Former and Latter Rains - Nisan is Like Tishri

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III. Nisan is Like Tishri

[Tekufah of Nisan (Vernal Equinox) Nisan – The First Month Ripening of grain Chart Goes here]


The Talmud provides some insights on the connection between Pesach and Succoth:

Succah 27a "... It is stated here (in the parasha of sukka) 'chamisha asar' (the fifteenth day of the month) and it is stated 'chamisha asar' in [the parasha of] Pesach. Just as there [on Pesach], the first night is obligatory and the rest are non-obligatory, so too here [on Succoth], the first night is obligatory and the rest are non-obligatory."

The Ran[3] summarizes two prevalent views found among the Rishonim as to the exact obligation derived from Pesach:

a) to eat a minimum measure of bread in the succah on the first night;

b) to do so even in the event of rain.
* * *

Another, interesting concept for further exploration, given the bipolarity of the Torah, is the relationship between Shabbat HaGadol ("The Great Sabbath") in Nisan as immediately preceding Pesach, and Shabbat Shuvah ("Sabbath of Repentance") in Tishri as immediately preceding Yom HaKippurim. It looks to me that there are a number of commonalities as well as basic distinctions between these two particular Shabbats. However, it appears that the major themes presented on these two Shabbats are intertwined. Chiefly, this Shabbat appears in the midst of physical cleansing of our homes, whilst Shabbat Shuvah appears in the midst of spiritual cleansing in our lives. However, the topic of "cleansing" and "preparation" for the festival permeates both Shabbats.

Rosh Chodesh (the new moon – the first day of) Elul, begins a forty day period of Teshuvah, repentance. On Purim, Adar 14/15, we begin a time a repentance. Yom HaKippurim can be separated as: Yom Ha Ki Purim, which means “a day like Purim”. Even as the Jews began fasting, and repenting just before Passover, so do we repent in preparation for Passover in a manner similar to the repentance before Tishri.

In the Talmud, Shemini Atzeret is called Atzeret shel Hag, the Atzeret of Succoth, as opposed to Shavuot which is called Atzeret without a qualifier (Minachot 65a). In fact, the Midrash (Shir HaShirim 7:2) takes the effort to explain why Shemini Atzeret isn't 50 days after Succoth, why it differs from Shavuot:

Midrash Rabbah - Shir HaShirim (Song of Songs) VII:4 Another explanation: HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THY FOOTSTEPS IN SANDALS (NE ‘ALIM): in two closings (ne'alim).[4] R. Hana b. Hanina said: It is as if two traders went into a town together, and one of them said to the other: ' If we both offer our wares together in the town, we will bring down the price. So do you offer yours one week, and I will offer mine the next.’ R. Hananiah the son of R. Ibi said: It is written here, HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THY FOOTSTEPS not in the sandal, but IN SANDALS. There are two closings: the closing of Passover and the closing of Tabernacles. Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to Israel: ‘You close before Me at Tabernacles, and I close before you at Passover. You close your work before Me at Tabernacles,[5] and I open the heavens and cause winds to blow and bring up clouds and make rain fall and cause the sun to shine and make plants grow and ripen produce, and provide each one of you with a table set out with his needs, and each body according to its requirements. And I close [the heavens] before you at Passover,[6] and you go out and reap and thresh and winnow and do all that is required in the field and find it rich in blessing.’ R. Yahoshua (Joshua) b. Levi said: By rights, the Eighth Day of Assembly should have followed Tabernacles after an interval of fifty days, as Pentecost follows Passover. But since at the Eighth Day of Assembly summer passes into autumn, the time is not suitable for traveling. [God was like] a king who had several married daughters, some living near by, while others were a long way away. One day they all came to visit their father the king. Said the king: 'Those who are living near by are able to travel at any time. But those who live at a distance are not able to travel at any time. So while they are all here with me, let us make one feast for all of them and rejoice with them.’ So with regard to Pentecost, which comes when winter is passing into summer, God says, ‘The season is fit for traveling.’ But the Eighth day of Assembly comes when summer is passing into autumn, and the roads are dusty and hard for walking; hence it is not separated by an interval of fifty days. Said the Holy One, blessed be He: ‘These are not days for traveling; so while they are here, let us make of all of them one festival and rejoice.’ Therefore Moses admonishes Israel, saying to them, On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn assembly (Num. XXIX, 35). Thus we may say, HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THY FOOTSTEPS IN NE’ ALIM.

Passover and Succoth both have a second chance to be celebrated.

Iyar 15 through 21 is known as Pesach sheni, the second Passover. This celebration is for those who were unclean, or on a trip, during Passover.

Succoth’s “second chance” is called Chanukah. The Israelites were too busy fighting the Syrians to stop for Succoth. They missed the celebration so much, that they celebrated it when they were through fighting: Kislev 25 – Tevet 2.

The sacrifices on Succoth are double the offerings of Pesach, except for the bulls and the goats:

[15, 16, 17  .....  Chart Goes Here]

The Talmud records that there are four new years. Tishri is the new year for counting years and Nisan is the new year for kings.

Rosh HaShana 2a MISHNAH. THERE ARE FOUR NEW YEARS.[7] ON THE FIRST OF NISAN[8] IS NEW YEAR FOR KINGS[9] AND FOR FESTIVALS.[10] ON THE FIRST OF ELUL[11] IS NEW YEAR FOR THE TITHE OF CATTLE.[12] R. ELEAZAR AND R. SIMEON, HOWEVER, PLACE THIS ON THE FIRST OF TISHRI.[13] ON THE FIRST OF TISHRI[14] IS NEW YEAR FOR YEARS, FOR RELEASE AND JUBILEE YEARS,[15] FOR PLANTATION[16] AND FOR [TITHE OF] VEGETABLES.[17] ON THE FIRST OF SHEVAT[18] IS NEW YEAR FOR TREES,[19] ACCORDING TO THE RULING OF BETH SHAMMAI; BETH HILLEL, HOWEVER, PLACE IT ON THE FIFTEENTH OF THAT MONTH

The following chart is intended to illustrate the times of preparation prior to the spring and the winter festivals. It is incomplete, but I hope to fill it in soon:

[Adar Chart Goes Here]

IV. Talmudic Allusions

Berachoth 35b Our Rabbis taught: And thou shalt gather in thy corn.[20] What is to be learnt from these words? Since it says, This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth,[21] I might think that this injunction is to be taken literally. Therefore it says, ‘And thou shalt gather in thy corn’, which implies that you are to combine the study of them[22] with a worldly occupation. This is the view of R. Ishmael. R. Simeon b. Yohai says: Is that possible? If a man ploughs in the ploughing season, and sows in the sowing season, and reaps in the reaping season, and threshes in the threshing season, and winnows in the season of wind, what is to become of the Torah? No; but when Israel perform the will of the Omnipresent, their work is performed by others, as it says. And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks. etc.,[23] and when Israel do not perform the will of the Omnipresent their work is carried out by themselves, as it says, And thou shalt gather in thy corn.[24] Nor is this all, but the work of others also is done by them, as it says. And thou shalt serve thine enemy etc.[25] Said Abaye: Many have followed the advice of Ishmael, and it has worked well; others have followed R. Simeon b. Yohai and it has not been successful. Raba said to the Rabbis: I would ask you not to appear before me during Nisan and Tishri[26] so that you may not be anxious about your food supply during the rest of the year.

Shabbath 43b R. Ashi said:[27] Is it then taught, ‘in summer’ and ‘in winter’? Surely, it is stated, ‘in the sun because of the sun and in the rain because of the rain.’ [That means,] in the days of Nisan and Tishri,[28] when there is sun, rain, and honey.

Rosh HaShana 19b They sent [from Palestine] to Mar ‘Ukba to say: The Adar which precedes Nisan is always defective. R. Nahman raised an objection [from the following]: ‘For the fixing of two New Moons the Sabbath may be profaned,[29] for those of Nisan and of Tishri’. Now if you say that [the Adar before Nisan] is sometimes full and sometimes defective, I can understand how occasions arise for profaning the Sabbath. But if it is always defective, why should they profane it?[30] — Because it is a religious duty to sanctify [the New Moon] on the strength of actual observation.[31] According to another version, R. Nahman said: We also have learnt: ‘For the fixing of two New Moons the Sabbath may be profaned, for those of Nisan and of Tishri’. Now if you say that the Adar which precedes Nisan is always defective, there is no difficulty; the reason why Sabbath may be profaned is because it is a religious duty to sanctify [the New Moon] on the strength of actual observation. But if you say that it is sometimes full and sometimes defective, why should [the Sabbath] be profaned? Let us prolong [the month] today and sanctify [the New Moon] to-morrow?[32] — If the thirtieth day happens to be on Sabbath, that is actually what we do. Here, however, we are dealing with the case where the thirty-first day happens to fall on Sabbath [and we allow the Sabbath to be profaned because] it is a religious duty to sanctify on the strength of actual observation.[33]

Rosh HaShana 21b MISHNAH. FOR THE SAKE OF TWO MONTHS SABBATH MAY BE PROFANED,[34] NAMELY, NISAN AND TISHRI, SINCE IN THEM MESSENGERS GO FORTH TO SYRIA AND IN THEM THE DATES OF THE FESTIVALS ARE FIXED.[35] WHEN THE TEMPLE WAS STANDING THEY USED TO PROFANE SABBATH FOR ALL THE MONTHS, IN ORDER THAT THE SACRIFICE [OF NEW MOON] MIGHT BE OFFERED ON THE RIGHT DAY.[36]

Avodah Zarah 10a Said Rabina: Our Mishnah also proves this, for we learn,[37] ‘The first of Nisan is New Year for reckoning [the reign of] kings[38] and of Festivals,’ and to the question ‘The reign of kings’, what is the practical object of this law? R. Hisda replied: [It affects] the dating of documents.[39] Now, the same Mishnah says. ‘The first of Tishri is New Year for [counting] years and sabbatical cycles’[40] and when it was asked: ‘What practical significance has this ruling?’ R. Hisda [again] replied: [It affects the dating of] documents.[41] [The question was then raised:] Is not this rule of dating documents self-contradictory?[42] And the answer given was: ‘The one refers to Jewish kings, the other to kings of Gentile nations — the year of Gentile kings being counted from Tishri, and of Jewish kings from Nisan.’ Now, in the present time we count the years from Tishri; were we then to say that our Era is connected with the Shemot (Exodus) it is surely from Nisan that we ought to count.[43] Does this not prove that our reckoning is based on the reign of the Greek kings [and not on the Shemot (Exodus)]? That indeed proves it.