[16] The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language.

[17] This section is an excerpt from “The Book of Our Heritage” , by Eliyahu Kitov.

[18] I.e., on the thirtieth day of the outgoing month.

[19] ruchg ouh , ‘the day of the prolongation’. V. supra, p. 81, n. 1.

[20] On account of Sabbath.

[21] Through having drunk too much on Sabbath, and become intoxicated (Rashi).

[22] It was customary to abstain from work on New Moon (v. Tosaf. s.v. ouan ). In this case the thirtieth day would always he kept as New Moon from doubt, and if the actual day fixed was the thirty-first, there would be two days New Moon.

[23] The commencement of the month was dated from the time when the earliest visible appearance of the new moon was reported to the Sanhedrin. If this happened on the 30th day of the current month, that month was considered to have ended on the preceding 29th day, and was called deficient. But if no announcement was made on the 30th day, that day was reckoned to the current month, which was then called full, and the ensuing day was considered the first of the next month.

[24] The ‘calculation’ as to which and how many months were to be intercalated. It was an established rule that no year should consist of less than four nor more than eight full months.

[25] The proclamation by formal ‘sanctification’ of the new moon on the thirtieth day.

[26] The thirtieth day.

[27] I.e., it is patent to all that the next day is the new moon, as no month exceeds 30 days.

[28] Because other people might have seen the new moon.

[29] Because it could not be proved that they had not seen it (Rashi). R. Hananel: Provided they had seen a semblance of the new moon].

[30] Heb. rucg lit., ‘taking across’: the word used for the prolonging of the year and the month.

[31] This was a Baraitha made up of enigmatic sentences like the one which follows.

[32] I.e., that there should be no appearance of the old moon in this period, viz., after the closing of the twenty-ninth day; otherwise New Moon cannot be proclaimed on the thirtieth.

[33] Because if the conjunction is calculated to have been after midday and they claim to have seen the new moon before nightfall, they are not telling the truth.

[34] Which would imply that in Babylon the new moon is not visible till eighteen hours after its birth (Rashi).

[35] Which would imply that in Palestine the new moon is visible six hours after its birth (Rashi).

[36] Lev. XXIII, 32, in connection with fasting on the Day of Atonement. This shows that the day follows the night in reference to the festivals.

[37] Ex. XII, 18, in connection with eating unleavened bread on Passover. This shows that the festivals end at even.

[38] Lit., ‘the interpretation of exegeses’.

[39] According to R. Johanan,the ‘night’ referred to is on the same footing as the night of the Day of Atonement which 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.

[40] Maim. in ‘Moreh’ I, 62, conjectures that these multiliteral Names, of which no trace is found, were perhaps composed of several other divine names; also that not only the names were communicated, but their real meanings too. [On these names v. further Blau L. Das altjudische Zauberwesen pp. 137ff and Bacher. JE XI 264.]

[41] [ gubm denotes simply a modest man careful to carry out his religious obligations, a pious man, and not a member of a particular sect — an Essene. v. Buchler Types, pp. 59ff.]

[42] Lit., ‘stands in the middle of his days’.

[43] Lit., ‘he does not get angry, does not get drunk’.

[44] Not to use it lightly.

[45] Lit., ‘his fear lies upon mankind.’

[46] In general the name of God was regarded more than a mere designation, but represented His nature or character and His relation to His people. It thus came to partake of His essence, His glory and power. This probably explains the mystic awe with which its pronunciation was surrounded, on the one hand, and the powers attributed to the right manipulation thereof on the other. Cf. Sanh. 91a: ‘He who pronounces the Divine Name according to its letters loses his portion in the world to come; also 65b and 67b on the human powers of creation by means of the Sefer Yezirah, which Rashi a.l. explains was effected by combinations of the Divine Name. [On this subject v. Marmorstein The Old Rabbinic Doctrine of God, I, p. 17.]

[47] Molad means “birth”.

[48] Primordial means Beginning or happening first in a sequence.

[49] Rabbi Eliyahu Kitov in The Book of Our Heritage Translated by Rabbi Nachman Bulman

Revelation 12:1 - A Great Sign!

I.  Background

On Av 29, 5759 (August 11, 1999), there will be a total eclipse of the sun, visible over Jerusalem. This is just two days before the beginning of the month of Elul. On Elul 1, we begin a forty (40) day period of repentance, culminating in Yom HaKippurim, The Day of Atonement. The last ten (10) days are known as the awesome days, or Days of Awe. These ten days begin with Rosh Hashanah (Yom Teruah), The Feast of Trumpets. So, Ha-Shem[1] is going to warn the nations, concerning Jerusalem, just before we begin the intense time of repentance. Recall that the eclipse of the sun is a bad omen for the Gentiles, the nations:

Succah 29a  It was taught: R. Meir said, Whenever the luminaries are in eclipse, it is a bad omen for Israel since they are inured to blows. This may be compared to a school teacher who comes to school with a strap in his hand. Who becomes apprehensive? He who is accustomed to be daily punished. Our Rabbis taught, When the sun is in eclipse it is a bad omen for idolaters; when Lavanah (Moon) is in eclipse, it is a bad omen for Israel, since Israel reckons by Lavanah (Moon) and idolaters by the sun. If it is in eclipse in the east, it is a bad omen for those who dwell in the east; if in the west, it is a bad omen for those who dwell in the west; if in the midst of heaven it is bad omen for the whole world. If its face is red as blood, [it is a sign that] the sword is coming to the world; if it is like sack-cloth, the arrows of famine are coming to the world; if it resembles both, the sword and the arrows of famine are coming to the world. If the eclipse is at sunset calamity will tarry in its coming; if at dawn, it hastens on its way: but some say the order is to be reversed. And there is no nation which is smitten that its gods are not smitten together with it, as it is said, And against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments. But when Israel fulfill the will of the Omnipresent, they need have no fear of all these [omens] as it is said, Thus saith the L-RD[2],' Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the nations are dismayed at them, the idolaters will be dismayed, but Israel will not be dismayed. 

So, On Elul one, I’d suggest that you begin repenting. Go to your neighbors and brothers and confess your wrongs against them, and beg them for forgiveness. We can expect Ha-Shem to forgive us ONLY when we have made things right between ourselves and our fellow man. The only way to be ready for the judgment of Yom Teruah is to repent and return to Ha-Shem.

Yom Teruah is the birthday of the world and day six of creation. It is the day when Adam was created. As such, this day contains the spiritual energy of creation. If we prepare ourselves correctly, and  behave as we should on this day, then we have the opportunity to be born again. We have the opportunity to begin a new year infused with the energy of creation! This day is also known as Judgment Day. The whole world will be judged on this day, for the coming year. The books of the living and the dead will be opened. This is truly an awesome day!

Revelation 12:1 has fascinated Bible scholars for many years. A few years ago, I was examining the stars in the heaven with an astronomy software program which allows me to simulate what the stars will look like at any day, at any time, and at any place. I set the date for Yom Teruah, the Feast of Trumpets, September 12, 1999. I set the place to be Jerusalem, and I set the time to be just after sunset. The following picture was presented to me:

Revelation 12:1-5 "A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days."

When I first saw the above picture, I immediately thought of the Revelation 12 sign. This celestial picture is for Yom Teruah, The Feast of Trumpets in 1999, which is 5760 on the Biblical anno mundo scale. This sign occurs on Shabbat, the Sabbath (Friday sundown to Saturday sundown). The above picture does not show Draco, the Dragon, because it would make the picture curved and hard to relate to. If you had a larger picture you would see that Draco is poised above the woman, waiting to snatch the man-child. The moon is poised in the "birth canal" of the young woman who is lying down with her feet in the air. The word "Bethulah" is in the location where her head should be. The constellation of Coma Bernice is the crown of twelve stars above the young woman's head.

REMEMBER:

Remember that God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years." Bereshit (Genesis) 1:14

This SIGN, as depicted above, is how it looks from Jerusalem! Remember that God's view is always from Jerusalem. Notice that the Chamah (Sun) is below the horizon so that this sign can be seen. This sign would not be visible if the sun were to be above the horizon. Because the sun is below the horizon, the constellation is literally clothed with the sun!

CONSIDER:

Please consider this paper as interesting speculation. Not as gospel truth. I do not yet know if this is how God will display this sign. It does seem to suggest that it might be the sign spoken of in Revelation 12:1-5. Those who celebrate Rosh Chodesh (the new moon) have learned that Messiah is represented by Lavanah (Moon) – Be aware, though, that the moon is also an Islamic symbol prominently displayed on many of their flags. The celebration for Rosh Chodesh, the new moon, includes the announcement of the new moon with the words:

David, King of Israel lives, lives and endures!

Lavanah, the moon, represents Messiah in this unique astronomical event. This particular positioning of the mazzaroth (constellation) Bethulah, the young woman, about to give 'birth' to the moon (the Messiah), has never occurred before, and will never occur again, due to the precession of the equinoxes. Actually, if you believe that the earth is older than 26,000 years, then that is when this sign would have last occurred. If you believe that the earth will endure for another than 26,000 years, then that is when this sign will next occur.

The sun is just below the horizon such that Bethulah is 'clothed' with the sun. The sun must be below the horizon in order to have any possibility of seeing this 'sign'. The moon is 'new' and after 'birth', the moon will move directly to the feet of Bethulah (Virgo, the young woman) within 24 hours. Over Bethulah's head is the mazzaroth (constellation) known as 'Bernice's hair'. This is the crown of twelve stars! Higher and above her legs, we will find Draco, the Dragon, poised to devour Bethulah's child.

Yom Teruah, The Feast of Trumpets,  5760, falls on Shabbat (Sabbath). This means that if the Temple is standing, or the altar is built, then we will be offering the following korbanot (sacrifices):

The Morning sacrifice.

The Shabbat (Sabbath) sacrifices.

The Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) sacrifices.

The Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets) festival sacrifices.

The Evening sacrifice.

On this day, and this day alone is it possible to offer all of these sacrifices!

Yom Teruah is the only festival that no man knows the day or the hour in which it begins. This is due to the fact that it begins on Rosh Chodesh (The New Moon). The new moon was sanctified when two witnesses see the new moon and attest to it before the Beit Din Gadole (Sanhedrin) in the Temple. This sanctification could happen during either of two days, depending on when the witnesses come. Since no one knew when the witnesses would come, no one knew when the Feast of Trumpets would start.

So, what does this sign mean? I think that it is important to note that the emphasis is on the woman, not on the man child. The sign seems to be telling us what the woman is going to do. The obvious question, then, is: Who is the woman?

For at least 2000 years, Jews have been reading special Torah readings with an accompanying reading from the Prophets called the Haftorah. The Torah Reading which is read when Rosh Chodesh (the new moon) falls on Shabbat (Sabbath) is Bamidbar (Bamidbar (Numbers)) 28:9-15. The Haftorah is:

Yeshayah (Isaiah) 66:1-24  This is what Ha-Shem says: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?  Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?" declares Ha-Shem. "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.  But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a man, and whoever offers a lamb, like one who breaks a dog's neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig's blood, and whoever burns memorial incense, like one who worships an idol. They have chosen their own ways, and their souls delight in their abominations;  So I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring upon them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me."  Hear the word of Ha-Shem, you who tremble at his word: "Your brothers who hate you, and exclude you because of my name, have said, 'Let Ha-Shem be glorified, that we may see your joy!' Yet they will be put to shame.  Hear that uproar from the city, hear that noise from the temple! It is the sound of Ha-Shem repaying his enemies all they deserve.  "Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before the pains come upon her, she delivers a son.  Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children.  Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?" says Ha-Shem. "Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?" says your God.  "Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her.  For you will nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts; you will drink deeply and delight in her overflowing abundance."   For this is what Ha-Shem says: "I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees.  As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem."  When you see this, your heart will rejoice and you will flourish like grass; the hand of Ha-Shem will be made known to his servants, but his fury will be shown to his foes.  See, Ha-Shem is coming with fire, and his chariots are like a whirlwind; he will bring down his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.  For with fire and with his sword Ha-Shem will execute judgment upon all men, and many will be those slain by Ha-Shem.   "Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following the one in the midst of those who eat the flesh of pigs and rats and other abominable things--they will meet their end together," declares Ha-Shem.   "And I, because of their actions and their imaginations, am about to come and gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see my glory.   "I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations--to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant islands that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations.  And they will bring all your brothers, from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to Ha-Shem--on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels," says Ha-Shem. "They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of Ha-Shem in ceremonially clean vessels.  And I will select some of them also to be priests and Levites," says Ha-Shem.   "As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me," declares Ha-Shem, "so will your name and descendants endure.  From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me," says Ha-Shem.  "And they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind."

From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me," says Ha-Shem.^[3]

This passage from Yeshayah (Isaiah) 66, seems to be the closest match, in all of the Scriptures, to our passage in Revelation 12. I think that it is more than a coincidence that Ha-Shem (Ha-Shem is a Hebrew word meaning "The Name", it is how pious Jews refer to the yod-hay-vav-hay, the tetragrammaton, Name of God) chose this reading from the Prophets to be read specifically when Rosh Chodesh falls on Shabbat; as it will on Yom Teruah 5760 (September 12, 1999). Ha-Shem, obviously, chose the readings so that His people would be informed before He takes any action. For those who are doing the right things, at the right time, and in the right way, this event will be no surprise. As the people finish reading the Torah portion, the Haftorah portion, and the readings from the Tehillim (Psalms), they will all be standing outside, looking at the moon as they recite the following blessing:

Continue   [Feast of Trumpets Eighteen] 

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