7 February 2021
Shalom Aleichem,
“בָּרוּךְ יְהוָה לְעוֹלָם: אָמֵן וְאָמֵן.” Tehillim 89:53
The 12th new moon is expected to be visible in the Americas at sunset on 12 February. Israel and the rest of the globe should be able to see the new moon on 13 February if weather permits.
Share your new moon sighting.
| 12 February | 13 February |
 |
 |
12th or 1st (Aviv) New Moon
There has been some discussion that this upcoming new moon might be Aviv due to a recent video of parching barley. My take on this is that there is some practical historical guidance pointing to the new moon being no more than 14 days before the 21 March vernal equinox as a possible guide, as the Talmud notes that Passover has to occur after the vernal equinox. My experience has been that Aviv is found in Israel around mid to late March. I am also not aware of Karaite Hakhamim defining exactly the first new moon beyond the Aviv barley as found in Shemot 9:31, but it may exist and I am not aware.
This is partly because it is known that the new moon and calendar were in place and well understood before the Miqra was written down. Therefore, the Miqra didn’t have to define every aspect of the new moon and calendar. The following captures some of the key definitions and understanding of the calendar (Mikdash Me’at, Section 2: Sanctifying the Month Section 2.8). There will be more information as we approach the end of the 12th month, approximately 13 March.
12th New Moon in Miqra
- 2 Kings 25:27
- 1 Chronicles 27:15
- Esther 3:7, 13; 8:12, 9:1
- Jeremiah 52:31
- Ezekiel 32:1
May יהוה be with you,
Ya’aqov Adam Meyer