Overview of the Jewish Year

The Jewish Calendar

The Year

In first century Israel there was a Sacred year, and a Civil year. The Sacred year began in late March, and Nisan was the first month. The Civil began in October, and Tishri was the first month. The 7^th Sacred month was the 1^st Civil month. The year was divided into 12 lunar months, with an Intercalary month (a 13^th month 7 times in every 19 years).

The Day

The natural day was from sunrise to sunset and the natural night was from sunset to sunrise. The Civil day was from sunset to sunset. Every hour was counted from 6 in the morning to 6 in the evening. There were 4 watches in the evening from 6 pm to 6 am:

The First Watch - 6 to 9 pm.

The Second Watch - 9 to 12 pm.

The Third Watch - 12 to 3 am.

The Fourth Watch - 3 to 6 am.

The Farming Year

The people of Israel originally adapted the agricultural skills of the ancient Canaanites, who lived in the land of Israel before God gave the land to the Jews.

The most common cereals that the Israelite farmers grew were wheat and Barley. They also grew fruit trees, olives, vines and figs.

The early rains (former rains), came in late September and early October. They softened up the hard, dry soil and allowed ploughing to begin.

After the ploughing they sowed their seed, with the grain ploughed in.

The winter rains would assure that the harvest would be plentiful, if not there would be famine.

In April the barley in the lowland areas would ripen first, then the wheat. By May the crops ripened in the highlands and harvesting began. The feast of Pentecost (weeks) was the festival of harvest when the people of Israel gave their thankfulness to the Lord for the year�s produce.

June through September were the hot summer months and it rarely rained in Israel.