Better know a calendar

As I thought about what to call this post, I was reminded of a recurring sketch on the old Colbert Report, called “Better Know a District.” Each segment offered a humorous examination of a different  United States Congressional district and generally included an interview with that district's member of Congress. So, I thought I would call this “Better Know a Calendar.” 

We have just completed the busy fall season of Jewish Holidays. Just to put this in perspective, over the past four weeks there have been four major holidays, three of which are traditionally celebrated for two days outside of Israel: Rosh Hashana (New Year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), and Shemini Atzeret (Eighth Day of Assembly). There are four possible configurations of the fall holidays. This year, the three two-day holidays fell on Saturday/Sunday, which meant they coincided with the Jewish Sabbath. Here are all the possible configurations:

 

Rosh Hashanah/Sukkot/Shmini Atzeret	Yom Kippur
Monday and Tuesday	Wednesday
Tuesday and Wednesday	Thursday
Thursday & Friday	Saturday
Saturday and Sunday (this year)	Monday

 But the following configurations cannot happen.

 

Rosh Hashanah/Sukkot/Shmini Atzeret	Yom Kippur
Wednesday and Thursday	Friday
Friday and Saturday	Sunday
Sunday and Monday	Tuesday

I have often wondered exactly why this is the case, so I did a little reading today. If Yom Kippur falls on a Friday or a Sunday, there would be two consecutive days (the Shabbat either just after or just before Yom Kippur) when preparing food is prohibited, and if Sukkot falls on Sunday and Monday, then Hoshanah Rabba (seventh day of Sukkot, which includes the custom of taking willows) would occur on Shabbat, on which that custom would be prohibited.

How does the calendar make this work? Because Yom Kippur, which which falls on 10 Tishrei and cannot fall on a Friday or Sunday, the days in the months of Cheshvan and/or Kislev are adjusted so that Rosh Hashanah, which falls on 1 Tishrei, does not fall on a Wednesday or Friday. And, in the case of Hoshana Rabbah, which falls on 21 Tishrei and cannot fall on a Saturday, Rosh Hashanah cannot be on a Sunday. 

Wikipedia has a long explanation of the possible configurations of all the Jewish holidays.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Days_of_week_on_Hebrew_calendar

This was not the most enjoyable of fall holiday seasons. While the weather throughout Sukkot was especially lovely this year, and I am grateful that Barry had the energy to put up our Sukkah, we were here alone for all the meals in it. That is just not the way it is supposed to be. We hope next year will bring us all back together in good health.

Love,

Rebecca