What is the modern Western calendar?

The modern Western Calendar is called the Gregorian calendar. It consists of weeks, months, and years.

What is the Israeli calendar made up of?

The Israeli calendar heavily relies on the seasons, as well as the months mentioned in the Bible. It is known as the 'Minhag Yisrael' calendar.

Was there ever an 'official' Israeli calendar system?

According to recent evidence, the ancient Israelites likely used a combined calendar system, known as the 'King's Calendar'.

What do ancient calendars tell us about the Israelites?

Evidence of ancient calendars tell us about the Israelites' knowledge of time-keeping, their adapting of different power systems, and the importance of festivals to their cultures.

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The history of Israel's ancient calendars is a complex one, full of interesting facts and traditions. While some knowledge of Israelite calendars can be gathered from the Bible, other sources have recently come to light that help paint a more complete picture of the time-keeping methods of these early peoples. Let us now take a deeper look at these ancient calendars and the months that compose them.

The So-Called 'Biblical' Calendar

The modern Western calendar, also referred to as the Gregorian calendar, is far removed from the biblical calendar used by the ancient Israelites. Whilst the Gregorian calendar is broken down into weeks, months, and years, the biblical calendar was mainly composed of seasons. This made up the bulk of the ancient Jewish time-keeping system; with just the israelite calendar months mentioned in the bible.

The Minhag Yisrael Calendars

While the Hebrew calendar and the biblical calendar are often conflated, they are in fact distinct systems. Also known as the 'Minhag Yisrael,' this type of calendar was mentioned in many sources from the Talmud to the Geonim literature. This system differs from the biblical calendar in several important ways that could've had a significant holding on Jewish governance and practice.

The King's Calendar: A Reconciliation

In a paper recently published by renowned Israeli historian Tamar Lavee, we get an even clearer view of how certain Israelite calendars were used throughout the ages. She proposes an argument that the two main systems of time-keeping used by the ancient Israelites, the biblical and the Minhag Yisrael, were combined and used in a regulated fashion under a single 'King's Calendar'.

The Implications of the Evidence

It is fascinating to observe how such ancient cultures so accurately kept track of their time, its changing seasons, and their festivals. Additionally, we are also privileged to view how these ancient times reacted to the changing tides of power and governance. This evidence can tell us much about both the ancient Israelites, as well as our own current day calendar systems.