Rabban Jochanan ben Zakkai, Rabban Gamaliel, R. Ishmael, R. Ela?ar ben 'Arakh, R. Eliezer ben Hyrkanos, and R. 'Akiba - were expounding (the laws of) the Molad of the moon. They said : The Holy One, blessed be He, spake one word and the heavens were created as the residence of the Throne of His Glory,' as it is said, “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made” (Ps. xxxiii. 6). But in connection with the (creation of the) host of heaven He laboured with great labour. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do ? He blew with His mouth the wind of the breath of life and all the host of heaven were created, as it is said, “And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth” (ibid.).
All the stars and constellations - were created at the beginning of ' the night of the fourth - day, one (kiminary) did not precede the other except by the period of two-thirds of an hour. Therefore every motion of the sun (is done) with dchbcration, and every motion of the moon is (done) quickly.' The distance covered by the sun in thirteen days and a fifth is covered by the moon in one day, and (the distance) covered by the sun all the days of the year, the moon traverses (the same distance) in forty-one days.' All the days serve for the beginning of the Molad of the (new) moon; (for the folloAving series ) the days are reckoned backward ; at the beginning of the night of the fourth day the beginning of the Molad (new moon) was in the hour of Saturn ; and the mnemonic is ShNZ
KMLChSh. After three years of the small cycle the day of the next cycle (reverts to) the beginning of the night of the third day, and the beginning of the Molad (new moon) is in the hour of Venus. After three years of the small cycle the day of the next cycle (reverts to) the beginning of the night of the second day, the beginning of the Molad is in the hour of Jupiter. After three years of the small cycle the day - of the next cycle (reverts to) the beginning of the night of the first day, the beginning of the Molad is in the hour of Mercury. After three years of the small cycle the day of the next cycle (reverts to) the beginning of the night of the Sabbath, the beginning of the Molad is in the hour of Mars. After three years of the small cycle the day - of the next cycle (reverts to) the beginning of the night of the sixth day, the beginning of the Molad is in the hour of the Moon. After three years of the small cycle the day of the next cycle (reverts to) the beginning of the night of the fifth day, the beginning of the Molad is in the hour of the Sun. After three years of the small cycle the day of the next cycle (reverts to) the beginning of the night of the fourth day, the beginning of the Molad reverts to the hour of Saturn as in the hour when it was created.
The great cycle of the moon is years ; it has small cycles each containing years.' The total of the days of the lunar month is days, 40 minutes, and parts.
Each constellation serves the days of the lunar month for Molad, once at night and the next time by day, and this is their sign : “And it was evening and it was morning” (Gen. i. 5). Between one Molad and (the corresponding) Molad in the ensuing year (there elapse) 4 days, 8 hours, and 876 parts.-
From one small cycle to the next cycle (elapse) 13 days, 2619 parts. When the sun goes in the south quarter, the moon goes in the north quarter, and when the sun goes in the north quarter ' the moon goes in the south quarter. All the hours serve for the beginning of the Molad of the moon in a retrospective order, according to the order “ShLKNChM and Z.” In the first year at the beginning of the night of the fourth day the beginning of the Molad (conjunction of the moon) is in the hour of Saturn (Sh). In the second year' the beginning of the conjunction of the moon is in the hour of the Moon (L). In the third year, in the following hour, the beginning of the conjunction of the moon is in the hour of Mercury (K). In the fourth year the beginning of the conjunction of the moon is in the hour of Venus (N). In the fifth year, in the hour following, the beginning of the conjunction of the moon is in the hour of the Sun (Ch). In the sixth year the beginning of the conjunction of the moon is in the hour of Mars (M). In the seventh year, in the hour following, the beginning of the conjunction of the moon is in the hour of Jupiter (Z) in the hour following. The third and fifth years are like the seventh. In like manner for three times these hours serve at the conjunction of the moon retrospectively until the (expiration of) the years of the cycle.
All the constellations serve the moon by night from the four corners of the world : 3 in the north, 3 in the south, 3 in the east, and in the west. All the hours serve the moon by night from the four corners of the world : 2 in the south, 2 in the north, 2 in the east, and in the west. In the hour in which it began to serve in the
Speaking of the sun and moon, Eth. Enoch says (Ixxviii. 5) : “And they set and enter the portals of the west, and make their revolutions to the north and come forth through the eastern portals on the face of the heaven.” The old Jewish belief as to the relation between the motion of the sun and moon was as follows : According to Rashi (T.B. Rosh Ha-Shanah, loc. cit.) the conjunction of every Molad (new moon) takes place when the moon is in the south-west comer of its orbit.
In winter since the sun does not traverse the west in the daytime save when it sets, therefore the moon is in the west before the sun gets there, because the moon during the first half of the lunar month goes to the north, whilst the sun revolves in the south.
In summer the sun goes over the greater part of the west in the daj'time ; and as it is then revolving in the north it is there before the moon, for then the moon is chiefly in the south. Where the sun sets there the moon rises. south, (therein) it finishes in the west ; ' and so vith all its circuits.
All the great luminaries of the stars are situated in the south except Ursa Major,' which is placed in the north. All the Ma??ikin ' which move in the firmament and the angels who felP from their holy place (even) from heaven. (when) they ascend to hear the (Divine) Word behind the veil they are pursued with a rod of fire, and they return to their place. - the intercalation is introduced to equalize the days of the solar ] year with the days of the lunar year. The sun and the moon begin (their courses) at the new moon of Nisan, the Sim goes before the moon at its Tekuphah ; - and Aries begins to serve before it by day, and all the constellations serve thereafter according to their order. The moon goes in the opposite direction ' and Aries begins to serve before it by night, and all the constellations serve thereafter according to their order, until the year of the small cycle, vmtil the year of intercalation (comes round). (When) the intercalated month comes round it supersedes (or thrusts aside) the new moon (of Nisan) and remains at the new moon of Shebat, and so on until the twelve intercalated months the difference between them amounts to lo days. Jubilees vi. 32-36 holds that the moon “comes in from year to year days too soon.” (come round) when the sun and the moon are equal (again) at the commencement of the eve of the fourth day in the hour of Saturn in the hour when they were created. Between each Molad (conjunction of tlic moon and sun) there are only hours, 40 minutes, and minims (parts).
The moon does not disappear from the firmament save for the twinkhng of an eye ; even though there were a full thread (of light) surrounding it in the east and in the west, the eye has not the power to see the moon until eight large hours (have elapsed). (The large hours) arc two hours for each (large) hour, either at the beginning of the Molad (conjunction) of the moon or at the end of the Molad of the moon.
The number of the days of the lunar year is 354 days, a third of a day, and 876 minims. ' 1 All the hours of a lunar month are 708 hours and minutes ; all the hours of a lunar year are 8504 hours.'
All the constellations serve the Molad of the moon and also the generations of the children of men ; ' upon them
The “73 minims” must be considered as an interpolation; see supVi' , p. 43, note 5. the world stands, and everyone who is wise and understands, he understands the Molad of the moon and the generations of the children of men, and concerning them the text says, “And let them be for signs, and for seasons” (ibid. 14). The signs of the hours shall not depart from serving the sun by day and the moon by night.
In three cycles of the sun or in four cycles of the moon there are years, which are one hour of the day of the Holy One, blessed be He. When the sun and moon become equal at the beginning of the eve of the fourth day and at the hour of Saturn in the hour when they were created, and in the hour when the flames of the moon reach the sun by day at the degree (or ascent) of 60 (degrees), it passes therein and extinguishes its light ; and in the hour when the flames of the sun reach the moon at night in the degree (or ascent) of 40 (degrees), it passes through it and extinguishes its light.f
Rabbi Nehorai said : It is the decree of the King that when Israel sins and fails to intercalate the year as is becoming, the Holy One, blessed be He, acts in His mercy at the time when the flame of the sun reaches the moon by night at degrees (or ascents), then the Holy One blessed and duration of life. Slav. Enoch xix. 2 says, “And these orders arrange and study the revolutions of the stars, and the changes of the moon, and revolutions of the sun, and superintend the good and evil condition of the world.” The N.T. also implies a belief in the doctrines of astrology, e.g. Matt. ii. 9 ; see Jeremias, Bahylonisches im N.T., p. 52. This book of Jeremias is the best book on N.T. astrology ; for astrology among the Jews see Low, Gesammelte Schriften, ii. 11. ff. be He, makes the moon dim and hides one of the Synhedrion. When Israel does the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, in His great mercy He makes the sun dim and He sends forth His anger upon the nations of the world, as it is said, “Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the nations are dismayed at them” (Jer. x. 2). Just as the moon's light does not rule over the sun's light by day, nor does the sun's light rule over the moon's light by night, likewise the calculation of the moon does not rule by day nor does the calculation of the sun (obtain) by night,' and the one does not trespass on the boundary of the other.
The dwelling of the moon is between cloud and thick darkness made like two dishes turned one over the other, i" and when it is the conjunction of the moon these two clouds turn in the east quarter and (the moon) goes forth from between them - like a ram's horn. On the first nicfht (is revealed) one measure (of light), on the second night the second measure, and so on until the half of the month when the moon is fully revealed, and from the middle of the month these two clouds turn their faces in the west quarter. The corner (i.e. crescent) of the moon with which it comes forth first,- (the same) begins to enter and is covered therein by the two (clouds) on the first night (by) one measure, on the second night (by) a second measure, and so on to the end of the month until it is entirely covered. And whence do we know that it is placed between two clouds ? Because it is said, " When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it " (Job xxxviii. 9). And whence do we know that it becomes entirely covered ? Because it is said, " Blow ye the trumpet in the new moon, at the covering, on our solemn feast day " (Ps. Ixxxi. 3). " At the covering," on the day when it is entirely covered, blow ye the trumpet in the new moon.