Subject: [ETI Informal pdf 1AD.02.09.03] Dates for Tabernacles 2002
From: "ETIMin" <[email-masked]>
To: "Lists @ ETI Min" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 23 Sep 2002 12:35:45 +0200

CORRECT DETERMINATION OF PASSOVER

Greetings, 

In article 1AD.02.03.01 "Scriptural New Year Commenced at Sunset Friday 15 March or Sunrise Saturday 16 March" (19 March 2002) i published information based on my understanding of the determination of the dates for Passover, etc.

This information was based on the Karaite Corner dates based on first sighting of Abib Barley being the basis to determine the month of Abib (the first month of Yah’s calendar) and also based on new moon being the first sighting of the crescent moon and a scriptural day beginning at sunset.

Prior to this we had published 1A1.02.01.06 "The Dayspring: Scriptural Proof a Day Begins In the Morning" (29 January 2001) which had persuaded me that the Scriptural day begins at SUNRISE not sunset.

We were away the week of the feast of unleavened bread according to this calendar and established communication with a group in Pietermaritzburg who we hoped to share Passover with. However, they had the date of Passover as the evening of Wednesday 27 March whereas we had it as Saturday 30 March based on the day beginning in the morning. Eventually we were unable to celebrate Passover.

On return i found a series of emails dated 28 March which set out a very convincing analysis to the effect that Passover had to be AFTER the spring equinox (Northern hemisphere) and therefore in April with Friday 26 April indicated as the date of Passover.

These emails are reproduced below for your information.

After reading this series of emails i concluded that Passover must indeed be in April and, based on the day beginning in the morning concluded that it must be on Saturday 27 April.

As it happened we were at a fellowship North of Pretoria on that date giving a series of teachings on marriage and found ourselves on the road back late in the evening with a perfect view of a full moon. This convinced me that it was logical for the dates to be determined by the astronomical new moon and not the first sighting of the new moon which is a day or two after the date on which the sun and moon are in alignment.

At this stage i do not have absolute clarity on the exact dates of astronomical New Moon and full moon and therefore do not have absolute certainty regarding the exact dates for Yom Kippur and Tabernacles.

As best i can determine they are:

Yom Teruah (trumpets) Sunday 6 October 2002

Yom Kippur (atonement) Tuesday 15 October 2002

First day of Tabernacles Sunday 20 October

Great day of Tabernacles Sunday 27 October

But it is possible that i might be out by a day.

I would welcome comments from anyone else with insight into the determination of these dates.

Warm regards and blessings

James Robertson