seconds past 9:32 A.M., the Feast of Trumpets is postponed to a
Tuesday."
Did they have the means to determine seconds or minutes, or even more
impossible, fractions of seconds? How could they possibly know when
the molad (conjunction) of Tishri was if the moon is invisible for
several days during the time of conjunction? Since they could not be
that accurate in Moses' day, that tells me that at least those two
rules were added hundreds of years later when man became capable of
such accuracy.
Assuming they did have the capability to measure time that accurately, The Mishnah proves the Jews were not keeping time according to the Hillel calendar. Keep in mind The Mishnah was written around 200 C.E. whereas the Hillel calendar was introduced in 358 C.E.
On page 243, 7:10 B we read,
"[If] the sixteenth of Nisan coincides with the Sabbath, they are to be burned on the seventeenth."
If the 16th of Nisan [Abib] = Sabbath then,
the 15th of Abib = Friday and,
the 14th of Abib (Passover) = Thursday.
Yet, what does the Hillel Hebrew Calendar teach? According to this calendar, Passover cannot fall on a Tuesday, Thursday, or Sunday. Therefore, this calendar teaches the Jews to keep Passover contrary to what the Mishnah was teaching Jews 150 years earlier.
Another example is found on page 753, 10:1 A, (1) and (2).
"R. Ishmael says, 'The omer was brought
(1) "on the Sabbath from three seahs [of barley],
(2) "and on a weekday, from five."
Here again, in speaking of Abib 16 in which the omer (wave sheaf offering) was brought, it could have fallen on a Sabbath or a weekday (including Sunday). If it fell on Sabbath, Abib 14 would be a Thursday. This would again contradict the Hillel Calendar and prove it did not exist since the time of Moses.
The entire Hebrew calendar is based upon the
proper determination of the molad of Tishri. If that determination is
wrong, all the Holy Days for that year will be incorrect. The reason
Tishri 1 is the foundation is because it is the only new moon that is
holy. But according to Yahweh's calendar Abib 1 is the first day of
the religious year (Ex.12:2). Since when does one determine holy days
by starting in the seventh month and working backward and forward?
Abib 1 is the first day and all succeeding holy days are based on
that day.
If the foundation of a building is weak it will collapse. The
foundation of the Hebrew calendar is Tishri 1. Since the molad of
Tishri 1 can only be determined by scientific computation, which was
unavailable to ancient Israel, the entire calendar structure must
collapse. The Parushim of Yeshua's day did not have such scientific
capabilities either. Therefore the rules and regulations governing
the current Hebrew calendar are man-made and uninspired. They were
added by blinded Israelites who did not have Yahweh's Holy Spirit to
guide them.
Yahweh's calendar is simple and is based on the signs of the lights
in the firmament of heaven (Gen.1:14). We know that the visible sign
of the setting of the sun determines the beginning and end of
Yahweh's appointed times. But the visible sign of the new moon is
needed to determine the beginning of each month. There is no use in
creating such heavenly sights as a sign if they will not be used when
sighted. The Hebrew calendar does not use the visible new moon to
determine the first day of the month. Instead, Tishri 1 is set by
following a list of man-made rules that are manipulated by men to
cause the feast days to fall on whatever day pleases them.
The first day of the seventh month is a holy day by Yahweh's decree.
Just as man cannot move the Holy Sabbath to Sunday, he cannot move
the Holy High Sabbath of the Day of Trumpets to whatever day suits
his needs. Even though the Parushim sat in Moses seat in Yeshua's
day, they would not have had the authority to alter that decree.
Psalm 81:3 says, "Blow the trumpet in the new moon, in the time
appointed,. . ." Who appointed the time, Yahweh or the Parushim?
Gen.1:14 says Yahweh appoints times, not man.
Consider also Psalm 104:19, "He appointed the moon for seasons:"
"Seasons" is the Hebrew "mowadah," a form of "moed." In other words,
Yahweh appointed the moon for festivals or sacred appointments. Why
would He do that if man could set festivals without the use of a
visible moon? An invisible moon (the molad of Tishri 1) would not
fulfill this verse since the saints of old could not know the exact
moment of the molad.
The history of Israel records the use of signal fires on mountain
tops to notify the authorities to sanctify the new moon. Why would
they use such a signal if they knew well in advance which day was the
first of the month? According to the Hebrew calendar, even if they
saw the moon it would not matter since their date was previously
determined by computation.
1 Sam.20:5 - "And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the
new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let
me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at
even." Some people use this verse to show that David did not need to
see the visible new moon to know when the month began. Since the new
moon can be seen on the 29th or 30th day, it is logical to assume
that David made this statement on the 29th day knowing that the moon
was not seen that evening. Therefore it had to be seen the following
evening since no months consist of 31 days.
The Encyclopedia Judaica states that Tishri 1 can
occur as much as two days before the visible new moon. That would
also mean the full moon would occur two days after the Feast of
Tabernacles has begun when, in reality, the full moon should mark the
first day of the feast. The same would hold true for the Feast of
Unleavened.
A great deal of emphasis is placed upon the seat of Moses and who
sits in it today. However, it is irrelevant concerning this issue.
When the Pharisees in Yeshua's day had caused the people to break
Yahweh's commandments in order to keep their own traditions, the
Messiah let them know about it (Mt.15:1-20). Since Yeshua kept the
feasts with the Jews and never mentioned any calendar errors, we can
assume that there weren't any. If there were calendar errors, then
Messiah sinned with them. Yet we know that he was sinless. Therefore,
calendar errors arose after Messiah's day.
Yeshua pointed out the fact that the Pharisees, who sit in Moses'
seat, were causing the people to sin against Yahweh's commandments.
Since we are to sin no more, then we should not follow those who sit
in Moses' seat if they too, cause us to sin.
I do not believe any Jew who has not accepted Yeshua as the Messiah
can sit in Moses seat. I base this belief on the Apostle Paul's
parable of the olive tree in Rom.11:17-21. Any Israelite who rejects
Messiah and walks in unbelief is as a branch broken off the tree
(vs.20). They will not be saved unless they emulate Paul by believing
in Yeshua (vs.14). Some Israelites believed and are therefore called
"the election" (vs.7). The rest were blinded including those who sat
in Moses seat. All that is written from vss.7-15 pertains to them.
Yes, they can be grafted onto the tree again, but only if they do not
continue in unbelief. 2 Cor 3:14-16 says, "But their minds were
blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in
the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Messiah.
But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their
heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Master, the vail shall
be taken away." Any modern day Parushim who refuses to believe that
Yeshua Messiah has come in the flesh cannot possibly sit in Moses
seat.
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