Like the calendar is just... off? Well, our ancestors in Egypt felt that way too. And it all ties into a fascinating, and often overlooked, concept: the Jewish calendar and the practice of intercalation.
Now, what is intercalation? Simply put, it’s the act of adding an extra month – a leap month, if you will – to the Jewish calendar to keep our lunar months aligned with the solar year. It's a delicate dance, ensuring that Passover, for example, always falls in the spring.
But here’s the twist. Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating early medieval text of Jewish legend and lore, tells us that Jacob himself taught Joseph and his brothers the secrets of intercalation. Imagine that scene! The patriarch, passing down vital knowledge to ensure the rhythm of Jewish life continues even in exile. And they used it! They kept the calendar humming along nicely in Egypt.
Then, tragedy struck. "And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation" (Exodus 1:6). A simple verse, but Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer sees a deeper meaning. It wasn't just the people who passed away; the knowledge of intercalation began to fade too. With the loss of that generation, the ability to properly adjust the calendar diminished. : a community adrift, losing its connection to time itself.
But the story doesn't end there. The text draws a parallel. Just as the practice of intercalation waned in Egypt, it will similarly diminish "at the end of the fourth kingdom" – a reference to the final period of exile before the coming of the Messiah – until Elijah, may his memory be a blessing, arrives to herald a new era. A time of disruption, perhaps, but also of anticipated redemption.
And then, a glimmer of hope. Remember when God speaks to Moses and Aaron in Egypt? "And the Lord spoke unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months" (Exodus 12:1-2).
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer asks: why the word "saying?" The answer is profound. God isn't just telling them when the new year begins, but how to keep track of it. "Say to them," God says, "Till now the principle of intercalation was with Me, henceforth it is your right to intercalate thereby the year." It's a transfer of power, a handing over of responsibility. Now, the Israelites themselves will have the tools to maintain the sacred calendar.
And just as God revealed Himself to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, so too will He reveal Himself at the end of days. A promise of renewal, of restored knowledge, and a chance to reclaim our connection to time and tradition.
So, the next time you look at a Jewish calendar, remember this story. Remember Jacob, Joseph, and the importance of keeping time. It’s not just about dates and holidays; it's about our connection to the past, our hope for the future, and our ongoing relationship with the Divine. It’s a reminder that even in the darkest of times, the possibility of renewal is always there, waiting to be revealed.