The Egyptian calendar divided the year into twelve months of 30 days each, with five supplemental days following
each twelfth month. Because it ignored the quarter day annual loss, it likewise retrograded through the seasons in 1460
years, hence 1461 Egyptian years are equal to 1460 Julian years. The Egyptian year has been called vague, because at
different epochs it has commenced at different seasons of the year.
The inadequacy of these calendars, because totally unrelated to the cycle of the seasons, is obvious. The Hindu
calendar of India is one of the early lunisolar calendars, wherein the year is divided into twelve months, with an
intercalated month bearing the same name, inserted after every month in which there are two lunations, which is about
every three years. The year commences about April 11, and is divided into the following months: Baisakh, Jeth, Asarh,
Sarawan, Bhadon, Asin or Kuar, Kartik, Aghan, Pus, Magh, Phalgun, and Chait.
Another lunisolar compromise is the Chinese calendar, wherein the year begins with the first new Moon after the Sun
enters Aquarius. It consists of 12 months, with an intercalary month every 30 months, each month divided into thirds. It
dates from 2697 B.C., whereby the Gregorian equivalent of the Chinese year 4647 is 1950 A.D..
The Jewish calendar is likewise a lunisolar calendar, which reckons from 3761 B.C., the traditional year of the
Creation. The ecclesiastical year begins with the first New Moon after the Vernal Equinox, but the civil year begins with
the new Moon following the Autumnal Equinox. The years are either defective' of 353 d., regular, of 354 d. or perfect,
of 355 d., with an intercalated month on the 3rd, 6th, 8th, 11th, 14th, 17th and 19th years of the 19-year Metonic cycle.
Each month begins on the new moon -- not the moment of the Lunation but of the new moon's visibility -- allowing
some elasticity for bringing certain Festivals on suitable days of the week. The Jewish civil calendar, and its important
days, runs thus:
- The so-called October new Moon. Tishri (30 d.). New Year's day, or Rosh Hashanah; containing the Feast of Gedelis;
Yom- kippur; Succoth, Hashana Rabba; Shemini-Atzereth; and Simchath- Torah. 2. Heshvan (29 or 30 d.). 3. Kislev (29
or 30 d.) containing Hanaca. 4. Teveth (29 d.); containing the Fast of Teveth. 5. Shevat (30 d.). 6. Adar (29 d. or 30 d.).
Ve-Adar (29 d.). An intercalary month on leap years, containing the Fast of Esther, and Purim. 7. Nissan (30 d.);
containing Pessach, the first day of the Passover. 8. Iyar (29 d.); containing Lag B'omer. 9. Sivan (30 d.); containing
Shevuoth. 10. Tamuz (29 d.); containing the Fast of Tamuz, for the taking of Jerusalem. 11. Av (30 d.) ; containing the
Fast of Av, for the Destruction of the Temple. 12. Ellul (29 d.).
The current Lunar cycle, the 301st, consists of these comparative years:
5701........ Oct. 3, 1940
5702........ Sept. 22, 1941
5703........ Sept. 12, 1942
5704........ Sept. 30, 1943
5705........ Sept. 18, 1944
5706........ Sept. 8, 1945
5707........ Sept. 26, 1946
5708........ Sept. 15, 1947
5709........ Oct. 4, 1948
5710........ Sept. 24, 1949
5711........ Sept. 12, 1950