DE-JUNKING JUNK SCIENCE
By Rav. David Pollina
 
 
The other day a new article surfaced, being promoted as "outstanding", and a "solid second witness" to the equinox folly.  Despite the incredibly humorous interlude it provided, the assertions it makes are totally based on junk-science and endanger the understanding of those who might not be familiar with these issues.
 
I will not even justify it with the space of fully re-publishing it, but for those who have not read it, I'm SURE it is available on the YATI site.  With all respect to the author, Mr. Tippie, he should really stick to psychology, his area of claimed expertise, and leave science to others.
 
As to those who would promote this kind of pseudo-scholarship as being "solid", they should take better care to examine the facts themselves first.  The ongoing debate over this VERY clear Scriptural issue, has been troubling.  It appears that many are in such a rush to prop up their own 'authority' that they will pass on the WORST sort of nonsense that happens to agree with them, without even a basic verification.
 
Firstly, he posits this amazing piece of logic:

"Since we all know that Passover occurs in the Spring of the year, the new moon that Moses observed would have been a new moon in the Spring. Thus, Passover always occurs in the Spring of the year."

Pardon??  SINCE we know that Pasach is in the 'spring' (says Torah where?), THEREFORE the month of Shemot/Exodus 12 must have been in the 'spring', THUS, Pasach is always in the 'spring'??????  Coming from someone who supposedly has a BA in psychology with "substantial Master's level education" (sic), this should be apparent as 'circular reasoning', and logically invalid.  humorous, to be sure, but invalid.
 
Next, we are treated to a wonderful example of junk-science:

"The modern Jewish calendar uses a rather easy method of determining exactly when Passover occurs. Yet, the common person cannot easily determine when that time is without doing some additional research astronomically.  Judaism has traditionally set the beginning of the first month of the year – the month of Nissan – in the same manner as that described in Exodus 12:2. Here are the  rules.  The month of Nissan begins on the new moon that is closest to the month that Judaism traditionally recognizes as the “month” to which Exodus 12:2 applies. That is the month in which the vernal equinox occurs. We call the vernal equinox the first day of “Spring.”  It gets a little more complex – but not much. The first day of Spring (in 2005) is March 20. The new moon that is closest to the first day of Spring is March 11th. That fact alone seems to indicate that the celebration of Passover should be on the full moon that occurs on March 25th. That is not true, however, and this is where the astronomy part comes in.  The declaration of Spring is made according to the equatorial vernal equinox. That is the time when there are equal amounts of light and darkness at the equator. Since the equator is south of Israel, that means that it will take five or six more days for there to be equal amounts of light and day at higher latitudes. Thus, the vernal equinox does not occur in Israel until many days after the equatorial equinox.  Therefore, the closest new moon to the vernal equinox in Israel is April 10th. That begins the month of Nissan on the Jewish calendar because it is closest new moon to the month that Exodus 12:2 refers to as “this month.” That is how Judaism locates the month of Nissan."

OK, let's play along for a moment.  Let's 'assume' that he is correct and this is the method that Judaism uses - the Chodesh closest to the equinox IN YISRAEL is the first Chodesh.  It is NOT the method, but, again, we're playing along.  One does not need any special training in astronomy to find out that the equinox in Yisrael is several days BEFORE that at the equator - NOT AFTER.  Yes, you read that right... B-E-F-O-R-E.  This year, the days where there are equal time between sunrise and sunset In Yerushalaim are 16/17 March.  Thus, by this person's OWN standards, the Chodesh haAbib is this one, not the next.
 
ANYONE can readily verify this at http://www.sunrisesunset.com/calendar.asp, one need not have any special training or understanding to do so.  Select "Jerusalem, Israel", March 2005, and there you have the exact times of sunrise and sunset in the Land.  What is SO appalling about this is how it was passed on by a major ministry to the 'flock' without VERIFICATION.  But then again, such is becoming a pattern of action over this issue, and really needs to stop so as not to destroy any remaining credibility.  How can someone be asked to accept a scriptural interpretation if the person asking continues to present provable scientific falsehoods and illogical arguments.
 
In the time reckoning of the first century, the most measurable 'equinox' was that of observing the rising and setting sun, measuring the time between each.  In fact, at the time, the daylight was divided into 12 hours, but unlike our hours today which are fixed, then there were 12 hours between sunrise and sunset, making each hour shorter in the winter and longer in the summer.  At the equinox, all hours became the same length.
 
Technically speaking though, each daily period has a solidly 'day' portion where the sun shines, and a solidly 'night' portion where it is dark.  In Hebrew, these are called YOM and LAYIL.  In between these two there are two periods of blending at dawn and dusk, or in Hebrew, BOQER and EREB.  So if one were to actually divide the day/night, the proper place to do so would be from the middle of BOQER to the middle of EREB.  This occurs even EARLIER in the year than the sunrise/sunset equinox.  This year, that place is 18/19 February, the equinox of 'civil twilight'.
 
The other area of science which this author needs a bit of training in is Agronomy - plant science.  "Green ears" can NEVER be abib, as they can NOT be parched with fire, and can therefore NOT be offered on the 16th .  The stage of development where the ears are green is prior to the abib stage.
 
Thirdly, the author takes great pains to elaborate how he views history, with the barley only playing a 'secondary' role.  He needs to learn history a bit better.  The pharisaic methods ALL used barley as the PRIMARY factor in setting the year.  According to Torah, it is the ONLY factor.  Yahweh says that the Chodesh haAbib is to be the first Chodesh, PERIOD.  The Chodesh where the barley is in the state of abib has been ordained by the Almighty as our first Chodesh, and no amount of man's defiance can change that.  So, EVEN IF the Pharisees added in other factors, which they did, they had no authority to do so.
 
Finally, the article not only posits junk-science but also shows a complete lack of basic understanding of Torah.  Consider this quote:
"the Torah teaches us that there could not be any harvesting of barley crop until the firstfruits of the harvest had been presented to the priest."
Oh, REALLY???  The state of the barley crop in Yisrael is such, right now, that IF one were to wait until 26 April to start the harvest, there wouldn't be anything left to harvest anyway :-)  In actuality, the Mitswot in Wayikra/Leviticus 23:14 is to not EAT from the harvest until the wave sheaf, not to refrain from harvesting.  Dabarim/Deuteronomy 16:9 says "from the time the sickle is put", but such is an idiomatic expression indicating that the wave offering had been done towards the beginning of the harvest season.  Any remez (hint) here that would infer a restriction on harvesting can not stand against the pashat (straight) meaning of Wayikra 23.
 
In the end, it comes down ONLY to a question of authority (see http://www.tushiyah.org/authority.html), and WHO has the right to declare the first Chodesh of the year.  I for one believe that Yahweh is the ONLY one who has that right, thus, this is the first Chodesh, end of discussion.  HE said it, I believe it, and that SETTLES it.  NO Torah states that man has the authority to change Torah (see http://www.tushiyah.org/authority2.html).
 
Those who sincerely hold that we must follow the Sanhedrin are standing on a VERY slippery slope indeed.  This same Sanhedrin denied and still denies Y'shua.  We can not on one hand tell them that they have authority to CHANGE pashat Torah related to the calendar, and on the other tell them they can not deny Moshiach!  They either have ALL authority over Torah or they have NONE.  Could they change the Shabbat if they declared it changed?
 
Following MAN, one might as well go join the catholic church.  Y'shua has ALL authority, and if He delegated that authority to the twelve apostles, why, the catholic popes have more claim to continuance of such than any post-Y'shua Sanhedrin ever did.  And GUESS WHAT?  They too decided it was a good thing to CHANGE Torah, have people worship on sunday rather than Shabbat, end all the feasts and bring in Christmas and Easter.  IF the authority existed to change Torah, then what they did was RIGHT.  IF what THEY did was wrong, than what the Sanhedrin of 1600 years ago did was ALSO wrong!  Be consistent.
 
The argument has been raised that this WRONG Sanhedrin calendar is the only one that can unite all Yisrael.  WHAT UTTER NONSENSE AND RUBBISH!!!  Is Yahweh impotent?  Can He not bring Yisrael back together Himself, as He said He would - in HIS TIME?  Must we disobey a DIRECT command of Yahweh to facilitate unity?  WWYD?  What kind of 'unity' is founded upon DISOBEDIENCE??
 
Then, to continue by inferring that those who follow TORAH as it is plainly stated are following 'private' interpretation... OY VEY!  And to equate Y'shua obeying Elohim in Revelation to us waiting on the voice of the Sanhedrin is bordering on BLASPHEMY.  The Sanhedrin that condemned Y'shua was EXPELLED from sitting in the Temple in 30 AD, 40 years before the Temple was destroyed (see Shabbath 15a).  ANY authority they EVER had was O V E R.
 
I'm sorry, but if you don't want to follow Torah, go join the Catholics and have a grand 'ole easter.  As for me and my house, we will serve YAHWEH!
 
Shalom w'Baraka,
(Peace & Bless You)
Rav. David Pollina
Rav. David Pollina