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Tekufas Tishri, autumnal equinox |
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Tekufas Nisan, vernal equinox |
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Tekufas Tevet, winter solstice |
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Tekufas Tammuz, summer solstice |
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Once a permanent calendar was introduced, the need for independently computing the beginning dates of these seasons no longer existed. These dates are listed in Jewish calendars, however, because two prayers of the Jewish ritual are determined by the Tekufoth, and not by fixed dates: |
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The Sheelah, a prayer for rain, which is recited from the 60th day in Tekufas Tishri until Pesach. |
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Kiddush Hahammah, a blessing of the sun, which is recited on Tekufas Nisan every 28th year. The 28-year cycle, called the Mahzor Gadol or Great Cycle, is based upon a calculation which places the sun in the same position as it was on the day of Creation every 28 years. |
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The basis for the dating of these prayers is a series of calculations from the third century by Talmudic scholar Samuel Yarhinai. The ''Tekufoth according to Samuel" is based upon the Julian year length of 365 days and 6 hours. Samuel simply divided this figure by four to obtain a period of 91 days and 7.5 hours for each season. The date of the first Tekufas Nisan was then calculated (Tuesday at 6.p.m., Anno Mundi 1 Adar 22), and from this beginning point, all successive Tekufoth were calculated. |
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Another calculation method, attributed to Rabbi Adda, is based upon a figure of 365 days, 5 hours, 997 halakim, and 48 regaim, which is both more accurate and more consistent with the Jewish calendar itself but has not been accepted. Thus, the dates of |
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| Table 9.18 Kebioth for leap years. | | Year Type | First Day of Rosh Hashanah | Year Length | Year Type | First Day of Pesach | | 8 | Monday | 383 | defective | Thursday | | 9 | Thursday | 383 | defective | Sunday | | 10 | Sabbath | 383 | defective | Tuesday | | 11 | Tuesday | 384 | regular | Sabbath | | 12 | Monday | 385 | excessive | Sabbath | | 13 | Thursday | 385 | excessive | Tuesday | | 14 | Sabbath | 385 | excessive | Thursday |
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