Page 65 - BV10
P. 65

Here, it seems pertinent to consider that the biblical word for the Moon itself is "Yerach".
                       Throughout biblical texts, the word for the literal  Moon or "Yerach" is never directly mentioned
                       in association with the formal sacrificial schedule (as is both "the chodesh and the Sabbaths").

                              The following paragraphs will set forth additional detail to more clearly delineate that the
                       biblically described festival of the "new beginnings" or "chodesh" was probably celebrated at a
                       formal division of the  lunar cycle.

                              Throughout all of the biblical verses which do use the word for the literal Moon (or the
                       "Yerach"), there isn't any instruction concerning the event of a "New Yerach" or a "New Moon" (a
                       time when a Moon Festival would be routinely celebrated). In addition, there is no biblical men-
                       tion of a sacrifice schedule in exclusive association with the literal Moon or "Yerach". Essentially
                       a "Yerach" Feast (or a Moon Feast) isn't indicated in the Bible!

                              Here, it becomes a bit of a puzzle that biblical texts never refer to the literal Moon or
                       "Yerach" and the Sabbaths (in any combination whatsoever). This omission of festival sacrifices
                       in association with the literal "Yerach" may be due to the underlying meaning of the Hebrew word:
                       "yerach" (which aptly means the physical appearance of the Moon as an observable shining ob-
                       ject). In some instances of biblical usage, however, the word "yerach" is found to pertain to a
                       time-cycle equal to the lunar period.

                              To the converse of the seemingly unobserved "Yerach Feast", the "Chodesh Feast", or
                       "New Beginnings Feast", does more clearly seem to have an association with the Sabbath. Con-
                       sequently, it may be that the chodesh (or the renewal) in early times had a somewhat different
                       meaning from the classic modern meaning of the specific lunar period, or also of the literal Moon.

                              Here, it is of special interest that among all of the biblical texts which do refer to the literal
                       Moon (or the "Yerach"), only two passages use a date consisting of both the Moon (or "Yerach")
                       and the "chodesh" (or "new beginnings"):

                              [Based upon the AV:]
                              "In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the LORD laid, in the 'Yerach Zif'...
                              And in the eleventh year, in the 'Yerach Bul', which is the 'eighth chodesh', was the house
                              finished...So was he seven years in building it." (1 Kings 6:37-38).

                              "And all the men of Israel assembled...in the 'Yerach Ethanim', which is the 'seventh
                              chodesh'...And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him…seven days and
                              seven days, even fourteen days. On the eighth day he sent the people away..." (1 Kings
                              8:2-66).

                              In only these respective passages of the entire Bible, the physical Moon (or "Yerach") is
                       listed along side of a respective "new beginnings" or "chodesh". In two of the cited instances, the
                       "chodesh" listed is provided with a respective number (8 and 7). In three of the cited instances, the
                       word "yerach" is supplied with an adjective (which adjective may correspond to a label or to a
                       month name). The three adjectives tacked onto the physical Moon are as follows: 1. "Zif Moon",
                       which possibly means "brightness of the Moon"; 2. "Bul Moon", which possibly means "increasing

                                                             65
   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70