| This month shall be the beginning of months for you;
it is to be the first month of the year to you. (Exodus 12:2) |  | | | We want to thank you for all your messages thanking us for the thorough Barley Inspections we carried out and would like to respond to those of you who are still confused regarding when to begin the year. | I think some of the confusion may come from an expectation that we would inspect the fields, and then it would just be obvious when to begin the year. And I think that if you have a clear understanding of what your criteria are for beginning the year, our reports are very helpful, but if you don’t, then when we share the gamut of what’s out there, it can lead to more questions and confusion. | The questions we suggest you be able to answer before reading our reports include, but are not limited to, should we look at volunteer or cultivated fields, should the fields be Aviv or harvested and by what date, should the year begin with the earliest fields or the later fields, should we just look at the Jordan Valley (and maybe Beit Shean), or maybe just Jerusalem, and can we have torrential rain over most of Chag HaMatzot (Feast of Unleavened Bread). | We carried out 3 official inspections this year, each consisting of 2 days, totaling over 60 hours on the roads and in the fields. We also did our best to provide you with relevant verses to contemplate, and I shared my own perspective (for whatever it’s worth) on most, if not all, of the above questions, before we began our inspections, and in subsequent studies and reports. | I understand that some of you appreciate that I don’t take a heavy stand regarding when you should begin the year, as you like to take our reports and come to your own conclusions, and then there are others who would prefer if we would just tell them what they should do. I personally think there is still a lot to be explored and considered regarding when to begin the year, and therefore prefer to share with you what I’m thinking, hear what you’re thinking, and work together to better understand the Biblical Calendar. | I also understand that some of you find it confusing that we continue to share an image that suggests two possible months for beginning the year, even after we have finished all of our inspections. And so I’ll just mention that I do that because my objective is not to promote my understanding of the Biblical Calendar, which may or not be correct, but rather to encourage you to come to your own conclusions, and want you to have the dates you need to observe the holidays. | I also don’t always share when I will be beginning the year, but this year I have stated that I was planning on, and in fact did, begin the year with the New Moon Observation on April 21, 2023.For me it mostly came down to the rain. I think we were very much still in the rainy season last month, and I’m not saying that it can’t rain in the first month, but I don’t think it’s supposed to be as cold, and raining as hard, and as much, as it did last month. I also don’t think we should just ignore the fact that we had torrential rains for days over what would have been Chag HaMaztot (Feast of Unleavened Bread), when the men would travel to, and camp at, the Temple. I may be completely wrong about all of this, and reserve the right to change my mind, but for those of you who are curious why I have decided to begin the year when I have, there you go. But please don’t just rely on my opinion, review our first, second, and third inspections, consider what I’ve written here, and come to your own conclusions. |  | If you have a question regarding the Biblical Calendar, feel free to send it to us and we’ll do our best to try and answer it in a future newsletter. All of our answers are based on relevant Biblical verses, what we’ve seen in the Land over the past few decades, and much study and prayer. | Subscribe to our e-mail list and social media platforms, to ensure you receive our first-hand New Moon and Barley Inspection Reports, and important information regarding the Biblical Calendar. | If you have been enjoying our New Moon Reports, Barley Inspection Reports, and the studies we provide on the Biblical Calendar, please partner with us to restore the Biblical Calendar. We could really use your support to carry out this important work. Contributions can be made via PayPal, Patreon, or by sending a Check to Devorah’s Date Tree, POB 4263, Jerusalem 9104201, ISRAEL. | Together we can restore the Biblical Calendar! | Devorah Gordon
Jerusalem, Israel | Copyright © 2023 Devorah Gordon, All rights reserved. | | | DEVORAH’S DATE TREE Devorah's Date Tree organizes New Moon Observations and Barley Inspections in the Land of Israel. This important effort is headed by Devorah Gordon, who has been living in Israel, and looking for the crescent New Moon and participating in Barley Inspections, for over 25 years. Today our reports reach countless people around the world and are considered the most reliable and respected New Moon and Barley Inspection reports from the Holy Land. If reliable first-hand New Moon and Barley Inspection reports from Israel are of value to you, please support our efforts to restore the Biblical Calendar. Contributions can be made via  PayPal, Patreon, or by sending a check to Devorah’s Date Tree, POB 7816, Jerusalem 9107801, ISRAEL.
Together we can restore the Biblical Calendar! Support Devorah’s Date Tree | | | | | | | |
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