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Karaite Korner Newsletter #326

Aviv Found!

On Sunday March 23, 2008 Nehemia Gordon and Devorah Gordon found large quantities of Aviv barley at Ein Mabua near Jerusalem and at multiple locations in the central Jordan Valley. This confirms that the new moon expected on April 7, 2008 will begin the Month of the Aviv. Chag HaMatzot (Feast of Unleavened Bread) will commence at sunset April 21, 2008 and continue until sunset April 28, 2008.

Shanah Tovah!
Happy New Year!

Nehemia Gordon
Jerusalem, Israel

Aviv was found and the new moon was seen in Israel, today is the first day of the first month, Aviv (or the Babylonian Nisan)... so Happy New Year!!!
Deuteronomy Chapter 16
1 Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto YHWH thy God; for in the month of Abib YHWH thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.

On Monday April 7, 2008 the new moon was sighted from several locations around Israel. The moon was sighted:

*from Eilat by Eli El-Tanani and Shai El-Tanani at 19:13
*from Ashdod by Neriah Haroeh and Nilit Masliach at 19:15
*from Mitzpeh Ramon by Bart Vangronsvelt and Ganneke Kunst at about 19:15
*from Beersheva by Simchon Firouz, Kobi El-Tanani, and Ovadiah Firouz
at about 19:30
*from highway 6 by Chad and Barbara Peterson at 19:39

On the previous evening, Sunday April 6, the moon had a lagtime of 33 minutes and illumination of 0.52% which means it was not visible under any circumstances from Israel.

Shanah Tovah!
Happy New Year!

Nehemia Gordon
Jerusalem, Israel

Confirmed: Pesach begins the evening of April 21, 2008
Leviticus Chapter 23
5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at dusk, is YHWH'S passover.
6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto YHWH; seven days ye shall eat unleavened bread.
7 In the first day ye shall have a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work.
8 And ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto YHWH seven days; in the seventh day is a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work.
9 And YHWH spoke unto Moses saying:
10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When ye are come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring the sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest.
11 And he shall wave the sheaf before YHWH, to be accepted for you; on the morrow after the sabbath (שבת) the priest shall wave it.
12 And in the day when ye wave the sheaf, ye shall offer a he-lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt-offering unto YHWH.
13 And the meal-offering thereof shall be two tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto YHWH for a sweet savour; and the drink-offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of a hin.
14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor fresh ears, until this selfsame day, until ye have brought the offering of your God; it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.


Continue for more information about the Counting of Omer leading to Shavout... based on the timing of Passover.


Contrary to popular belief, the Counting of Omer for Shavuot (Feast of Weeks/Pentecost) begins after shabbat as described below with "day of rest", and therefore will be from: Shabbat at sunset, June 14th to Sunday at sunset, on June 15th
Leviticus Chapter 23
15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the day of rest (שבת), from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the waving; seven weeks (שבת) shall there be complete;
16 even unto the morrow after the seventh week (שבת) shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall present a new meal-offering unto YHWH.
17 Ye shall bring out of your dwellings two wave-loaves of two tenth parts of an ephah; they shall be of fine flour, they shall be baked with leaven, for first-fruits unto YHWH.
18 And ye shall present with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams; they shall be a burnt-offering unto YHWH, with their meal-offering, and their drink-offerings, even an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto YHWH.
19 And ye shall offer one he-goat for a sin-offering, and two he-lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace-offerings.
20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the first-fruits for a wave-offering before YHWH, with the two lambs; they shall be holy to YHWH for the priest.
21 And ye shall make proclamation on the selfsame day; there shall be a holy convocation unto you; ye shall do no manner of servile work; it is a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.
From http://www.karaite-korner.org/shavuot.shtml:
Shavuot (Feast of Weeks/Pentecost) is the Biblical harvest-festival celebrated 50 days after the Sunday which falls out during Passover. These fifty days are called the Counting of the Omer.