Simchat Torah v’Mashiach
Here is the patience of the holy ones – here are they that keep the mitzvot of Elohim and have faith in Yeshua HaMashiach. (Rev 14:12) Simchat posts line by line commentaries on the weekly Parashat readings, both the Tanakh and the NT (see introduction, right sidebar, for details). The Torah cycle goes round and round – hop on!

Drought and Aviv

Karaite Korner Newsleter #372

Aviv and Drought

One reader wrote in with the following question:

<<< Dear Nehemiah, Has there ever been record of a drought year in which
there was no barley at all? If so would that mean we should not observe the Passover
nor count the Omer? Shalom Thank you, Karen in California>>>

This is a particularly important question this year when Israel is facing a serious drought. In all the years I have been looking for the Aviv I never experienced a situation where there was no barley. Drought usually means that there is less rain than normal and in drought years the barley yield may be lower than usual with stunted plants. However, barley is a very resilient crop that can survive on miniscule amounts of water and much of the barley still reaches full maturity. Ancient varieties of barley were just as resilient as they are today. Proof of this can be found in the 2,000 year old sickles discovered in excavations at Qumran on the shore of the Dead Sea, which are on display at Israel’s national museum. The Dead Sea valley is one of the driest places in Israel, yet even in this extremely dry environment, barley was grown in ancient times and harvested for food. Therefore, the answer to the above question is that there is always some barley that survives a drought and hence always a first sheaf (omer) of the harvest to mark the beginning of the countdown to Shavuot. More information on the countdown to Shavuot is available at:
http://www.karaite-korner.org/shavuot.shtml

The Aviv Search goes into full swing next Thursday but it is not too late to send in your support to help cover the expenses of the search. Every donation helps, no matter how small. In these difficult economic times, if all you can afford is $10, it will be received as a blessing. You can send in your support by check or money order made out to “Makor Hebrew Foundation” and sent to: PO Box 769, Pineland, TX 75968 or by clicking on the link at:
http://www.karaite-korner.org/donate.shtml

Nehemia Gordon
Jerusalem, Israel

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