Tishri-years
Encyclopedia
Tishri-years is an ancient calendar system used in Israel
/Judea
, and the Jewish people in Diaspora
. It is based on, and is a variation of, the Nisan-years
.
Tishri-years is often called the Jewish Civil Calendar, in contrast to Nisan-years
, which is often called the Jewish Religious Calendar
.
Tishri-years is similar to, and sometimes equivalent to, the Macedonian years practices by the Hellenistic empires (332-30 BC). They are all lunisolar years beginning from Autumn, but could differ by a month.
While the Nisan-years
begin the year from the Spring season, around the Vernal Equinox/Spring Equinox (Gregorian March 20/21), the Tishri-years begin the years from the Autumn season, around the Autumn Equinox (Gregorian September 22/23). The New Years Day of the Tishri-years is called Rosh Hashanah ("Head of the Year"); it begins the Fall Feasts of Israel.
Tishri 1, however, is not determined directly by its relationship to the Autumn Equinox. It depends on the determination of Nisan 1, which is the day after the New Moon
closest to the Spring Equinox (within fifteen days before or after). Tishri 1 is the first day of the seventh month. Although the month number is always counted from Nisan, in the Tishri-years, the year begins and ends with Tishri 1.
The intercalary month is still the second Adar, initially determined by agricalutral observations in Israel. Although meteorological conditions may cause a few days of delay for each Rosh Codesh
("Head of the Month"), over all the erros will cancel each other, and the calendar system remained accurate.
After the fourth century AD, Hillel II
fixed the Jewish Talmudic Calendar
by a mathermatical algorithm, in order for Jews all around the world to observe the feasts accordingto the same calendar. This caused the Jewish calendar to gradually depart from the actual seasons, due to the accumulated errors.
The origin of the Tishri-years tradition can be traced to King David
, who was ordained the king of Judah
(the two southern tribes) on Tishri 1, 1010 BC, before he was ordained the king of Israel (the ten northern tribes) on Nisan 1, 1002 BC. It seemed that David
still used the Nisan-years
in chronicling his years, but King Solomon
made it a national calendar commemorating his great father. And after the split of the kingdom in 931/930 BC, the northern kingdom Israel
continued using Nisan-years
, while the southern kingdom Judah
used the Tishri-years.
The Jewish people kept on using the Tishri-years system throughout the first (Babylonian) and the second (Roman) Diaspora
, till today. They also traced the system back till the time of creation.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
/Judea
Judea
Judea or Judæa was the name of the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel from the 8th century BCE to the 2nd century CE, when Roman Judea was renamed Syria Palaestina following the Jewish Bar Kokhba revolt.-Etymology:The...
, and the Jewish people in Diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
. It is based on, and is a variation of, the Nisan-years
Nisan-years
Nisan-years is an ancient calendar system used around Mesopotamia. Its area of usage covers Elam, Persia, Media, Syria and Israel/Judea. Its beginning was from prehistorical era...
.
Tishri-years is often called the Jewish Civil Calendar, in contrast to Nisan-years
Nisan-years
Nisan-years is an ancient calendar system used around Mesopotamia. Its area of usage covers Elam, Persia, Media, Syria and Israel/Judea. Its beginning was from prehistorical era...
, which is often called the Jewish Religious Calendar
Nisan-years
Nisan-years is an ancient calendar system used around Mesopotamia. Its area of usage covers Elam, Persia, Media, Syria and Israel/Judea. Its beginning was from prehistorical era...
.
Tishri-years is similar to, and sometimes equivalent to, the Macedonian years practices by the Hellenistic empires (332-30 BC). They are all lunisolar years beginning from Autumn, but could differ by a month.
While the Nisan-years
Nisan-years
Nisan-years is an ancient calendar system used around Mesopotamia. Its area of usage covers Elam, Persia, Media, Syria and Israel/Judea. Its beginning was from prehistorical era...
begin the year from the Spring season, around the Vernal Equinox/Spring Equinox (Gregorian March 20/21), the Tishri-years begin the years from the Autumn season, around the Autumn Equinox (Gregorian September 22/23). The New Years Day of the Tishri-years is called Rosh Hashanah ("Head of the Year"); it begins the Fall Feasts of Israel.
Tishri 1, however, is not determined directly by its relationship to the Autumn Equinox. It depends on the determination of Nisan 1, which is the day after the New Moon
New moon
In astronomical terminology, the new moon is the lunar phase that occurs when the Moon, in its monthly orbital motion around Earth, lies between Earth and the Sun, and is therefore in conjunction with the Sun as seen from Earth...
closest to the Spring Equinox (within fifteen days before or after). Tishri 1 is the first day of the seventh month. Although the month number is always counted from Nisan, in the Tishri-years, the year begins and ends with Tishri 1.
| Month Order | Numbered Month | Babylonian Name | Jewish Name | Canaanite Name | Gregorian Months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seventh | Tishritu | Tishri | Ethanim | September–October |
| 2 | Eighth | Arahsamnu | Heshvan/Macheshvan | Bul | October–November |
| 3 | Ninth | Kislimu | Kislev | November–December | |
| 4 | Tenth | Tebetu | Tevet | December–January | |
| 5 | Eleventh | Shabatu | Shevat | Tsakh | January–February |
| 6 | Twelfth | Addaru | Adar | February–March | |
| 7 | First | Nisanu | Nisan | Abib | March–April |
| 8 | Second | Aianu | Iyyar | Ziv | April–May |
| 9 | Third | Simanu | Sivan | May–June | |
| 10 | Fourth | Duzu | Tammuz | June–July | |
| 11 | Fifth | Abu | Av | July–August | |
| 12 | Sixth | Ululu | Elul | August–September |
The intercalary month is still the second Adar, initially determined by agricalutral observations in Israel. Although meteorological conditions may cause a few days of delay for each Rosh Codesh
Rosh Codesh
Rosh Codesh , the "Head of the New " ="Head of the Month," is the term for the first day of the month in Jewish Talmudic Calendar...
("Head of the Month"), over all the erros will cancel each other, and the calendar system remained accurate.
After the fourth century AD, Hillel II
Hillel II
Hillel II, also known simply as Hillel held the office of Nasi of the ancient Jewish Sanhedrin between 320 and 385 CE. He was the son and successor of Judah III. He was a Jewish communal and religious authority, circa 330 - 365 CE...
fixed the Jewish Talmudic Calendar
Jewish Talmudic Calendar
The Jewish Talmudic Calendar is a lunisolar calendar using Tishri-years, observed by the Jewish people since the Late Antiquity . While it is based on Nisan-years, which began from the prebiblical Babylonian times , and the Tishri-years was formed in the time of David The Jewish Talmudic Calendar...
by a mathermatical algorithm, in order for Jews all around the world to observe the feasts accordingto the same calendar. This caused the Jewish calendar to gradually depart from the actual seasons, due to the accumulated errors.
The origin of the Tishri-years tradition can be traced to King David
David
David was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
, who was ordained the king of Judah
Kingdom of Judah
The Kingdom of Judah was a Jewish state established in the Southern Levant during the Iron Age. It is often referred to as the "Southern Kingdom" to distinguish it from the northern Kingdom of Israel....
(the two southern tribes) on Tishri 1, 1010 BC, before he was ordained the king of Israel (the ten northern tribes) on Nisan 1, 1002 BC. It seemed that David
David
David was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
still used the Nisan-years
Nisan-years
Nisan-years is an ancient calendar system used around Mesopotamia. Its area of usage covers Elam, Persia, Media, Syria and Israel/Judea. Its beginning was from prehistorical era...
in chronicling his years, but King Solomon
Solomon
Solomon , according to the Book of Kings and the Book of Chronicles, a King of Israel and according to the Talmud one of the 48 prophets, is identified as the son of David, also called Jedidiah in 2 Samuel 12:25, and is described as the third king of the United Monarchy, and the final king before...
made it a national calendar commemorating his great father. And after the split of the kingdom in 931/930 BC, the northern kingdom Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
continued using Nisan-years
Nisan-years
Nisan-years is an ancient calendar system used around Mesopotamia. Its area of usage covers Elam, Persia, Media, Syria and Israel/Judea. Its beginning was from prehistorical era...
, while the southern kingdom Judah
Kingdom of Judah
The Kingdom of Judah was a Jewish state established in the Southern Levant during the Iron Age. It is often referred to as the "Southern Kingdom" to distinguish it from the northern Kingdom of Israel....
used the Tishri-years.
The Jewish people kept on using the Tishri-years system throughout the first (Babylonian) and the second (Roman) Diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
, till today. They also traced the system back till the time of creation.