Verify Mosaic Calendar via Easter date from Julian Day Numbers

In summary, the straight forward Jubilee

count of 50 years and Septennial counts of
Sabbath years, (7-7's), and the
independent 7 day week were the only
requirements to keep the 3 appointed
yearly feasts dictated under Mosaic law.
The Sabbatical years need not be same as
Jubilee Years. There are no contradictions
between the Mosaic Law prescribing the 7
year intervals for Year of Release, and the
50 year intervals for the Law of Return.

Reading what some have written about the

Mosaic calendar, namely that Jubilee and
Sabbath year counts are contradictory,
begged to review that assertion. To look at
this question, the Julian Day Number
method to find Easter was applied to the
matter. This results in a self correcting lunar solar year calendar.

The count of 50th year Jubilee and Septennial counts of Sabbath years were instituted only
after the Exodus, around 1450BC. As the Gregorian calendar is off by only about 1 day in
3500Years, intuitively the Easter calculation should be reasonably accurate.
The Catholic Easter is based on finding a Paschal or 1st Full Moon on or after the Spring or
Vernal Equinox. This corresponds to the Spring new moon, first full moon on or after March
21. Since Spring Equinox is relatively constant, the Catholic date and Julian Day Easter were
used. On rare occasions, Astronomical Easter will not correspond with Catholic or Gregorian
date Easter. However for simple evaluation, the Catholic Epact method was used, as adapted
to Julian Day number method. These formula are given from a prior work, and as an appendix
at end of this topic.

It was found that a pattern of 49 year plus one, (1), Jubilee year are perfectly compatible with
Mosaic Holy day calendar without complicated intercalation rules. This is because the spring
equinox is very regular.

It was previously shown that observational Equinoxes could be found by Egyptian methods
learnt by Moses, as well as simple day counts from a prior observation. A Day count of 365 or
366 days is simple and possibly necessary under poor weather conditions. "And Moses was
learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds."

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 Review of JD# Lunar Conjunction Dates to NASA Tables for “Easter Year” start Dates
Verify Mosaic Calendar via Easter date from Julian Day Numbers
Lun.Conj. by NASA Rabbinical Observation
Year-Gregorian otis-a.com
Easter Epact conjuction date date

-1462Apr13g 1187168.37 1187168.06 1187168.06 30Nisan 28Nisan

-974Apr12g 1365415.07 1365415.07 1365415.07 01Iyyar 28Nisan

-567Apr15g 1514072.11 1514072.11 1514072.32 29Nisan 28Nisan

-497Apr23 1539645.61 1539645.37 1539645.57 29Nisan 28Nisan

-457Apl11g 1554233.73 1554233.65 1554233.65 29Nisan 28Adar

26AD.Mar05 1730620.03 1730620.31 1730620.43 29Adar 28Adar

30AD.Mar21 1732096.56 1732096.24 1732096.24 01Nisan 28Adar

2019mar06 2458549.32 2458549.17 2458549.18 30Adar-1 28Adar

Y2k.Mar06 2451609.63 2451609.72 2451609.72 29Adar-1 28Adar

avg Error 0.08+\- 0.20 JD# eliminates Leap Year accounting, as this is performed by
Calendar Converter routines

The Mosaic Spring New moon was calculated as Paschal Full moon, less 14 days. The
validity of these new moons were confirmed by John Walker's web pages; Lunar Perigee and
Apogee Calculator & Calendar Converter. Additionally spot checks of Walker by more
complex methods proved the method validity within the selected date ranges 1450BC to
2019AD. The gap between Catholic Easter Year and Hebrew Year is caused by variances in
start criteria. Easter only requires the start be at full moon, at or after Vernal Equinox. The
Jewish new year often requires a first new moon after the VE. Further differences in Jewish
new year arise as to whether it is a calculated new moon or a calculated visible new moon.
Since the visible moon happens one or two days after conjunction, there can be difference
twixt these dates. These difference are highlighted by the above Table.
Basis of Method:
The Nicene Council, 325AD, established Easter as the: 1)First Sunday, 2)After the 1st Full Moon,
3)On or After the Vernal Equinox. Here are used parts 2&3 of the Epact method. Also the Mosaic
LuniSolar New year is taken to start 14 days prior to the Paschal Full Moon. While not absolutely in
accordance with a Rabbinical New Year, it agrees with the method set out by Church Authorities in
325AD and upheld ever since. The validity of this method to set a 'moveable holiday' is commonly
agreed.
It is likely, on average, this method is close what was practiced by Hebrew priests from Moses time all
way up to the captivity & destruction of Solomon Temple. The sighted moon and barley harvest
intercalation cannot be simply reproduced.
First a determination of spring equinox is a relatively straight forward observation, given ideal
weather. The spring equinox could also be counted, given the regularity of earth orbit, 365.2422 days,
or mostly on March 21, Gregorian.
Second, sighted moon depends upon a more precise knowledge of weather conditions and lunar
orbital variations. This also is fairly regular at 29.5306 days. The time between lunar conjunction and
full moon is taken to average 14 days.

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 Verify Mosaic Calendar via Easter date from Julian Day Numbers

This method makes no effort to correspond to the Rabbinical calendar, as holy days were added
either after or during the captivity period, and uses a molad which falls after Vernal Equinox, along
with several other rules.
All together, the method given here showed that a lunisolar year could be used to observe both seven
year and 50 year cycles, without any conflict to the three primary holy days of Moses; Passover,
Pentecost, Day of Atonement.

Appendix, JD, Julian Day number routine to find start of New SoliLunar Year:
F1. (A): Year number expressed as Astronomical Year, ...-3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3...etc, The
years -1465 unto -1401, -1600 and -1252, & -1465 to 2019 were reviewed by calculation.
F2. (B) Epact Lunation# {Julian Day # of Paschal Epact}
[1+MOD((365.242454*(-4006-A)),29.5306))] & if>=30, then subtract 30
F3. JD# Jan1 (C) {Julian Day # of January 1st} 257898.52-365.242454*(-4006-A)
F4. D=(B-1)+C {Julian Day # of Paschal January New Moon}
F5. E=74.02+D {Julian Day # of Paschal March Full Moon}
F6. F=257978.00-365.242454*(-4006-A) {Julian Day # of Catholic Equinox}*
F7. G=IF(E>=F,E,E+29.531) {Julian Day # of Accepted Paschal Full Moon}
F8. H=G-14 {Julian Day # of Paschal New Moon, or start of a new LuniSolar year}
The Paschal new moon is the basis from which all declared Sabbaths, Free Week
Sabbaths, and Feast/Fast days may be determined.
F9. Auxiliary, if desired, determine week day by (7-INT(MOD((1.5+JD#),7)))
one is Sunday and 7 is Saturday, etc.

*F10 {Astronomical Equinox (over range,-4000 to 3000 +/-0.07d 98%) is: (2457102.448+(Yr-2015)*365.2422)+
((-0.0005947871)*((Yr-2015)/1000)^4+(-0.00392591)*((Yr-2015)/1000)^3+(0.013808751)*((Yr-2015)/
1000)^2+(0.1590901)*((Yr-2015)/1000)) see also texts on mathematical astronomy, most of whom neglect
effect of tidal friction on earth rotation. Source here included tidal friction effect.}

The more precise astronomical Easter calculations returns a result that considers tidal friction. This
method used the Computus structure applied to Julian day calendar, to avoid accounting for leap year
days. The effect of leap years are a natural result when converting from Julian Day numbers to any
calendar system.

If desired to use something approaching observational astronomy, then the Paschal New moon could
be replaced by “first ‘observational’ new moon on or after equinox” by inserting, F11,
“IF(PNM.jd#<Equinox, PNM+29.5, PNM.jd#). Several methods, beyond this scope, have been
proposed to find ‘observational’ new moon. But the conclusion remains unchanged: the Mosaic
system based on Vernal Equinox is sufficient to define the Passover, Pentecost(50th day), & Day of
Atonement (15th day of 7th Lunar month). The Babylonian (Rabbinical) Hebrew calendar added more
Holy Days and starts with a 7th month molad. A lunation, average moon, ranges between plus or
minus a half (1/2) day of the lunar conjunction.

The lunation counts per year were found to follow a pattern of 13,12, 13,12,12, 13,12,12,
13,12, 13... This was a natural result of using the Epact LuniSolar Year. This moon count per

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 Verify Mosaic Calendar via Easter date from Julian Day Numbers

year was plotted in the following

graph.

For the period between -1600 and

-458, the average day count was
365.2432. This was arrived at by
subtracting the start Julian day of
pseudo Paschal new moon less end
Julian day of pseudo Paschal new
moon, divided by elapsed years. This
compares favorably to
1)Gregorian year of 365.2425 days
2)Rabbinical calendar of 365.2468,
3)the mean solar year 365.2422 days

This method has a seasonal drift of

1day every 1270 year vs one day
every 234 year for Rabbinical calendar. Thus it is suitable for era between Exodus and start 70
year judgement (about 1,000 years), without alteration. It is easily justified that at end of Solomon
Temple era, the Mosaic calendar was dropped in favor of a Babylonian era calendar.

* F12) Exact Jd# of January 1 for any Year, (Yr), greater than -4006:
(2−(INT((Yr−1)÷100))+(INT((INT((Yr−1)÷100))÷4)))+(INT(365.25×(Yr+4715)))+(INT(30.6001×14))−1523.5
* F13) Exact Jd# of Mar21 (Paschal Equinox) for any Year, (Yr), greater than -4006: (No true Equinox +\-0.5d)
(2−(INT((Yr)÷100))+(INT((INT((Yr)÷100))÷4)))+(INT(365.25×(Yr+4716)))+(INT(30.6001×4))−1503.5
* Linear Estimate of Equinox: (365.2422653×Yr+1721139.2179) range -4000 to 2200 98% are 0.04+/-0.05day
* AA J.Meeus Ch26T26A&B cubic form on negative years is inaccurate in negative years.

As shown, today’s Rabbinical Calendar is an adaptation of the Babylonian Calendar. For all names
correspond either to Babylonian or Syrian names and no names correspond to pre-Exile names. The
Mosaic era calendar seem lost to posterity. But perhaps the Mosaic Calendar proposed here, are a
close variant of the calendar used in the era of Solomon’s Temple? With the exception that years
were relegated to a particular event or a king’s reign. The Easter computus rules may offer a basis for
a proleptic Mosaic calendar date that can be determined, relative to a Gregorian Calendar, for days of
Passover, Pentecost, & Atonement.
*F14) PNM.jd# = (IF((74.02+((IF((1+MOD((365.2422×(−4006−Y)),29.5306))>30,((1+MOD((365.2422×(−4006−Y)),29.5306))−30),
(1+MOD((365.2422×(−4006−Y)),29.5306))))−1+(257898.52−365.2422×(−4006−Y))))>(365.24227×Y+1721139.2179),(74.02+
((IF((1+MOD((365.2422×(−4006−Y)),29.5306))>30,((1+MOD((365.2422×(−4006−Y)),29.5306))−30),(1+MOD((365.2422×(−4006−Y)),
29.5306))))−1+(257898.52−365.2422×(−4006−Y)))),(74.02+((IF((1+MOD((365.2422×(−4006−Y)),29.5306))>30,
((1+MOD((365.2422×(−4006−Y)),29.5306))−30),(1+MOD((365.2422×(−4006−Y)),29.5306))))−1+(257898.52−365.2422×(−4006−Y))))
+29.5))−14
This formula, *F14, contains one input: Y. Where Y is the Astronomical Year (AY) of interest. This single formula
may be copied into a spreadsheet adjacent to a row or column containing the value of Y (i.e. ‘B2’). It will return
a Paschal New Moon, such that the full moon (14th day from Lunar Conjunction) will occur on or after the
Vernal (Spring) equinox, with a certainty of 0.4 +/- 0.3 days, over a range from present Year to
-3999AY(4,000BC). PNM means the Lunar Conjunction as defined above. From this date an entire Mosaic Era
Calendar, (Passover, Pentecost, 7th Month High Holidays, Sabbatical & Jubilee Years) are known. The JD#
may be changed to Gregorian Calendar dates by many Calendar routines. Tested over 7k civil years with year

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 Verify Mosaic Calendar via Easter date from Julian Day Numbers

A comparison of calendar month names shows the preBabylonian or Mosaic era Calendar
were not preserved into the Post/Babylonian era. This comes from fact that “Law of Return”,
or the 50th year, was not required. For the Samaria tribes were exiled and lost. It also likely
that after 70 years exile all land records were lost for non exiled tribes. Only the 7th year
release law was preserved in the post Babylon Exile Era, Neh10:31. The Mosaic era calendar
used month numbers with a few names, Abib, Zif, Ethanim, & Bul. None of the Mosaic era
names were used in Post/Babylon era as a new Babylon calendar was implemented.

One the other hand, almost all names of Rabbinical calendar can be found in either Syrian or
Babylonian records.

of 365.2422 (instead of 365.242454) the composite time lost was 1.8day, compared to Gregorian Calendar
gain of 2.1d. One such web page to convert JD# to Gregorian date is: (http://otis-a.com/) Reference

The first day of 7th month is 177 days after first day of year. Pentecost is 68 days after 1Abib, by
Catholic exclusive counting, pg77. Many variants exist, based upon sect, 64D, 65D, 75D.
“Anciently (Maimonides) the form of the year was wholly in-artificial: for it was not settled by any
astronomical rules nor calculations, but was made up of lunar months set out by the phasis (moon
appearance) … None had fewer than 29 days, so the new moon was never before the night following
the 29th day; and, if they then saw it, the next day was the 1st day of the following month. Neither
were any months more than 30 days, so they never looked for the new moon after the night following
the 30th day; but then, if not seen, they concluded, the appearance was obstructed by clouds, and
the next day was the first of the following month”
The above formula follows the 19 year cycle, with 12 years of 12 lunar months and 7 years of 13
lunar months. Irrespective of leap years, under the Mosaic holiday cannon, all 3 Holy (1st, 3rd, 7th)

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 Verify Mosaic Calendar via Easter date from Julian Day Numbers

months fall before the 11th month. If necessary to find a length of a specific year, find 1Abib of both
the year and the following year, should the difference exceed 365d, then the year of question was a
leap year.
For an astronomical calendar, one could find 1Abib as INT(JD#pnm+1.75). This is a reasonable evening start to the new
month with a visible crescent. If needed, add 0.09787 Julian days to convert from Universal Time to the Jerusalem Mean
Solar Time. Dr.Irv considers visibility criteria to be “onerous and controversial”, & “optimistic even for ideal observing
conditions.” Where-as conjunction & Equinox dates, as used above, are verifiable from many reliable sources: NASA,
USNRO, otis-a.com, etc, over a large range of dates.
The Catholic 14 day rule accepted here appears to better ‘Guard the month of Abib’ for otherwise Passover (14th day of
month1) can start prior to the Equinox. This will be seen where the Julian day number for start of year lands on
Rabbinical Nisan 30. For example in Astro-year -1462, the Catholic Abib1 is Julian day number 1187168.369, or
Rabbinical Nisan30. By which Rabbinical Nisan14 (Passover Day1) falls 3 days prior to astronomical (VE), vernal
equinox, 1187155.022. Calendars using Rabbinical rules and ‘sighted moon’ place Nisan 14 a full one day (JD#1187154)
prior to VE. Where-as the Easter 14 day rule would postpone 14Abib unto 1187182.37, 14Iyyar, a more fully green or
spring Passover, 27.4 days after VE. Thus the 14 day formula expounded here more fully ensures 14Abib would have
green ears for the wave offering. For the years 30&33AD, let reader be aware, all calendars agree closely & this subtlety
goes unnoticed. Nu33:3.
Catholic / Mosaic Calendar vs Rabbinical Calendar
Setting the Rabbinical Calendar to the 15th Lunar Day, Festival of Unleavened Bread, such that the spring
Equinox falls on or after the 15th lunar day is Not, Repeat, NOT in accordance with the whole council of
scripture.
There is a difference between the Easter Calendar and Rabbinical Calendars. The common answer is
the the Church Council of AD325 selected the 14th day rule to make Easter correspond only rarely

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 Verify Mosaic Calendar via Easter date from Julian Day Numbers

with Passover. When in fact, it far more plausible the Rabbinical council set their calendar to not
correspond with church rules. By so doing, the Rabbi could fool the common Hebrew into believing
Church Messianic believers were 'just dumbed down apostate Jews.' Nothing could be farther from
scripture. More likely, was the Rabbi concern of more followers becoming Christian.
The rabbinical rule is thus expressed (by two, of many) as:
- "The rule of the equinox always places Day 15 / Month 1 – the first day of the Festival of Unleavened
Bread on or after the Hebrew Day of the spring equinox. This rule helps ensure that the Festival of
Unleavened Bread is always observed in its season from year to year as required by Exodus 13:10.
Therefore, Day 1 / Month 1 may occur before, on or after the Hebrew Day of the spring equinox."

- "Dates during the second half of the Hebrew year (from Nissan{15} through Elul) depend only on the
date of Rosh ha-Shanah {01Tishri} because the intervening months are all of fixed length and thus in
hand calculations it is easier to count backwards from the following Rosh ha-Shanah {01Tishri}
subtracting ... {147d} .. and 16 for the remainder of Nisan {total 163d} rather than always starting with
the preceding Rosh ha-Shanah {01Tishri} as in our algorithm." pg202 note 12 Calendrical Calculations
3rdEd Dershowitz&Reingold

However the emphasis of Hebrew calendar metrics upon either 15Nisan {Festival of Unleavened
Bread} or 01Tishri is not in accordance with many bible references. For example in the Old
Testament, 'Passover' is mentioned 46X in 9 books, 'Feast Unleavened Bread' only 14times, and
"Unleavened Bread" 31times. Looking at old and new testaments we find mentioned; 72times
'Passover' but "Feast Unleavened Bread" just 18times, and 'Unleavened Bread' only 39times.
Upon the appointment of Passover "SEASON", the 14th day of the New Year is declared: and
confirmed by Church Council AD325 and in subsequent Easter algorithms. This is in accordance with
several passages from Moses:
- Let the children of Israel also keep the PASSOVER at his Appointed Season... And they kept the
PASSOVER on the FOURTEENTH (14) day of the first (1st) month at even in the wilderness of Sinai:
according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel. Num9:2&5
- Observe the month of Abib, and keep the PASSOVER (14th day) unto the Lord thy God: for in the month of
Abib the Lord thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night. Deuteronomy 16:1
- But at the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the
PASSOVER (14th day) at even, at the going down of the sun, at the Season that thou camest forth out of
Egypt. Deuteronomy 16:6
- And they departed from Rameses in the 1st month, on the 15th day of the 1st month; on the day after the
PASSOVER (14th day) (Numbers 33:3)
- And in the fourteenth (14) day of the first month is the PASSOVER (14th day) of the Lord (Numbers 28:16)
- In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's PASSOVER (14th day)(Lev23:5 )
- And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the PASSOVER on the fourteenth (14th) day of the
month at even in the plains of Jericho. (Joshua 5:10)

The 15th day, Festival of Unleavened Bread, is not the correct point to start The New Year, month of
Abib. This was clearly stated by both Moses and Nicaea Council of AD325. For the 14th day of New
Year Moon on or before Vernal Equinox are scriptural. Those Calendars using the rule 'Equinox falling
on or before 15th day of Abib' are unscriptural. Thus the use of Babylonian name 'Nisan' rather than
the Mosaic name of Abib to signify the exile or Post Exilic nature of such a start.

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 Verify Mosaic Calendar via Easter date from Julian Day Numbers

The Gauss Method for Rabbinical Nissan 15 for any year, Y, of the Common Era. Gauss result is for
Julian day of March that corresponds to Rabbinical date of Nissan 15. The following labels will go in
cell A1,A2,A3,…A8: Year,Y; c; ‘M+m’; ‘sum’; d.Mar.juln, Offset, =IF((31−B5)<0,"d.Apl.juln","d.Mar.juln")
,=IF((31−(B5+B6))<0,"d.Apl.Greg","d.Mar.Greg")

Place year value, Y (label Y, cell A1), in B1 and find “c” in cell B2 from value of Y in B1. Y should be
astronomical Y, with zero, NOT B.C., find AstroYr=-(B.C.-1), otherwise +CE, or 0.
Where c = MOD((3×(Y+3760)+5×MOD((Y+3760),4)+INT((32.0441+1.5542×MOD((12×(Y+3760)+17),19)+
(MOD((Y+3760),4))÷4−(Y+3760)×0.0031778))+5),7)

Find value ‘M&m’ in cell B3, where ‘M&m’= {using Y in B1}

+(32.0441+1.5542×MOD((12×(Y+3760)+17),19)+(MOD((Y+3760),4))÷4−(Y+3760)×0.0031778)

Find Value ‘sum’ in cell B4, where ‘sum’= {using Y in B1, M&m in B3 etc}
SUM(IF(c=2,1,0),IF(c=4,1,0),IF(c=6,1,0),(IF(c=1,1,0))×IF((M&m−INT(M&m))≥(1367÷2160),
1,0)×IF((MOD((12×(Y+3760)+17),19))>6,2,0),IF((M&m−INT(M&m))≥(23269÷25920),
1,0)×IF(c=0,1,0)×IF(MOD((12×(Y+3760)+17),19)>11,1,0))

Find value ‘d.Mar.juln’ Cell B5 =INT(M&m)+sum: or =INT(B3)+B4

This is the Julian day in “Gauss March”. Sometimes the result >31. Then, 15Nissan
falls in April. For March has 31 days, if value >31, then April Julian day is ‘result’
less 31.

Find “Offset” in cell B6 as: +INT(Y÷100)−2−INT(INT(Y÷100)÷4)

Find Julian date in cell B7 as: =IF((31−d.Mar.juln)<0,d.Mar.juln−31,d.Mar.juln)

Find Gregorian date in cell B8 as:

=IF((31−(d.Mar.juln+Offset))<0,d.Mar.juln+Offset−31,d.Mar.juln+Offset)

The value of d is 0 for a Sunday, 1 for a Monday, 2 for a Tuesday etc, B7 is Julian day of month, A7
is logical Julian month, either March or April expressed as strings defined by d.Apl.juln or d.Mar.juln
MOD(5+(+B7)+(Y−(INT((14−(IF(A7="d.Apl.juln",4,3)))÷12)))+INT((Y−(INT((14−(IF(A7="d.Apl.juln",
4,3)))÷12)))÷4)+INT(31×((IF(A7="d.Apl.juln",4,3))+12×(INT((14−(IF(A7="d.Apl.juln",4,3)))÷12))−2)÷12),7)

Aux for Julian Day Number, JD#, cell B8, as follows: B7+365×(Y+4800−INT((14−IF(A7="d.Apl.juln",4,3))÷12))
−32083+INT((Y+4800−INT((14−IF(A7="d.Apl.juln",4,3))÷12))÷4)+INT((153×(IF(A7="d.Apl.juln",
4,3)+12×INT((14−IF(A7="d.Apl.juln",4,3))÷12)−3)+2)÷5)−0.5

Any number of calendar routines can verify results. For example, -4712 gMar16 &jApl23, & 112.5JD# or 0 gApl06 & jApl08
& 1721155.5JD#, or 2020 gApl09 & jMar27 & 2458948.5JD#, or 3027 gApl14 & jMar24, & 2826751.5JD#

“Note that Gauss method gives the date in the Julian calendar. A further addition was needed for a
Gregorian calendar date. This adjustment is the Offset. {Adapted from wiki Gauss Passover}

In the Mosaic calendar Abib14 is 1st day of Passover. As shown here, the North Spring Vernal
Equinox is not considered in finding ‘Rabbinical’ (cira350AD) Passover, 15Nissan.

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