nora
(Nora)
#1
Tradition and Innovation in the Calendar of Jubilees
is neither solar nor lunar, nor stellar nor any other astronomical predicate,
but rather it is a schematic 364DY.
Seen on this background, the antilunar declarations in Jubilees are
highly exceptional. Further evidence comes from chap. 2, where the author
rewrites the creation account of the fourth day (Gen 1:14-16). V. 8 reports on
the creation of sun, moon, and stars and imbues them with the traditional
roles of giving light upon the earth and distinguishing day and night. How
ever, when reaching the calendrical role of the luminaries, an altogether new
idea is employed: "The Lord appointed the sun as a great sign above the
earth for days, Sabbaths, months, festivals," etc. The fact that the text of Gen
1:14, which refers to "lights" in general, is transformed to refer to the sun
only, clearly proves that the author entertains a solar disposition, probably
also preference for a solar calendar.^51
Why would a Jewish (proto-)sectarian author propagate a solar calen
dar if the 364DCT does not compel him to do so? Several possibilities may
be suggested. First, from the point of view of Traditionsgeschichte, one may
suggest that Jubilees resumes ancient Israelite traditions of solar religion.^52
This religious tradition continued in the Hellenistic period, in accord with
other trends then prevailing in the non-Jewish East.^53
Second, the polemics of Jub 6:36 must be viewed as part of an ongoing
debate about the role of the moon in calendrical calculations. I present here
in brief my argument from a previous publication.^54 The old "Synchronistic
Calendar" (Aramaic AB) opted clearly for the inclusion of the moon in the
calendrical ephemeris. However, this attitude faced some problems when it
turned out that sun and moon cannot be entirely reconciled from the spatial
point of view. The response to this problem was twofold. On the one hand,
the author of Jubilees, endorsing his pro-solar disposition, declared that the
moon should be entirely ignored. Thus, Jub 6:36 disputes not only the
protorabbinic luni-solar calendar, but also the synchronization of sun and
51. VanderKam, From Revelation to Canon, 5i2f.; J. van Ruiten, Primeval History Inter
preted: The Rewriting of Genesis l-Il in the Book of Jubilees, JSJSup 66 (Leiden: Brill, 2000),
37f.; contra Ravid, "The Book of Jubilees," 380.
52. E.g., B. Janowski, "JHWH und der Sonnengott. Aspekte der Solarisierung JHWHs
in vorexilischer Zeil," in Die rettende Gerechtigkeit Beitrage zur Theologie des Alten Testa
ments (Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener, 1999), 192-219; M. S. Smith, "The Near Eastern
Background of Solar Language for Yahweh," JBL109 (1990): 29-39.
53. J. M. Baumgarten, "The Heavenly Tribunal and the Personification of Sedeq in
Jewish Apocalyptic," ANRW 9,1 (1979): 219-39.
54. Ben-Dov, "The Initial Stages of Lunar Theory at Qumran."
