Rosh Hashannah Early? No, Right on Time

For those who run their lives according to the "goyish" aka solar or Christian Calendar, Rosh Hashannah, the Jewish New Year, which we just celebrated last week on September 5th came "very early."  Jewish schools in the northern hemisphere had to decide whether or not to open before their usual September date or earlier or later.  Yes, that includes Israel, where many schools started a week early so the children would have some educational preparation for Rosh Hashannah.

Many of us live rather schizophrenic lives when it comes to the calendar, and that includes yours truly.

I must admit that this morning when I went into the kitchen for my second mug bucket of coffee, and I noticed the dark grey clouds trying to mask the orange sunrise, I knew for sure that we are in the Month of Tishrei.

Rosh Hashannah is behind us and the Israeli fall has begun.  Our evenings and early mornings have been getting chillier and the days more humid.  This is typical weather for the season of the Jewish High Holidays, Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur.  Of course this summer-fall weather will yoyo for another month, and then G-d willing it will begin to rain.

When I stepped out the door to take more pictures of the sunrise I was impressed by how little of it I could see.  The trees are beginning to seriously block my view.

There was a time when standing in exactly the same spot I could see a lot more sky, but Baruch Hashem, thank G-d we've had rain, and the trees have been growing.

For those who schedule and function strictly according to the Jewish Calendar, there are no debates or discussions or even feelings that the Holidays are "early." That's because strictly speaking they aren't.  This is a year that will have a second Adar, which G-d willing will give us an extra month of rain and prevent the calendar situation the Muslims have.  Their holidays travel around the seasons, because they have an inflexible twelve month lunar calendar without any leap (extra) months.

Since Jewish Holidays are also entwined with specific harvests, we must celebrate them in their exact solar seasons.  The coordination of the two types of calendars, lunar and solar, in the Jewish Calendar is brilliant.  Another aspect of the calendar is that our two weeklong holidays, Succot and Passover begin with the full moon, in the middle of the lunar month.  All of this must match perfectly.

So, whether the Jewish Holidays are early or late depends on your "focus" or "lighting."  Two pictures I took this morning form the same spot illustrate it well.

Picture #1 was given an automatic flash by the camera.  The flash emphasizes the tree by my door and deemphasizes the sunrise.

Picture #2 So I quickly turned off the automatic flash and took another shot of the same scene.

Now I'll leave it in your hands.  Which should be called the Jewish Calendar and which the "goyish" calendar?