Rosh Hashanah

— The latter statement would be seen to be false,1 the former statement is not seen to be false.2 Samuel said: I am quite able to make a calendar3 for the whole of the Diaspora. Said Abba the father of R. Simlai to Samuel: Does the Master know [the meaning] of this remark which occurs in [the Baraitha known as] the secret of the Calendar?4 ‘If the new moon is born before midday or after midday’? — He replied: I do not. He then said to him: Since the Master does not know this, there must also be other things which the Master does not know. When R. Zera went up [to Palestine], he sent back word to them [in Babylon]: It is necessary that there should be [on New Moon] a night and a day of the new moon.5 This is what Abba the father of R. Simlai meant: ‘We calculate [according to] the new moon's birth. If it is born before midday, then certainly it will have been seen shortly before sunset. If it was not born before midday, certainly it will not have been seen shortly before sunset’. What is the practical value of this remark? — R. Ashi said: To [help us in] confuting the witnesses.6 R. Zera said in the name of R. Nahman: The moon is invisible for twenty-four hours [round about new moon]. For us [in Babylon] six of these belong to the old moon and eighteen to the new;7 for them [in Palestine] six to the new and eighteen to the old.8 What is the practical value of this remark? — R. Ashi said: To confute the witnesses. The Master has just said: It is necessary that there should be [on New Moon] a night and a day of the new moon. Whence is this rule derived? — R. Johanan said: [From the text]. From evening to evening;9 Resh Lakish said: [From the text], Until the twenty-first day of the month in the evening.10 What practical difference is there between them? — Abaye said: The difference between them is only one of exegesis.11 Raba said: They differ in regard to [the hours up to] midnight.12 R. Zera said in the name of R. Nahman: Wherever [an extra day is kept] out of doubt, we make it the succeeding day.13 This means to say that we keep [Passover and Tabernacles] on the fifteenth and sixteenth but not on the fourteenth.14 But should not the fourteenth also be kept, in case both Ab and Elul15 have been declared short?16 the new moon]. otherwise New Moon cannot be proclaimed on the thirtieth. nightfall, they are not telling the truth. reference to the festivals. commences at nightfall. But according to Resh Lakish, it is on a par with the first night of Passover, which, in relation to the Paschal lamb, was a continuation of the afternoon before. Hence Resh Lakish holds that even if the old moon was seen in the early part of the evening, the next day may still be declared New Moon. Elul, out of doubt, but in no case from the twenty-ninth. This dictum would seem to be superfluous, as in no circumstances was New Moon proclaimed on the twenty-ninth day after the previous New Moon. first of Nisan or of Tishri.