Category: Scriptural Calendar

Pharisaic Calendar and Court – Pt. 2

YRR has released an audio Mini-Pod titled “Pharisaic Calendar and Court – Pt. 2”

The court system developed by the Hillelic Pharisees was clearly a device they invented to address how a New Moon Day was to be declared. The rabbis did involve the populace by having them act as official witnesses, making them feel as if they were an essential part of the process.

At the same time, the Jewish people allowed the Nasi (head of the Sanhedrin) to become all-powerful, giving him the same status as Moses and by hanging on his very utterance of approval before they could begin a month and count the days to their festivals.

Ultimately, the regulations of the Hillelic system caused it to collapse under its own weight, leaving those who adhered to its principles in a constant state of confusion.

Listen in to get the facts regarding the alteration of Yahweh’s sacred calendar by the Hillelic Pharisees and its effect on those today who are unknowingly following their precepts, which include the requirement of a visible crescent of the moon to begin a month.

This audio presentation can be accessed and listened to at the following link:

M019. Pharisaic Calendar and Court -Pt. 2 – (15:58)

It can also be listened to on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Podbean, among others.

Pharisaic Calendar and Court – Pt. 1

YRR has released an audio Mini-Pod titled “Pharisaic Calendar and Court – Pt. 1”

The Hillelic Pharisees, starting with Gamaliel I, using the “traditions of their fathers” and heavily influenced by Babylonian customs, instituted a series of modifications that forever changed the requirements for determining the beginning of a month and a year in what became known as Orthodox Judaism.

One must realize the fact that there is no record before the Mishnah (200 C.E.)—and then only when it deals with the period of Pharisaic control over intercalation beginning in 41 C.E.—of any official sanctification of the new moons and the requirement for witnesses before a court to confirm a visual sighting of a new moon crescent.

Listen in to get the facts regarding Yahweh’s sacred calendar.

This audio presentation can be accessed and listened to at the following link:

M018. Pharisaic Calendar and Court -Pt. 1 – (19:10)

It can also be listened to on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Podbean, among others.

Pharisee Influence

The calendric system utilized by the Hillelic Pharisees between 41 and 365 C.E. becomes an essential issue for our study. Various present-day researchers, both from rabbinic Judaism and neo-Christianity, have, without adequate foundation, concluded that the Hillelic system was the original method required by Scriptures.

Both rabbinic Judaism and neo-Christian groups, as a result, have assumed that the Israelites always had waited to declare a New Moon Day until the night that its first crescent was witnessed. For some Christian messianic groups, it is presumed that authority to continue this practice in Christianity is brought forth from Romans 3:1-2 and Matthew 23:3. The question is, Do these passages actually support such a conclusion?

The willingness to accept the pro-Pharisaic interpretation of the two above passages comes as the result of two circumstances:

• The assumption that the Jews from this period must have known and practiced the true system.

• The victory of the Hillelic Pharisees in their political struggle against their religious rivals, leaving predominantly Pharisaic records as our primary source for Jewish practices of the first and subsequent centuries C.E., somehow proves their authority. Continue reading “Pharisee Influence” →

Jewish Authority

There is yet another important question that must be addressed pertaining to Yahweh’s instructions from Scriptures regarding when to begin the sacred months and years. How much authority do we allow the Sadducees, Pharisees, or any of the other ancient Jewish groups regarding the sacred calendar?

In reality, there is no justification at all for accepting as authoritative the teachings of any of the Hasidic groups, especially the Pharisees, or even that of the Aristocratic sects of the Sadducees, Boethusian Sadducees, or Samaritans. All systems must be weighed against what Scriptures actually state, not vice versa.

If after examining Scriptures we find that one or another of these groups held true to some of the practices and doctrines that were originally commanded, the most we can say is that they were observing that point correctly. Yet any conclusion must be tempered by the scriptural warnings about the various teachings of the Sadducees, Pharisees, and scribes (lawyers). Continue reading “Jewish Authority” →

Passover – Abib 14 is a Festival Day!

YRR has released an audio Mini-Pod covering the topic of “Passover – Abib 14 is a Festival Day!”

It is abundantly clear that an overwhelming amount of evidence supports the 7-day observance of Passover and Unleavened Bread being Abib 14-20.

Also, it can be demonstrated that this was the practice of Yahushua the messiah, and the early assemblies who later were referred to as Quartodecimans.

Nevertheless, many would stubbornly disagree with this conclusion in the face of the facts and continue with a modified form of the traditional Pharisaic/Hasidic practice.

This newer modified or hybrid form would have an 8-day observance of eating unleavened bread from Abib 14-21.

Scriptures clearly indicate that Yahushua ate his Passover meal just after sunset on Abib 14, one day prior to the Passover meal of the Jewish religious leaders on Abib 15.

If one followed the example as set forth by Yahushua the messiah, they would observe the 7-day Khag of Passover and Unleavened Bread from Abib 14-20.

This audio presentation can be accessed and listened to at the following link:

M015. Passover – Abib 14 is a Festival Day! – (14:27)

It can also be listened to on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Podbean, among others.

Sanctification of New Moons – Pt. 2

Defective and full Months
The Pharisees established rules that limited not only the number of months which could be defective (i.e., only 29 days long) or full (i.e., consisting of a full 30 days) but even limited which months were eligible.

The Mishnah states:

There are never less than four “full” months in the year, nor do more than eight (full) months require to be taken into account.31

In turn, they point out that there were never more than eight or less than four defective months. Meanwhile, a 12 lunar-month year has no less than 352 days and no more than 355 days, while a 13 lunar-month year has no less than 383 days and no more than 385 days.32

These reckonings were further encumbered by other restrictions which ignored the reality of the new moon phases. For example, the last month of the year, Adar—the month which precedes Nisan, the first month of the next year—is always defective,33 as was, except in special cases, the sixth month, Elul.34 The first and seventh months, on the other hand, i.e., Nisan and Tishri, were “never intercalated,” that is, they were always full.35 Continue reading “Sanctification of New Moons – Pt. 2” →

Sanctification of New Moons – Pt. 1

The Hillelic Pharisees differed from their religious counterparts in that they followed the Babylonian custom of demanding that there must be witnesses who could testify to a Calendar Court confirming the sighting of the moon’s crescent on the very first day of the new moon. They also required official sanctification of the new moon by their Calendar Court.

Our attention will now shift to examining the rules for sanctification and dissemination for the Hillelic New Moon Day. As we shall see, many of these regulations prove to be arbitrary and counter to scriptural intent.

Sanctification
The Hillelic Pharisees considered it “a religious duty to sanctify (the new moon) on the strength of actual observation.”1 This duty was required, “even though the observation is not necessary for the purpose.”2

Maimonides argues this Pharisaic position when he writes: Continue reading “Sanctification of New Moons – Pt. 1” →

The Pharisaic Calendar and Court – Pt. 2

The Calendar Court

The Hillelic system for determining the New Moon Day and how to intercalate the year operated through a court panel of three judges.25 In the time of the Temple, these judges represented the Court of Elders and, after the Temple’s destruction in 70 C.E., the Great Sanhedrin of Pharisees.

The Mishnah reports:

The intercalating of the month and the intercalating of the year (are decided upon) by three (judges). So (says) Rabbi Meir. But Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel says: The matter is begun by three, discussed by five, and decided upon by seven; but if it is decided upon by three the intercalation is valid.26

Later, the number of the assembly of participating members was changed to 10 judges.27 The leading judge was the Nasi. New Moon Days were sanctified by at least two of the three members of the court.28 Continue reading “The Pharisaic Calendar and Court – Pt. 2” →

The Pharisaic Calendar and Court – Pt. 1

In 41 C.E., the Aristocratic system of determining new moons and the intercalation of a year, previously calculated only by the priests who were the descendants of Aaron, the high priest, was officially usurped by the Nasi (head of the Sanhedrin) of the Hillelic Pharisees.

Thus began a process wherein the Hillelic party, starting with Gamaliel I, using the “traditions of their fathers” and heavily influenced by Babylonian customs, instituted a series of modifications that forever changed the requirements for determining the beginning of a month and a year in what became known as Orthodox Judaism.

These new calendar regulations were created for two reasons: Continue reading “The Pharisaic Calendar and Court – Pt. 1” →

The Lying Pen of the Scribes

YRR has released an audio Mini-Pod covering the topic of “The Lying Pen of the Scribes.”

There are 134 times when Jewish copyists (or Sopherim) of the Masoretic text, believing that certain passages were too often quoted that used the sacred name Yahweh, changed the primitive Hebrew text to read adonai or eloahim instead of Yahweh.

Unfortunately, many have failed to realize the extent of the tampering of our present Hebrew Masoretic Text, especially regarding the sacred name Yahweh.

This tampering also extended to the name Yahu, the praenomen of the preexistent Yahushua the messiah. Before Yahushua became a human, his full name, as given by Scriptures was Yahu Yahweh.

This audio presentation can be accessed and listened to at the following link:

M014. The Lying Pen of the Scribes – (9:35)

It can also be listened to on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Podbean, among others.

Passover – Egyptian Confirmation

YRR has released an audio Mini-Pod covering the topic of The Festival of Passover and Unleavened Bread.

Unknown to most followers of Yahweh, there is a remarkable witness that provides evidence for the practice of the 7-day Festival of Passover and Unleavened Bread occurring on Abib 14-20.

This witness comes from an extra-biblical work, the Book of Yashar. The present copy of the Book of Yashar is by no means to be assigned the authority of Scriptures.

However, what the text says regarding the Passover of the Exodus nevertheless proves quite informative and interesting.

This audio presentation can be accessed and listened to at the following link:

M013. Passover – Egyptian Confirmation 1 – (11:51)

It can also be listened to on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Podbean, among others.

Abib 14 – A High Sabbath

YRR has released two audio MIni-Pods covering the topic of The Festival of Passover and Unleavened Bread, Abib 14.

This two-part series demonstrates that the Hebrew text of the book of John (MS. Vat.ebr.100) establishes that Abib 14 is a High Sabbath and the first day of the Festival of Passover and Unleavened Bread.

The MIni-Pods can be accessed and listened to at the following links:

M011. Abib 14 – A High Sabbath – Part 1 – (13:25)

M012. Abib 14 – A High Sabbath – Part 2 – (14:21)

They can also be listened to on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Podbean, among others.

A Sabbath Year Announcement

It would be remiss of the Yahu Ranger Report if, at this time, there was not issued the report of an approaching Sabbath Year beginning at sunset on March 22 (Abib 1) of the Gregorian Year 2023.

For various reasons, there are those who would dismiss any consideration of the validity of Sabbath Years or Jubilee Years as commanded in Scriptures. (Lev. 25: 1-13)

The Yahu Ranger Report strongly disagrees with this position.

First, the knowledge of the Sabbath and Jubilee Years is essential for reconstructing the chronological framework of ancient Israelite history.

Second, once the true Sabbath and Jubilee years are ascertained, it allows us to “clock in” and discover which years are presently Sabbaths and Jubilees. This knowledge holds great significance for the followers of Yahweh.

The book of Hebrews, for example, notes that “The Law,” of which the Sabbath and Jubilee Years are a part, is “a shadow of the coming good things.” (Heb. 10:1) The Sabbath day, to demonstrate, was reckoned as a type of the great sabbatism and rest into which the people of Yahweh will one day enter. (Heb. 3:7-4:13)

Continue reading “A Sabbath Year Announcement” →

Rules for the New Moon

Many followers of Yahweh recognize the importance of correctly observing Yahweh’s sacred calendar.

At the same time, there seems to presently exist some confusion regarding the determination of a scriptural month and year.

We know that Abraham was justified to receive the Promised Land “because Abraham obeyed my (Yahweh’s) voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, MY STATUTES, and my laws.” (Gen. 26:5)

The observance of Yahweh’s Festival Days is a STATUTE that Abraham would have kept as a requirement for justification to achieve salvation and eternal life.

One would also have to conclude that Abraham did, in fact, observe the Festival Days correctly. Otherwise, he would have failed to keep them and Yahweh would not have justified him.

During our present time, if one is in error regarding Yahweh’s sacred calendar, it follows that one is not properly keeping Yahweh’s statutes and, therefore, would fall short of Yahweh’s commands. Continue reading “Rules for the New Moon” →

Passover – Examining Abib 10 to 13

Of the four Gospels, there exists a perception that the book of John relates a contradictory narrative in relation to the other Gospels regarding the account of Yahushua the messiah’s last Passover supper, also known as the “Last Supper.”

Because of this perception, many have utilized the book of John to support the idea that Yahushua never actually ate the Passover supper since it occurred on the evening of Abib 14, which was one day before the officially sanctioned day of Abib 15 as recognized by the Jewish religious leaders.

Some claim that Yahushua’s “Last Supper” on Abib 14 was a faux Passover or a fake. The reason being that Yahushua knew that he would be dead and would not be able to keep the true Passover on Abib 15.

Others say that because of this unique circumstance, an exception was made for Yahushua by father Yahweh, who permitted him to observe a valid Passover one day earlier, thereby circumventing the Law!

But, are any of these assertions valid? Continue reading “Passover – Examining Abib 10 to 13” →