The Court Below Fixes the Festivals Above

"This month shall be for you" (Exodus 12:2) - it is handed over to you. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: it is like a king who had a timepiece, and when his son came of age he handed over to him his timepiece. Rabbi Yose son of Rabbi Hanina said: like a king who had a watchtower, and when his son came of age he handed over to him his watchtower. Rabbi Aha said: like a king who had a signet ring, and when his son came of age he handed over to him his ring. Rabbi Yitzhak said: like a king who had many treasuries and a key for each one, and when his son came of age he handed over to him the keys. Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba said: like a craftsman who had tools of his trade, and when his son came of age he handed over to him his tools. And the rabbis said: like a physician who had a case of remedies, and when his son came of age he handed over to him his case. Rabbi Hoshaya taught: the court below decreed and said, "Today is the New Year," and the Holy One, blessed be He, says to the ministering angels, "Set up the platform, let the advocates stand and let the scribes stand, for the court below has decreed and said, today is the New Year." If the witnesses were delayed in coming, or the court decided to intercalate the year to the next day, the Holy One, blessed be He, says to the ministering angels, "Remove the platform, let the advocates be removed and let the scribes be removed, for the court below has decreed and said, tomorrow is the New Year." And what is the reason? "For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob" (Psalms 81:5) - if it is not a statute for Israel, then, as it were, it is not an ordinance of the God of Jacob. Rabbi Pinhas and Rabbi Hezekiah in the name of Rabbi Simon: all the ministering angels gather before the Holy One, blessed be He, and say before Him, "Master of the worlds, when is the New Year?" And He says, "You ask Me? I and you, let us ask the court below." And what is the reason? "For what great nation has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is whenever we call upon Him" (Deuteronomy 4:7), and "our calling" means nothing other than the festivals, as it says, "these are the appointed times of the LORD, holy convocations" (Leviticus 23:4). Rabbi Crispa in the name of Rabbi Yohanan: in the past, "the appointed times of the LORD" (ibid.); from here onward, "which you shall proclaim" (ibid.) - He said to them, if you have proclaimed them, they are My appointed times, and if not, they are not My appointed times.